There are good servers, who are friendly and attentive and remember all the details of your order. And then there are great servers, who are so obviously (and legitimately) enthusiastic about a menu item that you feel the need to try it for yourself.
I’d hoped to snag seats in the bar at Vito’s By The Water in Windsor during happy hour last night, but that’s near impossible at 6 p.m. for a restaurant within a few-mile radius of a dozen office parks. So while that meant no half-price raw bar deals, it meant a quiet dinner table away from the after-work crowd and two simultaneous office holiday parties in nearby private rooms.
Our server immediately recommended Vito’s new Zinfandel flight ($12), tasting pours of three XYZin selections. I almost tuned out, because Zin is not my favorite – and overly peppery ones take me back to last December in Sonoma when I missed lunch and didn’t pace myself. (Don’t do that, by the way. Ever.)
But her genuine excitement for this wine won me over, and I ordered the flight, representing XYZin’s “Vine Age Series.” Tasting notes from xyzinwines.com:
The first one, from 10-year vines: “A medium-bodied Zinfandel, XYZin 10 bursts with upfront fruit. The wine offers appealing aromas of raspberry, currant and plum with a hint of sandalwood and lavender. The flavors echo the aromatics with juicy cherry and baked strawberry pie married to attractive pomegranate fruit, rounded out by suggestions of nutmeg and cocoa.”
The second, from 50-year vines: “XYZin 50 offers beautiful briar and pomegranate fruit at its core followed by waves of sandalwood, mocha, and a light whiff of pepper on the finish. The refined structure and polished spice are perfected through aging in French oak barrels and make the wine versatile enough to complement a variety of dishes.”
The third, and easily the most gorgeous, from 100-year vines: “Lovely cola nut and dark cherry fruit flavors are followed by strawberry jam and cappuccino. Firm, zesty acidity provides vibrancy and longevity and mingles with pleasing earthy accents of slate and chaparral. Aging in a blend of French, American and Eastern European oak imparts a sophisticated array of textures to complement the extensive depth and range of flavors present in the fruit.”
I don’t know if I picked up even half of that, but all I know is that the 100-year wine just smacked of refined beauty. The same “this is so amazing, I know it’s so expensive, I don’t want it to end, because I can’t afford a whole bottle” mixture of pleasure and pain I’ve experienced while tasting Opus One and Rodney Strong’s ridiculous Rockaway. But unlike those, it looks like this XY is retail-priced around $45. Not an everyday table wine, but not a break-the-bank bottle, either.
The 10-year, the lightest and fruitiest, seemed to be the most food-friendly and went nicely with my white ricotta-and-herb pizza. But I saved the “century” pour, trying to sip the two-ounce glass really slowly because I wanted it to last as long as possible.
And it’s all thanks to our server (whose name I didn’t catch, but our check said “Sara”) who took the time to point out this great find. It was a wonderful treat on a Tuesday night.
Leeanne Griffin is a freelance writer and food enthusiast.
