Graeser Simba's Sinful Zinfandel 2002

Graeser Simba's Sinful Zinfandel 2002
North Coast, California

Richard Graeser has been making wine outside of Calistoga for almost twenty years. As at many wineries, dogs are pretty much part of the staff, and Graeser decided to name his non-Napa wines for some of the winery's "best friends." Pound-mutt Simba recently passed on to doggy heaven, but her memory lives on in her namesake Zinfandel. It has a spicy, dark raspberry nose, with touches of tobacco, black cherries, and a hint of port, despite its moderate alcohol - this is a balanced Zin, not an over-the-top monster. The tannins are light, leaving the wine with a full, round mouth feel.