F A L L   2 0 0 0  
T A S T I N G  N O T E S 

1990 Domaine la Garrigue Vacqueyras, 13.5 % alc.: The call had gone out to bring Zins or big country wines, and I thought this fit the bill to a tee. And it stood up to quite a few more prestigious selections, in its own rough and rustic way, IMNSHO. We've reported on this in the past, and it's only just now finally starting to come into its own as far as drinkability goes. The dark garnet color is showing some rust, and it exudes an earthy Brasso/cedar nose/grilled meat. Flavors echo, and some chunky pruney fruit comes out with air; Sally Goldberg mentioned a note of anise, and she wasn't wrong on that account. Just sorry I don't have more of this, because it's only going to get better over the next few years.

1998 Domaine la Combe Blanche Vin de Pays des Cote du Brian, 13.5 % alc.: This is a tasty little novelty, being 100 % Tempranillo, with big chocolate/plum flavors and aromas, but I had to agree with Joel Goldberg that I wouldn't pay the $30 price tag.

1978 Lytton Springs Winery Sonoma Zinfandel, 12.8 % (?!) alc.: This cloudy ruby garnet was just as impressive as the '79 model that Frank Joyce and Mary Anne Barnett brought over to Gang Central in late August . Joel was wowed by the "incredible over the top sweet raspberry fruit," which has a nice overlay of cedar and just a hint of raisin that befits its age. Gene Shensky said this "is like jam," while Kirsten Van Dam said the finish was reminiscent of "honey dew melon on the finish." Simply an amazing 22 year old Zinfandel; brilliant!

1990 Domaine du Haut des Terre Blanche, 14 % alc.: This pretty dark garnet isn't showing much on the nose, but has nice prune/leather/earth flavors that elicited a comment of "not great, but lovely" from Joel. Drinking very well right now, especially with smoked venison.

1995 Domaine du Cayron Gigondas, 14 % alc.: Another one we're familiar with, and while it's still too young, it's oh so good, with its rich plum/prune fruit. I'm glad that Gene Shensky brought this, because it reinforced my intent to let mine sit for some years yet!

1998 Beyerskloof Pinotage, 15 % alc.: Dark garnet, with a road tar nose and added red currant on the palate. Young, but good.

1997 Tablas Hills Rouge (missed the alcohol content in all the excitement): This dark garnet is a considerable improvement over the '95 vintage that we've tasted on two occasions; it's big and expressive, with spicy plum/cinnamon/white chocolate flavors and aromas. Yum!

1991 Ridge Pagani Zinfandel, 15.4 % alc.: This slightly rusty dark garnet may be a little past its prime; this bottle certainly didn't show as well as a couple enjoyed two summers ago (Pagani Madness and More Pagani Madness). Sea air/sweet black cherry/black raspberry/cinnamon aromatics follow through on the palate, but the overripe fruit dries out on the finish. By no means over the hill, but I'd check one out soon if you have any of this.

1992 Ridge Pagani Zinfandel, 15.8 % alc.: This dark garnet shows huge sweet oak/spicy overripe raspberry flavors and aromas, and is just lovely, drinking perfectly right now. And did I mention all that Draper perfume? The best Pagani on this given night.

1993 Ridge Pagani Zinfandel, 14.9 % alc.: Same basic profile to this dark garnet as the '92, only not as big and pronounced; only suffers by that comparison. Still, a very nice, pretty Pagani.

1994 Ridge Pagani Zinfandel, (missed the alcohol content in all the excitement): Typical '94 Ridge, with restrained, Rhone-ish plum flavors and aromas; also suffered in comparison to earlier models.

1995 Ridge Pagani Zinfandel, 15.2 % alc.: Sweet oak cream and coconut dominates the overripe raspberry in this dark garnet. Wish I could have spent a little more time with it to see how it evolved.

1996 Ridge Pagani Zinfandel, 14.9 % alc.: This dark garnet has lost most of the sewery stink of a few years ago; now it shows a little tar over ripe black raspberry. Not as overt as the earlier vintages, and a veritable wallflower compared to the '92, this loses a little something on the finish. Should improve with age.

1997 Ridge Pagani Zinfandel, 14.6 % alc.: Another dark garnet that shows a little barnyard over sweet oak/raspberry, this is a nice Zin, but again, not what the early '90s models were. Give this some time too.

We had to leave before I got a taste of the '98 Pagani, but the consensus jibed with my opinion that it's the least impressive of all the Ridge Paganis.

BACK TO THE TOP 

1990 Paul Jaboulet Aine Gigondas Pierre Aiguille, 14.2 % alc.: We've noted this wine before and it always had the misfortune of being placed in tastings with other selections that showed it up. It was nice to consider on its own merits for a change, and the slightly rusty dark garnet is very pleasant in that regard. It has an appealing bouquet dominated by a Brasso-like quality over the prune/garrigue aromatics; CZ added impressions of cola and roast ham. These followed through on the palate with soft, mostly resolved tannins and not too much acidity. It has good concentration on entry that falls off a little on the mid-palate and finish, but still, it's a nice Gigondas, and a d@mned site better than starting off with a Paralelle 45!

1994 Remirez de Ganuza Rioja, 14 % alc.: Alan wanted something with some decent acidity to pair with his delicious gnocchi (potato dumpling in a tomato/basil/truffle oil sauce), but didn't want Chianti or Zinfandel. I wondered if a Rioja would do, and when he replied to the affirmative, I pulled this little pretty, a gift from the reclusive Dwight Green. Dark garnet in color, it exudes sweet oak cocoanut/vanilla that all but overwhelms black cherry/red currant aromas at first. Mr. Kerr mentioned a nuttiness on the nose, "almost like praline paste." The flavors echo, with somewhat darker fruit, some tannins still to resolve and nice, but not too racy acidity. It proved to be an excellent match for the gnocchi, and was applauded all around. 

1978 Sterling Napa Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, 13 % alc.:  We were surprised to see that the dark garnet color is barely showing any brick, and CZ described the bouquet as only he can, noting "dried leaf, not forest floor but like pine cone and huge mushroom." My impressions were more mundane, as I found the sweet oak remnants standing up nicely and actually expanding with air, adding nuances of cinnamon/sea air/sweet cedar, "almost like the inside of a sauna," as Alan observed. The flavors echo loudly, with intense plum/currant, perfect tannin and acid levels and a slightly chalky, long beautiful finish. CZ said, "There's no way I'd guess that this is a '78." 

1978 Chateau Cos d'Estournel Saint-Estephe, 12 % alc.: We sampled the Sterling first, expecting this to be the more powerful of the two, but such was not the case. There's not much brick to this dark garnet either, and a fecal note blows off to reveal what Kerr described as "a nice underground cave aroma." I noted a restrained cassis/cedar/cigar character, with a smooth velvety texture. Alan then chimed in with added impressions of "very serious 'couvature' black unsweetened chocolate, and a little bit of vanilla bean." A beautiful, mature claret, this may not be quite as intense as the previous selection, but it was the perfect accompaniment to our dinner. 

1996 Ridge Lytton Estate ATP, 60 % Zinfandel, 35 % Petite Sirah, 5 % Carignane, 14.6 % alc.: I've been sitting on a couple of these dark garnets for a while now, and decided it was time to try one. The fruit is almost completely dominated by what Alan described as "dusty cocoa powder/Dutch chocolate" at this point, with some plum/raspberry/blueberry lurking in the background. Significant tannins and acidity can't hide the obvious charms in this, and tons of Draper perfume emerge with air. CZ expanded on that, adding "tons and tons of Lytton Springs, with that intensity of ripe, ripe fruit." But it's not a fruit bomb, perhaps owing to the high percentage of Petite Sirah; its brightness comes more from the oak than the fruit. This will only improve over the next five years or so. 

1998 Ridge Lytton Springs, 77 % Zinfandel, 16 % Petite Sirah, 4 % Mataro, 2 % Carignane, 1 % Alicante Bouschet, 14.3 % alc.: Kim and I weren't all that impressed with our first taste of the '98 Ridge Zins, so I felt it was time for a second opinion, since Alan hadn't tried one yet. Typically dark garnet, this isn't nearly as effusive or ebullient as the Lytton Estate. It rather reminded us of the '94 Ridges, with dry, restrained Rhone-ish nutmeg/plum/blackberry/dark chocolate character. CZ opined that it has "a little sweeter intensity than the '94s, but lacks some of the depth." With air, some sweet oak/Draper perfume comes out, and we liked it better than the first time we tried it. Alan and Kim finally decided that it's better than the '94. It is likely to improve over the next few years, and while it's not all we would have hoped for, it's still pretty nice. 

1998 Ridge Geyserville, $30, 74% Zinfandel, 15% Petite Sirah, 10% Carignane, 1% Mataro, 14.1% alc.: Not quite a legal Zinfandel, this dark garnet shows a bit of Bret over deep, bright, spicy black raspberry/blackberry prettied up with a nice dose of Draper perfume. It’s rather different on the palate however, with dusty cocoa/berry/ plum flavors, zippy acidity and tannins that aren’t overbearing. It finishes on an earthy note, and like the ’98 Lytton Springs, is somewhat reminiscent of the ‘94s from Ridge, having a certain restraint to the normally more ebullient fruit. Still, it’s a Geyserville, and it’s good, and a few years in the cellar should only improve it.

1996 Domaine de la Casa Blanca Banyuls, 16.5 % alc.: CZ and I needed something cigar-friendly, so I retrieved this, part of the winnings from a hockey bet with James J .Biancamano AKA Nero Mano AKA The Black Hand AKA JuJuBe, et al. A deep dark garnet, this is like a Port Light, with its intense, concentrated black cherry cough syrup/raspberry mud pie/alcohol that explodes upon the senses. Despite being nowhere near peak drinkability, it is absolutely delicious and "penetrates to the core," according to the Kerr. I'd love to have more of this; I'd put it down for a long time.

The 1998 Carlisles   BACK TO THE TOP         

1998 Carlisle Russian River Valley Zinfandel (94 % Zinfandel, 6 % Alicante Bouschet, 118 Cases Produced, $25, 15.9 % alc.) and 1998 Carlisle Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel (76 % Zinfandel, 24 % Petite Sirah, 237 Cases Produced, $25, 15.8 % alc.): The delightful Zinchick aka Kim Miller paid us a visit not long ago, and it seemed like the perfect occasion to break out a couple of the Carlisle Zins that had been sitting for a while since their arrival from out left. And indeed, both wines showed very well, once they had had a little time to breathe.

The RRV is a baby of a purple/pink/dark garnet that barely had five minutes in a decanter when we poured our first glasses. It has an attractive toasty oak/blackberry/black raspberry/plum bouquet that promises much, but at first the wine is tight and tannic on the palate, with a long, somewhat bitter tarry finish. It has good acidity, and the bitterness dissipates as it opens, revealing fruit echoing the nose that is adorned with notes of chocolate/spice/maple syrup and what Zinchick described as "caramel-y stuff and lots of cooked fruit." This is one that defies those who say that all Zinfandels should be drunk young, as it really needs a few years to show its best stuff, which will be very fine indeed.

The DCV is much more approachable now, and it benefited from a half an hour of air to boot. It's a ruby dark garnet with a sweet toasty oak raspberry bouquet; it's not as deep, dark or dense as the RRV, nor is it as tannic or acidic. Flavors of spicy raspberry/blackberry/rock 'n' rye/cola are accented with a little smoke, and maple syrup comes out in the nose with air. It has a nice finish, and we'll be drinking more of this whilst waiting for the RRVs to come around.

These are real Zinfandels, with the spicy character that makes the varietal unique. Zinchick was quite impressed, remarking, "I really like his style; it's very, very polished." Of course, we agree wholeheartedly, and along with the Flowers Talmage Bench, these are the two best '98 Zins we've tasted to this point. 

A few nights later, Kim and I tried the other Carlisle Zin. 

1998 Carlisle Sonoma County Zinfandel (66 % Alexander Valley Zinfandel, 11 % Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel, 14 %, Russian River Valley Refosco, 9 % Dry Creek Valley Petite Sirah, 177 Cases Produced, $20, 14.7 % alc.): This pinky purple ruby garnet has a spicy raspberry/red licorice nose adorned with toasty oak/maple syrup and sea air. The flavors echo with some added briar/bramble, and aren't overbearing after an hour in a decanter. And if the fruit could be a little deeper and the finish a little longer, these aren't major complaints. It's not up the standards set by the RRV and DCV, and we didn't expect it to be. What it IS is a darned good $20 Zinfandel. 

Three 1997 Ravenswood Zins  BACK TO THE TOP

1997 Ravenswood Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel Teldeschi ($26, 15.5 % alc.)
1997 Ravenswood Russian River Valley Zinfandel Belloni ($26, 14.7 % alc.)
1997 Ravenswood Sonoma Valley Zinfandel Monte Rosso ($26, 15.5 % alc.): 

I've had relatively little experience with Ravenswood Zins, perhaps because when I could find them in Michigan, the good ones are even more expensive than those from Ridge. But, those that I have tasted (probably about ten different bottlings over the years) have always been very good, so I jumped on an opportunity to get two bottles of each of these last year for what seemed to be an excellent price. They were given a good 45 minutes in a decanter and tasted in the order listed. All three were typically dark garnet in color.

The Teldeschi shows a big spicy eucalyptus/overripe dark berry bouquet, with chewy flavors that echo, fading some on the finish. The Zinfan said, "This is big, it'll take some time. It has a nice chocolate/raspberry sweetness to it, and that burnt overripeness; mostly acidity lingers on the finish." He also mentioned a "cream soda element." At first, it seemed that the tannins were well within the limits of drinkability, but a second taste later seemed to have a bit more byte to it, and perhaps a little heat. A solid Zin that reminded me of a Ridge Paso Robles with the overripe character.

The Belloni also has the big overripeness to it, with spicy blackberry/black raspberry flavors and aromas shaded with hints of briar/bramble and what Alan described as "a sweet vanilla kick on the nose." He went on to describe this as being "a little less fleshy, with a little more polish and a little more finesse" than the first selection. He added, "The Teldeschi is a little more Aussie in style; I like this better." It certainly has more intensity, a little more acidity and a longer finish than the first.

The '97 Zin crop was criticized in some quarters for producing too many "sweet" wines, and these two would seem to fit that profile, but I don't find fault with them for it. Both are enjoyable and have a few years worth of tannins left to mellow.

The Monte Rosso is a horse of a different color, however. "Wow, that's thick," the Zinfan exclaimed, adding, "more tannic and glycerin." It has the same basic overripe berry character, but it's much deeper and darker. "This is a saliva sucker," claimed Kim, and she had a point, what with the dry, tannic quality of the wine. Alan observed that it has "more mineral content" than the other two, "and a nice meld of the oak. It's dry and austere, like a fruit laden Barolo masked by tannins." I also noted a little more briar and a certain root beer note as well. This will easily go another five years in the cellar, and has the guts to reward the patience. 

I poured these in the order that I thought would show the least to the most intensity, and happily, that's exactly how they turned out. Who'd o' thunk it?! 

Two '98s from David Coffaro   BACK TO THE TOP

1998 David Coffaro Dry Creek Valley Estate Cuvee ($14, 13 % alc., 35 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 32 % Zinfandel, 23 % Carignan, 10 % Petite Sirah): The nose on this pretty dark garnet explodes with big sweet oak/chocolate/coconut/raspberry that echoes in the flavors on a low acid, medium tannin frame. Round in the mouth and smooth on the palate, with a nice finish, this may not appeal to oakphobes, and frankly, I'm surprised I like it as much as I do, because I really do!

1998 David Coffaro Dry Creek Valley Estate Zinfandel ($14, 13.9 % alc., 75 % Zinfandel, 13 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 7 % Carignan, 5 % Petite Sirah): Lighter in color than the Estate Cuvee, this ruby dark garnet shows less overt oak and coconut as well, with more pure spicy raspberry/black raspberry/black cherry/zinberry/pepper/smoke briar/bramble flavors and aromas. This is smooth, with low acidity, unobtrusive tannins and a little shorter finish than I would prefer, but that's the only detraction in this otherwise solid QPR red from the marvelous Mr. Coffaro. 

3 More '98 Ridges

1998 Ridge Paso Robles Zinfandel ($22.50, 100 % Zinfandel, Dusi Ranch, 14.9 % alc.): A little wet dog fur blows off of this dark garnet to reveal flavors and aromas of overripe raspberry/cinnamon/brown sugar/chocolate with a hint of briar/bramble, but the finish fades a bit. There's decent acidity here, with a smooth chocolate-y texture and not much tannin. Fairly typical of recent Ridge Paso Robles, but it lacks depth and is somewhat sub-par. I liked last year's model, in spite of its overripe character; this year, I like it less so.

1998 Ridge Dusi Ranch Zinfandel ATP ($24.00, 100 % Zinfandel, 14.9 % alc.): Intrigued as to how the '98 Dusi ATP might stack up to the regular Paso Robles bottling, we opened one a week or so afterwards. A pinky purple garnet, it shows plenty of the Draper perfume that we've come to expect, with raspberry/blueberry/bubblegum/aquarium/hint of maple syrup on the nose, along with some added pepper and an almost overripe quality on the palate. There are some tannins to resolve here, and good acidity, and while it has more of the depth that we expect from a Ridge Zin, it still seemed a little less substantial on the mid-palate and finish than we'd have hoped for. It did seem to fill out with air though, and is definitely a step up from the regular model. A pretty good glass of wine.

1998 Ridge Sonoma Station Zinfandel ($18.00, 75 % Zinfandel, 11 % Carignane, 9 % Alicante Bouschet, 5 % Petite Sirah, 13.7 % alc.): Dark garnet with a decidedly pink aspect at the rim, this is obviously a young wine. The raspberry/bubblegum bouquet doesn't exactly jump out of the glass at first, but with an hour of air, a rich beam of sweet black raspberry Draper perfume does reveal itself. However, the nondescript blackberry/plum flavors are tight and hard, with a bitter astringent finish, (Kim described it as tasting "green") and never do open up during the three hours we sipped it. A "stemmy" quality only punctuates the fact that this is not very friendly at this point, and not even your average Mr. Ridge. Maybe time will look favorably upon this, because it's certainly not the early drinker the last three vintages have been. We'll see...

Two '95 Zins   BACK TO THE TOP

1995 Summit Lake Napa Valley Zinfandel Howell Mountain, $19.49, 14 % alc.: Alan Kerr AKA Canadian Zinfan brought a bottle of this over about a year and a half ago and it wowed us with its intense Zinberry attack, so I thought I'd see how it was doing, since everybody has '95 Ridges and the point of the WCWN group tasting was to sample a cross section of the vintage. This is a pretty dark garnet with a blackberry/black raspberry/pepper bouquet that's showing some heat; the flavors echo, but the fruit has diminished since that last taste. There are still some tannins to resolve and good acidity, but it finishes somewhat abruptly, with a tarry note. It doesn't suck, but it won't convince those screwy Italians in Joisey (or anyone else, for that matter) that Zinfandel can age well either.

Since this was somewhat underwhelming, I decided what the heck and descended to the cellar from hell for some of the real thing.

1995 Ridge Geyserville, 62 % Zinfandel, 18 % Petite Sirah, 15 % Carignane, 5 % Mataro, 14.2 % alc.: Still a lovely dark garnet, this shows an immediate deep dark blackberry/black currant/black raspberry/Draper perfume with a bit of dust and a little barnyard that made Kim exclaim, "Ah yes, this is more like it!" It gains some chocolate on the palate, where it's very smooth, yet dense, with a long finish. It really opens in the glass, but there are still a few years worth of tannins to resolve here with plenty of fruit to back it up; it hasn't achieved the yumm factor of a 375 ml version that the esteemed Mr. Bree opened for us last summer. The Petite Sirah and Carignane certainly make themselves known in the heft of this beauty. No it's not a "legal" Zinfandel, but it is one of the better Ridge wines we've had the pleasure to know, and that's saying something. 

And a Few Others Worth Mentioning

1998 Acorn Zinfandel Alegria Vineyard Heritage Vines, $25, 78 % Zinfandel, 10 % Petite Sirah, 10 % Alicante Bouschet, and the remaining 2 % a mixture of Carignan, Trousseau, Sangiovese, Petit Bouschet and Grenache, 14.8 % alc.: This ruby dark garnet shows big beautiful aromatics of rich, spicy raspberry/black raspberry/maple syrup/cinnamon/nutmeg prettied up with, but not overwhelmed by nice sweet oak. The fruit is a little darker on the palate than the nose, with a year or two worth of tannins, good acidity, a little heat and a lingering finish that finally gives way to a tarry note. It may not be quite the wine that the '97 was, but then '98 wasn't near the vintage, so I'd have to say that Bill and Betsy Nachbaur did good, real good! 

1997 Marietta Sonoma Zinfandel ($12.99, 14.9 % alc.): This pink rimmed purple dark garnet is very typical of the Marietta house style, with its cream and raspberry/red currant character accented by notes of brown sugar/chocolate/aquarium. Warm and friendly, rich and round and creamy smooth, this gains a little heat as it opens, but never enough to detract from the enjoyment of another fine effort from this excellent QPR producer.

1998 Rancho Zabaco Sonoma Zinfandel Heritage Vines, $8.99, 14.5 % alc.: The '97 version of this wine was a big hit here at Gang Central, being not only the best Zinfandel under $10 we've tasted in a long, long time, but also because it was/is better than many selections at half again or even twice the price. (We're still finding it around Day-twah.) I'm happy to say that this deep dark garnet colored wine shows much the same quality, with deep dark blackberry/black raspberry flavors and aromas prettied up with nice toasty oak. Kim correctly notes a certain green streak here, but it's not much of a distraction. Some young tannins and good acidity should smooth out nicely, if last years model is any indication, and if it's not quite as rich or deep as the previous vintage, it's not that far behind, as a side by side taste showed. Very good QPR here.

BACK TO THE TOP