Sure does! Plans are afoot ![[cheers.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/0/0ff9bfcdb0964982cd3240b6159868fbdf215b1a.gif "cheers"){kind=small}
+1. Bought futures a few years back and was not disappointed. Will have to check them out when I’m out there in Oct.
Recently had a bottle of '16 Hartford Highwire Zinfandel. Really outstanding . . . best zin I’ve ever had. FWIW: WA 97, AG 96.
Fyi Bucklin spring release went live today. Some new Grenache and Rose but also some 2016 Ancient Field Blend. Worth trying if you are looking for stellar zins.
Like Carlisle and Rafanelli a lot
Matthiasson’s zin was great, IMO
Did anyone mention the godfather of ZIN?
Once & Future.
all Zins are under 50 …
Are Zins under $50 a good QPR? ![[dontknow.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/2/259bbc27e64baab255bbf586025626180d3e97e8.gif "dontknow"){kind=small}
Sure did! Been super impressed with the ones I’ve tried (only 14 vintage so far) and pretty pumped about the Old Hill!
I don’t know much about Zinfandel, but Philippe Melka’s work with the very old vines is quite impressive.
[u]**philippe melka old vines zinfandel**[/u] - Suchen
I doubt that Melka’s style would win any awards for traditionalism or rusticity or backwardsness, but if you like a yummy wine which is very easy to swallow, then Melka is your guy.
We happened by there - just up from Rafanelli on Old Dry Creek Rd. because they had a “Barrel Tasting” sign out, probably around 2007.
Turns out Steve Zichichi and his family live in the house next to the tasting room overlooking their vineyards.
He was the orthopedic surgeon for the New Orleans Saints until Hurricane Katrina when he decided to move to the property here he had bought about 5 years earlier.
He has an interesting business model - you taste in the tasting room and then are ushered into the adjoining barrel room to taste wine you can buy at 20% off for futures. Then when you come back to pick up your wine next year, you go into the tasting room and taste/buy more futures.
Essentially you are financing his winemaking.
Interesting guy and delicious wines.
Brown in Napa makes excellent zins. You can find the Napa but the vineyard designated ones are only at the winery or Napa tasting room.
And there’s always the Seghesios (esp.the 2016 and 2017) from Costco for under $20.
Rosenblum makes a few nice ones these days that aren’t fruit bombs - like the 2016 Maggie’s Reserve.
Also Old Ghost made by Klinkerbrick is fruit forward but still pretty good everywhere for under $40.
Bedrock is also a good value even though I’m not as crazy about the 2018 Old Vines as some here and am holding out for the 2018 Heritage.
I’ve been drinking Rafanelli and Turley for many years. I find Turleys hit and miss these days with so many different choices but give them at least 4 or 5 years of bottle age.
I have a hard time paying over $45 for a zin.
I’m a long time buyer of Wilson and Pezzi King. I also like Mauritson and Carlisle. Cheers!
Wilson makes some very good ones - big, fruity and complex.
If you belong to their club you, get discounts at Pezzi King, Mazocco and about 10 other wineries.
Pezzi King lately has been too fruit forward for me.
Mazocco makes at least 15 different zins, but the West Dry Creek was my favorite the last time I was there.
Mauritson is also a good one.
Carlisle seems very popular here, but I’ve not been impressed after trying 3 different bottles of the 2016 vintage.
The best Zin I’ve had from Carlisle is the Hayne. There is a bottle of 2014 Carlisle Hayne for sale at K&L.
I think my favorite zin was a 2012 Hayne from Turley a friend brought over last year.
Different styles.
Here is a way under the radar tip. Arndt Cellars, Paso Robles. At last year’s Garagiste festival, the have a winemakers shootout. Exhibiting winemakers submit a bottle to a blind tasting, voted on by the same winemakers. Arndt won. I sought him out and his zins popped. This year friends and I visited his east side tasting room. He sources from Vineyards all over, like Dusi, and unknown small vineyards. Very modest prices. Unknown and doesn’t look all that popular. Good Zins worth a look.
I do not sell him grapes, his price points are too low.
Nice! Appreciate the pro-tip! Definitely have not heard of them but will start looking.
Joseph Swan
good call.
I’m a huge fan of Zinfandel! I personally love Dutton Goldfield’s Morelli Lane Vineyard bottling. It’s a racy Zin that exudes black and red fruit that makes you question whether it’s picked ripe or underripe… so in a word - a true Zinfandel.
Robert Biale is another classic. I currently work with the founding winemaker of Biale, and he is making a truly beautiful Zin for us from Dry Creek.
This was pretty fair last evening. Check out the wine’s color in the Zalto.
