While draining a glass of Rancho Zabaco “Sonoma Heritage Vines” Zinfandel at a friend’s barbecue, I was reminded of the scene in the movie Risky Business in which Tom Cruise’s character, Joel, is visited by a terrifyingly unsavory escort.
After Joel rebuffs her (or is it him?), the escort recommends that he call a more enticing alternative, the lissome vixen played by Rebecca De Mornay. “I want you to call Lana,” advises the escort. “It’s what you want. It’s what every white boy off the lake wants.”
Well, these days, when wine is the object, it seems like what everyone wants is a smooth, spicy, easily-located red that isn’t too hard on the wallet.
Like Lana, the Rancho Zabaco Zinfandel satisfies universal desires — and, suffice it to say, it is also a tempting companion for any train ride.
Nuggets to know:
1) A burly, exuberant, quintessentially American wine, Zinfandel is immediately likeable for its flush of berry fruit and hint of pepper.
2) When stalking good Zinfandel, remember the “4 R’s”: Ridge, Ravenswood, Rosenblum, and Rancho Zabaco
Producer: Rancho Zabaco (Sonoma, CA)
Wine: Heritage Vines Zinfandel
Vintage: 2003
Cost: $11
Track it down: www.wine-club-central.com/detail.aspx?ID=6334
A lesson in likability, this lunar-dark, medium-to-full bodied wine delivers equal parts raspberries and blackberries, scents of vanilla, and a few turns of the pepper-mill. The soft, rich, jam-infused finish earns it the wine lover’s equivalent of the video game “E” rating: fit for everyone.