I had a bottle of 2012 Forchini Dry Creek Zinfandel at a restaurant recently. Absolutely incredible wine, especially at the sub $30 price on the wine list. No other retailers in town had any left, and the restaurant had a case left, and I bought it all from them.
I also recently bought 6 bottles of Ridge Lytton Springs.
I LOVE Dry Creek Zinfandel.
I would like to buy some more 2012s and 2013s before they disappear. Does anybody have any favorites?
The 2013 Dashe is delicious, more on the red fruit side with lively acidity.
Dashe is yummy, for sure. Pedroncelli Mother Clone is a good value. Seghesio’s Cortina used to impress me, but I have not tasted it in years.
Trentadue, too.
Unti Vineyards.
One of these days I will get back to the Big House for a football game and I will bring you a Carlisle Dry Creek Zin, but I understand there is now a very long waiting list.
Mauritson
+1
Tasted through all the current Rockpile Zins at Mauritson on Sunday. Very well made.
The last Forchini I tasted was at the Sonoma County Harvest Fair a couple years ago. In a sea of good zin it came off bombastic and way overdone. Maybe it was just a bad example from the producer. Other Zins from their fruit have been great, Williams-Selyem comes to mind.
Carlisle Gold Mine Vnyd and Dry Creek appellation zin are both great.
I concur on Mauritson
Also, Quivira, Dry Creek, Pedroncelli and Talty all make very fine zins.
Concur w/ Marc’s rec on DryCreekVnyds. They don’t get a whole lot of buzz because they make a lot of wine.
But the DCV Zins are as good as anybeing made these days in DryCreekVlly. The Heritage Zin, at around $16-$18,
is a screaming value. They also make two vnyd-designate Zins, arounf $34, BeesonRanch & SommersRanch, that are
just about as good as DCVlly Zins gets. The OldVines Zin is not quite as good (bit too much oak exposure, IMHO), but
still pretty good.
Tom
And the Ridge LyttonSprings is also a DCV Zin (mostly), though not often varietally labeled.
Tom
Passalacqua (I think) does a DCZ, but it might be just a Primitivo. Also you’ll probably have to go to his house to get it, but Ray Gopfrich, just down the road from DCV, does a great example of the style.
Technically the TTB doesn’t allow you to label Primitivo as zinfandel
Sorry - they label it correctly. I just can’t recall, from my last visit, if they do a Zin. Fairly certain they do. . I am sure at the time they did a Primitivo.
I had both the 2013 and the 1992 A. Rafanelli Zinfandel last night, which is Dry Creek grapes. Really nice stuff. The 2013 was bright and full of brambley fruit, with maybe some cinnamon hiding in there. The 1993 had mellowed, but was just beautiful. The fruit had mellowed to being a compotey sort of mish-mash of red and black fruits, with some brown sugar layered on. I have no idea who started the idea that Zinfandel doesn’t age, but boy is that wrong.
Anyway, if you see any Rafanelli zin give it a try. It tends to be about as pricey as the higher-end Ridge (Lytton & Geyserville), but is worth it.
Dave Hauser
+1 on Rafanelli.
I’ve enjoyed Wilson zins over the years.
+1 on Wilson and Mauritson Rockpile. Wilson has really expanded their lineup in the last few years - a little bewildering, but it is hard to go wrong with any of them. Also love Pezzi King and Mazzocco (also owned by the Wilson family).
I really like the Rafanelli zins also.
Go on…