TN: 1968 Mayacamas Late Harvest Zinfandel

WINE TALK
#1

Still the best wine I’ve ever had. Wish I had 1000 of these!!

5 Likes
#2

Congrats on the latest achievement! [cheers.gif]

#3

Thanks Dave - appreciate it!

#4

Yup, Rich… not too surprised it’s still going strong… but would expect it to start showing a bit raisened/prune and the alcohol to start showing.
There were a number of first-time LateHrvst Zins made in '68. The Ridge & the Mayacamas were the best.
This Mayacamas '68 was made from NapaVlly Zin grapes. They made a few more in the '70’s from EdBaldenelli’s Amador Zin grapes. Weren’t quite as good as this '68.
Tom

#5

Thanks Tom! This must have been a BEAST of a wine when it was first released. Did you try it?? Assuming you followed it from the start :wink:

And in regards to how they’re drinking now, I agree that following vintages have not aged as well. I’ve tried the 72, 78, and a magnum of the 76. None have been close to the 68.

#6

Well, Rich… I didn’t try my first '68 until about '72/'73. It was a huge wine then.
So… not from the very start, though.
Tom

1 Like
#7

History in a glass! Sounds WAY better than the case of 72 I bought on a whim…some good, not great, bottles…some separated and naked of it’s skin! Sorry to those who I gifted a few bottles to! Good bottles drank like a fine Tawny!

#8

Thanks Rich. I had one of those years ago. And it was fabulous!

#9

Ughhh. Bummer buddy. Yep, I’ve had a 72 before and it was…not so great, ha!

#10

Yep, this is a Mike Dildine wine for sure!! [cheers.gif]

#11

I had a 78 last month on my birthday. I was a amazing, complex wine. It was a new taste every 10 minutes. I have one left. These are very special wines.

#12

That’s awesome Mike! 78 is my wife’s birth year as well and we have a couple left for exactly that reason. Special wines for sure! If you appreciate the 78 I know you’d love the 68. Just wish there were more of them left! [cheers.gif]

#13

Reminiscent of a ‘68 Mirassou Late Harvest from our very first Old Vines Offline. Perhaps nit on the same level as the Mayacamas but we were amazed at shat was in the bottle over 40 years later. Great to read stories like this.

BTW, congrats on the milestone.

#14

Thanks brother - really appreciate it!

And I bet that 68 Mirassou was also great! I’ve also had some really good Ridge Late Harvests from the early 70’s that were delicious. Getting harder and harder to find these wines though, and the prices have gone up a LOT.

#15

Well done, Rich on your latest career achievement and on enjoying that bottle of wine! 17% is not for the faint of heart!

#16

Thanks Ed!

And ha! I hear ya - it sounds super high…but you’d honestly never know it. And it was so good, I promise that you wouldn’t care :wink:

#17

Rich, you are too right. The high alcohol is not an issue with these wines. I am 83 and very sensitive to wines above 15%, but not with these.

#18

Love it Mike! Amazing how the alcohol is not at all present/noticeable on these older Mayacamas LH’s. [cheers.gif]

#19

I am planning to open one of these next month, what would you pair with it? Cheeses?

#20

[wow.gif]

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