Writer's Block

I made a hell of an impulse buy yesterday. I was brousing through a new wine store and a wine label caught my eye and wouldn't let go. It's a Writer's Block zinfandel, sporting an illustration of the Bard himself. I knew I had to have it.


Having written for newspapers, corporations and now a wine blog, this was a label that really sang to me. And, the proprietor of the store sang its praises as well, though I probably would have bought it anyway at just under $20. I love zins and am inclined to take more chances with zins, reviews unseen, than I would many other varietals.

Turns out the proprietor was absolutely right. When I opened this '03 Lake County zinfandel I was immediately impressed by its ripe, forward fruit and spicy finish. I tasted lots of black cherry and chocolate in the first 15 minutes or so, and got a hint of leather later. It's got terrific stuffing. But, at 13.5 percent alcohol, its not a scorcher.

I discovered this interesting wine is actually made by Steele, whose pinots I've been drinking happily for years. I see there is a Writer's Block pinot and syrah as well. I wish I could try them, but this was the first time I've seen the Writer's Block label around here -- one of the perils of being so far from California. I'll be keeping an eye out for them, as I haven't been disappointed by Steele yet.

The back label has a silly but impassioned little story meant to warn that the wine's spellbinding charm has the power to distract and block the most determined writer from writing a word. In the blogosphere, however, Writer's Block is an inspiration, not a distraction.