Liar's Dice Comes Up Snake Eyes...

Friends of the Rampant Oenophile know that I’m a sucker for a good Zinfandel, especially a solid bottle at a good value, so I was hopeful about the 2006 Liar’s Dice Zinfandel from Sonoma’s Murphy-Goode. The winery boasts one of the better websites for ordering their wines online, ships quickly and relatively inexpensively, and their range of available vintages impresses even finicky shoppers.

Though they have many solid buys, unfortunately the Liar’s Dice 2006 Zinfandel wasn’t among the better selections. This very dark, nearly inky red/purple wine is a bit too spicy and a bit too sweet for my palate. It’s very jammy, but with a spicy nose and a very spicy finish. Not enough balance for us to enjoy at a recent poker game with typical salty snacks and cheeses. The Zinfandel should have stood valiantly with those foods, but instead, this mixed up wine just lost its personality.

If you are in the mood for a great value Zin, try the Buehler’s instead, and save your palate and a few dollars for a better wine at Murphy Goode.