Still youthful in the glass. The nose opens with barnyard and stable notes, followed by blackberry and raspberry notes. Mouthfeel is lovely: smooth and medium bodied. Fruit is restrained by now -- black and red berry notes, some cherry cola and old leather to a lingering and somewhat elegant finish. Drank it with home-smoked pastrami, a fine combination.
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The sweetness comes especially through in the taste now - close to much sweetness for my taste. Very clear taste of svesker - like Zinfandel. Too expensive wine for the quality - do not buy again.
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Really can't do much better than this for a $15 zin. Started out a little peppery, then became milder and a little fruity later on. A very drinkable, excellent value bottle of wine.
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Has the sweetness for a Zinfandel (both in bouquet and taste), and an easy-going wine. The high alcohol (15%) do not go through - easy to drink and enjoy. A bit too expensive I think, even on sale. Dont buy it again.
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Delicious. Dark purple in color. Strong jammy aromas of sweet blackberry. Full, lush fruit flavors (bing cherry). Got better and more complex with air and warmth. A solid value.
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Dark ruby. Fuzzy blackberry nose. Rich mouthfeel. Sweet, vegetal; chocolate, rich and slightly unpleasant, but that is more my reaction to Zin than the wine. I don't like zinfandel.
Clear purple in color, with aromas of dark fruit and spice. Not a bad zin for the price, but the lack of complexity and a short finish coupled with jam became a bit much for me in the end. Dinner @ John & Tiffany's, note recorded a week late.
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Dark raspberry and plum on the nose along with some cocoa and a hit of oak. Medium body with a deep opaque purple color. On attack is a strong hit of fruit, but there is some depth and a bright acidity that keeps it from being to jammy. A hint of oaky vanilla and spice mid-palate with tannins supporting the middle. Respectable finish of tart fruit and Zinfandel pepper.
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Drank at Buddakan in AC. This is a plush and fruity zin with flavors of raspberry, vanilla coke and licorice. Big fruit, surprising tannic structure. A crowdpleasing wine that would be good at parties.
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Deep cherry color. Fruit forward cherry with undertones of twigs. Not real complex. No real depth or structure. Very easy to drink. Light to medium bodied. Not a long finish. Good price point @ $12.00. Would be a great cocktail party wine. PURA VIDA!
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Tasted at the winery in Sonoma and again with dinner later that night. I really enjoyed this wine. Thankfully the 15% ABV is not readily apparent either on the nose or palate. Shows attractive aromas of ripe berries and spice. This is full-bodied, rich and very fruity. Almost jammy. Very round and juicy with a long, lip-smacking finish. Lots of hard candy and cherry pie character. A ripe, sweet fruit bomb that you just can't help liking. Doesn't have the structure or complexity of their 2010 Sonoma Zin, but still very good - especially for the price. 50+5+11+15+7=88
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This is a decent zin. A pretty mellow flavor profile but with some nice pepper on the finish. Not a great wine (they certainly have had better vintages) but it's a fair deal at ~$12 I will buy again.
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So is Cline back? Last year there was a glimmer of hope our favorite winery from Sonoma in the 90's would please us again with value priced winner after winner, but not this time. This is totally uninspired Zinfandel, from an iconic producer. I blame the the wine making, I'm pretty sure these are good grapes. They did not totally miss the point, but this is a true under achiever. I also blame too much lees contact that rounded and smoothed things. The nose smells of yeast. The color is textbook. The fruit is overwhelmed by lees, and tastes very manipulated. Sure it is soft and creamy, but who needs that. Even the acid tastes manipulated. so unfortunately, I'm not a believer, a shame.
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Like Cline in general - this is the latest vintage of the ancient Zin...could easily keep this for 2+ yrs more and likely should, before opening to take the edge off this strong, fruit "bomb" like Zin @ 15% ETOH (pricey at 28$ CAN also). Nose is deep and rich with dark berry fruit. Palate is similar with an almost jammy like quality that is the basis for dark black berry pie, blue berry, chokecherry? fruit notes. A little sharp with acid/heat and light tannin. Full on wine here, no subtle qualities! Needs food to take the edge off, and perhaps 2 more years of time. Bottom line, this is tasty stuff to keep most people interested.
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12/4/2016 - VinnieVeritas wrote: 89 Points
Still youthful in the glass. The nose opens with barnyard and stable notes, followed by blackberry and raspberry notes.
Mouthfeel is lovely: smooth and medium bodied. Fruit is restrained by now -- black and red berry notes, some cherry cola and old leather to a lingering and somewhat elegant finish.
Drank it with home-smoked pastrami, a fine combination.
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10/17/2015 - jesperarent wrote: 82 Points
The sweetness comes especially through in the taste now - close to much sweetness for my taste. Very clear taste of svesker - like Zinfandel. Too expensive wine for the quality - do not buy again.
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5/4/2015 - Coachron13 Likes this wine: 88 Points
Really can't do much better than this for a $15 zin. Started out a little peppery, then became milder and a little fruity later on. A very drinkable, excellent value bottle of wine.
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11/1/2014 - jesperarent wrote: 83 Points
Has the sweetness for a Zinfandel (both in bouquet and taste), and an easy-going wine. The high alcohol (15%) do not go through - easy to drink and enjoy.
A bit too expensive I think, even on sale. Dont buy it again.
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10/15/2014 - ddahl Likes this wine: 94 Points
Excellent value Zin. Deep color and flavor. Not overly bold.
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8/23/2014 - winenut30 wrote: 84 Points
Did not hold up against other old vine zins in a blind tasting
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3/26/2014 - SonnyJay wrote:
Pretty solid value for the price - would definitely drink it again
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1/1/2013 - Dvalde wrote:
Good
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12/20/2012 - HungryMother wrote: 84 Points
Received as a gift; servicable.
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12/16/2012 - Zuperdaave wrote: 90 Points
Delicious. Purple in color. Sweet cherries on the nose. Tobacco and cherry flavor up front; spice on the finish. Exceptional value...I love this wine!
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12/8/2012 - Astjerne wrote: 87 Points
pretty good easydrinking red - went well with steak. probably a little too sweet for me.
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12/5/2012 - tad1214 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Arguably the best bang to buck wine on the planet. Never fails to have a strong delicious spicy finish. Not too fruity and very smokey. Love it.
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11/8/2012 - wailes wrote: 83 Points
Very disappointing, even at the price. Did not finish. Does not measure up to earlier vintages. Good for cooking
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10/27/2012 - CUTig1 wrote: 89 Points
Nice jam and hint of pepper. Easy drinking. Worked well with BBQ pork. Very good value
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10/14/2012 - Zuperdaave wrote: 90 Points
Delicious. Dark purple in color. Strong jammy aromas of sweet blackberry. Full, lush fruit flavors (bing cherry). Got better and more complex with air and warmth. A solid value.
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10/13/2012 - Atwellian wrote: 79 Points
Dark ruby. Fuzzy blackberry nose. Rich mouthfeel. Sweet, vegetal; chocolate, rich and slightly unpleasant, but that is more my reaction to Zin than the wine. I don't like zinfandel.
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10/4/2012 - wineshaman wrote: 86 Points
Very fruity, sweet jammy blackberry, blueberry, hints of chocolate, not much depth.
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9/22/2012 - GoBlue2002 wrote: 86 Points
Clear purple in color, with aromas of dark fruit and spice. Not a bad zin for the price, but the lack of complexity and a short finish coupled with jam became a bit much for me in the end. Dinner @ John & Tiffany's, note recorded a week late.
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9/18/2012 - deschamp52 wrote: 88 Points
Classy zin. Lots of fruit yet exhibits some restraint. Deep flavor, long finish. Not terribly complex but not clumsy either.
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9/12/2012 - raypedia wrote: 85 Points
Dark raspberry and plum on the nose along with some cocoa and a hit of oak. Medium body with a deep opaque purple color. On attack is a strong hit of fruit, but there is some depth and a bright acidity that keeps it from being to jammy. A hint of oaky vanilla and spice mid-palate with tannins supporting the middle. Respectable finish of tart fruit and Zinfandel pepper.
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9/4/2012 - iphilrealgood Likes this wine: 89 Points
Great dark fruit, strawberry and subtle chocolate.
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9/4/2012 - isaacjamesbaker wrote: 85 Points
Drank at Buddakan in AC. This is a plush and fruity zin with flavors of raspberry, vanilla coke and licorice. Big fruit, surprising tannic structure. A crowdpleasing wine that would be good at parties.
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8/29/2012 - Nick&stace wrote: 85 Points
Deep cherry color. Fruit forward cherry with undertones of twigs. Not real complex. No real depth or structure. Very easy to drink. Light to medium bodied. Not a long finish. Good price point @ $12.00. Would be a great cocktail party wine.
PURA VIDA!
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8/6/2012 - Bam_Man wrote: 88 Points
Tasted at the winery in Sonoma and again with dinner later that night. I really enjoyed this wine. Thankfully the 15% ABV is not readily apparent either on the nose or palate. Shows attractive aromas of ripe berries and spice. This is full-bodied, rich and very fruity. Almost jammy. Very round and juicy with a long, lip-smacking finish. Lots of hard candy and cherry pie character. A ripe, sweet fruit bomb that you just can't help liking. Doesn't have the structure or complexity of their 2010 Sonoma Zin, but still very good - especially for the price.
50+5+11+15+7=88
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6/17/2012 - arass Likes this wine: 86 Points
This is a decent zin. A pretty mellow flavor profile but with some nice pepper on the finish. Not a great wine (they certainly have had better vintages) but it's a fair deal at ~$12 I will buy again.
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4/30/2012 - bin905 wrote: flawed
Unpleasant corked aroma. Fruit forward and approachable.
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4/27/2012 - Mike Kopanski wrote: 83 Points
So is Cline back? Last year there was a glimmer of hope our favorite winery from Sonoma in the 90's would please us again with value priced winner after winner, but not this time. This is totally uninspired Zinfandel, from an iconic producer. I blame the the wine making, I'm pretty sure these are good grapes. They did not totally miss the point, but this is a true under achiever. I also blame too much lees contact that rounded and smoothed things. The nose smells of yeast. The color is textbook. The fruit is overwhelmed by lees, and tastes very manipulated. Sure it is soft and creamy, but who needs that. Even the acid tastes manipulated. so unfortunately, I'm not a believer, a shame.
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3/11/2012 - devinhedge wrote: 83 Points
Bright, opens slow, definite hints of cherry and vanilla. A bit of an oak and a smooth finish. Needs to age a year or two.
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3/6/2012 - YWG Wine Guy Likes this wine: 87 Points
Like Cline in general - this is the latest vintage of the ancient Zin...could easily keep this for 2+ yrs more and likely should, before opening to take the edge off this strong, fruit "bomb" like Zin @ 15% ETOH (pricey at 28$ CAN also). Nose is deep and rich with dark berry fruit. Palate is similar with an almost jammy like quality that is the basis for dark black berry pie, blue berry, chokecherry? fruit notes. A little sharp with acid/heat and light tannin. Full on wine here, no subtle qualities! Needs food to take the edge off, and perhaps 2 more years of time. Bottom line, this is tasty stuff to keep most people interested.
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3/5/2012 - brownman6 wrote: 86 Points
opened very slow, no nose at first then pleasant fruity. The wine was better on the second day and had warm fruit and lingering finish.
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3/4/2012 - Danamarie625 wrote: 93 Points
Strong cherry flavor - dark in color, smooth
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2/20/2012 - npenny wrote: 88 Points
Rather balanced, not too fruity.
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2/8/2012 - IamNotDrinkingAny#@!%Merlot wrote: 83 Points
Pleasant but boring; no zing in this zin.
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2/6/2012 - wayne47 wrote:
Needs serious time to breathe. OK but not really a value at $11.
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1/22/2012 - Jnkberg wrote:
Smooth easy red
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12/29/2011 - heathtd wrote: 86 Points
Easy red. Good body
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12/28/2011 - vijay0129 wrote: 81 Points
Good easy drink
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12/15/2011 - Rynoh wrote: 85 Points
Good midweek drinker
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11/20/2011 - Ligs49 wrote: 75 Points
Not much there for a cline zin.
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