Solid Zin subtly at the back end of its life cycle. Good legs. Red brick color, tobacco and tar mixed with ripe Athena melon and a hint of lemon. Slight bitterness.
Yes, it is showing advanced age. Yet, it could be the poster child for satisfaction that the golden years can represent.
Drink up my friends and enjoy!
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I purchased this wine today at a local liquor store to find out how well it was faring at 6 years old. The answer: not bad, but it should be consumed soon. I know that Zins can be great wines with longevity, but not in the way they are made today.
One of the most memorable wises I ever tasted was the 1935 Simi Zinfandel, which had been kept in a large redwood tank till it was bottled in the early 1970s. (Note: There are various versions of this story.) This wine was made in the claret style — that is, low (13.5% or less) alcohol with an emphasis on higher acidity and more lengthy skin contact during fermentation. It was beautiful.
Today's Zinfandel style emphasizes high brix and high alcohols. When you pick zin late you can get a lot of raisining, and because the grapes are not as culled as well as cabernet, those raisined grapes get thru to the fermenter. Plus, acidity falls with hangtime.
Anyway, this 15% alcohol wine would have been much better if the grapes had been picked earlier. But it's still OK nonetheless. Enjoy with pizza, pork roast and any dish that has a lot of tomatoes.
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Light purple-red color. Strawberry, pepper, smoke, mushroom on the nose. Chocolate, earth, red fruits on the palate. A touch of dust and oak in the end. Well, I was disappointed about this because I prefer concentrated and thick Zinfandel. This wine is like making Pinot instead of Zinfandel, only about 35% of new oak and 8 months in the barrel? Come on!!! And this is made of 80-100 years old vines, I think it's a waste. I might be biased and way too serious, this wine is made for BBQ and food, which shows on the package, but this could have been a much better stuff......
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The wine is showing a lot of red berry fruit and has a sweet edge and some brambly character. It is showing just a bit if excess acidity on thee tongue that should go away in a year or two in bottle. The finish was slightly tart and a touch of light tannin. Give it some more time in bottle to develop more.
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Good QPR. Light color is deceptive. Nose was overwhelmed by the high alcohol content. Oakey overtones almost a bit much (and I like that) -- bordered on overwhelming the fruit. Still, very enjoyable, especially considering the price. Another bottle for my list of everyday drinkers!
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You know I really enjoyed this. Thick hearty Zin. Spicy? Yes but not over the top. Hint of plum and banana peel. Noticeable tannins & acidity. For the price not too shabby.
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A good solid Zin. The color is a medium deep purple. Nose is an earthy spicy tobacco. Taste is very much like the nose with alight dry tannic finish. Cline’s Zins need some time in bottle to develop fully. Don't be rushed to drink the latest vintages-- leave them for a year or two from their first release.
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Not bad but not my favorite style of Zinfandel. Heavy and thick. As somebody mentioned of a previous vintage, it comes across a bit caramelized. Typical varietal characteristics, but reminiscent of a Zinfandel port style wine.
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Very Nice Dark purple package. This had Cedar, dark black berries, and some vanila extract and white pepper action. Nose is actually lighter and more floral than the jammy berry bite this offers. Actually a nice table Zin to have around the house. At this price point, more than welcome in our house.
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Those that have already reviewed this wine on this site have the rating down pretty well. Blackberry, bramble, some good oak and a good, medium finish. Had it with a spice-glazed/grilled tenderloin filet. Believe we got this on sale for $12.99. and it is worth every penny. Good BBQ wine as others have stated. This is not the top drawer Zin in our house, but it certainly is our dependable standby. Great Quality to Price Ratio (QRP). Stock up for the holidays and take this to a party, you will not regret it.
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c- dark but clear purple. a- berry, woodsy, mushroom, alcohol. f- really confirms with an additional touch of oak. a bit hot at first, mellows with some air time. m+ body, m+ finish.
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I didn't love it, but my wife thought I had opened one of our better bottles. I think it's the finish I don't like it comes on at first with a nice raspberry-strawberry taste, but finishes with a prune/plumb taste.
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very jammy, candy cherry fruit. A tad hot to start with, but this recedes quickly. Tobacco-like mouthfeel on back of palate. A good wine, though not stellar. I find Cline wines reliable buys for the price. Good to have with grilled dark meats this time of year.
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dark berry and spice on the nose and palate, bold flavor; not incredible, but quite nice for the price; a little hot at first, but opened up nicely -- definitely one to aerate or decant
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First impression upon smell - it has scents of raspberries and cinnamon, with oak presence. I would definitely decant this wine for an hour if you have it. The initial scent has the high alcohol content. This one has been open for 30-45 minutes. Upon tasting this zin, the flavor of chocolate covered cherries reminds me of a fine milk chocolate and not the chocolate covered cherries you get at Christmas time. After that taste has gone away, look out, because here comes the oakness of a true zin. Let me caution you....if you serve this with BBQ, be prepared for the pepper to burst in your mouth! Enjoy!
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A bit of super-market fruit punch on the nose, following up to a super-ripe roasted earth style. Not over-extracted though and some earthiness give complexity but overall feels disjointed and maybe will be better in a few months to settle down.
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A very serviceable zin. Decanted for 30 min and overnight. A little hot on opening, but this mellowed some in the decanter. Nose was blackberries, chocolate, oaky vanilla. On the first day, there was a savory component to the nose, almost like smoked meat or even soy sauce (I think Gary V noticed something similar about an earlier vintage). This blew off by the second day and from then on, it was pure fruit. On the palate, I was getting both black and red berries, chocolate, a little black pepper, and oaky vanilla. A little heat showing on the finish. Overall, a very nice wine for the price. Not much complexity; more on the first day and much less after a day of decanting, so this wine should probably be consumed in the next couple of years. I was surprised at how balanced this wine was, though. Very easy drinking, although at 15% abv, don't drink the whole bottle in one night!
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10/3/2018 - BcDuncan Likes this wine: 88 Points
I kept it a bit long, but stored well and was still very good, long flavour with good fruit. Surprisingly it was still good.
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4/8/2016 - gfb1 Likes this wine: 88 Points
Solid Zin subtly at the back end of its life cycle. Good legs. Red brick color, tobacco and tar mixed with ripe Athena melon and a hint of lemon. Slight bitterness.
Yes, it is showing advanced age. Yet, it could be the poster child for satisfaction that the golden years can represent.
Drink up my friends and enjoy!
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1/14/2016 - oakville72 wrote: 86 Points
I purchased this wine today at a local liquor store to find out how well it was faring at 6 years old. The answer: not bad, but it should be consumed soon. I know that Zins can be great wines with longevity, but not in the way they are made today.
One of the most memorable wises I ever tasted was the 1935 Simi Zinfandel, which had been kept in a large redwood tank till it was bottled in the early 1970s. (Note: There are various versions of this story.) This wine was made in the claret style — that is, low (13.5% or less) alcohol with an emphasis on higher acidity and more lengthy skin contact during fermentation. It was beautiful.
Today's Zinfandel style emphasizes high brix and high alcohols. When you pick zin late you can get a lot of raisining, and because the grapes are not as culled as well as cabernet, those raisined grapes get thru to the fermenter. Plus, acidity falls with hangtime.
Anyway, this 15% alcohol wine would have been much better if the grapes had been picked earlier. But it's still OK nonetheless. Enjoy with pizza, pork roast and any dish that has a lot of tomatoes.
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6/4/2014 - mystycreek wrote: 86 Points
Light purple-red color. Strawberry, pepper, smoke, mushroom on the nose. Chocolate, earth, red fruits on the palate. A touch of dust and oak in the end. Well, I was disappointed about this because I prefer concentrated and thick Zinfandel. This wine is like making Pinot instead of Zinfandel, only about 35% of new oak and 8 months in the barrel? Come on!!! And this is made of 80-100 years old vines, I think it's a waste. I might be biased and way too serious, this wine is made for BBQ and food, which shows on the package, but this could have been a much better stuff......
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5/18/2014 - wtianseter wrote: 88 Points
The wine is showing a lot of red berry fruit and has a sweet edge and some brambly character. It is showing just a bit if excess acidity on thee tongue that should go away in a year or two in bottle. The finish was slightly tart and a touch of light tannin. Give it some more time in bottle to develop more.
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6/29/2013 - cestes Likes this wine: 88 Points
Good QPR. Light color is deceptive. Nose was overwhelmed by the high alcohol content. Oakey overtones almost a bit much (and I like that) -- bordered on overwhelming the fruit. Still, very enjoyable, especially considering the price. Another bottle for my list of everyday drinkers!
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3/2/2013 - JDV.DDSPHD wrote: 87 Points
You know I really enjoyed this. Thick hearty Zin. Spicy? Yes but not over the top. Hint of plum and banana peel. Noticeable tannins & acidity. For the price not too shabby.
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2/17/2013 - wtianseter wrote: 86 Points
A good solid Zin. The color is a medium deep purple. Nose is an earthy spicy tobacco. Taste is very much like the nose with alight dry tannic finish. Cline’s Zins need some time in bottle to develop fully. Don't be rushed to drink the latest vintages-- leave them for a year or two from their first release.
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10/31/2012 - snarfglk wrote: 87 Points
OK zin, lighter style but still nice.
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9/20/2012 - tmeekins wrote: 89 Points
Really liked this. Went great with lasagna.
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8/11/2012 - Hunterman wrote: 87 Points
PF Chang's
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7/6/2012 - Aces10 wrote: 87 Points
Black cherries and other red fruit taste. Good for the price.
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4/11/2012 - whoosey wrote: 90 Points
Enjoyed very much
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4/6/2012 - Alpos wrote: 86 Points
Not bad but not my favorite style of Zinfandel. Heavy and thick. As somebody mentioned of a previous vintage, it comes across a bit caramelized. Typical varietal characteristics, but reminiscent of a Zinfandel port style wine.
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3/24/2012 - PJMartin wrote: 86 Points
It was great with Jarlsberg and a little crosctini! Great fruit and a good finish!
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2/26/2012 - TheQuietMan wrote: 85 Points
Good everyday choice. Loved it with blacked Cajun fillet and rice. Would purchase.
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2/11/2012 - mpricher wrote: 88 Points
Consistent Zin from Cline. Same as prior tasting notes.
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2/11/2012 - mpricher wrote: 88 Points
Consistent Zin from Cline. Great all around table Zin.
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2/4/2012 - Tim O Verrado wrote: 83 Points
Average at best. Better have somethng to eat with it.
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1/13/2012 - mpricher wrote: 88 Points
Very Nice Dark purple package. This had Cedar, dark black berries, and some vanila extract and white pepper action. Nose is actually lighter and more floral than the jammy berry bite this offers. Actually a nice table Zin to have around the house. At this price point, more than welcome in our house.
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12/9/2011 - cnr128 wrote: 84 Points
I can always count on Cline for a decent Zin and this is good. Berry compote, pepper, plum, sort of jammy.
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11/22/2011 - jcsf420 wrote: 88 Points
Good quality Zin for the price.
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11/21/2011 - Z1nnfull wrote: 88 Points
Those that have already reviewed this wine on this site have the rating down pretty well. Blackberry, bramble, some good oak and a good, medium finish. Had it with a spice-glazed/grilled tenderloin filet. Believe we got this on sale for $12.99. and it is worth every penny. Good BBQ wine as others have stated. This is not the top drawer Zin in our house, but it certainly is our dependable standby. Great Quality to Price Ratio (QRP). Stock up for the holidays and take this to a party, you will not regret it.
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11/8/2011 - jtt300 wrote: 88 Points
big jammy. good value
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10/29/2011 - ColoradoAg wrote: 89 Points
Nice ruby color. Clear. Black cherry Smooth finish. Fairly well balanced.
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10/17/2011 - arose13 wrote: 88 Points
c- dark but clear purple. a- berry, woodsy, mushroom, alcohol. f- really confirms with an additional touch of oak. a bit hot at first, mellows with some air time. m+ body, m+ finish.
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10/17/2011 - wilson007 wrote:
Berry notes with a moderate sweetness. Lighter mouthfeel and long finish.
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10/10/2011 - TSFox wrote:
Excellent with dark chocolate
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9/30/2011 - Trainsberg wrote: 90 Points
Very impressive once it had time to breathe.
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8/17/2011 - BlancdeBlanc Likes this wine: 88 Points
Aroma; deep, raisony Palate: a little heat, blackberry, black pepper, coffee
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8/14/2011 - Vinyljunkee wrote: 86 Points
Perfect wine for a BBQ whether it be ribs, chicken etc. Make sure the dish has a sauce.....this wine is SWEET.
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8/12/2011 - wbaccus wrote: 89 Points
I didn't love it, but my wife thought I had opened one of our better bottles. I think it's the finish I don't like it comes on at first with a nice raspberry-strawberry taste, but
finishes with a prune/plumb taste.
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8/6/2011 - ralimossy wrote:
Nice zesty flavor with peppery overtones
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7/20/2011 - flaco22 wrote: 89 Points
Liked it. Good with barbecued pulled pork.
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7/5/2011 - jdrach wrote:
Bright strawberry with a smooth, slightly chocolatey finish
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6/8/2011 - wbduval wrote: 89 Points
very jammy, candy cherry fruit. A tad hot to start with, but this recedes quickly. Tobacco-like mouthfeel on back of palate. A good wine, though not stellar. I find Cline wines reliable buys for the price. Good to have with grilled dark meats this time of year.
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5/27/2011 - jurisprude wrote: 87 Points
dark berry and spice on the nose and palate, bold flavor; not incredible, but quite nice for the price; a little hot at first, but opened up nicely -- definitely one to aerate or decant
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5/23/2011 - DaddyG wrote: 93 Points
Great with Bumbleberry pie!
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4/30/2011 - gcacho wrote:
Had a second bottle. Didn't like it as much.
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4/16/2011 - jcsf420 wrote: 88 Points
Nice wine, good QPR. Would buy again. It was a great bottle to share with friends at our annual golf trip barbeque night.
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4/11/2011 - JShaddox wrote: 88 Points
First impression upon smell - it has scents of raspberries and cinnamon, with oak presence. I would definitely decant this wine for an hour if you have it. The initial scent has the high alcohol content. This one has been open for 30-45 minutes. Upon tasting this zin, the flavor of chocolate covered cherries reminds me of a fine milk chocolate and not the chocolate covered cherries you get at Christmas time. After that taste has gone away, look out, because here comes the oakness of a true zin. Let me caution you....if you serve this with BBQ, be prepared for the pepper to burst in your mouth! Enjoy!
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4/1/2011 - LisaAndersen wrote: 90 Points
A fantastic deep Zinfandel. So rich it's like I'm chewing it. Highly recommend this $12 bottle.
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3/19/2011 - BigBoy_Sonoma Does not like this wine: 68 Points
jammy fruit, pepper, not complexity and not finish. Just wasn't anything there.
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3/16/2011 - isuitaliano wrote: 88 Points
Some medium tanins, dry, nice finish
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2/25/2011 - P Phunk wrote: 78 Points
This bottle was fine but not to my tastes. This Zinfandel has a very strong taste of prunes throughout and a very heavy finish.
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1/31/2011 - James Bornn wrote: 80 Points
A bit of super-market fruit punch on the nose, following up to a super-ripe roasted earth style. Not over-extracted though and some earthiness give complexity but overall feels disjointed and maybe will be better in a few months to settle down.
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1/29/2011 - Ajb wrote: 89 Points
Smokey and hints of the scent of a toasty fireplace at some Tony ski lodge.
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1/20/2011 - rentmp3 wrote: 88 Points
A very serviceable zin. Decanted for 30 min and overnight. A little hot on opening, but this mellowed some in the decanter. Nose was blackberries, chocolate, oaky vanilla. On the first day, there was a savory component to the nose, almost like smoked meat or even soy sauce (I think Gary V noticed something similar about an earlier vintage). This blew off by the second day and from then on, it was pure fruit. On the palate, I was getting both black and red berries, chocolate, a little black pepper, and oaky vanilla. A little heat showing on the finish. Overall, a very nice wine for the price. Not much complexity; more on the first day and much less after a day of decanting, so this wine should probably be consumed in the next couple of years. I was surprised at how balanced this wine was, though. Very easy drinking, although at 15% abv, don't drink the whole bottle in one night!
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11/20/2010 - lreynolds2010 wrote: 88 Points
Pretty bright
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10/31/2010 - nzinkgraf wrote:
black tea fruitiness and nice firm acidity.
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