Michael David Earthquake Zinfandel 2012

Alex & Priya rated this wine as 88/100 with the following review:

Alex: A heavyweight zin for sure, loaded with raspberry jam, mocha, smoke, black pepper and blackberry preserves. Very expressive and covers its high alcohol well. Fat and lush on the palate with gobs of vanilla slathered jammy berries, considerable spice and a barely dry composition. It carries the high alcohol well, and is a upper-level example of this style that many would love. 88 pts

Paul Lupinacci rated this wine as 88/100 with the following review:

The Michael David winery is in Lodi, California just east of San Francisco. Although not as famous as its cousins Napa and Sonoma located to the west, the region produces some excellent wines which carry the “Lodi Appellation” designation. Lodi has also developed an impressive set of sustainable wine-making standards to which Michael David adheres.

This wine is actually 85% Zinfandel and 15% Petit Syrah. The alcohol content is higher than most reds at 15.5% although this is not apparent in the taste.

The appearance is deep and dark in colour. The nose offers a pleasant, almost sweet aroma with a touch of oak. The taste is of a full-bodied, fruity wine with flavours of cherry, raspberry with a hint of apricot. There is also a spicy, peppery side to this wine with chocolate undertones. The texture is smooth, velvety and lush with a long, smooth finish.

Overall, this is a rich, complex and well-balanced wine. Serve with grilled meat (perhaps bacon-wrapped something), spicy greens like arugula and a sharp cheese.

Other thoughts
The packaging is also impressive with a seismic motif to reflect the realities of California. Also, the grapes that produce this wine are grown in an old Lodi vineyard planted around the time 1906 earthquake in San Francisco. Michael David is known for their creative wine branding with wines like 7 Deadly Zins, Freakshow Cab. This would make an excellent gift - the kind of bottle you buy your boss to impress but not over-state!

Enjoy.