The Seven Deadly Zins 2013

Region: Lodi, Central Valley, California

Wine Enthusiast: 89 points

Vivino app rating: 3.9/5

Average Price: $13.99

The Seven Deadly Zins is a bold wine with deep color and smoky aromas and flavoring originating from Lodi. You can taste the grape and berries. It is a smooth, smoky wine that I enjoyed very much!

Zinfandels in general can pair well with beef, lamb, poultry, pork, and can be served with a heavier cream sauce.

Vivino rates the Seven Deadly Zins wine a 3.9/5. I am leaning more toward a 4.0/5. I really enjoyed the full-bodied characteristic of this wine and the smooth smokiness. But hey, they do say Lodi makes amazing Zinfandel. But what makes Lodi Zins so special?

Why Lodi Zinfandels are so Special

California in general is known for making good Zinfandels, but “Lodi produces nearly 1/3 of California’s production (winemag.com).” Lodi is located inland of Sacramento and is the northern portion of California’s Central Valley. The old vines here have been cared for by families for decades. That is what makes Lodi Zins so special. The vines are some of the oldest around. A lot of their grapes are used for white zinfandels, but when they make the reds, they’re red sole Louboutin types of fabulous. Ha. Additionally, the difference in temperature from day to night helps the grapes flourish. The days are hot and nights cooler in this region.

I credit my Uncle for getting me in to Zinfandels, and he doesn’t even know it! He gave me a glass of zinfandel without me realizing what it was and said, “do you like it?” It was great. And since then, I started my Zinfandel exploration. No one brings a Zinfandel to the party; no one says that is their wine of choice. It is always Cabernet or Merlot, sometimes Malbec. But Zinfandel? Not so much. It is a great choice of wine though, and most red lovers end up liking Zinfandel a lot.

Lodi is up and coming and I encourage you all to dabble in Lodi Zinfandels! Comment below with your favorite Zinfandels!

It is almost Halloween! Whether you’re an adult trick-or-treater, a parent who sneaks some candy from your child’s stash, or the person who just eats a bowl of candy with a scary movie, I’m sure you’re going to have some wine with your Halloween candy! Wouldn’t it be fun to experience the height of each candy’s flavor and pair your wine? For those of you who don’t know, I am obsessed with pairing wine with my food, so why not pair with my Halloween candy? Lord knows I will be treating myself to some M&Ms and Snickers bars! These are not set in stone as there can be some debate or variety of wines that pair with each, but below are some popular Halloween candies with their wine pairing!

1. M&Ms– This popular Halloween candy can pair well with medium or bold reds. The rule, so I’ve heard, is the darker the chocolate, the darker the wine. I would pair my M&Ms with a nice Zinfandel. I like the Sledgehammer Zinfandel priced at an average of $10 and of course the Lodi Zins are excellent as well. Teaser: stay tuned for my next wine Wednesday blog looking at what makes Lodi Zins so special!
2. Snickers– Pair this chocolate and nut candy with a Port. Rumor has it that this Portuguese sweet wine is a dreamy pairing. I’m picky with the Ports, but I would choose a Fonseca Bin 27 averaging in price around $16.99.
3. Reeses Peanut Butter Cups– Let’s get a wine that will accentuate the nut in peanut butter! Holy Nuts! Again, like with the nuts in Snickers, a Port may be best!
4. Hershey’s chocolate– The staple of chocolate candy! You can do a Pinot Noir or Cabernet Sauvignon here. I’d go with the king Cab since I may be secretly partial to it. Cabernets are my favorite wines so I can probably rattle off many of my favorites! Go for the St. Francis Cabernet, average of $16 or the Decoy Cabernet, average of $17. If you’re a Pinot Noir lover, Meiomi (about $20) or Kendall Jackson (about $17) would do beautifully here.
5. Sweet Tarts– For all you white wine lovers, I would pair these sweet and sour tart candies with a German Riesling. Yes, here comes my favorite as your recommendation! Relax Riseling would be my pick here, averaging at $9.99 per bottle.
6. Candy Corns– Here is the epitome of Halloween candy in both flavoring and appearance. Chardonnay or Moscato would do here, so pick your poison! A Beringer Founder’s Estate Chardonnay averaged at $8 or Bartenura Moscato from Italy, averaged at $13.
7. York Peppermint Patties– Cabernet for the win! Dark chocolate and mint pattie flavoring will optimally pair with a cab! Incase you did not like my suggestions above, I’ll throw out the Josh Cabernet Sauvignon on this one. 😉
8. Twizzlers– Sometimes, a girl just needs her Champs! Pair your twizzlers with your favorite champagne and cheers your way in to November. As you may remember, I am a Prosecco girl so here I would choose the La Marca Prosecco, about $13. Of course, all of the expensive champagnes are amazing too, but I am staying on the economical side; we can save those pricey Dom Perignon bottles for a really special occasion outside of Halloween candy gorging. 😉

Obviously, there are many candies in the world, and I only listed 0.0003% of them. Ha. Comment below with specific candy and wine pairings you may be curious about or another of your favorites that I missed! Have a happy and safe Halloween!