January Was Not Slow
TASTING NOTES:
Peterson Zero Manipulation Red Wine - “This Rhône blend is both serious and playful, starting with dark-toned aromas of black raspberry and dried strawberry layered with subtle baking spices, kid leather and sage. Bright, fruit-forward flavors fill the palate with blackberry, blueberry, strawberry and raspberry, along with just a hint of orange citrus appearing late. The fresh flavors carry an undertone of brown spices, black pepper and just a trace of earthy molasses. Lively acidity and integrated oak provide the perfect framework for this easy-sipping, medium-bodied wine. An easy wine to match up with carne asada tacos, barbecue chicken pizza, bacon cheeseburgers and so much more.” (AbV 14.5%, pH 3.35, TA 0.72g/100ml)
Peterson Old School Zinfandel - “An aromatic beam of vine-ripened black raspberry sprinkled with fresh black pepper dances around the glass. The smooth entry soon exposes a peppery spice-laden mid-palate surrounding flavors of blackberry, raspberry, Queen Anne cherry and pomegranate. Traces of oak appear in the dark berry and spice-laced long finish. When first opened, give this wine some time to breathe and share the depth of its flavors. It can also just be quickly sipped as a delicious no-thinkin’ Zin. Your choice. Such an easy sipping Zinfandel pairs with almost anything, but it particularly shines with spicy baked ziti with Italian sausage and a side of garlic French bread, or lamb kababs with curried sweet potatoes and tzatziki.” (AbV 15.2%, pH 3.35, TA 0.72g/100ml)
Peterson Mendo Blendo - “Best in Class, Double Gold and 97 points ~ 2025 Press Democrat North Coast Wine Challenge Dark, concentrated aromas of plum and blackberry mingle with the scent of kid-glove leather. A light, refreshing entry flows in dark flavors mid-palate that continue into the finish. Bright acidity and hints of oak frame the flavors, lending a mouthwatering quality to the wine. Black plum, boysenberry, cherry and blueberry fuse with traces of dried strawberry, black tea, dried fine herbs and blood orange. This blend offers the depth, layers and quality of a fine French Rhône red, but without the price tag.” (AbV 13.7%, pH 3.46, TA 0.65g/100ml)
Peterson Barbera - “As the wine opens, the enticing aromatics that make you want to dive into the glass shift from pronounced tart cherry and black pepper to ripe blackberry with hints of dried fine herbs. A smooth entry leads into just the right amount of vibrant acidity, making the flavors pop. Savor a fusion of dark cherry, blackberry and dried strawberry laced with traces of dried herbs, black pepper, sweet tobacco, loamy earth and lavender. The layers of flavors create a roundness that balances the bright acidity to offer up a lovely, easy-sipper. With so many perfect pairings, it’s tough to just pick a few. Try it with your favorite lasagna with garlic bread on the side, or smoked brisket with curly fries and a range of barbecue sauces from sweet to spicy.” (AbV 15.1%, pH 3.28, TA 0.75g/100mL)
100% Barbera
BARRELS: 21 months 100% neutral oak barrels
PAIRS WITH: hearty fare like seafood gumbo, kale and white bean stew or lamb tagine with green olives and lemon served with saffron rice
THAT REMINDS ME OF: Molasses, as in the “just a trace of earthy molasses” in the tasting note for the Zero Manipulation red.
“Slow as molasses in January” is the idiom, and Boston would like a word. On January 15, 1919, a storage tank in the city’s North End, roughly 50 feet tall and holding something like 2.3 million gallons of molasses, burst. The wave that came out of it is usually estimated at about 25 feet high and 35 miles per hour at the front. Twenty-one people died. The harbor ran brown for months. I think about that every time someone uses the idiom with a straight face.
The molasses was on its way to becoming industrial alcohol, and Prohibition’s ratification landed the very next day (history has terrible comic timing). Locals will still tell you the North End smells faintly sweet on hot summer afternoons. I can’t verify that, but I want it to be true. A trace of molasses in a glass of red is the correct amount, and I’d like to keep it that way.
