Commander Zinskey Returns

The adventure begins in 1993 as our hero rises to prominence defending the one and only American grape.

At the time, our national grape was in the clutches of the White Zin Supremacists, who sold out the once mighty grape, turning it into a spineless, sugary pink shell of its former glorious self. Commander Zinskey beat back the WZS, rescued Zinfandel from its pink purgatory and declared “mission accomplished” with a promise to his citizenry that he would always support the Red cause.

Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the wine bar, the Merlot Maniacs burst onto the scene with insipid and sloppy renditions of a noble grape. The MM’s brainwashing technique is to fool the public into buying any Merlot put in front of them. With a sideways glance, Commander Zinskey broke the spell and set the Maniacs adrift to wreak havoc elsewhere. Duty done for the moment, the Commander retreated to visit his favorite little brother, Pinot Boy. Though a precocious lad, Pinot Boy was worrying his parents and showing unpredictable tendencies. But the Commander knew the boy was true and spent all his idle time teaching him the Commanders Creed of Purity and Truth. That is until one sad day when he found copies of the Wine Expectorant and Robert Barker’s newsletter hidden under the floor boards of the boy’s room. The Overblown Pinot Heads had secretly gotten to the Boy in an attempt to turn him to the dark side!

The Commander appealed to his friend, the Governator, for help. In return for his many heroic acts, the Commander begged the big man with the funny accent to declare Zinfandel the official grape of California, hoping the boy would once again look to him as a role model and follow his vows of purity and truth. Unfortunately, the OPH got to the Governator first, convincing the once powerful leader of California to veto the bill with wishy-washy statements about how it was not fair to single out a near native over the more recent grape immigrants. The fate of Pinot Boy still hangs in the balance.

While the Commander was distracted by family issues, a radical faction of the OPH (Overblown Pinot Heads) developed cells of faux terroirists called the Expectorators. They form loose knit encampments and only communicate by score. Their goal is to confuse the public into thinking high alcohol concoctions represent good wine. To gather the mindless hordes, the Expectorators give a high octane Zin a score of 94 points or above. Once the score reaches the cells, number-gushing zombies stagger to the nearest wine bar to consume the numbing libation, mumbling,“Unctuous – Powerful – Inky.” But Commander Zinskey knows the truth and is determined to stop them. He just needs the citizenry to support his quest for cool climate, balanced Zinfandel. But will Commander Zinskey be able to stop the Expectorators before it’s too late…

Tasting Notes

Commander Zinskey may be a superhero, but he’s still a rather delicate rendition of the Zinfandel variety. Aromas leap tall glasses in a single bound with complex notes of currant, shoyu, and cardamom. The wine rolls over your tongue in waves of macerated raspberry and blackberry, anise, tarragon, white pepper, and dried fig. The Commander hangs around long enough to get the job done, with a lush mouth feel that leaves you wanting Maria’s pork shoulder, a burger, spaghetti and meatballs, pizza, rack of lamb…

Winegrowing Notes

Zinfandel from Carneros? Well, maybe it’s not the first grape that comes to mind for Napa’s coolest AVA… or the second or the third. But RSV believes the site should dictate what is planted where, not popular opinion.

At the extreme north edge of Carneros, RSV’s few rows of Zinfandel sit on the top of the Vandal Vineyard on the ridge that eventually rises to Mt. Veeder. The site has a slightly different aspect than the rest of the blocks within the Vandal Vineyard: a nice soil warming south-west exposure that allows just the right amount of heat for sun-loving Zinfandel to ripen beautifully balanced, structured fruit with good acidity, moderate alcohol and fully developed, complex flavor.

A juicy Zin, like Commander Zinskey, needs a partner that packs a punch. A luscious, meltingly tender pork shoulder with a zingy Tamarind glaze is the perfect sidekick. Zinfandel is one of the few red grapes that can stand up to tangy and spicy foods. RSV does not make a dry red Zin every year, but when we do, I rejoice with ebullience in the kitchen. You can use this glaze for grilled game hens, pork spare ribs or any preparation where finger licking is encouraged.

Until the next wine…

Maria