Nick Goldschmidt has traveled the wine world. This New-Zealand born winemaker has worked in New Zealand, Australia, and South America, eventually landing in California where he settled in Healdsberg back in 1990. He became the assistant, and then chief winemaker at Simi back in the early 1990s back when Simi was still a sought after label. He is still involved in a number of bigger projects with large wineries but also has his own stable of releases, many of which are dedicated to his family, wife Yolyn and five children who are all occasionally getting some ‘hands on’ training in the vineyards . He still makes wine in New Zealand as well under his Forefathers label. Guess you need something to do when it is winter here.
Yeah, Nick’s a busy guy and a proven performer. Has he made that consummate 100 case, ‘98 point’ red that seems to be what gets a winemaker’s name up in lights? No, but our rebuttal to that is that it takes more skill to make lots of good wine on a consistent basis than to make a couple of barrels of something special. An important thing about Nick’s own wines is that he never seems to forget that most people don’t necessarily want to plunk down $60, $100, or more, every time they want a bottle of wine. This isn’t some guy who landed in a G6 and proclaimed he was going to be the next Harlan. This is a guy who came up through the ranks based on talent and makes wines that have typically been well-priced, outgoing, and easy-to-like stylistically.
We have sold a number of Goldschmidt wines over the years, mostly Cabernets Nick has sourced from unique vineyard spots and sold at very reasonable fares. It’s great when someone like that gets a shot at exceptional fruit and doesn’t let his ego get in the way when he is figuring out how to price it. Today’s offer however is with a varietal that we don’t necessarily associate with Goldschmidt, Zinfandel, from fruit that is sourced from vines planted in 1983 in his own Railway Vineyards in the Alexander Valley. Beyond that, it is the usual Goldschmidt story. You’ve got your plump, pure, honest fruit crafted in a round, likeable style, and you’ve got a really attractive price.
This is a little bit of a different spin than we are used with all of the other Goldschmidt wines we have sold in the past. Far too often Nick’s wines end up being ‘scored’ in the no-man’s-land of the upper 80s, which is fine for us since we like to sell the wines based on their value and appeal. However, this Zinfandel actually got noticed by the media. It is one of only three times a Goldschmidt wine has gotten a 92 from Wine Spectator. The other two, specialty Cabernets, sold for over $60. The Goldschmidt Zinfandel Fidelity Nick Goldschmidt Railyard Alexander Valley 2018 sells for less than $20! It also got a Spectator ‘smart buy’ because, duh, it is!
The description of this tasty Zin itself in the Wine Spectator is succinct but accurate, “ Supple and sleek, with polished, multilayered fruit, showing raspberry and toasty spice flavors that glide on the lasting finish…92 points.” The description is pretty much the character of every Goldschmidt wine we have ever presented. Ripe, round, engaging, varietal, user-friendly and hedonistic, pretty much a pleasure to consume, is the Goldschmidt style. His wines may not always get the attention of the critics, but they more than deliver in the glass where it counts.
We decided to do a little query by asking how many Zins got 92 points or better from Wine Spectator so far this year. The answer was 37, with many past $40 and a couple over $60. When we put in a price ceiling of $30, only three remained. Under $20, there was but one…this one. Talk about exclusive company! This kind of recognition could be a dangerous precedent. We’re glad to see Nick get some love. But if he is no longer under the radar, there’s a risk that future prices will escalate, or availability will be sorely compromised. Zin lovers, or fans of affable reds in general, should buy up this juicy value while they can.