An acquaintance of mine had bought a bunch of 1999 Turley single-vineyard Zinfandels back in the day and was wondering what could be a proper setting to drink them at one go.
Another wino friend managed to come up with a solution: he knew a good source of old Rosenblum single-vineyards, so he asked which Turleys this one guy had and purchased a bunch of Rosenblum Zinfandels that would be as close match as possible to the Turleys.
Ultimately we had a 5 vs 5 half-blind tasting of Turley and Rosenblum Zinfandels. The tasting was fleshed out with a trio of Muscadets and two lovely sweet wines at the end, these served blind. Surprisingly these Muscadets left me quite unimpressed, even if I normally love the genre. I wonder if it had to do with the wine age - all these wines were +10 years old, which made me wonder whether the style suits this much aging, as all the wines felt pretty underwhelming and quite unbalanced.
As food wine we had a magnum of Grgich Hills Cab and an extra blind bottle - which turned out to be an old bottle of Grgich Hills Sauvignon Blanc. This bottle seemed to be past its peak, but after the event the person who brought the Sauvignon Blanc produced another bottle (also served blind) and this was in a pristine condition!
Anyways, I expected the Turleys to be massively ripe, boozy and porty wines; and the Rosenblums to be more balanced and “old-school” in style. Well, the Turleys managed to surprise me, as several wines were remarkably balanced for the style - definitely not something I’d expect for the producer - whereas some of the Rosenblums didn’t seem to be at their best. One was somewhat past its peak, a few had a bit of diacetyl and one was rather closed and reticent. However, when these old Rosenblums are in great condition, they can be really stunning!
BTW, even if the bottles are ordered strictly as Turley-Rosenblum-Turley here in the photo, each pair did come in a random order during the tasting!
The introductory trio of Muscadets
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2009 Château de la Gravelle Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine sur lie Grande Cuvée Don Quichotte - France, Loire Valley, Pays Nantais, Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine sur lie (4.10.2022)
Macerated briefly with the grape skins, then aged on the lees in underground concrete tanks for at least 14 months. 12% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Pale-to-medium-deep lemon-yellow color. Restrained, slightly sweetly-fruited nose with aromas of ripe golden apples, some white peach, a little bit of leesy creaminess and a mineral hint of chalk dust. The wine is crisp, racy and rather austere on the palate with a light body, maybe a tiniest tingle of CO2 and rather lean flavors of lemony citrus fruits, some apple peel bitterness, a little bit of steely minerality, light herby nuances and a tart hint of key lime. Although the high acidity lends great sense of freshness and intensity to the wine, it feels maybe excessively tart here, in contrast with the light body and rather understated, austere flavors. The finish is dry, lean and rather tart with bracing acidity and a lengthy yet also quite understated aftertaste of key lime and Granny Smith apple, some bitter herby notes, a little bit of steely minerality, light pithy notes of grapefruit and a hint of tangy salinity.
A lean, austere and even slightly unbalanced Muscadet, where the acidity is wonderfully to the fore, but there is very little to balance it out. The fruit feels very understated and the body so light here that the bracing acidity simply dominates over everything and the wine comes across as almost aggressively austere. This isn't thin or dilute wine in any way, just very one-sided. I wonder if lengthy decanting would coax a bit more fruit out from the wine, making it come across as more balanced? The lack of body, fruit and perceptible alcohol made me and my friend think of some 5% low-alcohol white wine; I normally love Muscadets, but for some reason this just didn't have much stuffing to it.
(84 points) -
2010 Château du Coing de Saint Fiacre Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Sur Lie Comte de Saint Hubert Vieilles Vignes - France, Loire Valley, Pays Nantais, Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine (4.10.2022)
Made with fruit sourced from the older, low-yielding estate vineyards. Macerated briefly with the grape skins, then aged on the lees in underground concrete tanks for at least 14 months. 12% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Medium-deep lemon-yellow color. The nose feels very sweet and expressive - almost tropical - with aromas of papaya, some banana, light candied or even bubblegum notes, a hint of mushy peach and a touch of persimmon. Contrasting the sweet, exotic nose, the wine is dry, firm and somewhat thin on the palate with a light-to-medium body and rather austere flavors of steely minerality, crunchy whitecurrants, some unripe apple tones, a little bit of tart lemony citrus fruit, a sweeter hint of juicy white peach and a touch of chalky bitterness. The fruit department feels very understated here, keeping the emphasis on the mineral and somewhat bitter non-fruit notes. The finish is dry, crisp and rather short with flavors ripe whitecurrants, some tart citrus fruit notes, a little bit of steely minerality, light bitter notes of chalk dust and a hint of unripe green apple.
The contrast here between the ripe, exotic nose and the very austere, lean and borderline underripe taste was jarring, to say the least. However, what was even more remarkable was how old the wine was compared to the very expressive and youthful nose - I thought the wine wouldn't be older than a few years! However, even is the nose was full of sweet fruit, the taste wasn't - although I normally love the crisp, acid-driven style of Muscadet, here the wine was lacking in balance, coming across more like a hollow skeleton of acidity and minerality with no substance to flesh it out. I wonder if prolonged aeration or further aging could help in making the wine feel more balanced? At least this time I didn't feel the wine was particularly memorable or interesting.
(82 points) -
2010 Domaine Bruno Cormerais Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Bruno 9 Ans - France, Loire Valley, Pays Nantais, Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine (4.10.2022)
A special bottling made with old-vine fruit only in exceptional vintages. Fermented in concrete tanks, aged on the lees for 9 years before bottling. Bottled unfiltered. 12,5% alcohol, 3 g/l residual sugar and 9,5 g/l acidity. Tasted blind.
Pale whitish-green color. Somewhat restrained, slightly sweet-toned and subtly dull nose with aromas of juicy exotic fruits, a little bit of earthy spice and a hint of creamy leesiness. The wine feels thin, somewhat metallic and a bit dull on the palate with a medium body and reticent flavors of apple peel bitterness, some salty brackish tones, a little bit of something dull, light leesy notes of creaminess and a hint of tart lemony citrus fruit. The bracing acidity lends great, incisive energy to the wine but doesn't bring much intensity to the flavors. The finish is short, tart and quite austere with flavors of something metallic, a little bit of key lime, light dull notes of damp wool and a brackish hint of sea water.
Eh. A very dull, understated and thin Muscadet that really doesn't show anything interesting despite being aged for a whopping nine years on the lees. As the wine was served blind after a pop'n'pour, I wonder if it would've performed better with proper aeration. This was a very disappointing effort and the least enjoyable of the three Muscadets we tasted blind side-by-side. The wine feels quite expensive at 18,10€, so the local retail price (35,69€) doesn't make any sense.
(78 points)
The food wines
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1993 Grgich Hills Sauvignon Blanc Fumé Blanc - USA, California, Napa Valley (4.10.2022)
Primarily composed of the aromatic musqué clone of Sauvignon Blanc with a small portion of other Sauvignon Blanc clones in the blend. Fermented spontaneously in oak barrels and 3500-liter foudres. Aged for six months on the lees in neutral oak barrels. 13% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Evolved, moderately deep golden yellow color. Very developed and somewhat oxidative nose with aromas of nutty rancio, some caramel tones, a little bit of cooked cream, light fruity notes of poached pear and bruised apple, a hint of old decomposing wood and a touch of sea-buckthorn jam. The wine is tertiary, moderately oxidative and somewhat concentrated on the palate with a medium body and aged flavors of bruised apple, roasted nuts, some decomposing old wood tones, a little bit of sorrel, light tart lemony notes and a hint of stony minerality. This high acidity lends great firmness and sense of structure to the wine. The finish is long, tertiary and oxidative with a sharp aftertaste of lemony citrus fruit, salty rancio, some chopped nuts, a little bit of bruised apple, light caramel tones and a hint of sorrel.
A still surprisingly bright and tangy Sauvignon Blanc, but obviously much more evolved compared to the two other bottles I've tasted within the past year - which is why I didn't manage to identify the wine correctly this time. While those bottles that I've tasted earlier have been somewhat oxidative and quite tertiary in style, they've felt that the wine is at its peak and won't evolve any further, but won't fall apart soon either. Well, this bottle was already going downhill and definitely on the same level as the other two were. But then again, at almost 30 years of age, you don't get good wines anymore, just good bottles. Unfortunately this wasn't one of them. Still, this was quite enjoyable for an old and somewhat anonymous white wine - a view shared by many in the tasting.
(87 points) -
2002 Grgich Hills Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Napa Valley (4.10.2022)
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (93%), Merlot (6%) and Cabernet Franc (1%) from organically dry-farmed vineyards mainly in Yountville, with some grapes sourced from Calistoga and Rutherford. Fermented and macerated with the skins for four to six weeks. Aged for 24 months in new (90%) and once used (10%) French oak barrels. 14,5% alcohol, 2 g/l residual sugar, 6,3 g/l acidity and pH 3,52. Total production 141,000 bottles, 7,900 halves, 1,900 magnums and 316 larger-format bottles. Tasted blind from a magnum.
Dense, quite concentrated and rather opaque black cherry color with a subtly evolved brick-red hue. The nose feels quite classically styled and rather similar to a Bordeaux with aromas of ripe blackcurrants and pencil shavings, some boysenberry tones, a little bit of tobacco, light evolved notes of wizened dark fruits, a leafy hint of herbaceous character and a touch of gravelly earth. The wine is ripe, dense and juicy on the palate with a full body and quite youthful, somewhat concentrated flavors of blackcurrant-driven dark berries, some plummy tones, a little bit of toasty mocha oak, light crunchy notes of chokeberries, a hint of tobacco and a herbaceous touch of leafy greenness. The high acidity and quite assertive, moderately grippy tannins make the wine feel pretty structured and muscular. The finish is long, somewhat warm and quite grippy with a rich, intense aftertaste of ripe blackcurrants and dark plummy fruit, some crunchy chokeberry tones, a little bit of tobacco, light toasty notes of sweet oak spice, a hint of roasted bell pepper and a touch of gravelly minerality.
A wonderfully firm, structured and intensely-flavored Napa Cab that is quite classically styled - I'd say that with its structure and clean, savory fruit, this wine is stylistically closer to old-school Bordeaux than most of the wines we get from Bordeaux today. It does have some obvious ripeness, as befits a Napa Cab, but it mainly translates to intensity of fruit and relatively high alcohol - not to jammy sweetness or structural softness (due to resulting low acidity and/or ripeness of tannins). All in all, this wine was pretty much identical to the wine we tasted earlier this year, even if this wine came from a magnum and that one from a normal-sized bottle. The format didn't seem to make any difference - this is still a remarkably youthful wine for its age and although it is nothing short of excellent already now, I can see the wine having potential of further improvement with additional aging. An outstanding wine, priced according to its quality at 169€ for a magnum.
(95 points)
The 1st flight: 1999 Zins
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1999 Turley Zinfandel Dogtown Vineyard - USA, California, Central Valley, Lodi (4.10.2022)
Made with old-vine fruit sourced from the Dogtown Vineyard in the Clements Hills AVA, planted in 1944. Fermented spontaneously, aged in American and French oak barrels. Whopping 16,3% alcohol. Tasted half-blind.
Translucent, luminous and still surprisingly youthful raspberry red color. Juicy, clean and somewhat sweet-toned nose with aromas of ripe black raspberries and licorice, some exotic spices, a little bit of evolved meaty character, light boozy notes of alcohol and a hint of juicy dark forest berries. The wine feels dense, firm and enjoyably robust on the palate with a medium body and vibrant flavors of crunchy chokeberries and brambly black raspberries, some sour red plums, a little bit of sweet mocha oak, light spicy notes and a woody hint of savory oak. The mouthfeel is quite silky, yet there is definite grip and sense of structure here, thanks to the rather high acidity and moderately grippy medium-plus tannins. The finish is dry, savory and moderately grippy with a fresh, lengthy aftertaste of crunchy dark berries, some astringent chokeberry tones, a little bit of dry, woody oak spice, light peppery tones, a sweet hint of mocha oak and a touch of developed meaty character. The wine ends on a somewhat grippy, slightly spicy and subtly warm note.
A very firm, structured and balanced Zin where the ridiculously high alcohol doesn't stick out one bit. I thought the wine was a bit warm, so I imagined it would be probably 14,5% ABV, perhaps even 15%. I was floored by the 16,3% in the label - this was at the same level as most Amarones, yet it didn't one bit as hot or boozy! Furthermore, the wine was impressively fresh, youthful and structure-driven for a Zinfandel, not appearing one bit soft or jammy. If it weren't for the at times a bit noticeable oak influence, I could've described the wine as surprisingly "old world" in character! Perhaps further aging might help with that - there's still a lot of room left for further improvement, so maybe in another 5-10 years the oak has integrated with the fruit well enough not to bother any oak-averse winos like me! All in all, I'm very impressed. Great stuff to be enjoyed now, but shows potential for getting even better with additional bottle age.
(92 points) -
1999 Rosenblum Cellars Zinfandel Alegria Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley (4.10.2022)
A blend of Zinfandel (78%), Durif (14%) and Alicante Bouschet (8%). 14% alcohol. Tasted half-blind.
Evolved and moderately translucent rusty brownish-red color. Aged, somewhat oxidative and quite tertiary nose with aromas of game and beef jerky, some wizened dark berries, a little bit of earth, light inky tones, a pungent hint of soy sauce and a touch of prunes. The wine is dry, velvety smooth yet firm and quite aged on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and rather tertiary flavors of wizened dark berries, some old leather, a little bit of oxidative beef jerky and soy sauce, light earthy notes, a ferrous hint of blood and a touch of prunes. The overall feel is surprisingly stern and sinewy, thanks to the high acidity and rather grippy tannins - even if the texture is surprisingly smooth, polished by the age. The finish is aged, evolved and tertiary with a long, savory aftertaste of meaty umami and game, some wizened dark fruits, a little bit of raisiny character, light sanguine notes of iron, a crunchy hint of chokeberry and an oxidative touch of soy sauce. The firm tannins make the wine end on a rather grippy note.
This feels like a stern and quite old-school wine that has been aged a bit more than what it was built for. The structure is still definitely there, but the fruit hasn't held up; the overall feel is starting to be a bit oxidative and aromatically the wine is getting a bit too anonymous, all the finer nuances getting overwhelmed by the senescent tertiary flavors. This feels like a wine that has been very impressive some 7-10 years ago, but doesn't show its best anymore. Yet, I must say, even with its very advanced overall feel, this was a thoroughly enjoyable wine. Not still worth its price at 29,50€, however.
(87 points)
The 2nd flight: 1999 San Francisco Bay Zins
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1999 Turley Zinfandel Duarte - USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Contra Costa County (4.10.2022)
Made with old-vine fruit sourced from old vineyards in Contra Costa County AVA, planted between the 1890's and 1960's - some of the fruit comes from pre-phylloxeric, centenarian vines. Fermented spontaneously, aged for 15 months in predominantly old French and American oak barrels. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. Whopping 15,8% alcohol. Tasted half-blind.
lightly evolved and somewhat translucent black cherry color. The nose feels ripe and dark-toned with vibrant aromas of juicy black cherries and boysenberries, some wild strawberry notes, a little bit of boozy alcohol, light toasty notes of sweet oak spice, spicy hints of crushed cloves and peppercorns, an evolved touch of wizened dark fruit and an oxidative whiff of tertiary meaty character. The wine is ripe, rich and silky-textured on the palate with a full body and focused flavors of boysenberries and blueberry jam, some aged umami notes of meaty character, a little bit of crunchy chokeberry, light gamey tones, a hint of wizened dark fruits and a touch of alcohol heat. The structure relies mostly on the surprisingly high acidity, although the somewhat grippy medium tannins bring in some welcome firmness to the mouthfeel. The finish is savory, long and somewhat grippy with a slightly evolved aftertaste of wizened dark berries and ripe bilberries, some boysenberry tones, a little bit of evolved gamey character, light toasty oak tones, a hint of peppery spice and a touch of boozy alcohol.
A rich and voluminous but also surprisingly firm, structured and serious Zinfandel that is starting to show some aged qualities, but as a whole comes across as much younger than I anticipated. Even though the oak still shows a bit and the alcohol feels more than I wanted it to, this is much more enjoyable and harmonious than I expected it to be. Although age won't help with the high alcohol, I can expect further aging get the wine integrate its oakier tones better with the fruit and develop some additional complexity amidst the fruitier nuances - and that is not to say the wine wasn't complex already, because it really is. Terrific stuff, this is really a top-notch Zin by any standards.
(91 points) -
1999 Rosenblum Cellars Zinfandel Carla's Vineyard - USA, California, San Francisco Bay (4.10.2022)
A Zinfandel from vineyards up to 104 years old. 14% alcohol. Tasted half-blind.
Dark, somewhat evolved and moderately opaque black cherry color. The nose is rich, sweetish and surprisingly expressive with aromas of juicy bilberries and boysenberries, some strawberry jam, light elderberry tones, a little bit of vanilla oak, an evolved hint of wizened dark fruits and a sweet, lactic streak of diacetyl, perhaps? The wine feels silky smooth, somewhat concentrated and enjoyably chewy on the palate with a full body and intense flavors of ripe blackberries, meaty umami and inky tones, some tart notes of chokeberries and red plums, a little bit of brambly black raspberries, light bitter notes of roasted spices, a hint of beef jerky and a touch of wizened dark fruits. There's also a tiny bit of alcohol heat. The overall feel is quite firm and structured, more thanks to the balanced high acidity than to the round, powdery medium tannins. The finish is dry, spicy and somewhat grippy with a long, somewhat evolved aftertaste of juicy dark berries, some toasty oak spice, a little bit of ripe black cherry, light creamy oak tones, a hint of game and a touch of crunchy chokeberry.
A firm, fine-tuned and pretty serious old Zinfandel with great intensity and lovely acidity. The oak showed a bit through here, but there might've been a bit of buttery diacetyl, boosting the oaky tones a little bit too much and lending a somewhat sweet edge to the fruit that otherwise wouldn't have been there. Tasting this wine alongside 1999 Turley Duarte Zinfandel, I felt this wine was slightly sweeter, softer and silkier in comparison, but at the same time showing more freshness and nuance. Although showing some age, it feels as though the wine is still on an upward trajectory and capable of evolving even further from here. It was quite impossible to say whether this or the Turley Zinfandel was better - they both had their own merits and from a quality perspective, they were pretty much equal. A fine example of aged yet not old Zin. Terrific value at 28,50€.
(91 points)
The 3rd flight: 1999 Sonoma County Zins
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1999 Turley Zinfandel Grist Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Dry Creek Valley (4.10.2022)
Made with old-vine fruit sourced from the Grist Vineyard on Bradford Mountain in the Dry Creek Valley AVA. Fermented spontaneously, aged for 15 months in predominantly old French and American oak barrels. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 15,4% alcohol. Tasted half-blind.
Luminous, somewhat translucent pomegranate-red color. The brooding, red-toned nose has a surprising streak of Pinosity surrounding the aromas of cranberries, blood, some ripe black raspberry tones, a little bit of peppery spice, light raw meaty tones, a hint of creamy oak and a touch of toasted wood. There's certain sweetness to the nose, yet without muddling its lovely clarity. The wine feels ripe, juicy and quite fruit-forward on the palate with a full body and rather red-toned flavors of strawberries and brambly raspberries, some cherry tones, a little bit of peppery spice, light crunchy nuances of redcurrants, a hint of roasted game, a touch of woody oak spice and a subtle overtone of sweet, buttery richness. The structure relies mostly on the surprisingly high acidity, while the ripe medium-minus tannins mainly contribute to the texture. Despite its full body and somewhat noticeable alcohol warmth, the wine is surprisingly Pinot Noir-like for a Zinfandel. The finish is ripe, rich and lengthy with vibrant flavors of dark forest fruits, some sweet black cherry tones, a little bit of raspberry jam, light peppery nuances, a hint of wild strawberry and a woody touch of savory oak character. The ripe yet firm tannins and the high alcohol make the wine end on a gently grippy and somewhat warm note.
A ripe and fruit-driven yet surprisingly classy and well-proportioned Zinfandel with very gentle, powdery tannins and a somewhat pronounced sense of Pinosity to its fruit. Compared to the other Turley Zinfandels, this was very gentle and textural - maybe even a bit too much for my taste, as I prefer Zinfandels with a firm, tannic frame - but at the same time very true to the variety. It's weird to see how a Zinfandel - a variety not known for particularly sophisticated wines - from a producer known to make super-ripe, bold and heady wines, can be so elegant and graceful. Although nothing truly exceptional, this is still a very fine wine and also remarkably youthful - almost backward - considering the wine is almost quarter a century old! The only tiny thing that bothered me a little bit was the finest nuance of sweet, buttery or creamy diacetyl that seemed to accentuate the sweeter fruit flavors and added a subtly creamy character to the flavors. Yet still, this is a terrific and genuinely well-made Zinfandel where the exceptional quality of the fruit really shines. Lovely.
(92 points) -
1999 Rosenblum Cellars Zinfandel Rockpile Road Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Rockpile (4.10.2022)
15% alcohol. Tasted half-blind.
Dense, deep and still remarkably youthful pomegranate red color with a subtly purplish hue. The nose is rich, dark-toned and slightly sweetish with aromas of blueberries, some cherry marmalade, a little bit of licorice, light creamy-marmaladey notes of diacetyl, a boozy hint of alcohol and a touch of earthy spice. The wine feels ripe, rich and slightly jammy on the palate with a full body and sweet-toned flavors of blueberry jam, some raisiny tones, a little bit of balsamic richness, light blueberry tones, a hint of savory wood spice and a touch of diacetyl. The ripeness, richness of the fruit and the high alcohol lend some roundness to the mouthfeel, yet the overall feel is quite impressively structured, thanks to both the moderately high acidity and still enjoyably firm and grippy tannins. The finish is long, rich and quite hot with moderately pronounced tannic grip and intense flavors of blueberry jam and cherry marmalade, some peppery spice, a little bit of ripe boysenberry, light raisiny tones, a melted butter hint of diacetyl and a touch of balsamic richness.
A rather big, ripe and voluptuous Zinfandel that would've been quite bold and fruity to begin with, but there's also this faint streak of diacetyl that lends a lush, sweet and vaguely creamy edge to the flavors, boosting the ripe fruit flavors to somewhat jammy territory. The wine is technically dry, more or less, but the combination of ripeness, diacetyl and high alcohol lend a slightly sweet overall quality to the wine, which sort of suits the style, but at the same time makes the wine feel more like a lush and fruity crowdpleaser - and not really my kind of wine. However, the wine is still remarkably youthful for its age, so it's definitely possible the wine will develop into a more savory effort with further aging. At least there seems to be quite a bit of room left for further evolution. Enjoyable, but ultimately a bit too hot and sweet for my taste. Priced according to its quality at 29€.
(88 points)
The 4th Flight: Napa Zins
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1999 Turley Zinfandel Pringle Family - USA, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain (4.10.2022)
Made with fruit sourced from the Pringle Family vineyard in the upper reaches of the Howell Mountain. Fermented spontaneously, aged for 15 months in predominantly old French and American oak barrels. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. Whopping 16,1% alcohol. Tasted half-blind.
Deep, brooding and slightly translucent black cherry color. The nose feels brooding yet quite fruit-driven with sweet, sumptuous aromas of wizened cherries, some overripe boysenberries, a little bit of blueberry jam, light toasty notes of sweet oak spice, a hint of dried figs and a boozy touch of alcohol. The wine feels ripe, sweet-toned and mouth-filling with a very full body and bold flavors of boysenberries and cherry marmalade, some peppery spice, a little bit of ripe bilberry, light woody notes of savory oak spice, a toasty hint of mocha oak and a touch of blackberry jam. The high alcohol makes the mouthfeel a bit hot and the structure relies mostly on the assertive, noticeably grippy tannins, not on the quite modest medium-minus acidity. The finish is grippy, tannic and hot with an intense and very ripe aftertaste of ripe dark berries and boysenberry jam, some bilberry tones, a little bit of savory oak spice, light figgy tones, a hint of milk chocolate and a developed touch of raisiny fruit.
A huge, powerful and super-ripe Zinfandel with tons of weight, body and fruit, but too much alcohol and too little finesse. Unlike the other 1999 Turley Zinfandels, where the alcohol could be remarkably unnoticeable (even in wines where it was even higher than here!), the alcohol here was pretty obvious and really distracted from the pleasure, making the wine feel a bit porty with all that heat. I enjoyed the firm, assertive tannins here that really brought some welcome firmness and sense of structure to the wine, but unlike in other Turley wines, the acidity wasn't as high as a wine this big really calls for. All in all, this felt like a wine that was made with fruit that was just too ripe to make a balanced, harmonious wine. Not my favorite - instead of showcasing the typical Turley combination of finesse and subtlety in a big wine, this is just a stereotype of a huge Napa Zinfandel. Compared with a handful of other Turley 1999's, this just wasn't up to par.
(88 points) -
2000 Rosenblum Cellars Zinfandel Rust Ridge Vineyard - USA, California, Napa Valley (4.10.2022)
Made with fruit sourced from a vineyard planted to two different clones of Zinfandel. 15% alcohol. Tasted half-blind.
Deep, somewhat evolved and almost fully opaque blackish-red color with a developed dried-blood hue towards the rim. The nose feels savory, complex and somewhat evolved with layered aromas of game, some wizened forest fruits, a little bit of balsamic richness, light leathery tones, a hint of strawberry and a touch of ripe black raspberry. The wine feels ripe, harmonious and quite intense yet surprisingly airy on the palate with a full body and focused flavors of ripe boysenberries and black cherries, some licorice, a little bit of wild strawberry, light gamey tones, a hint of dried herbs and a woody touch of savory oak spice. The high alcohol makes the wine feel a bit hot, but otherwise the overall feel is quite stern and rather classically styled - not least because of the rather assertive and moderately grippy tannins that contribute to the structure at least as much as the high acidity. The finish is rich, ripe and quite tannic with a long, powerful aftertaste of fresh black raspberries, some ripe boysenberries, a little bit of balsamic richness, light herbal meat stew notes, a hint of peppery spice and a touch of black cherry. The high alcohol makes the wine end on a moderately warm note.
A very balanced, robust and structure-driven Zinfandel that shows evolved, somewhat gamey complexity and developed fruit qualities, yet not coming across as too old or tertiary in any way. The flavor intensity here is impressive and the wine shows excellent sense of structure, all thanks to its high acidity and still quite tightly-knit yet not aggressive tannins. I can imagine the wine will keep for many more years, but I'm not sure if the wine is capable of developing any additional complexity from here. Nevertheless, this is an outstanding wine in a superb spot right now. Outrageous value at 28,50€. Highly recommended.
(94 points)
The 5th flight: 1999 Napa Zins
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1999 Turley Zinfandel Hayne Vineyard - USA, California, Napa Valley, St. Helena (4.10.2022)
Made with old-vine fruit sourced from the Hayne Vineyard in St. Helena AVA, planted in 1902 and 1903. Fermented spontaneously, aged for 15 months in predominantly old French and American oak barrels. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. Ridiculous 16,8% alcohol. Tasted half-blind.
Deep, moderately translucent and somewhat evolved dried-blood red color. The nose feels very sweet and noticeably ripe with a big hit of porty alcohol, followed by luscious aromas of dried dates and overripe strawberries, some boysenberry jam, a little bit of crème de cassis, light toasty oak tones, a hint of soft dark plums and a faint green touch of birch leaves. The wine feels huge, fat and quite robust on the palate with a very full body and dry-ish to off-dry flavors of boysenberries, some wizened dark plums, a little bit of alcohol heat, light raisiny tones, a hint of strawberry jam and a touch of peppery spice. The structure relies almost solely on the tough and quite grippy tannins, as the modest, low-ish acidity feels completely inadequate to stand up against the huge body of the wine. The finish is hot, long and grippy with robust yet noticeably sweet-toned, off-dry flavors of strawberries, some boysenberry jam, a little bit of plummy fruit, light peppery tones, a hint of dried dates and a touch of raisins.
Ugh. This was a completely over-the-top wine in our tasting of 1999 Turley and Rosenblum Zinfandels - and not in a good way. The wine feels like it is made with grapes that have already partially shriveled on the vine and the sweetness of the fruit feels more than what could be attributed to excessive ripeness and high alcohol - I can't say for sure, but it does really feel like the wine has fermented to 16,8% but then the fermentation has come to a halt, resulting in a little bit of residual sugar in the wine. At least the lush texture, soft mouthfeel and jammy edge of the fruit really points in that direction. Many thought the wine was impressive with its big size and opulent, in-your-face fruit, but I found the wine nigh undrinkable with its overbearing sweetness and obfuscating, boozy alcohol. Unlike the other Turleys we had - many of which were very harmonious and delicious - this feels like a stereotypical Napa Zin. An anti-AFWE wine, if there ever was one.
(84 points) -
1999 Rosenblum Cellars Zinfandel Napa Valley Reserve George Hendry Vineyard - USA, California, Napa Valley (4.10.2022)
100% Zinfandel from the George Hendry vineyard, planted to Zinfandel (and Pinot Noir) between 1973 and 1975. Vinified with extended maceration. Aged for 24 months in 60-gallon (270 liters) oak barrels. 15% alcohol. Tasted half-blind.
Luminous and slightly translucent dark garnet color with a deep black cherry core. The nose feels ripe, brooding and quite restrained with somewhat closed aromas of sweet black cherries, some earthy notes, a little bit of boysenberry jam, light ethery notes of VA and a hint of alcohol. The nose remains quite reticent throughout the evening. The wine feels dry, dense and chewy on the palate with a full body and slightly reticent flavors of ripe dark berries and juicy bilberries, some savory notes of meaty umami, a little bit of dark plummy fruit, light notes of tobacco, a woody hint of dry oaky spice and a touch of earth. The overall feel is quite muscular and serious, all thanks to the high acidity and still remarkably firm tannins. The finish is long, dark-toned and quite tannic with somewhat restrained flavors of ripe dark fruits, some tobacco, a little bit of juicy blueberry, light earthy notes, a savory hint of meaty umami and a touch of blackberry jam.
This was an impressively structured and quite dead-serious Zinfandel that unfortunately suffered from a somewhat closed and reticent overall character. If it weren't for the rather understated aroma and flavor department, this probably would've been my favorite Rosenblum Zinfandel we tasted, it being very stern and old-school in character, keeping the soft, sweet and jammy qualities of Zinfandel well at bay. However, despite this, the wine came across as pretty understated compared to all the other Zinfandels in the tasting, suffering quite badly in the process. On its own this was quite lovely - if you didn't mind the rather understated overall character - but compared to any other wine, the wine just seemed to diminish in comparison. I wonder if we had a dud bottle, if the wine was in some sort of dumb phase, or if the wine is just supposed to be this restrained (at this age)? Based on the performance now, I'd say the wine wasn't really worth the 48€.
(89 points)
The extra blind white and the stickies
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1993 Grgich Hills Sauvignon Blanc Fumé Blanc - USA, California, Napa Valley (4.10.2022)
Primarily composed of the aromatic musqué clone of Sauvignon Blanc with a small portion of other Sauvignon Blanc clones in the blend. Fermented spontaneously in oak barrels and 3500-liter foudres. Aged for six months on the lees in neutral oak barrels. 13% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Medium-deep golden-yellow color. Fragrant, evolved and quite waxy nose with complex aromas of dried pineapple, some apple jam, a little bit of creamy oak, light sweet notes of poached pears and beeswax, a hint of browned butter, a touch of something woolly and a piquant whiff of a pet shop. The wine is rich, dry and firm on the palate with a full body and somewhat evolved flavors of ripe white peach and honeydew melon, some marzipan, light sweet notes of apple sauce and golden currant jam, a little bit of stony minerality, oaky hints of creaminess and browned butter and an oxidative touch of nuttiness. The high acidity lends great sense of freshness and structure to the wine. The finish is fresh, evolved and quite acid-driven with a complex aftertaste of fresh red apple, some oxidative nutty tones, light oaky nuances of creaminess and browned butter, a little bit of stony minerality, a hint of tangy salinity and a sweet touch of dried exotic fruits.
A beautifully fresh, complex and tasty old Napa Sauvignon Blanc that feels surprisingly youthful for its age. What's fun, though, was how this wine was tasted blind after a tasting where we opened another bottle of this very same wine at the beginning of the tasting! That wine was noticeably more evolved and already slightly past its peak, while this wine was perfectly in line with the bottles I've had previously - remarkably fresh and much younger than what one would expect of a Sauvignon Blanc almost 30 years old. It was baffling to see how enormously different these two wines were, yet they were from the same batch, purchased together. That more evolved bottle wasn't anything particularly memorable, whereas this was an excellent example of wonderfully developed Sauvignon Blanc - and a bargain at just 20€.
(94 points) -
2015 Domaine du Petit MĂ©tris Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru (4.10.2022)
Made with botrytized Chenin Blanc grapes harvested on several successive tries. Fermented in foudres, aged in oak barrels. Light filtration upon bottling. 12,5% alcohol.
Deep and rather concentrated amber color. Sweet, concentrated and quite powerful nose with complex aromas of honey and dried pineapple, some orange marmalade, a little bit of tangerine, light nuances of beeswax, a hint of honeysuckle and a touch of exotic spices. The wine is very sweet, oily and slightly sticky on the palate with a full body and very concentrated flavors of dried pineapple and apple jam, some chalky mineral tones, a little bit of orange marmalade, light spicy tones, a hint of beeswax and a touch of wet rocks. Despite its sweetness and concentrated nature, the wine shows great sense of balance and finesse due to its bright, almost racy acidity. The finish is sweet, lengthy and structured with an intense aftertaste of orange marmalade and overripe tangerine, some stony mineral notes, a little bit of acacia honey, light spicy nuances, a hint of beeswax and a touch of dried exotic fruits.
A textbook example of a fine Quarts de Chaume with remarkable sense of intensity, power and concentration. Even though the wine is quite luscious and oily, the overall feel still remains very structured and remarkably fresh, all thanks to its great acidity. The wine still feels quite youthful and maybe a bit linear, but there is so much intensity, depth of flavor and fruit concentration here that in all likelihood the wine will evolve wonderfully over years - decades, even. Great now, will be even better with more age. Highly recommended.
(92 points) -
1998 Sine Qua Non SĂ©millon Mr. K Vin De Paille - USA, California (4.10.2022)
A dessert wine made with overripe, raisined SĂ©millon grapes sourced from the Brander vineyard in Santa Ynez Valley. 7,5% alcohol.
Deep, luminous, syrupy-brown color. Ridiculously sweet, intense and pretty oxidative nose with tertiary aromas barley wine, some syrupy molasses, a little bit of meat stew, light strawberry jam tones, a hint of smoke and a touch of prunes. The wine is very sweet, intense and sticky on the palate with a full body and quite unctuous flavors of syrupy molasses and bruised apple, some butterscotch, a little bit of dried dates, light honeyed tones, a hint of honey waffle and a malty touch of barley wine. The acidity feels rather modest, which - combined with the copious sweetness - makes the wine feel very viscous and lacking in freshness. However, the wine still remains surprisingly light on its feet - probably due to the very low level of alcohol. The finish is sweet, long and complex with concentrated, tertiary flavors of malt syrup and dried dates, some bruised apple tones, a little bit of treacle, light orange marmalade nuances, a hint of honey waffle and a toasty touch of toffee.
A very complex and ridiculously concentrated sweet wine that is a bit too much of everything, except for acidity. I love it how the wine is surprisingly light and delicate due to its modest alcohol, even if it is luscious in its sweetness and very full in body. However, the modest acidity makes the wine still feel a bit unbalanced and I guess the lack of acidity has also contributed to the very advanced overall character of the wine. It is yet to completely fall apart, but it is so tertiary that it feels the wine has already started going downhill and I can imagine this must've been more impressive probably at 10-15 years of age. Time to drink up. While a very enjoyable and impressively concentrated wine, I still must say that this felt moderately overpriced for its quality at 95€ for a half bottle.
(91 points)
Posted from CellarTracker
