When I first moved to San Francisco a few years back, there were some inexpensive wines that I thought were not only drinkable, but worth always having a case around for those weeknights with grilled burgers or pizza. Red Truck was one of those producers and I think I still have a few bottles from the case I bought 4 years ago. But, it occurs to me now, that I'm no longer much of a fan of Red Truck. I've had a few of the wines since that first case and nothing's really knocked me out. Good enough, but not memorable. And, unfortunately, the 2006 Red Truck Zinfandel Mendocino County on the Whole Foods Holiday wine top ten list falls in that camp.It's a fairly nice mix of cherry, cranberry, cedar and freshly ground nutmeg, but with an aroma of the air you smell when fly fishing, part fresh mountain air, part fish, part fresh water and mist. Having fished my whole life (although less and less as the years go by), this is a welcome smell, as long as you're catching fish, but not so welcome when the trout have gone somewhere else down the river or perhaps permanently reside on the hook of your friend standing right next to you. After the river runs through the wine, there's a dusty butter and vanilla finish, which is actually a little comforting and rich, but a disconnect from the rest of the wine. Off balance, a bit confused about what it wants to be and no longer on my list of weeknight keepers.
What Whole Foods has to say: Think of this bottle as an old friend in a snazzy new pair of shoes! A balanced, organic California wine, its brambly berries, cracked pepper and dark chocolate finish keep your attention, whether you're eating pot roast or pasta. Wow your taste buds and pair it with Stilton produced by Colston Bassett or Borough market.
What you should do: Don't buy this one. As I said, the producer used to be higher on my list and I don't know if it's just the Zinfandel that's throwing me off, but not my favorite. Plenty of other good ones on the list (like the Pepperwood Grove Pinot Noir and Paso a Paso Tempranillo) for you to choose from.
My rating: 84
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