My November Wine of the Month

Talty  
Zinfandel
William Talty Vineyards
Dry Creek Valley
2008

I thought that it would be fun to review a Zinfandel for the holidays!  For me, Zinfandel is the perfect varietal to sip while cozying in front of a fireplace or while watching your favorite holiday movie.

A fabulous producer of Zinfandel is Talty Vineyards and Winery, located in the ultimate region for Zinfandel, the Dry Creek Valley in Sonoma County.

The Wine – This 2008 Estate Zinfandel has a nose full of cranberry, blackberry and pepper, along with a pleasant herbal and floral quality.  The palate is lush with red candied apple, cranberry, oregano, peppery vanilla and a touch of Jolly Rancher watermelon!  It is comprised of 90% Zinfandel, 7% Petite Sirah and 3% Carignane.  I highly recommend all of Talty’s Zinfandels.

My Experience Visiting the Winery – I’ve visited Talty a couple of times now, and have had wonderful experiences both times.  The tasting room is cozy, and sits right amongst the barrels of aging wines.  We tasted at individual wine barrels used as tables instead of the typical tasting bar.  Michael Talty himself poured on this past visit, while his wife Katie walked us through their wines on our first visit.  Talty provides a warm, friendly and unpretentious tasting experience, with the added bonus of fabulous wines.

The Journey – Talty is located right on Dry Creek Road in Healdsburg.  On arrival, we drove up a long beautiful driveway lined with vineyards on the left and peach trees on the right.  These vineyards are the William Talty Vineyards (named for Michael’s father), whose grapes produce this wine.