The 2010 Buena Vista Zinfandel is 100% Zinfandel sourced from vineyards in Sonoma, California. Buena Vista Winery is owned by Boisset Family Estates and is located on the site of the original Buena Vista Winery that was founded in 1857. This Zinfandel was aged for 14 months in French, Hungarian and American oak barrels, 10% new barrels, the rest used barrels. French, Hungarian and American oak have different grains and impart different flavors, with different intensity to the wine. French oak is more expensive than Hungarian and American oak and may be the more ideal oak for aging wine. You see American oak used in Bourbon and Scotch, but it is widely used for wine, you just have to be careful not to impart too much oak into the wine. The alcohol content is 14.5%.
The color is a clear, see thru cherry red. The nose is strawberry with vanilla, a whiff of woody oak and ripe plums. This Zinfandel starts with a mixture of sweet and sour cherries, followed by extracted blackberry and French vanilla. The mid palate shows soft peppery spice, blueberry, with a final blast of tart raspberry. This is not a jammy Zinfandel, the tart, sweet and sour flavors give the wine a crisp, balanced edge. The finish is bold and long.
The Buena Vista Zinfandel is a classy, balanced take on California Zin. Often California Zinfandel cries out to be paired with first class BBQ, but the Buena Vista is more versatile than that. The Buena Vista sells on the internet for between $13 and $19, with the average showing around 15 bucks. It is well priced for a balanced, flavorful Zinfandel.
