On our honeymoon in Sonoma, during which time we also crossed over into the Napa Valley quite a bit, Sonja and I splurged and hired a limousine to take us around for one day. When the driver had called me the week of the wedding to ask what we liked, I had other things on my mind, and just told him to pick his favorites. That could have gone horribly wrong, but thankfully it didn’t. Our very first stop was at Ledson, where we soon ended up joining the wine club. We remained members until our son was born this September, causing us to be a bit more cautious with our funds.

Steve Noble Ledson continually produces excellent wine. The 2011 Sonoma Mountain Zinfandel has a nose of spices embedded in stewed fruits, leading into a body that is full, lush, and smooth. Spicy, with notes of plum and raspberry, the tannins are certainly present, lending it structure and a lingering finish.

Admittedly, I’m partial to wines that tell a story, or else remind me of one, and a wine that reminds me of my honeymoon indeed has an advantage over one that does not. That being said, this is simply a solid Zin, and I suspect that the younger vintages are pretty darn good as well. 90 points on my scale. Cheers!