We have a confession to make: we're generally not big
(R.I.P., Andre) on Zinfandels. Most wines range from 13% to 14.5%
alcohol, while Zins can contain as much as 15% or 16%. That doesn't
sound like a big difference, but it can change the wine's composition
enough that winemakers will often overemphasize the fruit to try and
balance out the alcohol. As a result, many Zins are highly acidic fruit
bombs.
Not the 2007 Ridge Sonoma County Three Valleys. This $17.99 blend of Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Syrah, Grenache, and Carignane grapes surprised us with its nice plummy fruitiness. It's also only 14.3% alcohol. The label advertises it as a "red table wine" and that's exactly what it is--not a special-occasion wine, but great for a casual dinner.
It would work well with tenderloin. Probably not with gamier meats or more flavorful cuts like hangar steak or ribeye--doesn't have the structure to stand up to them. Along with plum, we also tasted some dark cherry. All in all, when measured against other California reds, the Ridge is a very good deal. It gets an 8.0 out of 10 in our book.
A quick word about Ridge--this is a solid maker whose wines are generally well crafted, although they tend to be a little on the pricey side. (The Three Valleys Zin is on their low end.) They're particularly known for their Cabs and Zins.
