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.

Layer Cake Primitivo a.k.a. Zinfandel 2007 IGT Puglia, Italy

I got the Layer Cake. I bit the bullet and sprung for the $17+ bottle of wine. This may be my most expensive one yet!

I was headed for the Layer Cake Shiraz, but the Party Factory was out of that, so I ended up with the Primitivo instead. That's just fine with me, because I like to try new things. And apparently Primitivo is not just one new thing for me, but two: the Primitivo variety of grape is genetically equivalent to the Zinfandel variety, and although I've certainly had white Zin before, this is my first red.

I love the way Layer Cake's web site describes this wine (except for maybe that bit about tar):

"A balance of elegance and power; inky black fruit, spice and white pepper, jammy black cherries, plums, blackberry fruit, truffles, tar, and espresso. Warm and rich in the mouth with a creamy texture; the ripe fruit is well supported by the deep structure of the wine."

Even better is the description on the bottle label:

"Wine, if properly made, is like a great layer cake: fruit, mocha and chocolate, hints of spice and rich, always rich. 'Never pass up a layer cake.'"

Words to live by!

But mostly what I got from it was an acidic and green but smoky flavor. Good stuff! But I'm not sure it's worth twice as much as some other decent wines I've tried.