Far too often a person can get caught up in the seeking the new, the unique, and all to often, the expensive…that ‘person’ often includes me. This ‘uniqueness’ standard certainly applies to wine. Wines that justify consumption must be unearthed in small shops with well-trained staffs and carefully culled collections. After all, if a wine is largely sold in grocery stores and retail chains, just how worthy can it be?

Some of those wine, it turns out…are very good.

This past weekend, during a family gathering to celebrate a niece’s college graduation, I had the opportunity to enjoy, for the first time in years, a glass (or two) of the 2016 Lodi produced, 7 Deadly Zins. Until October 2018 this 300,000-case winery, which started with  700 cases released in 2002, had become America’s most popular Zin by 2015. This wine was initially owned and produced by the Michael David Winery. However, it is now the property of The Wine Group, America’s third largest wine supplier. The Wine Group, formed in 1981, includes Benziger, Concannon, Cupcake, Mogan David and Franzia included amongst their many holdings. There has been no information released concerning the financial terms of the deal.

The name Seven Deadly Zins evolved through the experiences of the winemaker’s and founding brothers Michael and David Phillips “Catholic school upbringing and winemaker’s lust for hedonistically seductive wine”. The name also honored the seven Lodi grape producers whose old-vine Zinfandel was vinified into ‘Seven’ Deadly Zins. The Wine Group indicates that “they are working hard to maintain the grower relationships in Lodi that are currently in place”. They should.

Descendants of fifth-generation winegrowers, the Phillips brothers will now focus on Freakshow, Earthquake, and Petit-Petit (their wonderful blend of Petite Verdot and Petite Sirah). Their 700,000 cases winery has now been reduced to a more manageable 400,000 cases. However, they are expanding their focus and broadening their grape interests. In 2017 they purchased a Geyserville (northern Sonoma) winery from Silver Oak. That winery is currently permitted to produce 70,000 cases of wine. They have also purchased a 12-acre vineyard planted to Cabernet Sauvignon. This purchase may well represent a preview of future Michael-David production.

Lodi, located east of San Francisco and on the northern edge of the San Joaquin Valley, is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) that includes more than 100,000 acres of vines, producing dozens of varietals. However, the region is best known for Old Vine Zinfandel. With a Mediterranean climate (warm days and cool nights) much like that of Chateauneuf du Pape, the region can produce deep flavored and colored wines that will age.

Lodi is also the home of the ‘Lodi Rules Certification’. Created in 2005 the Lodi Rules is a certification process focused on sustainable winegrowing. Seven Deadly Zins was one of few wineries to meet the six rigorous standards; Water Management (conservation); Integrated Pest Management (maintain an environment in which good bugs eat bad bugs); Human Resources (employee training with the goal of job safety, maximized efficiency, and the opportunity for advancement); Air Quality improvement through minimization of dust and the reduction of air pollution; Soil Fertility maintained through proper nutrition; and, Land Stewardship through the preservation of native plants and the protection of wildlife. Hopefully, The Wine Group will continue the ‘Lodi Rules’ certification.

Look for excellent color and medium to full body in a glass of Seven Deadly Zin. There is evidence of dark fruit jam on the nose, that is followed by oak and spice on the palate. The sweet spice of this wine will remain through the long finish.

You should be able to find Seven Deadly Zins for less than $15 in your ‘local grocery store or chain retailer’…as well as fine wine stores everywhere.