Wine of the week: Renwood is a jammy head-turner

Zinfandel requires patience and force because it can be a gangly teenager. So says Joe Shebl, the winemaker at Renwood Winery in Plymouth.

Shebl is behind our wine-of-the-week winner - the Renwood, 2012 Amador County Premier Old Vine Zinfandel at $20.

This zin will turn heads. It’s surprisingly good for the price. The Renwood is fruit-forward and jammy, with juicy blackberry fruit and notes of cocoa, vanilla bean and cracked black pepper. The fruit and the spice meld together seamlessly. It’s gorgeous.

“Zinfandel can be delicate and finesse-driven or a big monster of a wine,” Shebl said. “I try to balance those two with finesse and fresh vibrant fruit.”

Shebl said the liv-wire grape responds well to calculated farming and judicious use of French oak. What the uninitiated don’t know about zinfandel, Shebl explained, is that it is absolutely delicious when it’s made well.

“For me, it’s a great wine to experiment with,” Shebl said. “People who like big, huge cabs can find that type of zin. And people who like delicate pinot noirs, can also find that kind of zin.”

The most challenging aspect of making the wine is pinpointing the moment to harvest, Shebl said.

“In the foothills, we get heat spikes and it can be close one day and if you don’t get it, it could overshoot itself the next,” he said.

Shebl was a pre-med student at Sacramento State University in 1998, but a tour of Cakebread Cellars in Napa Valley made him rethink his career choice entirely. He peeked through the window of the winery’s laboratory and found a mesmerizing yin-yang of art and science.

Shebl was wowed by the wine on tour, as well.

“In college you can’t afford anything but cheap beer,” he joked.

Jeff Cohn of JC Cellars in Oakland was a consulting winemaker on the brand before Shebl adopted it in July of last year. The winemaker is delighted with the outcome of the zin.

“When you nail it,” Shebl said, “zinfandel can be as good as any wine in the world.”

You can reach Wine writer Peg Melnik at 707-521-5310 or peg.melnik@pressdemocrat.com.

The Press Democrat Wine of the Week

Scouting for the tastiest red wines.

Wine writer Peg Melnik had a tasting this week featuring reds, with a flight that included merlots, pinot noirs and zinfandels. While several wines reeled in high scores, our wine-of-the-week winner is the Renwood, 2012 Amador County Premier Old Vine Zinfandel at $20. It’s a terrific value for the price.

TOP PICK

Renwood, 2012 Amador County Premier Old Vine Zinfandel, 15.5 percent alcohol, $20. ????

This zin will turn heads. It’s surprisingly good for the price. The Renwood is fruit-forward and jammy, with juicy blackberry fruit and notes of cocoa, vanilla bean and cracked black pepper. The fruit and the spice meld together seamlessly. It’s gorgeous.

Other impressive wines

Shafer, 2012 Napa Valley Merlot, 15.1 percent, $52. ????

This bright merlot is enticing. It has vibrant fruit of cherry, strawberry and blackberry, coupled with great minerality. Great mouth-feel. Nice length. Striking.

Williams Selyem, 2012 Eastside Road Neighbors, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County Pinot Noir, 13.7 percent, $52. ????

This is a pretty pinot, balanced, yet generous. It has aromas and flavors of blackberry, anise and vanilla bean. Crisp acidity. Well-integrated. Lovely.

Pedroncelli, 2012 Bushnell Vineyard, Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel, 14.8 percent, $20. ???½

This is a tasty wine with notes of jammy berry, tobacco and toasty oak. It has ripe tannins and a long finish. It wins you over with its layered flavors. A quality zin for the price.

Fulcrum, 2012 Brosseau Vineyard, Chalone Pinot Noir, 14.1 percent, $55. ????

This pinot noir has notes of Bing cherry, strawberry, herbs and spice. What makes this a standout is its bold cherry fruit and seamless texture. Sleek.

Duckhorn, 2011 Napa Valley Merlot, 14.5 percent, $54. ????

This is a seamless merlot that reels you in with its complexity. It has notes of tangy cherry, black cherry and pepper. While it has good structure, it still manages to be fleshy. Impressive.