If you are visiting us for the first time, Welcome! The Wine Spies feature one exceptional wine each day – and we only bring you wines that we ourselves seek out and love. Always, the wines are great. Sometimes greater than great, as is the case with today’s wine from Christopher Creek Winery

Mission Codename: The Limerick Revisited

Operative: Agent White

Objective: Determine if Agent Red has been compromised by folks at Christopher Creek

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Christopher Creek Winery

Wine Subject: 2004 Zinfandel

Winemaker: Chris Russi

Backgrounder:

Earlier this year, Agent Red found an exceptional Petite Sirah from Christopher Creek Winery. Ever since, he’s been walking around HQ humming the tune that accompanies the limerick he claimed he wrote for that mission… Has Agent Red been brainwashed?

Now onto the wine… Zinfandel is one of the favorite grape varietals, and for good reason, so many great California wines are made from this varietal. Related to the Italian Primitivo grape and tracing its origin to the Croatian grape Crljenak Kastelanski, Zinfandel is one of the most versatile varietals with the ability to make wines, both rich to fruity, dark to light, and dry to sweet.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Thick inky dark purple in color with purple and brick edges and slow thick legs that slowly descend down the side of the glass.

Smell – Pronounced aromas of dark fruit including black currents, licorice (fresh anisette) pepper and oak.

Feel – Dry and rich and full-bodied, the tannins and acidity blend to give this wine a very interesting sandy texture and mouth feel.

Taste – Layered flavors of dark fruit, ripe plum, oak and pepper that sweetens slightly as it opens up.

Finish – This wine finishes very nicely, fading with hints of its pepper, fruit and oak.

Conclusion – If you are a fan of Zinfandel, you will love this wine. The nose on this wine begs to be explored and evolves as it interacts with the air. This is a quintessential Zin, big, bold and robust; and reminds us why Zins are such crowd pleaser wines.

Mission Report:

As mentioned in the backgrounder, HQ had become concerned that Agent Red had been brainwashed, or otherwise compromised. Earlier this year, Red was sent on a mission, the wine was great, but he returned to our Top Secret Tasting Operations Center humming a some and repeating the words to a limerick.

Agent Sparkle was especially concerned (not surprising). This limerick seemed to be consuming him. HQ asked me to investigate and to make sure I didn’t fall under the same spell as red.

I decided the best way to gather intel was to perform an undercover tasting. Upon arriving at tasting room in Healdsburg, I was greeted by Chris Russi, the winemaker, and Fred Wasserman, the owner, who immediately poured me a taste of each of the wines. After tasting the flight, I can tell you, the only thing that is making red hum the limerick is the fantastic wine.

Here is the original limerick. If you hear someone repeating it over and over, you’ll know they’ve tasting these great wines.

There was a young fella named Chris
whose grand-uncle once said, “Drink this”
T’was a libation so fine
that his heart it did shine
and Chris said “Henceforth, I shall make wine!”

His wine journey did start
and he followed his heart
to a school of high enophile learning
where he did seek, interest starting to peak,
to satisfy wine-knowledge yearning

Pure wisdom he sought
At U.C. Davis was taught
Where its classrooms stimulated his thought

The payoff of his wager
was his double wine major
Wine erudition his money had bought

Now young Chris yearned for more –
from his toes to his core
where the vineyards called out to his soul,
“Come NOW Chris, grab your shears and let’s grow!”

Never one to feel bleak
keeping up his hot streak
Chris began his intense wine career
Pondering wineries tiny and those massive-big
he landed at wine-giant, Guyser Peak

Experience grew
Wines and vines he now knew
and Chris had even grander ambition
After one short audition he secured the position
of Christopher Creek’s main wine magician

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of Christopher Creek’s fabled Limerick Lane vineyard can be seen in satellite photo.