Thursday, May 29, 2014

The Federalist.

I love chili con carne, my own, homemade chili con carne that is.  And I love chili paired with a nice Zinfandel, however, California summer evenings are just too hot to indulge in a big plate of spicy, steaming hot chili (served over rice).  So between the months of May and September/October I simply don't make it, much to the vexation of Vinomaker.  We just recently enjoyed our last, cooler-spring-evening chili paired with a really nice Zinfandel that Thud had sent to me a couple of months back. 
The Federalist, 2010, Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel was everything I like in a well made wine of this particular grape variety; pepper, red currant, plum and raspberry, yum!  Produced by The Terlato Wine Group (a company with an extensive wine portfolio which includes vineyard ownership and management, wine importing/exporting and many international winery collaborations), The Federalist hails from Dry Creek Valley in Sonoma County.  The Dry Creek AVA has come to be recognised as perhaps the premier viticultural area in the state for producing Zinfandel.  Zinfandel is considered the unofficial state grape of California.
And besides, I love the label.  Alexander Hamilton was an interesting man; born out of wedlock, he was a patriot, legal scholar, fiscal conservative and a defender of the Constitution of the United States.  All was going well for Hamilton until his career and reputation were derailed by his complicity in an 18th century sex scandal.  And then, to top it all off, he was mortally wounded in a duel with Aaron Burr, a political rival.  Wow, what a life!  Spicy stuff, just like this wine.

4 comments:

New Hampshire Wineman said...

Vinogirl, it was 43 degrees in NH yesterday morning!
Interesting post on a number of levels, and interesting that A. Hamilton as a teen would uncannily say "(I) would willingly risk my life, though not my character, to exalt my station."

Thud: Well done!

Thomas said...

Yeah, and Alex developed the central bank, too.

I believe his mother was Huguenot.
He was raised in the Caribbean.

He and Jefferson were not very nice to each other when they worked for George.

Oh yeah, Zinfandel. VG, I am a heretic who thinks Zinfandel deserves better status than it enjoys...and Dry Creek along with Howell Mountain are, not to make a pun, on top.

Thud said...

Feckin good taste me! generous too...ha!

Vinogirl said...

NHW: Well, what one says and one does can be two different things...most especially for politicians.

Tomasso: Yes, Howell Mountain has been a fantastic source of many great Zinfandels that I have had in the past, but has become more famous for it's Cabernets of late.

Thud: Perhaps we should procure a 2011 Federalist for you to try when you are here.