One of them was a 2008 Old Vine Zinfandel from Benson Ferry Vineyards in California. I enjoyed this while celebrating the end of 2010, and what a great New Year's Eve wine it turned out to be.
It had a really vibrant taste of blueberry and plum without being extremely fruity and was sweet but managed not to be sugary. With a 14.5% alcohol content, the alcohol taste and smell were strong at the first sip, but the fruit was pungent enough to come through as well.
I had my glass of Benson Ferry with homemade pasta, meatballs, and chicken parmigiana, and because it wasn't too sweet, it worked well with the tomato sauce.
Because I am just getting into the world of wine, I love knowing the price of a bottle. Maybe it is partly because, as previously mentioned, I am a typical tight-pocketed college student, but I just love knowing you don't have to spend a lot on a bottle to enjoy it.
Luckily for me, the price tag was still on this one: $14.99. In all honesty, if I had not known the price of the Old Vine beforehand, I would have guessed that it cost more than fifteen dollars because of the delightful taste and it managed to have a sharp nose and taste with a surprisingly smooth finish. There was no unpleasant aftertaste due to the high alcohol content thanks to the balance of strong, but not sickeningly sweet, fruit.
It was not until I sat down to write this that I realized I drank a California wine with an Italian meal. Here's to hoping I'll find forgiveness in 2011.
