Best Cali Zin

I do not drink much Cali, but all this merlot talk got me thinking about the last great Cali wine I tasted.

So let me ask… is there anyone that can touch…

Rafanelli Zin?

Great claret style, nothing over the top, punchy fruit, savoy…I can’t think of anything that can match it

Ridge Zin, Nalle Zin, Joseph Swann Zin – Rafanelli is certainly among the better houses, but possibilities abound…

The wording of the question brings to mind a related question: are there great Zins not from California?

Seems like there has to be some great Primitivo, right? I don’t know of any myself, but Italy has been doing it for a long time, someone is good at it, right?

Italy and Croatia.

Uhm… Yes there are lots of better zins than rafanelli

Second Joseph Swan. There are some good ones from Amador county, too, up in the foothills.

Hmmmm…it’s been a fair number of yrs since we’ve had a good Patty Rafanelli story here on WB.
Anyone have any recent ones to share??
Tom

Oh my, please do tell!

I prefer Turley myself. They are my go to red and daily drinkers. Juvenile and Ueberroth are great but I really have not had one I did not love. I have a few Once and Future stirring in the hold but the one I opened seemed a bit…austere.

I don’t know about “best” but my favorite Zin is Talty in the Dry Creek area; his estate bottling in particular. This wine checks all my boxes; pulls in that great fruit profile of Zin in the Dry Creek, but far more restrained/balanced than many other producers in that are. Tremendous structure and no overt oak. No idea if they age as well as Ridge and others, but I’ve had them young all the way up to 8 years of age and they’ve all been great.

Well, Marc…the rudeness that Patty Rafanelli (Dave’s wife) treated customers with is the stuff of legends. I only met her
once and she was just fine w/ me. The last time I stopped in, one of the daughters (I believe) was pouring and she
appeared bored as hell and seemed to wish that I’d get out as soon as possible. After that, I decided I could
live w/o Rafanelli wines.
Tom

Hard to have discussion without mentioning Bedrock, Carlisle, Outpost, Black Sears and Limerick Lane.

Tom

I second the motion for Carlisle!!

+1

Limerick Lane produces some of my favorites.

I had a Martinelli Giuseppe & Luisa Zin on Thanksgiving that really was spectacular. Rafanelli makes great stuff, one of the upper tier producers. Hartford’s Old Vines is one of my favorite weekday wines (altho its recent press in WS might make that less so if prices go up).

i actually met Amerigo Rafanelli once…

Well, it could be all timing/mood/luck. I went about 18 months ago and one of the daughters was pouring then as well. She couldn’t have been nicer and more charming, and went out of her way to make sure we enjoyed the tasting. No hard sell either, just polite, informative, and nice. As to the OP, I really like Rafanelli Zins, but also like many others (Carlisle, Bedrock, Turley, Limerick Lane, Cabot, etc.). Hard to pick a “best” among that crowd.

Anyone a fan of dashe?

Any love for storybook mt, seghesio or rosenblum?

I knew that by reading enough of Tom’s post someday I’d catch him putting a space between someone’s first and last names. Busted!