TN: Some Lodi/CC/RRV Zins (Usual Suspects)..(long/boring)

WINE TALK
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We tried last night (6/12/17) Some Lodi/ContraCosta/RRV Zins:

  1. Bedrock Zin SchmiedtRd/Lodi (78% KirschmannVnyd/22% Katusha’sVnyd; Own rooted plntd in 1915; 14.5%) 2015:
    Med.some bricking color; fairly fragrant spicy/Zin bit volatile some kow-key Lodi/mushroomy/earthy/loamy
    quite pleasant nose; bit soft fairly spicy/Zin rather tired some earthy/Lodi/mushroomy flavor w/ light
    soft tannins; long soft Lodi/mushroomy/Zin/loamy lightly spicy finish w/ light soft tannins followed by
    a dreadful sour/wet dog fur/mousey/oxidative aftertaste that wells up in the aftertaste; well on the
    downhill side; worst Bedrock I’ve ever had. $31.00
  1. Bedrock Zin SchmiedtRd/Lodi (60% Katusha’sVnyd/40% kirschenmannVnyd; Plntd: 1915; 14.5%; Drk: 2018-2025: MTP)
    2016    : Med.color; much stronger fragrant/spicy/Zin more earthy/Lodi/mushroomy/truffle slight dishwater light
    toasty/oak nose; bit soft somewhat spicy/Zin some earthy/Lodi/mushroomy light toasty/oak flavor w/ light
    soft tannins; very long bit soft lightly spicy/Zin/raspberry slightly dusty/OV light toasty/oak finish w/
    light soft tannins; a bit on the quiet/gentle side & not very intense; speaks of Lodi but I’m left wanting
    a bit more. $31.50
  1. **Bedrock Zin SchmiedtRd/Lodi (14.5%; 60% Katusha’sVnyd/40% KirschenmannVnyd; Own rooted plntd in 1915;
  • 2% Carignan) 2017**: Med.dark color; slight volatile rather spicy/Zin light toasty/oak some mushroomy/Lodi/
    earthy/loamy pleasant enough nose; lightly tart lightly spicy/Zin/raspberry some Lodi/mushroomy/loamy almost
    sweetish flavor w/ light soft tannins; long lightly spicy some Lodi/earthy/loamy slight dusty/OV light
    toasty/oak finish w/ light soft tannins; a pleasant enough Zin that speaks of Lodi but on the quiet/low-key
    side; again just wanting a bit more. $31.00
  1. Bedrock PatoVnydHeritage/CCCnty RW (14.0%; Plntd: 1906; own rooted; Farmed: Manuel Carranza;
    Drk: 2018-2025: MTP) 2016    : Fairly dark color; rather strong blueberry/PS/spicy/Zin bit watermelon slight
    artificial/gummie bear/floral light toasty/oak attractive nose; lightly tart/tangy some earthy/mushroomy/CC
    some spicy/blueberry/blackberry/PS/spicy light toasty/oak slight dusty/OV attractive flavor w/ modest smooth
    tannins; very long fairly srong blueberry/blackberry/PS/Zin/spicy light earthy/ContraCosta light toasty/oak
    finish w/ modest ripe tannins; a quite attractive red that speaks of ContraCosta. $30.50
  1. Bedrock PatoVnyd Heritage ContraCostaCnty RW (14.0%; Plntd: 1906; Own rooted; Farmed: Bedrock & ManuelCarranza;
    PS+ Zin/Mataro/Carignan) 2017    : Dark color;fairly strong rather spicy/Zin/blackberry/PS some plummy/floral
    light toasty/oak some CC/plummy/mushroomy quite attractive nose; lightly tart/tangy bit rustic fairly strong
    Zin/blackberry/PS/spicy light toasty/oak some plummy/CC/mushroomy flavor w/ light tangy tannins; very long
    strong blackberry/PS/Zin/bit spicy some CC/plummy/mushroomy slight dusty/OV light toasty/oak finish w/ light
    tannins; speaks strongly of CC/plummy character but a bit sorth in depth & intensity; an attractive red but
    just that. $30.00
  1. Once&Future Zin OakleyRdVnyd/CCCnty (14.8%; 226 cs; Pckd: 8/30/17; 100% Fr.oak/30% new; pH: 3.62,
    TA: 0.58%) 2017    : Med.dark color; strong classic ContraCosta/mushroomy/plummy/Zin some toasty/oak fairly strong
    blackberry/plummy some complex nose; fairly tart/tangy strong CC/plummy/mushroomy/blackberry/bit floral some
    toasty/oak bit complex flavor w/ some tangy tannins; very long strong CC/plummy/mushroomy/blackberry/Zin bit
    earthy some dusty/OV some toasty/oak finish w/ modest tangy tannins; more oak & more structure w/ lots of
    CC/plummy character; the best of the CC Zins but not the intensity I’d expect from O&F. $42.00
  1. Bedrock Zin SodiniVnyd/RRV/SonomaCnty (on LimerickLane; Tended by JohnGrace; 14.5%; Plntd: 1906) 2015:
    Med.dark color; slight alcoholic very strong RRV/blackberry/Zin quite briary/bit Zinberry/spicy ligt toasty/oak
    bit complex nose; slight tart/tangy strong blackberry/Zinberry/quite spicy Zin light toasty/oak bit dusty/OV
    flavor w/ modest tangy tannins; very long bit tart rather blackberry/Zinberry/very spicy Zin light toasty/oak
    bit complex finish w/ slight tannins; a rather attractive RRV Zin but don’t see it getting a whole lot better.
    $37.65
  1. Bedrock Zin SodiniVnyd RRV/SonomaCnty (14.5%; Plntd: 1906; Tended: JohnGrace) 2016: Dark color; strong
    blackberry/Zin/RRV/bit boysenberry/peppery light toasty/oak some dusty/OV quite lovely very spicy nose;
    rather tart/tangy fairly dusty/OV light toasty/oak quite spicy/blackberry/boysenberry/bit peppery flavor w/
    modest tangy tannins; very long/lingering quite spicy/blackberry/RRV Zin/boysenberry/bit peppery some toasty/oak
    bit complex/dusty/OV finish w/ modest tannins; more intense than the '15; a lovely balanced Zin but just that.
    $37.00
  1. Once&Future Zin SodiniVnyd/RRV/SonomaCnty (14.9%; 200 cs; 113 yr.old vines; Pckd: 9/11/17; 100% 1-2 yr.old
    Fr.oak; pH: 3.67, TA: 0.69%) 2017    : Bottle smashed to the floor, glass & wine everywhere; much weeping &
    wailing & gnashing of teeth; not tasted. $42.00
  1. Carlisle Zin SodiniVnyd/RRV/SonomaCnty (15.2%; Plntd in 1905; +AlicanteBouschet/Carignane/PS; U/U; 410 cs)
    2012    : Very dark color; bit alcoholic slight herbal/thyme very strong blackberry/boysenberry/Zin/quite spicy
    some dusty/OV bit complex lovely perfumed nose; bit soft very strong blackberry/boysenberry/RRV Zin very spicy/
    thyme some complex flavor w/ modest gentle tannins; very long/lingering very strong blackberry/boysenberry/very
    spicy RRV Zin some dusty/OV light toasty/oak finish w/ modest soft/ripe tannins; speaks more of RRV OV Zin
    than the Bedrocks; my favorite of the Sodinis; quite a lovely Zin probably near its peak. $39.25
  1. Carlisle Zin SaitoneRanch/RRV (15.0%; Planted in 1895; +AlicanteBouschet/GrandNoir/Carignane; 460 cs; U/U)
    2011    : Dark color; very slight alcoholic beautiful very strong blackberry/boysenberry/RRV Zin/very spicy light
    pencilly/oak somewhat complex lovely nose; lightly tart rich/balanced very strong blackberry/boysenberry/Zin/
    very spicy some dusty/OV some pencilly/oak bit peppery complex flavor w/ modest smooth/ripe tannins; very long/
    lingering very strong blackberry/boysenberry/very spicy/classic RRV Zin light pencilly/oak bit dusty/OV some
    complex finish w/ light ripe tannins; wonderful spicy fruit and probably around its peak. $44.75
  1. Carlisle Zin SaitoneVnyd/RRV/SonomaCnty (15.7%; Plntd in 1895 by AntonioSaitone; + AlicanteBouschet/
    GrandNoir/Carignane; 470 cs) 2012    : Very dark color; big beautiful intense blackberry/boysenberry/ripe RRV Zin/
    very spicy modest toasty/oak slight herbal/thyme/peppery some complex nose; bit tart/tangy very rich/lush
    intense blackberry/Zin/boysenberry some dusty/OV light toasty/oak some complex flavor w/ modest ripe tannins;
    very long/lingering intense blackberry/boysenberry/black cherry cola/very spicy light toasty/oak some dusty/OV
    bit peppery complex beautiful finish w/ light ripe tannins; shows no signs of the alcohol or overripeness;
    a beautiful intense classic RRV Zin. $44.00
  1. Carlisle Zin SaitoneRanch/RRV/SonomaCnty (14.7%; Plntd: 1895; 300 cs; U/U; + Carignane/Vacaresse/
    CriollaMediana + AlicanteBouschet/GrandNoir/PetitBouschet) Windsor 2014    : Very dark/near black color; beautiful
    more intense blackberry/boysenberry/very spicy Zin some herbal/peppery some toasty/oak quite dusty/OV rather
    complex nose; lightly tart intense blackberry/boysenberry/very spicy/Zin/some peppery/herbal rather dusty/OV
    complex flavor w/ some ripe tannins; very long/lingering beautiful intense blackberry/boysenberry/very spicy Zin
    some herbal/peppery quite dusty/OV some toasty/oak complex finish w/ some ripe tannins; huge blackberry fruit
    w/ more peppery/OV character; my favorite of the Saitones. $44.50

More poitdrege from TheBloodyPulpit:

  1. Bedrock Lodi: The '15 was absolutely dreadful because of the wet dog fur/oxidized aftertaste; worst Bedrock
    I’ve ever encountered. The other younger two were pleasant enough but just left me wanting a bit more
    intensity & impact.
  1. Sodini: This is an OV vnyd on the right driving up LimerickLane just afore you get to LimerickLaneWnry. Beautiful
    OV vnyd. I liked both the Bedrock '16 and the Carlisle quite a lot. But they didn’t seem to have the depth and
    structure of some of the other OV vnyds that those two source from.
  1. Saitone: This is a vey old vnyd plntd in the heart of the RRV near Carlisle & Papera. First used as a
    vnyd-designate by Cecil DeLoach back in the early '80’s. The wines strike me as at the level of the Carlisle/
    Papera but a bit more elegant & restrained. A don’t believe Mike gets Saitone grapes anymore.
    Tom
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IIRC Williams Selyem bought Saitone several years ago. The 2017 version should be released this Fall.

Tom

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As always, thanks for the notes Tom! Bummer on that 15 Bedrock Schmiedt Rd. Have a few in the cellar but havent opened one yet. Based on your experience and recent CT comments, I’m not exactly chomping at the bit to do so. Guess they cant all be aces!

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Thanks Tom for the notes! I’ve had a couple bottles of the Schmiedt Rd and will say they’re probably my least favorite bedrock. I think I said “blueberry pie on hot asphalt” in my TN.

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Thanks for the notes, Tom!

I always love reading about Contra Costa wines, and the '12 Carlisle “Saitone” was a miraculous discovery for me