This was a tasting organized by fellow wino @AskoKassinen in last June. A nice study of Rosenblum Zinfandels at 20-25 years of age, showing how these wines used to pack some serious aging potential (haven’t had any Rosenblums younger than 2002, so I can’t really comment how these modern versions perform today).
There were some serious differences between the different single-vineyard bottlings. I must admit that on average, I was not particularly fond of the Carla’s Vineyard Zins, as they seemed not only softer and sweeter than the other Zins we tasted, but also atypically oaky for Rosenblum wines, not really having integrated much of that wood in twenty years!
Rust Ridge often seems to perform much better, but my favorite vineyard for these Rosenblum Zinfandels has been - and continues to be - Harris Kratka vineyard. These wines have always showed much more freshness and not too sweet fruit compared to many other Zins, and especially the two oldest vintages we tasted were wonderfully classically styled wines, coming stylistically across as more like claret than anything what people would associate with Zinfandel today.
We also had a lovely bottle of Angludet as an introductory blind + with the food. I was slightly surprised how funky this wine turned out to be, but I didn’t mind it one little bit!
- 2000 Château d'Angludet - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux (1.6.2023)
Typically a 1:1 blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, occasionally with a little bit of Petit Verdot. Aged for 12-14 months in French oak barriques (approx. 1/3 new). 12,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Quite youthful and deep dark ruby color with a subtly evolved maroon hue. The nose feels expressive but also quite rustic and funky with intense aromas of bretty leather and barnyard, some smoky phenolic notes, a little bit of ripe blackcurrant, light evolved notes of wizened black cherries, a hint of juicy strawberry and a woody touch of savory oak spice. The wine feels savory, quite muscular and somewhat rustic on the palate with a rather full body and intense flavors of fresh blackcurrants, some bretty leather saddle tones, light woody notes of pencil shavings, a little bit of phenolic spice, hints of earth and stable floor and a sweeter touch of ripe redcurrant. The wine is still very firm, structured and quite tightly-knit with its high acidity and moderately grippy tannins. The finish is long, intense and moderately grippy with savory and slightly funky aftertaste of ripe redcurrants and fresh dark plums, some leathery tones, a little bit of bretty barnyard, light juicy notes of ripe blackcurrants, a hint of sous-bois and a woody touch of pencil shavings.
A very firm, savory and enjoyably funky Margaux that was still remarkably youthful for its age - something that seems to hold true for so many Bordeaux reds from the 2000 vintage. The wine was a bit more bretty than I - or anybody else - anticipated from this label, but since the funky notes didn't seem to distract as much as they seemed to add nice, rustic complexity to the wine, this didn't seem to be big setback. All in all, this is a pretty serious effort that is fully enjoyable right now, but seeing how surprisingly youthful the wine is for its age, I can see it improving and evolving for many years more. Highly recommended.
(93 points) - 2002 Rosenblum Cellars Zinfandel Carla's Vineyard - USA, California, San Francisco Bay (1.6.2023)
A Zinfandel from a vineyard with vines up to 105 years old. 14,5% alcohol.
Quite deep and somewhat evolved cherry-red color with a slightly tertiary maroon hue. The nose feels quite ripe, sweet-toned and a bit evolved with pretty sumptuous aromas of juicy dark forest fruits, some dried figs, a little bit of mocha and sweet toasty oak, light cherry tones, a raisiny hint of dried dark fruits and a woody touch of cedar. The wine feels rich, juicy and quite sweet-toned with flavors of wizened black cherries, some toasty notes of mocha oak and milk chocolate, light raisiny nuances, a hint of vanilla and a tertiary touch of sweet soy sauce. The overall feel is a bit on the soft side, due to the medium acidity and quite ripe, resolved and gentle tannins. The finish is long, sweet-toned and very gently grippy with a juicy, somewhat developed aftertaste of dried dark berries and toasty oak tones, some vanilla, a little bit of milk chocolate, light juicy notes of strawberries, a brambly hint of black raspberry and a tertiary touch of sweet soy sauce. The high alcohol makes the wine end on a slightly warm note.
A quite tasty and enjoyably evolved but ultimately a bit too soft and oaky Zinfandel. I was quite surprised by the style here, actually, since almost all these older Rosenblum Zinfandels I've tasted have been somewhat higher in acidity with noticeably less obvious oak influence. Unlike those wines, this particular wine felt a bit more banal in comparison, coming across as just a somewhat generic Zinfandel with nothing that would really catch my interest - although the wine is holding up pretty well for its age. All in all, this was an enjoyable little drop, but as far as these older Rosenblum Zins come, a bit of a disappointment, too. Yet still, I think this wine offers pretty good value for the money at just 28,50€.
(89 points) - 2002 Rosenblum Cellars Zinfandel Rust Ridge Vineyard - USA, California, Napa Valley (1.6.2023)
Made with fruit sourced from a vineyard planted to two different clones of Zinfandel. 14,5% alcohol.
Somewhat translucent and a bit evolved dark cherry red color with brick-red highlights. The nose feels sweet, fragrant and quite fruit-forward with aromas of strawberries and juicy black raspberries, some balsamic notes of VA, a little bit of dark plummy fruit, light toasty notes of sweet oak spice, a hint of black cherry and a touch of wizened fruits. The wine feels savory, moderately evolved and quite dense on the palate with a full body and quite intense flavors of wizened dark fruits and sweet black raspberry, some earthy notes, light woody notes of cedar and toasty oak spice, a little bit of dried figs, an oxidative hint of beef jerky and a touch of balsamic VA. The overall feel is enjoyably firm and balanced with the rather high acidity and medium-plus tannins. The finish is ripe, moderately evolved and somewhat grippy with an intense aftertaste of dried dark fruits, some woody notes of savory oak spice, a little bit of beef jerky or salt-cured beef, light sweeter nuances of ripe black raspberries, a hint of fresh black cherry and a touch of vanilla.
A fine, harmonious and pleasantly evolved Napa Zin. The oak still shows a little bit, but for the most part it has integrated with the fruit quite nicely. There's good sense of ripe Zin fruit here, but the wine never once feels too ripe: the alcohol remains in check, there's enough acidity to lend good sense of freshness and brightness to the fruit flavors and the somewhat grippy but not tough tannins lend vital sense of firmness to the mouthfeel. While not the best vintage of Rosenblum's Rust Ridge I've tasted, this is still a lovely wine in its own right and it is holding up really well for its age. It might not evolve that much from here, but I don't see the wine falling apart anytime soon, either. An excellent purchase at 28,50€.
(91 points) - 2000 Rosenblum Cellars Zinfandel Carla's Vineyard - USA, California, San Francisco Bay (1.6.2023)
A Zinfandel from a vineyard with vines up to 104 years old. 15% alcohol.
Evolved and somewhat translucent blood-red color. The nose feels quite ripe, moderately sweetish and somewhat evolved with fruit-driven aromas of wizened dark fruits, some creamy and slightly jelly-like diacetyl, a little bit of dried figs and raisins, light strawberry tones, a hint of black raspberry, a toasty touch of mocha chocolate and a whiff of cherry marmalade. The wine feels ripe, juicy and quite sweet-toned on the palate with a rather full body and quite intense flavors of wizened cherries, some strawberry tones, a little bit of woody oak spice, light toasty notes of sweet oak spice and milk chocolate, a hint of something vaguely metallic and a touch of brambly black raspberry. Although the wine is noticeably ripe and the alcohol shows through a bit, the wine still sports surprisingly high acidity, which lends good sense of balance and structure along with the somewhat grippy medium tannins. The finish is ripe, gently grippy and slightly warm with a long, juicy aftertaste of sweet black cherries and brambly black raspberries, some strawberry tones, a little bit of vanilla oak, light raisiny nuances and a toasty hint of milk chocolate.
These Carla's Vineyard Zinfandels seem a bit sweeter, oakier and more polished wines in comparison to the other Rosenblum Zins. More often than not I enjoy older Rosenblum Zins quite a lot, but these Carla's Vineyards seem always a bit too soft, sweet and oaky for my preference. Although the overall feel was pretty enjoyable here and especially the quite high acidity helped a lot, the wine was still far from perfect: the sweet, vaguely creamy and somewhat candied streak of diacetyl in the nose was so subtle that it didn't bother much, but that light streak of metallic flavor on the palate did distract me a bit more. Without these qualities this might've been better than the 2002 vintage we tasted at the same time, but this time we didn't luck out. I hope this was just bottle variation and not indicative of the vintage as a whole. Priced somewhat according to its quality at 28,50€.
(88 points) - 2000 Rosenblum Cellars Zinfandel Rust Ridge Vineyard - USA, California, Napa Valley (1.6.2023)
Made with fruit sourced from a vineyard planted to two different clones of Zinfandel. 15% alcohol.
Quite deep, dark and moderately opaque blackish-red color with a somewhat evolved maroon hue. The nose feels a bit restrained yet not closed with nuanced, somewhat evolved aromas of dark plums and raisiny dark fruits, some sweet cherry tones, a little bit of peppered raw meat, light woody notes of cedar, a hint of blackberry liqueur, a toasty touch of sweet oak spice and a whiff of leather saddle. The wine feels ripe, concentrated yet still relatively open-knit on the palate with a full body and intense flavors of wizened black cherries and peppery spice, some leathery tones, a little bit of plum jam, light toasty notes of sweet oak spice, a balsamic hint of VA and a touch of gamey meat. The texture is supple and a bit soft, yet the wine is pretty firm and structured, thanks to the quite high acidity and still moderately grippy tannins. The finish is ripe, juicy and somewhat grippy with a long, intense aftertaste of ripe black cherries and brambly black raspberries, some spicy notes of savory wood, light leathery tones, a little bit of tobacco, a hint of kirsch and a rich, sweet-toned touch of volatile balsamico character.
This was my third time tasting this wine in a year. When tasting this for the first time, the wine was very impressive effort, but the previous taste was somewhat disappointing as the bottle was noticeably more evolved and somewhat oxidative in character with very supple, almost fully resolved tannins. Fortunately this wine was a return to form: although somewhat evolved, the wine didn't show any obvious oxidative qualities and the structure was as firm as ever. Maybe coming across as slightly more reticent than the first bottle I tasted in October 2022, but not much. Most likely the wine is either at its plateau of maturity or very close to it - I can imagine the wine can evolve a tiny bit from here, but most likely it will just keep for many years more. Drink now or within the next ten-ish years. Excellent value at 28,50€.
(93 points) - 1999 Rosenblum Cellars Zinfandel Carla's Vineyard - USA, California, San Francisco Bay (1.6.2023)
A Zinfandel from a vineyard with vines up to 104 years old. 14% alcohol.
Luminous, somewhat translucent and still relatively youthful black cherry color. The nose feels sweetish, expressive and relatively youthful with aromas of strawberries, bilberries and ripe black raspberries, some woody notes of cedar, a little bit of gamey meat, light oxidative nuances of sweet soy sauce, a hint of Bassett's black wine gum, a touch of boysenberry jam and a whiff of vanilla. The wine feels ripe, juicy and quite chewy on the palate with a full body and moderately intense flavors of sweet black cherries and ripe black raspberries, some gamey tones, a little bit of savory spice, light crunchy notes of fresh red plums, cedary hints of woody oak and an evolved touch of dried dark fruits. Unlike most other vintages of Carla's Vineyard, this particular vintage feels quite firm and structured with its rather high acidity and fine-grained yet moderately grippy medium-plus tannins. The finish is ripe, long and moderately grippy with a savory and quite intense aftertaste of juicy red plums, some ripe black cherries, a little bit of gamey meat, light oaky notes of both cedar and sweeter toasty character, a hint of raspberry jam and a touch of earth.
Of the five vintages of Carla's Vineyard Zinfandels we tasted, this was easily my favorite. It seems that on average, Carla's Vineyard Zin is a softer, sweeter and slightly more oaky effort compared to the overall Rosenblum style. However, of the vintages we tasted, this 1999 was the driest, least oaky and most structured vintage, stylistically closer to the other Rosenblum Zinfandels than the other vintages of Carla's Vineyard. Compared to the bottle of this same vintage I tasted earlier (half a year ago), I found this bottle slightly more evolved, but also more harmonious and more enjoyable - as the previous bottle showed a subtle streak of sweet, buttery diacetyl character, which I'm not a fan of - making this a pretty terrific vintage of Carla's Vineyard. Although the wine is in a great spot right now, I can imagine it will continue to evolve for a handful of years more from here. Terrific value at 28,50€.
(92 points) - 1998 Rosenblum Cellars Zinfandel Carla's Vineyard - USA, California, San Francisco Bay (1.6.2023)
A Zinfandel from a vineyard with vines up to 103 years old. 14% alcohol.
Somewhat evolved and moderately translucent brick-red color. The nose feels evolved and savory with aromas of wizened dark plums, some meaty tones, a little bit of strawberry, light earthy notes, a hint of old leather, a touch of tobacco and a whiff of old dusty wood. The wine feels quite resolved, harmonious and silky on the palate with a medium body and ripe, sweet-toned flavors of dried dark plums, some evolved meaty notes of umami, light oaky notes of savory wood and vanilla, a little bit of cassis, sweet hints of wizened figs and cherries and a volatile touch of nail polish. Although quite ripe and sweetly-fruited, the wine still manages to retain pretty lovely sense of structure with its quite high acidity and moderately grippy medium-plus tannins. The finish is savory, ripe and moderately grippy with a slightly sweet-toned and rather evolved aftertaste of wizened figs and dried dates, some brambly notes of blackberries and black raspberries, a little bit of peppery spice, light woody notes of savory oak spice, a hint of vanilla and a touch of nail polish VA.
A rather nice vintage of Carla's Vineyard - a bottling typically slightly softer and sweeter than the average Rosenblum Zin. This did show that ripeness and sweetness of fruit that seems typical of Carla's Vineyard, but the wine retained much better acidity and tannic structure than some of the younger vintages we tasted at the same time. This wasn't as good as the 1999 vintage, which felt a bit more drier and structure-driven, but not that far behind, either. Overall I'd say the wine is now at its peak and while it might not improve from here, I still feel this wine is going to keep just fine far a good number of years more. Solid value at 28,50€.
(91 points) - 1997 Rosenblum Cellars Zinfandel Carla's Vineyard - USA, California, San Francisco Bay (1.6.2023)
A Zinfandel from a vineyard with vines up to 102 years old. Unlike younger vintages of Carla's Vineyard, bottled as AVA San Francisco Bay, this was bottled as AVA Contra Costa County. 14% alcohol.
Moderately evolved brick-red color. Dull, dusty and musty nose with aromas of mildew and earth cellar. This reeks so badly of TCA I'm not even entertaining a thought of tasting the wine to check out how its structure is holding up.
A badly corked bottle. 28,50€ down the drain.
(NR/flawed) - 2000 Rosenblum Cellars Zinfandel Harris Kratka Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley (1.6.2023)
A blend of Zinfandel (95%) and Carignan (5%) from the 7-hectare (17-acre) Harris Kratka Vineyard located at the southern end of Alexander Valley. 14% alcohol.
Evolved, medium-deep and somewhat translucent brick-red color with an aged rusty-red hue. The nose feels evolved and somewhat understated with quite light yet nuanced aromas of savory meaty tones and even prosciutto, some medicinal aromas of herbal liqueur, a little bit of wizened boysenberries, light strawberry nuances, faint green-toned hints of pine needles and bay leaf and a touch of fivespice. The wine feels silky, evolved and juicy on the palate with a moderately full body and somewhat tertiary flavors of boysenberries and wizened black cherries, some oxidative notes of beef jerky, light balsamic nuances of VA, a little bit of ripe strawberries and raspberries, a medicinal hint of herbal liqueuer and a woody touch of cedar. The wine is quite high in acidity with rather resolved and quite supple tannins. The finish is savory, gently grippy and quite complex with a long, rather evolved aftertaste of gamey meat and ripe boysenberry, some woody notes of cedar and pencil shavings, a little bit of earth, light sweet nuances of strawberries and wizened cherries, a slightly bitter medicinal hint of herbal liqueur and a touch of balsamic VA.
A tasty, sophisticated and pretty much fully mature Cali Zin that is showing somewhat meaty notes of tertiary flavors and good sense of harmony. Compared to some other vintages of this Harris Kratka bottling, this feels a bit softer and sweeter in nature, but not excessively so; the wine still retains great sense of balance and structure. Based on the quite resolved structure and subtly oxidative undertones lurking beneath the evolved fruit, I'd say the wine is now at its peak and probably has been there for some while. Although it didn't feel the wine is going to fall apart anytime soon, it isn't going to evolve anywhere from here, so I'd say it's better to drink the wine sooner rather than later. Good value at 32,50€.
(91 points) - 2001 Rosenblum Cellars Zinfandel Harris Kratka Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley (1.6.2023)
A blend of Zinfandel (95%), Carignan (3%) and Petite Sirah (2%) from the 7-hectare (17-acre) Harris Kratka Vineyard located at the southern end of Alexander Valley. 15% alcohol.
Quite deep and moderately evolved dark maroon color. The attractive, dark-toned nose feels somewhat brooding with complex, sweetly-fruited aromas of almost jammy dark berries, some cool herbal notes of minty lift, a little bit of juicy black cherry, light evolved notes of meaty character, a hint of wizened blackcurrants and a touch of dried figs. The wine feels quite bold, vibrant and concentrated on the palate with a full body and intense flavors of ripe black cherries and boysenberries, some spicy peppery tones, a little bit of evolved gamey character, light meaty notes of umami, a cool hint of minty lift and a touch of dried figs. I'd like to disagree with the notes on CT that describe the wine as low n acidity, as in our tasting of Rosenblum Zins, it became apparent that the wine is not only surprisingly high in acidity for a Zinfandel, but also quite high in acidity for a Californian red wine. The rather assertive and grippy tannins - along with the high acidity - make the wine feel pretty firm and structured. The finish is ripe, very long and quite grippy with an intense, ripe aftertaste of cherry marmalade, some juicy blackberry and boysenberry tones, a little bit of licorice, light minty nuances, a hint of vanilla oak and a sweet touch of dried figs and blackcurrants. The high alcohol makes the wine end on a slightly warm note.
In our tasting of 13 Rosenblum Cellars Zinfandels it was not only painfully obvious that Harris Kratka Vineyard bottlings were - on average - better than the other single-vineyard bottlings we tasted (Rust Ridge, Carla's Vineyard), but also that this 2001 Harris Kratka Vineyard was probably the best vintage of the vintages we tasted (2001-1994). True to the style of Cali Zin, the wine is juicy, ripe and sweet-toned, but at the same time the wine showed more complexity, intensity and sense of structure than any other wine. Really an excellent effort that is slowly arriving at its plateau of maturity. This is now in an excellent spot. At 32,50€ this has been a bargain.
(94 points) - 1999 Rosenblum Cellars Zinfandel Harris Kratka Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley (1.6.2023)
A blend of Zinfandel (75%) and Carignan (25%) from the 7-hectare (17-acre) Harris Kratka Vineyard located at the southern end of Alexander Valley. 13,6% alcohol.
Deep, moderately evolved and somewhat translucent brick-red color. The open and quite attractive yet not particularly intense nose exudes aromas of strawberries and wizened red plums, some earthy tones, a little bit of savory old oak and tree bark, light cherry tones, a hint of cranberry juice, a touch of gamey meat and a dank whiff of pot. The wine feels ripe, rich and quite firm on the palate with a full body and vibrant, somewhat evolved flavors of wizened cherries, some juicy dark and blueberry juice tones, a little bit of ripe cranberry and strawberry, light meaty notes of umami, a hint of allspice and a faint green-toned touch of minty lift. The moderately high acidity and still pretty firm and grippy tannins lend good sense of structure to the wine. The finish is rich, juicy and quite grippy with an intense, slightly sweet-toned aftertaste of strawberries and red cherries, some sweet cassis tones, a little bit of allspice and peppery character, light plummy nuances, a toasty hint of sweet oak spice and a touch of fresh bilberry.
A very impressive, vibrant and still remarkably structured Zin - although the relatively large dose of Carignan probably aids quite a bit in the cassis tones (not particularly present in other vintages of Rosenblum Harris Kratka) and letting the wine that still quite impressive structure. In a tasting of six Harris Kratka vintages (2001-1994), this was easily among the most impressive vintages, only surpassed by the similarly structure-driven but even more vibrant 2001 vintage and the characterful, subtly funky 1994. Although similarly evolved, this wine did lack that sense of intensity and concentration to some degree - especially in the nose. Yet still, this was a very lovely and wonderfully serious effort for a +20 Zinfandel. The wine might continue to evolve and improve for some years, but it is in a really good spot right now and doesn't really require any additional aging. At 32,50€, this is an excellent purchase.
(93 points) - 1998 Rosenblum Cellars Zinfandel Harris Kratka Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley (1.6.2023)
A blend of Zinfandel (78%) and Carignan (22%) from the 7-hectare (17-acre) Harris Kratka Vineyard located at the southern end of Alexander Valley. 14,8% alcohol.
Quite deep, dark and only slightly translucent black cherry color with a subtly evolved dried-blood hue towards the rim. The nose feels dull, somewhat dusty and a bit unclean with understated, vaguely musty aromas of damp moss, dry and dusty attic and a little bit of decomposing wood. The wine feels silky, ripe and sweet-toned on the palate with a full body and remarkably understated flavors of ripe, sweet dark berries, some earthy tones and a little bit of dusty attic. The alcohol shows quite a bit due to the lack of flavors, making the mouthfeel quite hot. The wine is medium in acidity with moderately grippy medium-plus tannins. The finish is short, quite grippy and rather dull with flavors of dusty earth and some damp moss.
As the wine felt dull and somewhat unclean, lacking all the fruit flavors, we felt that the wine was just very mildly corked. It didn't exhibit any obvious TCA aromas, but the wine was so dull, understated and so very unlike any other bottle of Rosenblum we tasted that we agreed it wasn't in proper condition. 31€ down the drain.
(NR/flawed) - 1996 Rosenblum Cellars Zinfandel Harris Kratka Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley (1.6.2023)
A blend of Zinfandel (75%) and Carignan (25%) from the 7-hectare (17-acre) Harris Kratka Vineyard located at the southern end of Alexander Valley. 15% alcohol.
Moderately translucent and somewhat evolved ruby-red color with a brick-red hue. The brooding nose feels somewhat restrained with dark-toned, slightly sweetish aromas of blueberries and boysenberries, some wizened cherry tones, light green-toned nuances of eucalyptus and bay leaf, a little bit of earthy spices, a hint of brambly blackberry and a touch of plum liqueur. The wine feels dense, concentrated and pretty muscular on the palate with a full body and moderately evolved flavors of dark forest fruits and ripe dark plums, some blueberry tones, a little bit of savory oak spice, light cooling nuances of eucalyptus, a developed hint of meat stew with Mediterranean herbs and a touch of earth. The wine is quite high in acidity with still relatively grippy and stern tannins. The high alcohol lends a little bit of warmth to the palate. The finish is long, somewhat evolved and quite tannic with a focused yet not particularly intense aftertaste of sweet dark plums and ripe bilberries, some wild strawberries, light woody notes of savory oak spice, a little bit of eucalyptus, a hint of red licorice and a touch of brambly black raspberry.
A fine, nuanced and tasty Zinfandel that shows some age, yet doesn't come across as too old in any way. Especially structurally the wine feels very impressive, feeling more similar to an old-school Bordeaux rather than any modern peer made from Zinfandel - I guess that might have to do with that rather hefty 1/4 addition of Carignan in the blend. Nevertheless, the wine is otherwise quite archetypal Zinfandel with its ripe, sweet-toned fruit flavors, brambly overtones and high alcohol. The wine is holding up really well for its age; I'd say it is either at its plateau of maturity, or even still on its way up. I wouldn't be surprised if this wine continued to evolve and improve for a handful of years more. Terrific stuff and excellent value at 31€.
(92 points) - 1994 Rosenblum Cellars Zinfandel Harris Kratka Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley (1.6.2023)
A blend of Zinfandel (78%) and Carignan (22%) from the 7-hectare (17-acre) Harris Kratka Vineyard located at the southern end of Alexander Valley. 14,1% alcohol.
Relatively pale, evolved and very slightly hazy brick-red color with a deep brick-orange hue towards the rim. The nose feels characterful, somewhat phenolic and a bit funky with nuanced, slightly rustic aromas of bretty leather, some ripe strawberry, light sweeter notes of wizened raspberries, a little bit of leafy greenness and autumnal nuances of damp leaves and sous-bois, a hint of crunchy lingonberry and a touch of dark, plummy fruit. The overall feel is pretty old-school, coming across as more like a traditional Bordeaux or Napa Cab rather than a Zin. The wine feels evolved, fine-tuned and a bit funky on the palate with a medium body and somewhat savory flavors of ripe cranberries and phenolic spice, some barnyardy notes of brett, a little bit of leather saddle, light brambly notes of raspberries and blackberries, an autumnal hint of damp leaves and a sweeter touch of wizened black cherries. The high alcohol lends some heat to the palate, but otherwise the wine is relatively focused and sinewy, its high acidity and moderately grippy medium-plus tannins making the overall feel pretty structured. The finish is juicy, savory and quite grippy with a long, complex aftertaste of old leather and barnyard, some autumnal notes of damp leaves and forest floor, a little bit of ripe red plum, light smoky notes of phenolic spice, a hint of crunchy cranberry and a touch of brambly blackberry. The rather high alcohol makes the wine end on a slightly warm note.
An excellent, impressively structured and enjoyably a bit funky Zin that is a textbook example of proper old-school California style of red wine, before virtually all the wines became rich, soft, sweetly-fruited oak bombs. This wine is definitely from California with its noticeable ripeness, relatively high alcohol and bold fruit, yet it is wonderfully old-school with its emphasis on fresh acidity, quite firm tannins and not-that-big body. Furthermore, that small touch of bretty funk only adds to the character and complexity of the wine, without overwhelming any of its finer nuances. I'd say this wine is now at its peak or very near it and it won't really benefit from any further cellaring, but most likely it won't be falling apart in the near future. At just 31€ this has been a steal.
(94 points)
Posted from CellarTracker