We tried last week (9/12/18) Some (mostly) Carlisle/Bedrock Zins:
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DryCreekVnyd Zin OldVine (Hrvstd: Aug 18 & Sept 14; 22% PS/2% Carignane; 14.5%; SaH: 26.2 Brix, pH: 3.67,
TA: 0.63; Avg vine age: 95+ yrs; Aged: 16 mo. in Fr/Hungarian/Am.oak; 3 days cold soak; Frmtn: 10-15 days;
www.DryCreekVineyard.com) Healdsburg 2015: Very dark color; strong blackberry/Zin/raspberry some vanilla/
toasty/oak some dusty/OV bit earthy somewhat complex nose; bit tart/tangy very spicy/Zin/raspberry/blackberry/
black cherry light toasty/oak/vanilla some dusty/OV complex flavor w/ modest bit tangy tannins; very long/
lingering lightly tart strong blackberry/black cherry/raspberry fairly dusty/OV light vanilla/oak finish
w/ light tangy tannins; a bit more rustic & not the bright fruit of Beeson/Sommers, but maybe the best
DCV OV Zin yet. $nc (SR)/$35.00
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Carlisle Zin MonteRossoVnyd/SonomaVlly/SonomaCnty (15.5%; Plntd: 1886; + GrandNoir; 260 cs) 2015: Very dark
color; bit alcoholic/fumey very strong raspberry/blackberry/very spicy dusty/OV classic MR Zin nose; slight
alcoholic/fumey bright/raspberry/blackberry/Zin very spicy/high-toned very light toasty/oak somewhat
structured/tight w/ some brisk/tangy tannins; very long/lingering bright/raspberry/blackberry/Zin/very spicy
rather dusty/OV fairly tart/structured light toasty/oak finish w/ some bracing tannins; pretty classic
expression of MR Zin and needs another 3-6 yrs. $44.75
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Bedrock Zin MonteRossoVnyd/SonomaVlly/SonomaCnty (Plntd in 1886; 14.5%) 2015: Very dark color; very strong
blackberry/raspberry/Zin/very spicy slight licorice light toasty/oak some MR/high-toned bit dusty/OVbit complex
nose; fairly tart/tangy bright/raspberry/blackberry/spicy/Zin/bit high-toned slight licorice/pungent light
toasty/oak flavor w/ light slightly tangy tannins; very long/lingering bright/high-toned/very spicy/raspberry/
blackberry light dusty/OV light toasty/oak slight licorice/pungent finish w/ light brisk tannins; speaks
strongly of MR Zin. $46.00
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Bedrock Zin MonteRossoVnyd/SonomaVlly/SonomaCnty (14.5%; Plntd: 1886; last vintage) 2016: Dark color; very
slight TCA/musty rather muted/bright/raspberry/Zin slight toasty/oak bit earthy nose; rather tart/tangy bit
lean slight raspberry/Zin/spicy flavor w/ light tangy tannins; not a whole lt going on here and seems to be
a bit beaten down by the TCA. $60.65
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Bedrock Zin EsolaVnyd/AmadorCnty (Tended by DeniseEsola; OldVines; 14.4%) 2015: Med.dark color; strong briary/
blackberry/boysenberry/Zin/very spicy/brambly light toasty slight earthy classic ShenandoahVlly nose; lightly
tart spicy/briary/brambly/classic Amador Zin light toasty/oak bit dusty/OV flavor w/ light bit bitey tannins;
very long/lingering classic Amador/briary/brambley/very spicy/Zin light toasty/oak fairly dusty/OV finish w/
light tannins; a pretty classic expression of Amador Zin in a more restrained/elegant style. $36.00
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Bedrock Zin EsolaVnyd/AmadorCnty (14.4%; Tended by DeniseEsola) 2016: Dark color rather fragrant strong briary/
brambly/Zin/blackberry/very spicy some dusty/OV rather perfumed light toasty/oak lovely nose; lightly tart
very strong briary/brambly/blackberry/boysenberry/quite spicy/classic Amador Zin some dusty/OV bit toasty/oak
flavor w/ light smooth tannins; very long/lingering briary/brambly/AmadorZin/very spicy some dusty/OV finish w/
light gentle tannins; a bit bigger than the '15 but not at all like the Amador Zins of yore; lovely expression
of SV Zin. $35.65
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Carlisle Zin PaganiRanch/SonomaVlly/SonomaCnty (15.8%; Plntd: 1895; + AlicanteBouschet/GrandNoir/Carignane/
PetiteSirah; 340 cs) 2013: Very dark/black color; very intense/ripe/Pagani sauvage/blackberry/boysenberry/Zin/
fairly spicy quite dusty/OV light toasty/oak complex nose; bit soft huge blackberry/boysenberry/Zin/spicy/ripe/
licorice/sauvage rather dusty/OV complex flavor w/ some ripe tannins; very long/lingering slight alcoholic
intense blackberry/boysenberry/Zin/very spicy/bit rustic quite dusty/OV structured complex finish w/ modest
smooth/ripe tannins; lots of ripeness but carries the alcohol pretty well; bit more old Carlisle in style
w/ big/bombastic fruit; still needs yrs; a terrific Pagani. $43.75
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Carlisle Zin PaganiRanch/SonomaVlly/SonomaCnty (14.6%; Plntd: 1895; +AlicanteBouschet/GrandNoir/Carignane/
PS; 290 cs) 2014: Very dark color; less intense/less ripe very strong blackberry/boysenberry/Zin/very spicy/
slight licorice bit more elegant (?) classic Pagani sauvage fairly dusty/OV complex nose; lightly tart very
strong blackberry/boysenberry/ripe Zin/bit licorice/bit sauvage fairly dusty/OV very light toasty/oak complex
flavor w/ lighter ripe/smooth tannins; very long/lingering very strong blackberry/boysenberry/ripe/very spicy
Zin fairly dusty/OV complex finish w/ modest ripe tannins; almost an elegant (if you can say that) expression
of Pagani but still shows that classic Pagani sauvage/rustic character; beautiful Pagani that can use more yrs.
$44.70
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Bedrock PaganiRanch Heritage SonomaVlly/SonomaCnty RW (Plntd in 1880’s; Farmed by DinoAmantite; 14.5%)
2015: Very dark/black color; intense blackberry/boysenberry/Zin/spicy fairly dusty/OV bit pungent complex nose;
lightly tart intense blackberry/boysenberry/very spicy/Zin light toasty/oak rather dusty/OV some complex flavor
w/ modest bit hard tannins; very long/lingering intense blackberry/boysenberry/spicy/Zin/slight peppery light
toasty/oak finish w/ some crunchy tannins; seems more expressive of Bedrock winemaking and not much of the
Pagani/sauvage character. $39.00
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Carlisle Zin PaganiRanch/SonomaVlly/SonomaCnty (15.4%; Plntd: 1895; + AlicanteBouschet/GrandNoir/
Carignane/PS; 380 cs) 2015: Dark color; more pure Zin/blackberry/boysenberry/spicy slight chocolaty bit more
high-toned slight earthy no alcoholic/fumey nose; lightly tart very strong blackberry/boysenberry/Zin/spicy/ripe
rich/lish slight pungent/sauvage light toasty/oak some complex flavor w/ modest soft/ripe tannins; very long/
lingering very strong blackberry/boysenberry/Zin/spicy light toasty/oak fairly dusty/OV finish w/ some ripe/lush
tannins; seems a bit more expressive of the Pagani sauvage character, yet more pure/high-toned Zin character;
a pretty classic Pagani. $45.20
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Bedrock PaganiRanchHeritage/SonomaVlly/SonomaCnty RW (Plntd: 1880’s; Farmed: Dino Amantite; 14.5%;
40%-60% Zin + PS/AlicanteBouschet/Semillon/Aramon + more; Drk: 2019-2030: MTP) 2016: Very dark/black color;
intense boysenberry/blackberry/Zin/spicy quite dusty/OV bit sauvage classic Pagani/rustic some complex nose;
bit soft huge blackberry/boysenberry/Zin/spicy/licorice/pungent quite dusty/OV light toasty/oak complex flavor
w/ some ripe/chewey tannins; very long/lingering intense blackberry/boysenberry/Zin/very spicy quite dusty/OV
bit sauvage/rustic light toasty/oak finish w/ ample ripe/chewey tannins; a very big classic Pagani much like
the Ridge '15; beautiful Pagani. $39.50
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Carlisle AlicanteBouchet PaganiRanch/SonomaVlly/SonomaCnty (14.9%; Plntd: 1920; 100 cs) 2013: Inky black color;
very intense earthy/dusty/bit mushroomy/very OV very strong rustic/bosenberry/chocolaty bit herbal some toasty/
oak rather rustic/AB nose; soft strong boysenberry/chocolaty/earthy/AB bit herbal/leafy/forest floor quite
dusty/OV light toasty/oak flavor w/ modest rough/coarse tannins; very long rather earthy/dusty/OV somewhat
rough/rustic/boysenberry/chocolaty/licorice light toasty/oak bit complex finish w/ modest rough tannins;
expressive of the Pagani sauvage character but souws the somewhat rough/rustic side of the AB; a superb
expression of AB. $34.75
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Ridge Zin Jimsomare LateHrvst SCM (16.2%; 100% Zin; 7 1/2 brls; SaH: 29.4%; RS: 1.7%; Drk: 1/22-1/27: EB)
2010: Very dark/black color; very intense blackberry/boysenberry/Zin/chocolaty slight earthy almost Essence-
like intense beautiful nose w/ no fumey/alcoholic character; soft very rich/lush off-dry huge blackberry/
boysenberry/Zin/ripe/plummy almost Zin Essence slight earthy beautiful flavor w/ light ripe/smooth tannins;
very long/lingering very intense blackberry/boysenberry/chocolaty/ripe/Zin/licorice finish w/ light lush
tannins; one step short of an Essence; beautiful Zin that shows no overripe/raisened alcoholic/fumey character
at all.
More sitzsnuffle from TheBloodyPulpit:
- DryCreekVnyds: I think DCV are making the best wines they every have under TimBell. There Zins are as good as
anybody’s in Calif. I’ve found in the past that their OV Zin has a pretty heavy hit of oak and was not particularly
fond of it. They have backed off on the new oak and the wine is better for it. Still, I prefer the Sommers and the
Beeson Zins for their brighter more classic DCV fruit.
- MonteRosso: This is, of course, a legendary Zin vnyd. And very unique. My understanding is that Gallo is no longer
selling any MonteRosso fruit and keeping it all for themselves. Though I seem to recall that Morgan did get some
this year. Paying very big $$'s I suspect.
I’ve followed the MR Zins for many yrs (Rosenblum/Bedrock/Ravenswood/Carlisle/Biale for a few). It’s a Zin that
really needs some age to strut its stuff. The wines tend to have brighter/more raspberry fruit than SonomaVlly.
They tend to be very structured and badly need age. Not as bombastic & more refined/elegant than many other Zin
vnyds.
Both of these MR Zins spoke strongly of MR. I liked them equally well. The Carlisle was a bit bigger/richer and
the Bedrock a bit more restrained and softer. Both should easily go out 10 yrs.
One of the real treasure of MonteRosso is the vey old vine Semillon that they have. Maybe the best Semillon
vnyd in all Calif. I’ve had some stunning Semillons from there.
- Esola: Followed the Zins from this vnyd from the very start, when the wines were being made by CarnerosCreek and
Ridge. Did a visit w/ Ernie & Lena Esola in the late '70’s and walked the vnyd w/ Ernie. I was writing an article
for Philip Seldon’s Vintage magazine on Zinfandels of the Eschen & Esola Vnyds. They were so excited that an
important wine writer was wanting to interview them. Lena was one of the d’Agostini family who long had a wnry
(now Sobon Estate) there in the ShenandoahVlly. Dressed in their Sunday finest, they insisted I join them for
lunch. Two of the really finest/salt-of-the-earth people you’d ever want to meet. Reminded me of many of the
farm-folk I knew back in Kansas.
The vnyd is now farmed by their daughter, Denise Esola. I was excited when I found out that Morgan was going
to be buying the Esola grapes. Though different in style from the Ridge & CarnerosCreek Esola Zins, I’m delighted
that Morgan has returned Esola to the greatness that it once had as one of the ShenandoahVlly’s great Zin vnyds.
These two Bedrock Zins were quite different in style from what Ridge/CarnerosCreek used to make from these
grapes. Those early ones were made in the style typical of SV Zins of that day…a bit on the overripe side,
a bit alcoholic, often well above 15%. Morgan’s Esolas were much brighter, more spicy, more restrained…more in
a style of BillEaston’s Zins but just a trifle bigger. Slightly preferred the '16 to the '15.
I find that many Zins from the SV have a character (that “terroir” thing I guess) that reminds me of briary/
bramble blackberry patch. I used to pick blackberries as a Summer job and know it well. It always brings to mind
the UncleRemus TarBaby tale when Bre’rRabbit pleads w/ Bre’rFox…“Pleeze/pleeze…don’t throw me in dat briar
patch”…from which he escapes. I wonder if UncleRemus is even allowed in libraries or schools these days??
Anybody know?
- Pagani: This is, of course, a classic/iconic old-vine vnyd in the SonomaVlly. In addition to the Zin, it has a
lot of other mixed blacks in the mix. One of the few OV vnyds that I can actually (sometimes) pick up its terroir.
There is a fair amount of AlicanteBouschet in there that gives it a bit of a rustic/sauvage/coarse signature
Pagani character that usually comes thru in the Ridge/Carlisle/Bedrock bottlings.
I liked all of these Paganis quite a lot. The were, by & large, strongly expressive of the Pagani terroir,
slightly modulated by the respective winemaking style. A terrefic bunch of wines that can all use more age.
Tom
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