TN: Two Zins...(short/boring)

Tried these two last night at BacchusBadBoys:

  1. Carlisle Zin GumTreeRanch/RRV (15.7%; +PS) 2000: Dark color w/ slight bricking; strong minty/eucalyptus some cedary/pencilly/smokey/oldZin strong blackberry/boysenberry/licorice/ripe bit fumey/alcoholic rather dusty/OV light toasty/oak fairly complex nose; soft some eucalyptus/minty/menthol bit hot/alcoholic strong blackberry/boysenberry/licorice/ripe some cedary/pencilly complex flavor w/ light/smooth tannins; very long bit fumey/alcoholic strong ripe/blackberry/boysenberry dusty/OV bit cedary/pencilly finish w/ light gentle tannins; shows the alcohol a bit and starting to some oldZin character; drink up.

  1. Ridge Zin Jimsomare LateHrvst SantaCruzMtns (100% Zin; 16.2%; 7 1/2 brls; bttld 4/12; Drk: 1/12-1/24-1/27: EB; SaH: 29.4%; RS: 1.7%) 2010: Very dark color w/ slight browning; very intense blackberry/boysenberry/Zin/very spicy/brambly slight herbal/new mown hay slight alcoholic very light vanilla/oak fairly complex nose; slightly tart slightly sweet very intense blackberry/boysenberry/Zin/very spicy light vanilla/oak/DraperPerfume flavor w/ light smooth tannins; very long/lingering slightly sweet intense blackberry/boysenberry/Zin/very spicy/licorice/ripe rather dusty/OV complex finish w/ light smooth tannns; a spectacular LH Zin.

A wee BloodyPulpit:

  1. The Carlisle was in a lot better shape than I was expecting. But is starting to show signs of decline. The alcohol showed a bit, but it had no raiseny/pruney character that you’d expect of an older wine at this alcohol level.

  1. The Jimsomare LateHrvst was an amazing Zin…one of the best Ridge LateHrvsts I’ve had in many a moon. It reminded me a bit of the Jimsomare LateHrvst '70, in fact. No raisened/pruney/LateHrvsty character at all.

  1. We also tried:
    Turley PesentiRanch/PasoRobles Zin (15.9%) 2006
    Turley Zin UberrothVnyd/PasoRobles (15.8%) 2010
    Ridge Zin LyttonEast (15.1%; Drk: 1/05-1/10-1/15: PD;
    18% PS/6% Carignan) 2003
    Dashe Zin DryCreekVlly (14.5%) 2012
    Acre Zin NapaVlly (14.1%) 2012
    RobertBiale Zin MonteRosso/SonomaCnty (15.8%) 2011
    Martinelli Zin Giuseppe&Luisa RRV (16.3%) 2013
    Brown RW NapaVlly (14.7%) 2007

The two Turleys were an interesting comparison. The Pesenti was a classic overripe/jammy Paso Zin. The Uberroth was much more interesting, more spicy, more serious Zin.
The LyttonEast was drinking wonderfully and probably go another 5 yrs. A classic spicy/raspberry/DCV Zin w/ classic DraperPerfume.
The Dashe was another classic DCV spicy/raspberry Zin and far better than his l’EnfantTerrible versions.
The Biale was also in beautiful shape and showed the classic structure you expect from MonteRosso
Tom

Awesome notes as always Tom! Sounds like a helluva tasting!

The 2001 Carlisle Gum Tree Ranch is probably one of my all-time favorite zins. I can still taste the eucalyptus in that wine from when I last had it a few years ago. Damn shame they ripped that vineyard out :frowning:

I also love me some Ridge LH zins, especially the ones from the 70’s. I’ve found most of them still drink pretty well…although I have no reference point for them near release.

Thanks again for the notes!

Very nice to see an older Carlisle holding it together. I have read (probably from you, Tom) that Mr Officer changed his style/intensity level a little after a few vintages. Regardless, this bodes well for allowing Carlisle Zins to sit around without fear of them falling apart as quickly as many Zins can.