I confess, I didn't have very high expectations for this wine. California and Sutter Home specifically, were once known for their old vine Zinfandel. The grapes for Sutter Home's Zinfandel are from the Sierra Foothill and Lodi regions, both long-term growing areas for Zinfandel. But I thought, given that Sutter Home very much markets this and their other wines as consumer table wines, that this would likely be sort of fruity, and over-ripe, and too sweet, rather than the lively peppery tones I'd expect from a Zinfandel.

I was wrong. This is a lovely wine. This was a full flavored wine, fruity and tannic just enough, with more layers and complexity than I'd expected. It's rich, zesty and robust as only a Zinfandel can be. It's also one of the loveliest wines I've seen in a glass; it's a deep crimson with garnet highlights. We had this Sutter Home Zinfandel with several meals, and as a before dinner glass of wine, but I very much want to try it with homemade chili that's on the spicy side, with lots of beef and peppers. I'm also interested in trying it with really spicy pizza with lots of pepperoni and sausage, and of course, it's just about perfect for lasagna.

It is hard to believe the lighter, much sweeter Sutter Home White Zinfandel is even related. I note that the regular price for a bottle of Sutter Home Zinfandel is a little under $5.00; we found a 1.5 liter bottle for just over $6.00. I'm still going to keep drinking and enjoying Washington Zinfandels, but at this price and the ease of finding a bottle locally, Sutter Home Zinfandel will be making regular appearances at our dinner table. I note I'm not the only reviewer who likes Sutter Home's "California Zinfandel."