This is drinking very well. Still lots of fruit - berries and cassis. Good acidity with minimal tannins. The age has softened nicely, not sure it will improve much more.
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Black currants and stewed blackberries on the nose - earthy. Full dark fruit flavours. Still some light tannins. Full bodied and a bit boozy (14.7%) so maybe having more fun than I should be for a Monday :). Totally enjoyable. Drink now.
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Drunk tonight with chicken enchiladas and black beans. Sappy, tart red berry fruit and pencil lead that is packaged in a sleek, taut package. Medium bodied and not in the least bit jammy, it shows all those characteristics that I value in Zin with none of the excesses so fashionable these days.
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I do think it declined a bit from the last bottle I had a year+ ago. Still has a great nose, color and aroma but tasted a bit short to me and didn't necessarily improve with time. I would drink it up if you have it.
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PnVnD half the bottle and let it air for 1hr. Purple with crimson rim claret style. Brambly earthy aroma. Medium weight with very soft tannins. Ripe minerally fruit with an earthy finish. Very elegant claret style zin complex and subtle.
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Lots of fruit now. Medium-full bodied with good structure. But don't miss the ripe red fruit. Drink now-2016 at the latest. Firm tannins, cherry, raspberry. Very good for $25.
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This wine was much better the second night. Lots of cherry on the nose and a little tart as well. This is a nice wine but doesn't have the longevity. I would suggest drinking in the next two or three years.
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A lot of spice and mustiness on the nose. The wine is medium red in color. Upon tasting, it's very smooth and well integrated. It has nice zin flavors and has a touch of rustic earth that makes it interesting. Not a lot of alcohol and doesn't dry out the mouth. Excellent without food and really just an enjoyable zin with a good QPR. I have three more bottles and I'll probably drink one a year to see how it ages, but I can't fault this at the present stage. Not outstanding but a good, solid wine with medium-full flavor.
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Aromas of dark berry fruit - blackberry, raspberry, loganberry - plum and spice. Mouthful of blackberry, raspberry, smoke and spice. This wine tastes like a berry pie. A fully balanced state of the art zinfandel. Great! Served with ribs, mashed potatoes and corn on the cob. Back to Calistoga for more.
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Enjoyable. Needs to open a little, rating on pop and pour. Will be interested to see what happens over the next hour or so.
The wine looks Violet colored. The legs are Slow. It smells like Blackberry, Red Currant, Cherry, Stoniness, and Cinnamon. It tastes like Red Currant, Medicinal, Black Pepper, and Black Olive. The body is Medium. The wine has Juicy texture. The wine finishes Medium.
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Drank first of six and haven't had before. Outstanding texture in the mouth, silky smooth and lighter than some other bigger zins I've had. Pleasing aroma. Not predicting the decline that some others are expecting or convinced it is peaking at the moment....thought there was decent tannic structure and that the wine settled a bit over the time we drank it. Priced appropriately -- probably wouldn't reach for it if it was at a much higher price point.
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Tasted over 3 days - consistent throughout. Expansive brambly nose but with an unusual seashell note to it - really thought that was really interesting. On the palate, gorgeous brambly fruit with a complement of spices but with a restrained and well-balanced tone. Great depth and length of flavor. This is right up there with my favorite Rafanelli, Carlisle, and Turley zins.
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One of the most interesting Zinfandels we have had in a long time! The appearance was thick purple grape. The nose was peppery and fruity, with a lot of other scents I could not place - very complex. Ditto with the taste: pepper, fruit, leather, earthy/mineral. Great finish leaving you wanting more, but unfortunately the bottle runs out. It is not an "in your face" Zin, but it is not light, either. I would say more finesse, in common with Dry Creek Zins, rather than Amador County Zins. This is ready now, it is exactly at its peak...would predict decline after 6-12 mos. This wine was made for grilled meat.
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Not an overly powerful Zin, if fact lighter than many I have had. Raspberries, spice, and a little earthy tone pervaded throughout. This went really well with our sausage stuffed rabbit and roasted squash and zucchini.
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Good bramble notes and dry earth with a bit of blueberry juice; silky, smooth, very pure and juicy and balanced; puckering, but sweet, long finish; good grip and concentration. Great zin.
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Aromas of raspberries and blackberries with vanilla-oak notes and a slight herbal quality. Medium-full bodied with a fair amount of tannic grip and pretty good acidity. The fruit comes off as very ripe, but not jammy, showing plenty of brambly fruit with hints of mint and loamy earth on the palate. Good length, but overall needs a little bit of time.
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5/4/2016 - Doblk Likes this wine: 91 Points
This is drinking very well. Still lots of fruit - berries and cassis. Good acidity with minimal tannins. The age has softened nicely, not sure it will improve much more.
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11/21/2015 - kmicho wrote: 93 Points
What a wine. Unbelievably well balanced. Rich, oak, cedar, vanilla, tart/ripe berries, minerals/stone/graphite. Amazing complexity.
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11/9/2015 - Vandiner Likes this wine: 90 Points
Black currants and stewed blackberries on the nose - earthy. Full dark fruit flavours. Still some light tannins. Full bodied and a bit boozy (14.7%) so maybe having more fun than I should be for a Monday :). Totally enjoyable. Drink now.
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10/11/2014 - MLipton wrote:
Drunk tonight with chicken enchiladas and black beans. Sappy, tart red berry fruit and pencil lead that is packaged in a sleek, taut package. Medium bodied and not in the least bit jammy, it shows all those characteristics that I value in Zin with none of the excesses so fashionable these days.
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7/25/2014 - Janstan Likes this wine: 89 Points
Very nice fruit with out significant jamminess. As with the other 2 zins of the night it finished with a chalkiness.
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4/23/2014 - Bricks wrote: 90 Points
I do think it declined a bit from the last bottle I had a year+ ago. Still has a great nose, color and aroma but tasted a bit short to me and didn't necessarily improve with time. I would drink it up if you have it.
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1/28/2014 - Chriskrueger wrote: 91 Points
Mineral and pepper
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10/11/2013 - df1962 Likes this wine: 91 Points
PnVnD half the bottle and let it air for 1hr. Purple with crimson rim claret style. Brambly earthy aroma. Medium weight with very soft tannins. Ripe minerally fruit with an earthy finish. Very elegant claret style zin complex and subtle.
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6/5/2013 - WineCPA Likes this wine: 90 Points
Lots of fruit now. Medium-full bodied with good structure. But don't miss the ripe red fruit. Drink now-2016 at the latest. Firm tannins, cherry, raspberry. Very good for $25.
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6/4/2013 - aaronfeigin Likes this wine: 89 Points
This wine was much better the second night. Lots of cherry on the nose and a little tart as well. This is a nice wine but doesn't have the longevity. I would suggest drinking in the next two or three years.
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5/24/2013 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Solid zin
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5/17/2013 - Crunge Likes this wine: 90 Points
A lot of spice and mustiness on the nose. The wine is medium red in color. Upon tasting, it's very smooth and well integrated. It has nice zin flavors and has a touch of rustic earth that makes it interesting. Not a lot of alcohol and doesn't dry out the mouth. Excellent without food and really just an enjoyable zin with a good QPR. I have three more bottles and I'll probably drink one a year to see how it ages, but I can't fault this at the present stage. Not outstanding but a good, solid wine with medium-full flavor.
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5/11/2013 - dchisholm Likes this wine: 91 Points
Aromas of dark berry fruit - blackberry, raspberry, loganberry - plum and spice. Mouthful of blackberry, raspberry, smoke and spice. This wine tastes like a berry pie. A fully balanced state of the art zinfandel. Great! Served with ribs, mashed potatoes and corn on the cob. Back to Calistoga for more.
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3/8/2013 - aaronfeigin wrote: 88 Points
Enjoyable. Needs to open a little, rating on pop and pour. Will be interested to see what happens over the next hour or so.
The wine looks Violet colored. The legs are Slow. It smells like Blackberry, Red Currant, Cherry, Stoniness, and Cinnamon. It tastes like Red Currant, Medicinal, Black Pepper, and Black Olive. The body is Medium. The wine has Juicy texture. The wine finishes Medium.
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11/18/2012 - patsox wrote: 92 Points
The ideal zin, with or without food. Thanks, Jerry!
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10/6/2012 - Sauvyfan Likes this wine: 91 Points
Almost Primitivo-like in weight. Honest Zin, with many layers of flavor. Very pricey. Only to be bought in exceptional vintages.
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9/1/2012 - PIntag wrote: 90 Points
From 375. Enjoyed this again but wasn't wowed like the first time around.
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5/14/2012 - Bricks wrote: 93 Points
Drank first of six and haven't had before. Outstanding texture in the mouth, silky smooth and lighter than some other bigger zins I've had. Pleasing aroma. Not predicting the decline that some others are expecting or convinced it is peaking at the moment....thought there was decent tannic structure and that the wine settled a bit over the time we drank it. Priced appropriately -- probably wouldn't reach for it if it was at a much higher price point.
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5/4/2012 - PIntag wrote: 92 Points
Tasted over 3 days - consistent throughout. Expansive brambly nose but with an unusual seashell note to it - really thought that was really interesting. On the palate, gorgeous brambly fruit with a complement of spices but with a restrained and well-balanced tone. Great depth and length of flavor. This is right up there with my favorite Rafanelli, Carlisle, and Turley zins.
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4/27/2012 - Z1nnfull wrote: 92 Points
One of the most interesting Zinfandels we have had in a long time! The appearance was thick purple grape. The nose was peppery and fruity, with a lot of other scents I could not place - very complex. Ditto with the taste: pepper, fruit, leather, earthy/mineral. Great finish leaving you wanting more, but unfortunately the bottle runs out. It is not an "in your face" Zin, but it is not light, either. I would say more finesse, in common with Dry Creek Zins, rather than Amador County Zins. This is ready now, it is exactly at its peak...would predict decline after 6-12 mos. This wine was made for grilled meat.
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3/10/2012 - Summerlovin wrote: 95 Points
19**
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1/28/2012 - MXL wrote: 89 Points
Not an overly powerful Zin, if fact lighter than many I have had. Raspberries, spice, and a little earthy tone pervaded throughout. This went really well with our sausage stuffed rabbit and roasted squash and zucchini.
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9/12/2011 - peternelson wrote: 91 Points
Good bramble notes and dry earth with a bit of blueberry juice; silky, smooth, very pure and juicy and balanced; puckering, but sweet, long finish; good grip and concentration. Great zin.
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2/7/2011 - BigTarheel wrote: 88 Points
Tart, wild berry fruit leading to a creamy finish with hints of oak. Classic old vine Zin nose. Good but not Storybook's best
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1/31/2011 - bambam wrote: 88 Points
ZAP 2011 20th Annual Grand Tasting; 1/29/2011-1/31/2011 (San Francisco, Fort Mason): Storybook has always been a lighter style zin to me and this vintage was no different. Good but not a wow wine.
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12/25/2010 - BigTarheel wrote: 88 Points
Solid with lots of dark fruit & SPICE BUT STILL PRETTY PRIMARY ... GIVE THIS ANOTHER YEAR OR SO TO COME TOGETHER
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12/1/2010 - wickedwax wrote:
Aromas of raspberries and blackberries with vanilla-oak notes and a slight herbal quality. Medium-full bodied with a fair amount of tannic grip and pretty good acidity. The fruit comes off as very ripe, but not jammy, showing plenty of brambly fruit with hints of mint and loamy earth on the palate. Good length, but overall needs a little bit of time.
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8/9/2010 - BigTarheel wrote: 89 Points
Still very youthful with sweet oak dominating. Give it some time to settle and should be great.
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