Beran Napa Valley Zinfandel 2012
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Wilfred
Wong
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
The 2012 Beran Napa Zinfandel is so different from the Zins that I cut my teeth on when I first started drinking wines, some 40 years ago. In those days the wines were in the 12-13% alcohol range, and the best of them were pretty okay. This wine—weighing in at 15.4%—has become the standard that today's wine drinkers find enjoyable. Loaded with berries, smooth on the palate, and just a touch sweet, this looks like a match with baby back ribs and a slightly sweet barbecue sauce. Drinks well now. (Tasted: September 21, 2016, San Francisco, CA)
Undoubtedly proving its merit over and over, Napa Valley is a now a leading force in the world of prestigious red wine regions. Though Cabernet Sauvignon dominates Napa Valley, other red varieties certainly thrive here. Important but often overlooked include Merlot and other Bordeaux varieties well-regarded on their own as well as for their blending capacities. Very old vine Zinfandel represents an important historical stronghold for the region and Pinot noir is produced in the cooler southern parts, close to the San Pablo Bay.
Perfectly situated running north to south, the valley acts as a corridor, pulling cool, moist air up from the San Pablo Bay in the evenings during the hot days of the growing season, which leads to even and slow grape ripening. Furthermore the valley claims over 100 soil variations including layers of volcanic, gravel, sand and silt—a combination excellent for world-class red wine production.