| You may remember that in the first quarter of | | | | short. Its first pairing was with zucchini stuffed |
| 2009 I reviewed a white Zinfandel made by | | | | with ground meat, accompanied by stewed |
| Beringer in Napa Valley, California. This article | | | | potatoes and carrots. The wine became more |
| reviews another California white Zinfandel, a | | | | intense with the meat and too sweet with the |
| kosher one made by Baron Herzog. Zinfandel is | | | | vegetables. Slices of yellow watermelon made the |
| perhaps America's only indigenous European-style | | | | wine taste like candy, slightly acidic candy. |
| grape variety. It is the source of fruity, powerful | | | | The next meal consisted of an asiago cheese |
| red wines. But it is also transformed into White | | | | omelet with a side of pesto. This time I felt I was |
| Zinfandel, an extremely popular rose wine | | | | drinking strawberry candy, a sort of cotton |
| accounting for about one wine bottle in ten sold in | | | | candy. The pesto cut the sugar and increased the |
| the United States. Approximately six out of | | | | wine's length. Dessert was a high-quality French |
| seven Zinfandel bottles are white or should I say | | | | style lemon pie with a very buttery crust. On the |
| rose? Are they onto something? | | | | positive side the wine was slightly lemony. But the |
| Philip Herzog made wine in Slovakia for the | | | | downside was that it still maintained a candy |
| Austro-Hungarian court more than a century ago. | | | | quality. |
| Emperor Franz-Joseph liked his products so much | | | | My final meal was centered around commercially |
| that he named Philip a Baron. After World War II | | | | barbecued chicken. When paired with the wings |
| grandson Eugene and family came to the United | | | | that bathed in a sweet and sour sauce, raspberry |
| States. For years Eugene produced Concord-style | | | | came to the fore. Then came the boiled beets. |
| sweet wines in a Brooklyn basement and drove a | | | | The Zin became more acidic; I was frankly |
| wine delivery truck. About a decade later the | | | | surprised that this liquid paired better with boiled |
| Herzogs founded Royal Wine, which has become | | | | beets than with chicken wings, or in fact than |
| the largest producer, importer, and distributor of | | | | with anything else. I finished the meal with paprika |
| kosher wines and spirits in the world. | | | | dusted barbecued chicken thighs. The wine |
| OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we | | | | dropped backed in acidity. |
| taste and review are purchased at the full retail | | | | I ended the bottle with two local cheeses. A |
| price. | | | | gouda cheese partially tamed the wine's |
| Wine Reviewed | | | | sweetness. It was sweet but not candy, and |
| Baron Herzog White Zinfandel 2007 10.0% alcohol | | | | actually was quite pleasant. A Swiss led to a |
| about $10 | | | | repeat performance but the Zin increased in body. |
| Let's start by quoting the marketing materials. | | | | Final verdict. If you are looking for a wine to |
| Description: Attractive light pink color. The prime | | | | accompany boiled beets or cheese this might be a |
| aromas are strawberry/rhubarb pie and red | | | | fine choice. Otherwise, I find it much too sweet. |
| cherry. Just a bit sweet with balancing citrus | | | | This liquid candy could be a step forward for |
| tones. Light bodied, refreshing wine for mildly | | | | those trying to go beyond traditional |
| pungent cheeses or spicy seafood dishes. And | | | | Concord-based kosher wine. You won't have |
| now for my reactions. | | | | trouble finding it on the Internet for somewhat |
| At the first sips the wine tasted of strawberries | | | | less than the price quoted above. |
| and showed good acidity. It was a little sweet and | | | | |