Carnivor Zinfandel Review

Carnivor Zinfandel comes from Modesto, California, USA.

Much of the fruit for this wine came from premier vineyards in Lodi.

The wine was aged in American and French oak, which as you’ll see below, comes through in the wine’s flavor.

Carnivor Zinfandel Wine Review

While this wine is a Zinfandel, it is also blended with both Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

From the bottle:

Carnivor Zinfandel is a captivating combination of full-bodied flavors and elegant spice.  Bold notes of dark cherry and blackberry jam complement hints of mocha and toasted oak.

I tasted the 2015 vintage of this wine.

Appearance

Carnivor Zinfandel is very dark ruby in color with a purple meniscus around the edges.

I was unable to see any light get through this wine.

A tip and spin heavily coated up the glass and the legs that fell were slow, thick and numerous.

Aroma

When I first gave this wine a sniff I said out loud, “Mocha mocha mocha!”  That was easily the dominant aroma at first.

Other notes included cherry, oak and clove.  Also the tiniest bit of tar.

Nice aromatic complexity!

There was a slight and quick burn in the nose from the alcohol but it wasn’t long lasting or overpowering.

Carnivor Zinfandel alcohol content 14.5% by volume, per the bottle.  Not surprising given the wine’s thick and glass-coating legs.

Taste

More Mocha, Mocha Mocha!  Was this wine infused with chocolate somehow?  Again, the mocha dominated.

I also noticed anise and butterscotch, along with some jammy dark red fruits.  Admittedly an odd combination but it worked.

Very tasty and very smooth.  However, if you’re looking for a traditional tasting wine, this isn’t one of those.

Mouthfeel and Tannins

This wine’s mouthfeel was incredibly silky.  Think heavy cream.

I was hard pressed to sense any significant tannins with Carnivor.  Maybe a little in the cheeks, but it took some good concentration to notice it.

Update:  As the wine had a chance to breathe, I did notice more significant tannins as time went on.

Finish

Carnivor Zinfandel is long finishing with a lingering mocha flavor that hangs out in your mouth for quite some time.

Overall Opinion

Overall, I enjoyed this wine quite a bit.  It did what I expected it to do, given the varietal and the label, and that was to give me a rich tasting experience.

I do have to say the mocha is very noticeable in both the aroma and flavor.  It’s almost like chocolate wine!

So, if you’re looking for a unique flavor bomb, then you’ll love this wine.

If you’re a traditionalist, you might be overwhelmed by it.

Carnivor Zinfandel price paid $11.99.

Suggested Food Pairing

Sip on its own or pair this wine with either a big juicy grilled steak or barbecued ribs.  Either way you won’t go wrong!

Has anyone else tried this wine?