What can I say??? I happened to stumble upon Opolo Summit Creek Zinfandel by accident. I was having a bite to eat at Wood Ranch in Northridge. I wanted a full-bodied red wine and after perusing their somewhat limited list I decided to taste the red zinfandel. Before that evening I’d never heard of this vineyard or this wine.

After the first taste I was hooked.This wine is bold and fruity. With hints of raspberries and spice. The tannins are soft which leaves it with a smooth finish. This wine is definitely one for the jackpots list.

Before I left the restaurant I confirmed the name so that I could purchase this wine at a local wine shop. A few days after my first exposure to this wine I tried to find it in a local Beverages & More store with no luck. They called around and found that the Thousand Oaks store was carrying this particular wine. Because my full-time job takes me to Thousand Oaks daily I figured I would pick it up there. However, that never happend.

Finally, one day on my run to the Green Jug ( a local wine shop) I happened to be strolling the zinfandel aisle when I noticed the Opolo Summit Creek Zinfandel I was extemey exited. I was so happy to find this jackpot that I bought at least 10 bottles to get started.

The flavor of this wine has not changed over the years. It is still an outstanding wine that is inexpensive. It retails for aprozimately $16.99.  I have since been able to find the wine not only at  the Green Jug but also at the Woodland Hills Wine Company. Pick up a bottle of this wine. It is versatile enough to go with your daily dinner or a fancy party. Even though it’s delicious without using an aerator, try pouring it through the Vinturi aerator (see last post) and discover an even smoother, silkier texture.

This evening my husband and I attended the Louis/Dressner Portfolio Wine Tasting held at the Woodland Hills Wine Company in Woodland Hills, California. This was a unique event for the WHWC. It was a casual walk-around tasting where you met some of the finest winemakers from Europe. Included below are the producers who attended:

Francois Pinon – Vouvray

Luneau-Papin – Muscadet

Franck Peillot – Bugey

Terres Dorees – Beaujolais

Domaine Louis-Claude Desvignes – Beaujolais

Domaine Marechal – Burgundy

Azienda Agricola Montesecondo – Toscana

Campi di Fonterenza – Montalcino

Occhipinti – Sicilia

Eric Texier – Rhone

Vittorio Bera & Figli – Piedmonte

Chinati Vergano – Piedmonte

Each winemaker poured two or three of their wines for tasting. There were several good wines among these and a few not so great wines. Three wines that stood out for my husband and me this evening. The winner for me was the Campi di Fonterenza – Montalcino 2006 Sangiovese IGT. For those of you unfamiliar with the Sangiovese, it is a red grape grown primarily in Tuscany, Italy. It is Italy’s most planted variety and creates the framework for many Italian wines including Chianti and Carmignano. Of all the wines I tasted this had the most elegant flavor. It is age for six months in a stainless steel tank and then for six months in Slovenian oak barrels. The fruits of this wine come alive as you inhale its aromatic bouquet. This wine is medium-bodied but has a rich flavor unlike many European wines. It retails for about $30.00.

My husband’s pick of the evening was the Chianti Classico by Azienda Agricola Montesecondo – Toscana. This was somewhat shocking to me because this is a quite a robust wine and my husband tends to like a sweeter flavor. I thoroughly enjoyed this wine and we both agreed that it would serve well with a nice pasta dinner. It had a very rich flavor but was smooth at the end. This is definitely one for the wine cellar. Retailing for about $28.00, it is definitely a good buy.

Our final pick was quite surprising for me because I am not a lover of sweet tasting wines. However, we both found the Moscato d’Asti by Vittorio Bera & Figli – Piedmonte quite refreshing. Today was an unusually hot day in the area we live in so this chilled and moderately sweet wine really hit the spot. The hint of orange and melon provided you with a sense of relief from the 100-degree temperature. Its crispness almost made you feel as if you were not drinking wine but instead a sparkling ade.

Overall this was quite an interesting tasting. I have tried French wines on several occasions but never really find one that excites my palate. French wines tend to be a bit to smooth and mellow for me. When drinking wine I like a little excitement on my taste buds. However, I will continue to try them. The Italian wines really were the jackpots for my husband and me this evening. So much so that we definitely made a few purchases before leaving. If you get an opportunity please tastes the wines I’ve mentioned here and let me know what you think. Also, check out the Jackpots & Craps sections on this blog and see which wines made the list.

Until the next time…Ciao!