2015 A. RafanellI Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel

I opened this out of buddy John’s cellar – I wanted to open his 2001 Dehlinger Goldridge pinot he got on release, especially after Craig G’s Dehlinger post today, but John thinks he hates pinot now – and this is unusual, smoky, elegant, perfectly oaked, gentle, long, pretty, not grapey, and irresistible. It’s been open four minutes.

Rafanelli is my favorite zin, I am still working on my 2009’s…Don’t overlook Dave’s Cabs…If anything, I think his cabs might be better than his zins

The cabs are $$$ on the secondary market.

What post?

Add me to the love Rafanelli list!

We popped a 2013 Cabernet earlier in the week and it is a California classic.

We drink the cabs and zins back to the earliest of the 99’s and they are still alive and vibrant.

Great wines, all.

Thanks for the great note!

Rafanelli is my California guilty pleasure wine, when I’m sometimes in the mood for that decadent style it delivers better than any.