Big House Cardinal Zin Beastly Old Vines – Spice From the Slammer

“Beastly” old vines + prison = good wine?

Widely available for $9.99 or less. Sample received courtesy Big House Wine Company for review purposes. Also available in a 3 liter size for around $22.

From the bottle:

“2009 California Zinfandel

It’s the Cardinal Zin who consoles the straying souls of The Big House. Proud of these dark berries that evoke a sense of envy for their blackberry and peppery flavors, this Zin has been known to elicit lustful feelings and cause mere mortals to covet those long silky legs as they drip down the glass. To avoid the ire of your guests, this wine should be served with a gluttonous feast that includes sloth. Hallowed be thy zins.
13.5% alcohol”

The “Beastly” Old Vines refer to the old vines across California where these Zinfandel grapes were harvested. The Big House name comes from the proximity of the winery to the Soledad State Correctional Facility. And yes, adding these together actually makes a pretty nice Zinfandel for only $10.

The 2009 Big House Cardinal Zin has aromas of blackberry, pepper, cola, and some vanilla. The wine is definitely a spicy one, with flavors of black cherry, pepper, and a little bit of vanilla. The medium long finish also shows a good amount of spice and some prominent tannins. Fans of spicy red wines (like me) will find a lot to like in this wine. We paired this with a delicious beef brisket in a tomato based sauce and the wine complemented the meal quite nicely.

See a listing of local retailers selling this wine here.

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