Best local zinfandel wines for the holidays
A list of the best Paso Robles wines for the holidays would not be complete without a section on zinfandel. It’s known as the Paso Robles heritage wine. Great zinfandel wines from Paso Robles are typically full-bodied, fruity with aromas of berries, sometimes jammy, and usually of moderate to high alcohol content. They should pair well with roasted turkey, lamb, red meats and anything Italian you might be making for the holidays.
We received so many tasty red wines that we created a separate list for recommended cabernet sauvignon and Bordeaux-style blends.
Top local zinfandel wines
Michael Gill Cellars 2014 Il Elione Zinfandel – $42
This gold medal winning zin is a jammy, flavorful, and fruit forward. It would pair well with turkey, prime rib, and game meats.
Peachy Canyon 2013 Bailey Zinfandel – $38
This popular zin deliverys aromas of white pepper, black cherry and nutty notes of marzipan with cedar. It gives a mouthfeel of tannins with flavors of dark chocolate. It’s a bold wine to pair with turkey, prime rib and other meats.
Peachy Canyon 2013 Westside Zinfandel – $41.99
The premium fruit in this classic Paso Robles variety really shows through. Peachy Canyon once again proves itself as a leader in Paso Robles’ heritage varietal. It is balanced and smooth with aromas of black cherry with flavors of ripe plum. It will pair well with many holiday meals.
Per Cazo 2013 Zinfandel – $35
This zin presents classic fruity flavors of ripe berries with hints of sandalwood. It has a full-bodied spiciness that lends itself to being paired with hearty meals.
Pomar Junction 2013 Zinfandel – $34
This is a full-bodied zinfandel representative of the Paso Robles AVA. It has flavors of rip cherries and blueberries with soft tannins. It would pair well with turkey and red meats.
San Antonio Winery Opaque 2013 Zinfandel – $29.95
This zinfandel is surprisingly dark with favors of blackberry, boysenberry, and black cherry come together with hints of spice and dark cocoa.
Robert Hall 2013 Zinfandel – $13
This Paso zinfandel is a medium-bodied wine with a heart of fresh raspberry and blackberry fruit intertwined with peppery spice. Soft tannins and moderate acidity make it a balanced wine.
Rotta 2013 Zinfandel – $40
Rotta is a pioneer in Paso Robles zinfandels and delivers with a classic one here. Jammy, yet dry, with lots of fruit flavor from the dry-farmed grapes of the Osso Balena Vineyard. It has a hot and spicy finish and will pair well with robust holiday meals.
Victor Hugo 2013- Zinfandel – $22
Light in color, light acidity. Notes of blackberries, raspberries, tart cherries, complimented with a spicy oak finish. Would pair well with turkey, pork, beef dishes. 4 out of 5 stars.
Vines on The Marycrest 2013 My Generation – $38
This gold medal-wining blend is 49-percent zinfandel, 24-percent syrah and 19-percent mourvedre. It’s a light, well-balanced and very approachable wine. It’s perfect for just about any holiday meal.
Vista Del Rey 2013 Zinfandel – $25
This dry-farmed wine is a lighter-style traditional zinfandel, rather than the fruit bombs some wineries are producing. It has notes of wild berry, plum and cherry. It will pair well with just about any holiday feast.
Publisher’s note: For the second year in a row we thought it would be a great idea to recommend local wines for upcoming holiday parties and meals. Once again, I had no idea how much participation we would receive from our local wineries. Over the last few weeks we received more than 100 entries. I was originally planning a list of 10 or so of the best wines, but after tasting and tasting and tasting, there were just too many solid, well-made wines to recommend. So we decided to break up the list of top local wines into categories. The recommended wines are in alphabetical order.
Additional wine recommendations
- Best Rhone-style white wines for the holidays
- Best local rosé wines for the holidays
- Best local sparkling wines for the holidays
- Best local white wines for the holidays
- Best local cabernet sauvignon wines for the holidays
