March 11, 2024 - Still retaining jammy fruit with some stewed character. Tannins are still strong, wonder if they will ever soften.
February 2, 2024 - From Joel's Library sale...decanted the sediment out and poured back in bottle...gorgeous nose of sweet cassis, cherries, mint, leather, humidor, old cellar dust. Very healthy looking with redberry prominent...still has a tannic/oak bite to it...dusty white pepper and oak barrel char...little heat poking out(14.5) but not off putting...the fruit is hanging in there...showing more zinberry than claret, which you see happen with quality aged zins...love the "rednesss" in this...raspberry cherry liqueur...licorice...really getting even more intense zin-ness with air...seems like it could go 30 more years no prob? LIKE it! Not the elegance I thought I would get with the age...still quite savage and rustic...but the flavors are fantastic...and it gives great pleasure knowing that the bottle went straight from the maker to my glass!
March 3, 2021 - Quite the wine! Not totally "wow", but very very good. Still with plenty of fruit and tannin remaining, even seemed ever so slightly reductive at points. Red fruits, some dried fruit as well, spices, touch of mint maybe? Still retains a "zinny" character as well.
May 11, 2019 - Remarkably fresh. Decanted off significant sediment to a light ruby-garnet color. Red fruit on the nose. Tart cherry and black tea palate. Mature but still a long life ahead.
November 12, 2016 - When first opened, this was disgustingly bretty. In a series of these Ravenswood Old Hills, which supremely qualify as old vine and old wine, this was the worst. But the brett blew off pretty well and the wine was certainly drinkable. Fruit was still present, but probably nowhere near as abundant as when the wine was younger. This was an interesting contrast to the Bucklin Old Hill Zin (this is Will Bucklin's vineyard from which he now makes wine) I had a while back. This Zin can survive to great age, but brings its best within probably 6 years of vintage. By the end of the night, I was enjoying this among the sea of interesting old Cali (mostly) offerings on the table.
August 5, 2015 - A Special Dinner (Park 75, Four Seasons Hotel, Atlanta): Lots of eucalyptus, blackberry,, cinnamon and nutmeg, rich fruit but with a little savory leather that keeps it in check.
May 26, 2013 - 35th Annual Zinfandel Retrospective - the 2008s (Rich & Dana's): Sadly, this one was over the hill- beef bouillon cubes, dried prune and black fruit qualities.
February 15, 2011 - Very interesting, quite complex and spicy
October 23, 2010 - The Blind Drunks monthly tasting (Rich & Dana's): Pale crimson core, turning clear at the edge. Initially displays licorice, red currant and spice tones. Opens further in the glass with red fruit spice and subtle prune aromas. Balanced, with flavors of red fruit and white pepper, with a very subtle raisiny tone on the finish.
This was decanted briefly for sediment & rebottled for travel. It sat uncorked in bottle for about 45 minutes to an hour before it was tasted first in this flight.
July 17, 2010 - Nicely aged 17 yr-older, but drunk too late. Mainly the alc showed thru, a bit of the fruit remained. Nice experiment, but the intellectual aspect was its only reward. Purchased recently from one of those online wine consolidators, so provenance is suspected...as is the 17 yrs of age!