I drink most red wine in Grassl 1855s. Love them!
No expense spared at the Campbell residence! I may just run down to Trader Joe’s just to make you spend $10 more! ![[snort.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/b/bdc3944606213c4dca6c1169cf0a166c8bc4f8c9.gif "snort.gif"){kind=small}
Working on this beaut tonight, giving it some O2 right now.
Do it!
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I have to hit TJ’s in the next couple days. I’ll try one though my goes with Cline have not been great. I also want to try that Syrah Tom Hill is on about.
My local shop only has the Ancient Vines.
I’ll count it. You’ll have to spend $14… LOL
I’ll go get one Saturday.
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Have some friends who LOVE this wine.
Next up, checking out another '18 Ridge before laying them down. I’ll hit my cellar this weekend and find another Zin or two for the balance of the week.
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2018 Ridge Lytton Springs - USA, California, Sonoma County, Dry Creek Valley (12/16/2020)
Big ripe forward Zinberry fruits. Jumps up. Much more fruit forward than the Geyserville is. Hints of new Am oak. Not showing a lot of extraction. Winemaker notes on the bottle seem to concur. That leaves the palate feeling somewhat more structured than you would have expected by the smell. Medium light tannin over a solid acidic spine. This came off a bit more out of balance on night one. Night two saw the more balanced version. There is a bit of warmth. Where the Geyserville seemed like an Old World wine of indeterminate origin, the '18 Lytton S is clearly a classic CA Zin. Given the ripeness I think the PS and Carignan are lending a lot of the structure. My only pause on extended aging is the relatively high ABV. But overall a strong CA Zin blend. I’d let this rest another year or two before digging in if you can wait to let that oak integrate a bit better and for it to relax onto it’s bone a bit more. Of course this should age longer than that without a second thought.
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I’m a big Zin fan, so was excited about this. But then…
2014 Bedrock, Kirschenmann Vineyard
I don’t think this wine is corked, but it just isn’t good. The bottom has completely fallen out. It’s just structure and no fruit. Started off earthy, almost dirty tasting. No spice, no pepper, no fruit. Just fermented grape juice. It’s not “bad” nor undrinkable, it’s just not pleasurable. I saw on CT someone recently said it was past prime and to drink up. I think he was correct.
So here’s my pic. Sorry. I’ll try and do better another night.
Kinda glad this is bottom-paged.
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Sorry to hear that.
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2004 Ridge Zinfandel Nervo - USA, California, Sonoma County (12/17/2020)
Aging gracefully. Still lots of blackberry fruit but it’s draped with a velvety tannin glove, perfume and spice. Still sweetish fruit on the finish, it clocks in at 15.2 but you wouldn’t know it if you didn’t look at the label. Still a lot of chalk, not sure if it will fully resolve. Very tasty right now.
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That’s what I thought but wasn’t sure. I love mine as well but I keep breaking them!
Might post another note later but had to start with a new classic.
2016 Bedrock Old Vin Zin
My first sip? Delicious.
Wife’s first sip? Dang, that’s delicious…I love this kind of Zin.
My notes.
Has some sweetness but not overwhelming. No bitterness. Fruit has a dark berry note. Not really raisin at all, which surprised me. Very well balanced. Just an absolute quaffable Zinfandel. Have one more of this vintage. Not sure how long I should hold it.
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Drank two very different zins tonight with a couple dear friends. They really showed the range and breadth of the grape and makes the case for Zin as a grape of the first order.
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2014 Under The Wire Zinfandel Sparkling Bedrock Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley (12/17/2020)
A couple years since my last bottle, and this is still charming. Limpid rose-lavender in color. Very fine bead, although not carrying a ton of effervescence. Soft wild-strawberry fruit, slatey minerals, and good freshness. 12% alcohol and paired extremely well with white bean soup and sourdough. Not the most complex bubbly but a wonderful way to celebrate Nick’s third Grammy nomination! (90 pts.) - 2007 Radio-Coteau Zinfandel Von Weidlich _- USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley (12/17/2020)_Showing more complex maturity and less youthful vigor than the bottle 3 months ago. Really quite wonderful, and reminds me of the 2010 Felsina CCR more than any Zin I’ve had recently. Dusty cherry dominates the fruit profile, with a whisper of bramble fruit underneath. Dirt road, cinnamon spice, a whiff of mint, and gentle integrated tannins. High toned and mouth saturating. Manages the 15.2% alcohol exceedingly well. (93 pts.)
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Did a Scherrer Zin side by side:
2013 Scherrer Shale Terrace - Popped and poured at cellar temp. Dark earth, flinty minerals, oregano and smoky black fruit on the nose. Nice texture, sweet and savory black fruit and still some primary tannins on the finish. Cries out for some bbq brisket. Just in the very early stages of its drinking window with many good years ahead of it.
2013 Scherrer Old and Mature Vines Scherrer Vineyard - Popped and Poured at cellar temp. Sweet blackberry fruit, damp earth and black pepper on the nose. Juicy blackberry fruit and peppery dried herbs on the palate with nice acidity on the back end. Definitely ready to go, but still plenty of years of pleasure left. This is a little broader and more ready to drink than the Shale Terrace, but my hunch is the Shale Terrace will be the more complex longer lived wine. Hard to go wrong either way!
This is an every year buy for me on futures. Fred has such a deft hand with these wines. We are having Naan pizza with sausage, ricotta and carmelized onions for dinner - both will be great matches.
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There was a checkout line at our local Publix grocery store the other day, and Jacqueline suggested that I browse the adjacent wine section instead of annoying her with my impatience (“Go play in the wine aisle, Jim” she told me, or words to that effect). There was decent wine selection for a chain supermarket, and as I looked over the Zin section, I saw this bottle. I remembered Bogle from years ago as not bad at all. I think seeing “Old Vine” on the label drew me in, and I grabbed a bottle.
2017 Bogle Old Vine Zinfandel
So . . . this is a ten-dollar wine, maybe approaching “bulk wine” status, but it is also a nice little bottle for what it is. Of course, not nearly in the same league as recent Seghesio or Turley or Bedrock “Old Vine” Zinfandels have been, but acceptable to me. Ripe Zin fruit, a little on the sweet side, but not sugary-sweet. Has some of the briary stuff going on too. Maybe what I would call earthiness. Balanced. I could see this as a more than decent “house wine” for a non-pretentious restaurant. The wine served us well with a hamburger last night and with pepperoni pizza the tonight. OK to drink alone too, but nothing complex. Although simple, I found it to be a flavorful and enjoyable wine.
Cheers, Brian, and thanks for your contributions to this good cause.
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2012 Scherrer Old and Mature Vines Zindandel Fitting that I follow Jud’s notes for the 2013. The aromatics are a beautiful cherry compote. The palate is floral with cherries, licorice, black pepper, and plenty of acidity. It hides the alcohol well. Another Scherrer I describe as a new world wine that drinks like an old world.
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2019 Bedrock Old Hill Ranch Heritage: decided to decant this, and poured a small glass to see how it is right out of the gate. Wow. Hugely aromatic, an almost Pinot-like wild strawberry note. Lots of ‘forest’ aromas/cedar, and crushed raspberries. Palate is juicy with blood orange and raspberry easy to pick out. Tannin is noticeable but provides nice framing for the fruit rather than being overbearing. Will be fun to follow this over the course of the evening.
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For you Rat, I not only opened Zin, but I am wearing my Rosso t-shirt and posting a photo of my mug, with the crazy dog. You’re a good man for taking this week on to help others. You know, if I could ask Santa for a wish, it would be to sport my Rosso t-shirt, then drive my ass up to Santa Rosa, and have a Rosso pizza with you, A Rath, Mr Dildine and Larry P. Now that would be a gas. But, for now, we look ahead to when that might be possible, and for now I’m grateful I can open this bottle of Pagani and help support your work. Happy holidays, dude.
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2012 Carlisle Zinfandel Pagani Ranch Sonoma Valley - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley (12/18/2020)
My final bottle of this, and a wine that I last enjoyed almost 4 years ago. This needed a little air to shed the coil that was in the first few ounces. A touch of alcohol in the aromatic, along with some signs of age with tobacco leaf and cedar, both that I enjoy. The palate is anchored with a dark cherry, peach, red licorice and some acidity that reminds me of blood orange or something similar. Still lots of bright fruit and energy in the wine, although I admit that my fragile, Champagne loving palate finds the higher ABV less to my liking than say in 2017 when I last opened one of these. Overall, I’d say this is aging well, and given the build of fruit and acid, with the emerging aged flavors, this oughta continue to unwrap over the next several years.
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