Tasting Kunde Wines

Last week I participated in an online interactive tasting with other bloggers around the country and the folks at Kunde wines. The tasting was lead by Kunde winemaker, Zach Long, and owners Jeff Kunde and Marcia Kunde Mickelson who joined the conversation via video on Ustream. Other bloggers in attendance include 1WineDude and Gonzo Gastronomy.

Kunde, located in the heart of Sonoma valley, produces 100% estate grown wines with a commitment to sustainability and ethical farming. Kunde has been making hand-crafted, terroir-driven wines for five generations. We tasted three wines during the tasting, including the 2009 Estate Chardonnay, 2008 Zinfandel Reserve, and 2008 Red Dirt Red. The wines all showed a terrific upfront acidity. I'm a fan of natural acid in wine; a good acid presence tends to give wine an inherent energy, and it that also bodes well for aging.

My favorite wine of the tasting was the 2008 Red Dirt Red, a blend of Barbera, Syrah, Zinfandel, and a touch of Sangiovese. The wine tasted almost Gamay-like (Cru-Boo heads, take note), and was certainly leaning old-world overall. There was a good dose of acidity to go with the ripe berry fruit and iron. A wine that would go well with pizza, roast chicken, or grilled meat. A nice buy at $25.

This tasting event was especially interesting as we got to converse in real-time with the people making the wines. It was an informative experience learning about the history of Sonoma valley, organic farming, sustainability, and wine.