What was the best California 1970s non Cabernet red

Parallel thread to the Cab one.

For me:
1973 Ridge Geyserville Zinfandel
1974 Ridge York Creek Petit Syrah
1976 Joseph Swan Zinfandel

1978 Ridge Geyserville (friend opened it last summer).

Tops from what I’ve tried…

1977 Ridge Geyserville Zin (2016)
1977 Ridge Coast Range Zin (2015)
1976 Hanzell Pinot Noir (2010)

All memorable. The Hanzell blew me right away. Ridge, I come to expect it.

1978 Stony Hill Chardonnay from magnum.
1968 Louis Martini Barbera
1975 Ridge York Creek Petite Sirah

1975 Carneros Creek Winery Petite Sirah. Popped it late 2015 and it was incredible. So lush and youthful with tannins perfectly integrated with the sweet dark fruit. And best part…paid all of $20 for it.

Would be awesome if eveyone could include WHEN they popped these bottles. Super helpful data point I feel like.

Love this topic! Thank you for thinking of it!

Caymus 1973 pinot, made like it was a cab. I have one left - STRUCTURE!

Mondavi 1975 pinot, elegance. Got a case from under a house in Yountville in 1994-ish. One left. ELEGANT.

1972 Sutter Home zin - perfection. (1973 and 1974 are great, as well.)

The Ridge zins are all awesome, too hard to whittle down the list - buy any you find. We still pop mid-70’s Ridge zins and they sing.

1978 Christian Brothers zin, I think all sold as magnums - aged in redwood barrels. Stunning and different but not weird.

I will think of more later.

Thanks again for a great thread!

1970 Martin Ray Pinot Noir
1976 Martin Ray Pinot Noir
1974 or 1976 Hanzell Pinot Noir

I never could get terribly excited about Zinfandel, and never liked Petite Sirah at all.

1978 Chalone Pinot Noir

1979 Acacia St Clair and Madonna Pinot
Their 80s were fantastic
72,73 Mt EDEN Pinots

The 66, 68, 70, 73, 74, 76 and 78 Mondavi Reserves are all drinking beautifully !
I still have, deep in my cellar;'78 Spring Mt,'74 & '78 Mondavi Reserves,'71 & 78 Martini Cabs,'74 Beaulieu Reserve and '74 Charles Krug Cab

That about sums things up.

It gives me deja vu from the Politics forum!

MY BAD !

Wrong thread for these. “non Cabernet red”

One of my personal favorites that I opened 2 weeks ago is the 1971 Mondavi Reserve. Slightly faded but an absolute joy to drink.

1973 Freemark Abbey Edelwein.

this.

This wine was crazy good.

1973 Ridge Geyserville…

1978 Lytton Springs Winery Valley Vista Zinfandel