WTN: Swan Stellwagen Zin '03

Yes, it is sweet. It's also delightful! I added a bit of dry marsala to the spaghetti sauce (sort of a variation on Bolognese), which fit beautifully. It's very very ripe zin, and not particularly tannic, and I had no taste of alcohol at all. The sweetness was disclosed in Rod's release note and also mentioned at the tasting room.
This isn't my usual glass of wine, and I wouldn't have thought about it with spaghetti, yet it worked very well. So why did I get it out? Darned if I know! But I'm glad I did.
Calif., Sonoma Valley, Joseph Swan, Stellwagen Vineyard, Zinfandel, 2003 $22.50, 15.8% alcohol. Bought at the winery in 7/07

John

[Jenise]

John, you bring back memories. My how I used to love Rod's Stellwagen zins, they were probably my favorite California zin period. And where sometimes people refer to zins as cab-like, the Stellwagen had a feminine personality and was pinot-like with lots of exotic Asian aromas. And never that kind of alcohol. Hate to see this happening to an old favorite.

I agree, Stellwagen is not the usual Zin. Generally lots more depth and structure that you expect from Zin, and I guess that's what made this bottle palatable, though atypical.

'03 was a year that gave Rod fits. Everything except Great Oak wound up very ripe and therefore high-alcohol.
Oddly enough, '03 is the most recent Stellwagen in my cellar. Other wines, both Swan and Sonoma County in general, have gone back down into the 14% range in more recent vintages, for which I am thankful.

I finished the bottle with grilled rack of lamb yesterday evening. It wasn't really assertive enough for that, though I did enjoy it. I saved a sip or two for later, and it made a great sipper with a book later in the evening.

John