Lodi Zinfest – Part 2 – Thomas Coyne Zinfandel
My Favorite Wine (and Winemaker) at the Winemakers dinner
2003 Thomas Coyne Zinfandel (Late Harvest)
Appellation: Lodi
Alc: 16.9%
Haydn gives it: 93pts
Not available (as far as I can tell)
Winery: Thomas Coyne Winery in Livermore
As mentioned in my previous post, I greatly enjoyed the m2 wines. However, one wine stood out amongst the rest as my personal favorite at the wine makers dinner. The crown jewel of the night was the Thomas Coyne 2003 Zinfandel, Late Harvest. In going with the overall theme of the night, it was also grown in Lodi. While I did enjoy the m2 the best out of the wines provided for us, it was winemaker himself, Thomas Coyne that pulled this bottle (what seemed like out of a hat) out for us to try during dessert.
There are two things I greatly enjoy in life— chocolate and wine (there are plenty of others, but I’m on a theme here, so go with me here). I’ve also maintained that one of Zinfandel’s secret is it’s ability to pair well with chocolate. While most people would run towards the Petite Sirah, I default to a Zin. Apparently Mr. Coyne agreed with me (or it could have been that it was a Zin fest after all, though I’d like to think he was unconsciously proving my hypothesis).
The late harvest Zin mirrored perfectly with the chocolate chip cookies. I was sure it would have paired better with the chocolate covered strawberries but the cookies won the pairing battle. The key to this wine was that it was blended partially with Petite Sirah (as mentioned before, a great chocolate-pairing varietal) and that is what gave it the right kick.
I was overwhelmed with joy. After drinking a bit of the late harvest Zin, a conversation was struck up with Mr. Coyne and extended until the wee hours of the event.
I don’t know how much this bottle is, or if it is even available for purchase. But I can tell you that I will be buying wine from him in the future along with visiting his winery in Livermore. His knowledge of wine is very deep and I look forward to showcasing more of his wines on this site.
Stay tuned for part 3 of the Lodi Zinfest
