FINAL TALLY Week 2 - Virtual Tasting for Charity - Back to its roots: California Zinfandel for Jason Hagen 11/28 - 12/4

I love what Frank has done bringing the community together with these VTs. It all started back in 2013 when Frank was waxing about his cellar overflowing when I suggested a Frank Murray III Virtual Tasting so that we could help him create space for more wines. Frank took the reigns and, true to form, immediately made it about someone other than himself. He began the series with California Zinfandel and pledged a $10/note donation to Laura’s House.

While the original idea of weekly tastings didn’t live a long life, Franks idea of making it a Holiday Season tradition combined with charitable donations has become one of the highlights of the forum every year. A quick look at Brigs Virtual Tasting Compendium is a testament to the generosity of this community and this year there is no shortage of people in need.

So, in honor of our new Berserker of the Year, I’ll make this weeks Virtual Tasting topic California Zinfandel and/or California Zinfandel Dominant Field Blends. I’ll donate $5 for every Zinfandel tasting note added to this thread between November 28th and Dec 5th to the Jason Hagen GoFundMe account. Jason is one of our own and is in a battle with Liver Failure. Let’s do what we can to support one of our Wine Berserker Brothers. I also will double that donation for every note that includes a photo of YOU (not your cat Alan) with the wine. Remember to smile because our donations will help put smiles on others faces.

I’m also soliciting matching donations be it $1, $2, $3/note or more. If you want to be anonymous that’s fine or PM me. Or simply logon to the GoFundMe page and make a personal donation. Every dollar helps. So go to your cellar and line up a few bottles of Zin for this week. [berserker.gif]

Darn it - opened 3 wonderful ones on T-Day . . . will have to find more to open this week, my friend.

Cheers!

Go for it pal!

A wonderful idea, Rat–shouldn’t be surprised that you came up with that. It’ll be a bit difficult for me to squeeze in a note because I have a scope later this week, but I’ll try to get to one tonight or tomorrow, or perhaps Sunday. But [welldone.gif]

Ooh. Ooh. Sweet spot of my cellar Carlisle, Bedrock, Outpost, Black Sears. I can’t go with Saxum Paderewski because it’s not a field blend. But no problem, we have plenty of other choices.

I do like Zins

Hey Brian, I will back you up with an additional $5 donation for every tasting note.

Brian, thanks for carrying the torch forward, and for Mike to show the same leadership, too. I’ll be posting some TNs when I can get a bottle or two open during the challenge.

Jason, hang in there buddy. When we did our very first OC offline, probably 15 years ago in San Juan, and the emerging community of wine lovers we saw come forward at the time, you were part of that movement. The guys here are going to do some good work for you, to show that we’er all behind you, pal.

[cheers.gif]

. . . going way back, circa 1975 to Italian Swiss Colony, probably the first Zinfandel we tasted



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Whoa! Nice pull.

Thanks Mike! I have another anonymous donor of $2/note!
[berserker.gif] grouphug

Nice!

I’ll match Brian/Mike
I’ll baby-kill a '16 Carlisle/Carlisle tonight.
Why is this thread not a sticky?
[berserker.gif]

They get more visibility not being sticky… seriously.

2016 Turley Juvenile – Consistently a good QPR. Dark as you would expect, but a bit more acidity and brightness than you might expect, especially for a $20 zin. Not overly dense, not overly complex, just a really good wine with a beef stew on a colder night.

I’ll match at a dollar a note, just send me a bill at the end. champagne.gif

bump [wink.gif]

2016 Once & Future Wine Zinfandel Oakley Road Vineyard - USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Contra Costa County (11/28/2018)
Fresh red fruit, spice and a distinct fir tree/minty note make for a pleasurable and holiday-appropriate aromatic melange. It’s medium bodied, lightly tannic, and ever so drinkable. Balance is excellent.

Posted from CellarTracker

Line 'em up, line 'em up! Love me some Zin! [berserker.gif]

2016 Dry Creek Valley Heritage

PnP: explosive nose of just huge zinberry fruit. On the palate, some nice, grippy structure, lots of dark, dense fruit, and some oak. This feels young, but it’s delicious. Nothing is out of balance, but it all needs to settle down. I think I paid $15/btl for this? Bonkers QPR. I’m going for more. In a year or three, I’ll be wishing I had bought a case.

To you, Jason. More to come. [cheers.gif]

This one is for you, Brunson.

Rat, so what is the aggregate value for TN now, given all the cool matching donors that have signed on?

As for my TN, and in honor of Mr Hagen, here you go. This may be my only one for the challenge but I will stay tuned into the thread and enjoy seeing the action.

  • 2016 Carlisle Zinfandel Carlisle Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley (11/28/2018)
    Last tasted at the winery when we visited in July. I dug it then, and its drinking stellar again today. These bottles arrived a few weeks ago, and given the charity challenge running for our man Jason Hagen, figured this was a good bottle to honor him and his health. Opened this about 30 mins ago, dumped it into a nice stem, serving it at 66 degrees. Vintage after vintage, this is consistently beautiful stuff, a wine I have been drinking for 16 vintages. Distinctly juicy, with a bright core of acidity that frames the dark raspberry, some light vanilla and a finishing purity of cobbler-like fruit. The finish has excellent structure, with a final note of licorice. Delicious again, Mr Officer.

Posted from CellarTracker

2013 Bucklin ‘Old Hill Ranch Ancient Field Blend’

This is a wonderful wine - one of the best field blends I’ve had, really. There’s an impression of wild raspberries and boysenberries on the front end, backed by a layer of mildly peppery spice, and presented in a medium-bodied frame. The tannins are mostly resolved and the finish is clean and just a touch sweet. This was ready to go with minimal air.

This is only my second or third Bucklin and I’m becoming a big fan.

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