Sextant’s Zinfandel: Smooth and downright sneaky

If you are planning to rustle up a batch of barbeque ribs soon, don’t forget to pick up a bottle of Zinfandel.  And with the next vintage now hitting the shelves, there are a lot to pick from.  These also include a few names from Paso Robles that are not seen that often, making this an excellent opportunity to try something different.

One of these is from Sextant Wines, and in keeping with their seafaring theme, they simply call it “Wheelhouse” Zinfandel.  Most of the time this Zin is a little hard to find, but for some reason, our Phoenix area Costco stores have recently been putting it out for there in the wine bins for under $16.  That’s about $5 less than the winery’s price.

This is a good deal especially if you like your wines “smooth”.  For many wine drinkers, there is nothing better than a big deep Zin along with a batch of slathered ribs and this wine steps right up to the challenge.  It also works really well with 4-cheese lasagna or cheese enchiladas.  Smooth on smooth always goes down magnificently.

But what makes it sneaky is its well-integrated alcohol level of 14.5% plus.  The only indication of how potent this wine is shows up with a little heat on the finish.  When served with ribs, this dark purple creation is just mellow.  An easy-drinking wine for sure, so don’t let it sneak up too much.

Wheelhouse’s bouquet is a little muted with soft ripe plums and even a tad of orange and smoke in the background.  Its soft jammy finish puts Wheelhouse firmly in the crowd pleaser category.  No problem serving this under $20 wine to just about anyone who likes reds.

So, for that next entrée featuring lots of sauce and slather, don’t forget the Zin.  This one is fine served at room temperature, but for drinking without food, chill down in fridge for about an hour and enjoy “Mr. Sneaky” as he gradually warms to the occasion.

Article by Tom Peiffer, Phoenix Wine Shopping Examiner at Examiner.com

View more of Tom’s articles on Examiner.com by visiting his writer’s page.