2006 Norman Vineyards Zinfandel Buzzard Tree

Community Tasting Notes (1) Avg Score: 83 points

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  3/30/2013 - Illaheman Likes this wine: 83 Points

  Buzzard Tree is an easy drinker. For this reason, I give it a nod of approval as a ready to drink and enjoy, red wine. It is extracted, sweetly tasty, reasonably priced, possesses low impact from wood, and has no harsh edges. It doesn't present reasons to find offense, even at 14.5% alcohol.
  
  We all hear those great wine stories from folks who have spent time in France and Spain. These are the stories where friends wax whimsical, with longing and affection, for the cheap "house wine" they purchased at the corner Bistro for just a few euros. This wine write-up includes today an easy tip for how you can save yourself about $3K on a trip to euroland, while building your own fond memories to share at parties in the future.
  
  Here is what you do.... the next time you are in a store, grab a bottle of this for $5.99. When you get home, pour the Buzzard Tree in a cheap glass carafe, grab some crusty bread and a good aromatic cheese, put French Bistro music to play on your Ipod, close your eyes, taste, sip, taste again, open your eyes! Viola! You just saved yourself $3K.
  
  This isn't a wine I am recommending to lay back for aging, because of its complexity, or because its destined for fame at the next ZAP competition. I'm recommending this because, for the price its an easy drinker, a ubiquitous red and its ready as a party wine, or for an inexpensive second bottle for any occasion.
  
  The Buzzard opens up with dark fruit aromas, reminiscent of what you experience from jam cooking on the stove. I like its dark, cooked fruit flavors of blackberry, black raspberries, and plum. It is not so deep in dark fruit flavor that it loses its opportunity to let the flavors show nuance. It offers little imposition from oak, which is a plus. It wasn't flabby, but it was low acid, I would disagree on this point when comparing my experience to the winery description. Don't expect complex.

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