2005 A. Rafanelli Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel

We visited the A. Rafanelli winery twice in the past year. The first time was one day before they released the 2005 Cabernet. The boxes were sitting right there in the tasting room, but they wouldn't sell us any. The second visit was during the Dry Creek Valley Passport weekend when we stocked up with a mixed case.

The Rafanelli family is now in its fourth generation of growing grapes and making wine in the Dry Creek Valley. Their focus has always been on quality over quantity. The quaint and rustic winery sits on a knoll overlooking the scenic Dry Creek Valley and is surrounded by terraced hillside vineyards. The wines are only sold at the winery. You might occasionally see one for sale in a wine store, but it will be heavily marked up.

We served this Zinfandel with pasta and a spicy tomato sauce with langostines. The wine was big, bold, lots of fruit, and not overpowering with alcohol.