Alexander Valley "Sin Zin" Zinfandel 2007 California

Tonight, for the first time in too long, I broke out my super-sassy uptown foil cutter (I'm still amazed at how well it works!) and pulled the cork on a new wine, suggestion courtesy of Tracy. It is "Sin Zin," and check out that uninhibited fellow on the label. That's me right now, except I'm on my couch instead of under a tree. And, OK, I'm clothed more modestly. And not exactly doing funnels.

My great big goblet is filled with a deep dark ruby-red wine. Call me crazy, but I smell nutty almond with a faint breath of apple. It's not an especially loud smell, but I like it. My first sip: very tart, to the extent that any flavor seems overpowered, but there's this wonderful, amazingly peppery aftertaste. Spicy, spicy! I love it.

If I am to believe the back of the bottle, I should be smelling "a bright, expressive nose bursting with red fruits" and tasting "a palate loaded with raspberries, strawberries and black pepper." I kind of wonder if the person who made up that description even tasted the wine, except for the part about the pepper. I'm picturing a freelance writer who threw a bunch of wine words into a hat and this is what he drew out. He is now excitedly telling his friends and family members he's been published on the back of the Sin Zin bottle.

According to the Alexander Valley website, if I'd had the 2008 instead, I would have been the recipient in a delivery of "heady aromas of black cherry, eucalyptus, cocoa and mint, and flavors of black cherry, plum, vanilla, and black pepper." That sounds like a completely different wine from their description of the 2007. Sure makes me wish I had one of each so I could compare them!

Oops. I just remembered I forgot to let this wine breathe before I tried it. Impatience strikes again. Maybe that is why I am missing out on the raspberries and strawberries. But, you know, missing out with a glass of wine in hand is not really missing out.