*** Chez Ray Zinfandel, 2004, Lodi, CA - Wine Review

By way of background: The Chez Ray Zinfandel, 2004, was made from Lodi grapes, fermented warm, with a combination of French and American oak.

In the glass: Medium to deep red.

On the nose: Fruity, lightly smoky, wet red cherry.

On the palate: Smooth, red fruit in the middle of your mouth. Like a gob of blackberry that has all the tartness removed. Kinda nice in that respect. Balance of the flavors include a general even sweetness, tiny bits of acids crawl up into your cheeks.

And the finish: Sweet acids slowly fade away, and with them any hints of fruit.

In summary: Pleasant, though not intense nor distinctive. Less intensity andfriendliness than I'd expect from a zinfandel. Still, three stars on the Spirit of Wine scale, as I would return to this another time. Could be a nice blender with something offering a bit more structure.