In great shape, rich, slightly syrupy, deep somewhat faded ruby; lots of cherry syrup, very slight sweetness, ripe attack, lots of ripe black and red fruits, dusty herbs; decent structure, tannins, a bit of lift; walked and talked like a CdP, which most guessed. Monopole blind
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Pnp, figuring an older zinfandel would go downhill fairly quickly after opening. I was correct as well. First glass was decently integrated and what little fruit that remained shone through. After that, it was more dull fruit and oak notes. Past its prime.
86 points; purchased for $20 at HDH on 4/17/2012.
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Nice garnet color with slight signs of age. Dark berry and oak aromas. Very fruit forward, but not goopy or over done. Black cherry flavors with pepper and smoke. Good structure with nice long lasting finish.
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This well aged Napa Valley Zin has a excellent nose of fresh berry and oak. The color is a light garnet of a well aged red wine. The tasting reveals a fruit forward wine, with tart cranberry type structure to a firm tannin finish that is both long lasting and begs for red meat, fatty salami, lamb, sharp cheese. 94, Most things this good are illegal
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Color of dark ruby-red color. Aroma is quite huge, with spicy black cherry, with a nice sharp, peppery and smoke overtone. Taste is balanced, with a bit of pepper and dark fruit, loads of berry fruit and a refined texture. Release Date: Spring 2007, Time in Oak: 16 months.
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Popped and Poured. The nose opened up to oak and plum. The middle fruit was plum and blackberry when first opened, but it faded as the wine got some air. The finished had licorce and glycerol.
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good zinfandel...more spicy than I remember when first tasted at winery. The spice gave way to decent fruit as the bottle was allowed to breather more.
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Day one, pop and pour. Had a sweetness that surprised me and was quite enjoyable. Day two, lost the core fruit but showed a nice level of structure. Missing a bit on the bouquet and lacks any real complexity. That said, its a nice QPR in the mid $20's.
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Very dark purple color. The nose has an interesting cinnamon overtone to the boysenberry aroma. The flavors are dominated by a very fruit forward and jammy black raspberry note with cedar and black pepper kicking in on the long finish. The tannins linger on the finish as well.
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Yummy berries, pepper, and spice. This just gets better and better, both with time in the bottle and time in the glass. Wish I had a boatload of this. IMO this is the best zin that Montelena has made in quite some time.
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Initial pop & pour this wine didnt do that much for me. It had mostly notes of light red kidney bean juice with some spicy overtones and very creamy. The second day this opened up to be a monster! Beautiful silky smooth tannins, great spice bomb, great cherry and blackberry fruits and the kidney bean juice disappated completely! Definitely gonna pick up a couple more bottles of this to cellar.
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I agree with bknysak's note. A nice amount of zin spice and a very elegant wine. If anything this wine lacked power. Nevertheless, a solid effort and worth the price.
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Very spicy initially, when calmed down shows a nice range of raspberry, underbrush, and pepper. Elegant, not big round and dumb (like other Zinfandels in this price range can be...) Not terribly complex, but a very nice wine in total.
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Very light and clear color. Unlike most recent vintages of CM Zin. Those who favor the easy drinking style will enjoy this wine. I generally favor the larger structured wines. I plan to drink the remainder of my allocation over the summer.
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Clear purple color and on opening a briar like nose that eventually revealed a combo of blackberry and cranberry...this needs a little time after opening as at first there was a hard edge and a clipped finish that ended up being almost fat, with a rounded and smooth fruit grip and an easy finish. What a change of pace. Not in your face, rather nice.
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Chateau Montelena Tasting (The Peninsula Hotel (Chicago)): Food wise I thought this was the best match of the night. Paired with a Spanish chorizo and potato croquette with either chorizo oil or cilantro aioli dipping sauces. The chorizo oil was the far better dipping sauce match. Not a big fruity over alcoholed Zin which was similar in style to the 1997 Montelena St. Vincent that I had last year. Better body in this wine though. Integrated tannins. Very easy drinking and not overly spicy. Almost cablike. 88-89 points.
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5/26/2023 - peternelson Likes this wine: 90 Points
In great shape, rich, slightly syrupy, deep somewhat faded ruby; lots of cherry syrup, very slight sweetness, ripe attack, lots of ripe black and red fruits, dusty herbs; decent structure, tannins, a bit of lift; walked and talked like a CdP, which most guessed. Monopole blind
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8/22/2020 - Captain Bev Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very smooth, lots of flavor spice and pepper!
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8/27/2017 - vjalufka wrote:
Excellent Hurricane Harvey drinking! Bold and smooth!
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12/31/2012 - halfred Likes this wine: 93 Points
One of the highlights of the evening. A very delicate zin, fruits have shifted to perfume.
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9/1/2012 - eoinhharkins wrote: 90 Points
Think this has peaked - showed some interesting notes on the nose when first opened but an hour later with dinner had basically died
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6/20/2012 - Tarun Patel wrote: 92 Points
- Crimsom color with a medium finish.
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4/20/2012 - smcilhen Likes this wine: 86 Points
Pnp, figuring an older zinfandel would go downhill fairly quickly after opening. I was correct as well. First glass was decently integrated and what little fruit that remained shone through. After that, it was more dull fruit and oak notes. Past its prime.
86 points; purchased for $20 at HDH on 4/17/2012.
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6/10/2011 - Htama wrote:
Excellent
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9/27/2010 - davidspieker wrote: 91 Points
Nice garnet color with slight signs of age. Dark berry and oak aromas. Very fruit forward, but not goopy or over done. Black cherry flavors with pepper and smoke. Good structure with nice long lasting finish.
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8/25/2010 - postman wrote: 91 Points
very nice flavors great aromas w some terrior an excellent zin
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4/26/2010 - emf Likes this wine:
Good Zinfandel, not in your face, well balanced with berries and some spiciness. Some oak but a very good food wine.
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2/15/2010 - OregonWineGeeks wrote: 94 Points
This well aged Napa Valley Zin has a excellent nose of fresh berry and oak. The color is a light garnet of a well aged red wine. The tasting reveals a fruit forward wine, with tart cranberry type structure to a firm tannin finish that is both long lasting and begs for red meat, fatty salami, lamb, sharp cheese. 94, Most things this good are illegal
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12/13/2009 - Haggis wrote: 91 Points
Similar notes to those I posted on 4/5/08. Heady, full bore zin. Plum, leather, herbs (sage??), pepper. Really nice.
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12/4/2009 - crushzone wrote: 92 Points
Great balance and color. Not overly jammy like some zins. Still young and should improve with some cellar time.
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11/26/2009 - winetennis wrote:
Color of dark ruby-red color. Aroma is quite huge, with spicy black cherry, with a nice sharp, peppery and smoke overtone. Taste is balanced, with a bit of pepper and dark fruit, loads of berry fruit and a refined texture. Release Date: Spring 2007, Time in Oak: 16 months.
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11/21/2009 - mjsherwin68 wrote: 89 Points
Popped and Poured. The nose opened up to oak and plum. The middle fruit was plum and blackberry when first opened, but it faded as the wine got some air. The finished had licorce and glycerol.
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8/2/2009 - mouton45 wrote: 90 Points
Nice wine! Stood up well to that Jack Daniels bbq sauce on the pork spareribs. Very approachable with no decant
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11/29/2008 - mouton45 wrote: 91 Points
A couple of guys in the wine group thought it was a cab. No one nailed it as a zin. Very nice wine
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11/25/2008 - klutchman wrote: 87 Points
good zinfandel...more spicy than I remember when first tasted at winery. The spice gave way to decent fruit as the bottle was allowed to breather more.
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11/22/2008 - tvmama wrote: 90 Points
Birth day dinner with friends
Good Zin
Very smooth
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10/22/2008 - wineislife wrote: 88 Points
Day one, pop and pour. Had a sweetness that surprised me and was quite enjoyable. Day two, lost the core fruit but showed a nice level of structure. Missing a bit on the bouquet and lacks any real complexity. That said, its a nice QPR in the mid $20's.
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9/5/2008 - emf wrote: 90 Points
Much lusher zin than others we have had. Black cherries and chocolate, long finish, smooth. Can't wait to have more.
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8/29/2008 - whynblog wrote: 90 Points
Very dark purple color. The nose has an interesting cinnamon overtone to the boysenberry aroma. The flavors are dominated by a very fruit forward and jammy black raspberry note with cedar and black pepper kicking in on the long finish. The tannins linger on the finish as well.
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7/8/2008 - eldiabloazul wrote: 91 Points
GV nailed it. Will buy again.
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5/26/2008 - Matt T wrote: 93 Points
Nice nose of cherries. A lush and smooth zinfandel. A good balance of spiciness and cherry, raspberry, and grape flavors. Lingers on the palate.
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4/5/2008 - Haggis wrote: 91 Points
Yummy berries, pepper, and spice. This just gets better and better, both with time in the bottle and time in the glass. Wish I had a boatload of this. IMO this is the best zin that Montelena has made in quite some time.
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3/23/2008 - sstitt wrote: 91 Points
Initial pop & pour this wine didnt do that much for me. It had mostly notes of light red kidney bean juice with some spicy overtones and very creamy. The second day this opened up to be a monster! Beautiful silky smooth tannins, great spice bomb, great cherry and blackberry fruits and the kidney bean juice disappated completely! Definitely gonna pick up a couple more bottles of this to cellar.
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1/19/2008 - bwk wrote: 91 Points
Excellent, bursting with berry flavors, nicely balanced.
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1/12/2008 - JoshuaG wrote: 90 Points
This is drinking very nicely. Good upfront fruit. To me tasting more of a merlot than a zinfandel (more fruit than spice).
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11/18/2007 - Colima74 wrote: 90 Points
LC loved this... it was very good. Some spice, good fruit, but not over the top at all. Very balanced and not at all showy. 4.0
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11/18/2007 - greywolf10 wrote: 88 Points
First time for a Montelena Zinfandel. Nice. More fruit than spice.
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10/29/2007 - EhrlichDY wrote: 90 Points
I agree with bknysak's note. A nice amount of zin spice and a very elegant wine. If anything this wine lacked power. Nevertheless, a solid effort and worth the price.
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9/28/2007 - jameswm13 wrote: 89 Points
Went well with burgers.
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9/1/2007 - bknysak wrote: 89 Points
Very spicy initially, when calmed down shows a nice range of raspberry, underbrush, and pepper. Elegant, not big round and dumb (like other Zinfandels in this price range can be...) Not terribly complex, but a very nice wine in total.
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4/25/2007 - JoshuaG wrote: 89 Points
Very light and clear color. Unlike most recent vintages of CM Zin. Those who favor the easy drinking style will enjoy this wine. I generally favor the larger structured wines. I plan to drink the remainder of my allocation over the summer.
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4/16/2007 - Tejano wrote: 88 Points
Clear purple color and on opening a briar like nose that eventually revealed a combo of blackberry and cranberry...this needs a little time after opening as at first there was a hard edge and a clipped finish that ended up being almost fat, with a rounded and smooth fruit grip and an easy finish. What a change of pace. Not in your face, rather nice.
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2/6/2007 - Vino Me wrote: 89 Points
Chateau Montelena Tasting (The Peninsula Hotel (Chicago)): Food wise I thought this was the best match of the night. Paired with a Spanish chorizo and potato croquette with either chorizo oil or cilantro aioli dipping sauces. The chorizo oil was the far better dipping sauce match. Not a big fruity over alcoholed Zin which was similar in style to the 1997 Montelena St. Vincent that I had last year. Better body in this wine though. Integrated tannins. Very easy drinking and not overly spicy. Almost cablike. 88-89 points.
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