Painter Bridge California Zinfandel

Wine: Painter Bridge California Zinfandel.

Grapes: Zinfandel (88 percent), petite sirah (7 percent), syrah (4 percent), grenache (1 percent)

Region: Paso Robles, Calif.

Vintage: 2008

Price: $9.99

In the glass: Painter Bridge Zinfandel is a deep inky-purplish red color with squid-ink violet streaks through it going out into a fuchsia-purple rim definition and fairly high viscosity.

On the nose: It exudes good quality with deep crushed brambleberry, loganberry, dried blueberries, juicy black fruits of the forest, boysenberry sorbet and blackberry marmalade. There are some hints of phenolic compounds and the Hungarian Oak this wine has been aged in, but they're very pleasant and approachable.

On the palate: The wine is big and brawny, with a plethora of sensually stimulating crushed black fruits, blackberry preserve, blueberry jam, black cherries, dried cranberries, some phenolic notes, licorice and finally a touch of oaky minerals. What a great surprise this wine is, continuing through the midpalate with such delicious black fruit flavors and then lingering through to the supple finish with velvety tannins and very good length to the end.

Odds and ends: It is not often that I pick out a zinfandel for review. The trouble with most zinfandels from California is that they are way over the top in terms of alcohol and intensity, and it therefore becomes a problem to enjoy more than one glass. The alcohol level in Painter Bridge Zinfandel is only 13 percent, which is reasonable for a wine and allows the true character to shine through. J. Lohr is a huge wine company and this is one of its smaller divisions cranking this tasty wine out. It is what's called a "field blend" where the majority of the wine is composed of a single variety, but there's a smattering of other goodies that are beneficial to the final result. It is a great style of wine to enjoy this time of the year with its full-bodied character. If you are looking for that nice little weekend wine to go along with spaghetti Bolognese, Painter Bridge Zinfandel is the one. It is still fairly young and vibrant, but should age reasonably well during the next two to three years maximum.

Gil Lempert-Schwarz's wine column appears Wednesdays. Write him at P.O. Box 50749, Henderson, NV 89016-0749, or e-mail him at gil@winevegas.com.