Bought a bunch, didn’t drink as many. Standing out were 2013 Ridge Geyserville and 2013 Sky Mt. Veeder.
1982 Ravenswood Napa Zin. Not that I’d ever guess Zin blind but it was fantastic
My top zinfandels this year were both from the 2016 vintage:
2016 Carlisle Dry Creek Zinfandel
2016 Bedrock Pagani Ranch Heritage
The Carlisle really surprised me with its bright fruit and long finish, amazingly good for an appellation wine.
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Carlisle Montafi, Papera and Mancini in that order. Misc vintages. Mancini was young and highly enjoyable. Frank’s note was great
Top 2 (in order):
2018 Carlisle Papera
2013 Ridge Geyserville (on high recommendation from this board)
Two great calls on these wineries that fly under the radar. Van Williams of Witching Stick is indeed a class act. Really fun to talk with.
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What, nobody’s going to go with the #43 wine on the Wine Spectator Top 100, the 2018 Carol Shelton Wild Thing Old Vine Mendocino, “a juicy bomb of fruit”?
/s
Haven’t had the 2018 Wild Thing, but have had many prior vintages. Usually on the frooty side, but not over the top. Has some acidity. Not inoculated with commercial yeast. Very widely available and inexpensive. I’m partial to the zin Carol makes from Cucamonga fruit.
Man, WS has had a thing for that Carol Shelton zin for years now! I tried it a couple times when they had it at Costco…and it was ‘ok’, at best. Nowhere near the value of Bedrock Old Vines or Carlisle Sonoma. Honestly, I’d take a Bedrock Shebang or Marietta Old Vine over it any day of the week.
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In her defense, the Cucamonga one does seem to have better tasting notes than the Wild Thing.
The 2018 Precedent Kirschenmann Zin was one of the best Zins I’ve ever had, maybe even the best one.
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2017 San Marzano - Sessantanni Primitivo di Manduria
2018 Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard - Loesch Vineyard Zinfandel
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Forgot about the Santa Cruz one - it was terrific. So was Fields Kirschenmann, too.
Last year’s favorite was a 2018 Turley Ueberroth.
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