Expecting a richer aroma from an 'old vine'. Mellow overall aroma with lagging raspberry/cherry & slight dark chocolate. Pale in comparison with the Ravenswood Lodi Zinfandel. Lighter medium body with a rather soft tannin.
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This was the the cheapest of the five bottles of Zinfandels we tasted. Even though the price point was "cheap" it turned out to be the favorite for 3 out of 5 of the guests. Fruit forward, very light oaky but again, the price point and the preference will make this a very good choice to please a crowd.
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Vin simple de semaine, facile à boire, sur les petits fruits confits qui accompagne très bien les grillades. Exemple typique d’un Zin bas de gamme avec un trop haut taux de sucre. Vin pour débutant.
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3/20/15 - again: meh...have lost my enthusiasm for this juice -- it is ungenerous and just too green to qualify as a go-to pour. Living in northern Japan, peer group alternatives are very limited. I might still pair this wine with grilled burgers for a casual meal or use it for cooking. On its own, however, this wine falls well short of happy.
3/10/15 - 84 pts - again: nose - oakey; taste - medium-bodied and leaning toward plum fruit; overall: best when paired with food containing a little animal fat (e.g. grilled burgers) rather than by itself (in which case, the juice tastes too green). All in all: not at all what you would expect from a decent New World Zin (even those at a value price) -- a step up from (if dangerously close to) the $8 small-bottle plonk taking up space on United Airlines Economy Class beverage carts.
6/10/14 - 88 pts - another pour: taste is jammy and fruit-forward, balanced mid-palate, finish displays notes of cherries, black pepper, and semisweet chocolate; overall: value-priced New World-styled fruit bomb, which would pair well with grilled burgers or marinated flank steak
3/27/14 - 87 pts - color: medium-dark purple; nose: some oak and faint earth; taste: medium- to full-bodied mouth feel, veg-toned fruity blackberry taste, medium-length finish with notes of dark chocolate and black pepper; overall: serviceable pour offered at a good value price (approx. $10.50/bottle), brings thunder as a happy-tasting (albeit simple and slightly green) New World-styled juice -- suitable for weeknights and casual gatherings.
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visual: 27.5-32.5% opaque. Very slow forming legs, if any legs at all. Cleaned and switched glasses three times. Still nothing on the legs.
On the nose: Lots of raisins, dried mustard, and minerals.
The flava: Raisins, some wet rock, some red fruits.
The wine: a bit of acidity. Medium mouth-feel. Certainly not silky. Light to medium light tannins. Short finish.
Overall: I usually like this brand, this is not a good version or representation. Sad. Very disappointing wine. COMPLETE PASS! Not even worth the $12 I paid.... SMH ( shake my head) Pass! Don't waste your time or money... Bogle and McMannis are way better for the buck. Live and learn and move on. Such a poor showing, nothing good to say.
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Initial attack is pleasant enough with berries, bramble, and vanilla, but the mid palate is fairly hollow. Fairly low tannin and med-low acid. Okay to good.
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This is really pretty good for a cuvee contributed by many wine makers from all over California. For a decent price, it hits all the aroma and flavor buttons we expect and enjoy with our Zins. It is not overly fruit forward. It has lots of Zin style expressive dark and red fruit, but that is not the whole reason for it's existence. There is a touch of that wild grown, bushy, bramble influence. Some cedar and tree sap flavors. Some moderate oak. Medium plus bodied. Fairly civilized alcohol and integration. Does not have that jammy flavor to the fruit. Balanced and ready to drink.
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Tasted without food along side. Fruity start. Warm cherry. Fades to darker earthy notes, coffee, and cocoa. Decent balance for a zinf blend. Ever so slightly tannic. Comes up short on the nose for me. Reasonable value at $9.99.
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I will start by saying that it shots like a star with a lot of aerating. scent: sweet like jam. The scent is very rich, almost overwhelming. It has an earthy scent. taste: fruit bomb whit a finish of black pepper. Main fruit is maybe blackberry. Very smooth with just a hint of tannins. A rather short after taste. A very nice Zin for the price.
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A very pleasant, easy-drinking zin. Nose is rich and savory...this is a good smelling, handsome wine. Benefits massively from 30 minutes or more in the glass. Palate has some minor savory notes but has heavy, sweet fruit in the midpalate. Finish is unremarkable. The body is medium and tannins are there, but are quite soft and pleasant.
Altogether this seems quite well balanced and, given adequate aeration, is a sure-fire crowd-pleaser.
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Tastes very much in consistency with the multiple vintages we have enjoyed from this respected blend. This is not the most intense and concentrated vintage. The nose is a little shy with a touch of herbal and floral aromas and vanilla enhancing some blueberry preserves, mulberry and oak. Very typical, thin skinned Zinfandel, just slightly more than medium bodied mouth feel. Somewhat subtle, but still quick hitting and precise blue fruit. Very clean and soft. Only a hint of secondary stuff like graphite, cola and charcoal. Really opens up with time in the glass revealing more blueberry and almost raisiny grape flavors through a satisfying fruit orientated finish.
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Fast legged, medium bodied, CO2 bubbles in legs. This wine needs time to breathe. Nose of dark fruits and earth. Very acidic on the palette, almost sour, yet merlot-like. Decent tannins, workable alcohol percent of 13.5... Might settle down with another 12-24 months. Right now she's young and bold, like it or not. Fast finish as well.
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- Purple color with medium forming legs. It's somewhat balanced with a light/medium body. Smooth texture with a medium finish - Not much spice or kick but drinks nicely for the price.
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This is ok. The good is that it is cheap and would make a decent table wine. The bad is that the wine is thin and one dimensional. It is fruit forward and peppery. Not very integrated. Not very interesting. Overall a very average wine.
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2/9/2017 - radm.hum wrote: 83 Points
Expecting a richer aroma from an 'old vine'. Mellow overall aroma with lagging raspberry/cherry & slight dark chocolate. Pale in comparison with the Ravenswood Lodi Zinfandel. Lighter medium body with a rather soft tannin.
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8/25/2016 - goldgarf wrote: 79 Points
Like generic red wine, but smooth tannins
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3/22/2016 - Dionysusx Likes this wine: 87 Points
Very herbal with mineral and earth notes. Bright dark berry finish. Consistently an excellent value.
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12/19/2015 - knothoef wrote: 86 Points
Needed some time to open up. Some fruit.
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12/5/2015 - Mh33 wrote: 90 Points
Nice upfront fruit. Balanced.
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7/11/2015 - PoetofPurpose wrote: 88 Points
This was the the cheapest of the five bottles of Zinfandels we tasted. Even though the price point was "cheap" it turned out to be the favorite for 3 out of 5 of the guests. Fruit forward, very light oaky but again, the price point and the preference will make this a very good choice to please a crowd.
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6/28/2015 - john.matthewiv@gmail.com Likes this wine:
Enjoyed it with grilled lamb and steak. Pantry pick!
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6/6/2015 - flussier wrote: 84 Points
Vin simple de semaine, facile à boire, sur les petits fruits confits qui accompagne très bien les grillades. Exemple typique d’un Zin bas de gamme avec un trop haut taux de sucre. Vin pour débutant.
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3/28/2015 - knothoef wrote: 87 Points
Black fruit, complex, powerful
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3/10/2015 - Epic Tale wrote: 81 Points
3/20/15 - again: meh...have lost my enthusiasm for this juice -- it is ungenerous and just too green to qualify as a go-to pour. Living in northern Japan, peer group alternatives are very limited. I might still pair this wine with grilled burgers for a casual meal or use it for cooking. On its own, however, this wine falls well short of happy.
3/10/15 - 84 pts - again: nose - oakey; taste - medium-bodied and leaning toward plum fruit; overall: best when paired with food containing a little animal fat (e.g. grilled burgers) rather than by itself (in which case, the juice tastes too green). All in all: not at all what you would expect from a decent New World Zin (even those at a value price) -- a step up from (if dangerously close to) the $8 small-bottle plonk taking up space on United Airlines Economy Class beverage carts.
6/10/14 - 88 pts - another pour: taste is jammy and fruit-forward, balanced mid-palate, finish displays notes of cherries, black pepper, and semisweet chocolate; overall: value-priced New World-styled fruit bomb, which would pair well with grilled burgers or marinated flank steak
3/27/14 - 87 pts - color: medium-dark purple; nose: some oak and faint earth; taste: medium- to full-bodied mouth feel, veg-toned fruity blackberry taste, medium-length finish with notes of dark chocolate and black pepper; overall: serviceable pour offered at a good value price (approx. $10.50/bottle), brings thunder as a happy-tasting (albeit simple and slightly green) New World-styled juice -- suitable for weeknights and casual gatherings.
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2/7/2015 - MeKnowNoVino Does not like this wine: 82 Points
visual: 27.5-32.5% opaque. Very slow forming legs, if any legs at all. Cleaned and switched glasses three times. Still nothing on the legs.
On the nose: Lots of raisins, dried mustard, and minerals.
The flava: Raisins, some wet rock, some red fruits.
The wine: a bit of acidity. Medium mouth-feel. Certainly not silky. Light to medium light tannins. Short finish.
Overall: I usually like this brand, this is not a good version or representation. Sad. Very disappointing wine. COMPLETE PASS! Not even worth the $12 I paid.... SMH ( shake my head) Pass! Don't waste your time or money... Bogle and McMannis are way better for the buck. Live and learn and move on. Such a poor showing, nothing good to say.
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2/7/2015 - indiscriminate palate wrote:
Initial attack is pleasant enough with berries, bramble, and vanilla, but the mid palate is fairly hollow. Fairly low tannin and med-low acid. Okay to good.
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1/15/2015 - Carsten Madsen wrote: 87 Points
Ok zin, to much wood and hard tannins
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12/25/2014 - blewa wrote: 78 Points
Not much character until it's been in the glass for a while.
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12/23/2014 - Mike Kopanski wrote: 86 Points
This is really pretty good for a cuvee contributed by many wine makers from all over California. For a decent price, it hits all the aroma and flavor buttons we expect and enjoy with our Zins. It is not overly fruit forward. It has lots of Zin style expressive dark and red fruit, but that is not the whole reason for it's existence. There is a touch of that wild grown, bushy, bramble influence. Some cedar and tree sap flavors. Some moderate oak. Medium plus bodied. Fairly civilized alcohol and integration. Does not have that jammy flavor to the fruit. Balanced and ready to drink.
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11/12/2014 - schaden43 wrote: 77 Points
A fruit bomb with no backbone.
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10/19/2014 - Ningeo Likes this wine: 88 Points
actually went well with a yogurt based lamb biryani. medium body
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10/16/2014 - Boutip Likes this wine: 83 Points
Not bad but fell a bit short in terms of complexity compared to other Zinfandel from California. Needs to be a bit more robust for the style.
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10/8/2014 - nick.dean wrote: 80 Points
This wine is too young
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10/7/2014 - john.matthewiv@gmail.com Likes this wine:
This is a great wine. It should be a Pantry Pick! Great with grilled meat.
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10/1/2014 - vegastom2 Does not like this wine: 76 Points
Inexpensive but not worth drinking. Flavorless and thin.
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8/25/2014 - Thomasmholland4 wrote: 84 Points
Tasted without food along side. Fruity start. Warm cherry. Fades to darker earthy notes, coffee, and cocoa. Decent balance for a zinf blend. Ever so slightly tannic. Comes up short on the nose for me. Reasonable value at $9.99.
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8/11/2014 - wineOK wrote: 84 Points
Serves it's purpose as a solid BBQ wine.
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7/26/2014 - Zipra Likes this wine: 86 Points
I will start by saying that it shots like a star with a lot of aerating.
scent: sweet like jam. The scent is very rich, almost overwhelming. It has an earthy scent.
taste: fruit bomb whit a finish of black pepper. Main fruit is maybe blackberry. Very smooth with just a hint of tannins. A rather short after taste.
A very nice Zin for the price.
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7/12/2014 - pkbowen Likes this wine: 87 Points
A very pleasant, easy-drinking zin. Nose is rich and savory...this is a good smelling, handsome wine. Benefits massively from 30 minutes or more in the glass. Palate has some minor savory notes but has heavy, sweet fruit in the midpalate. Finish is unremarkable. The body is medium and tannins are there, but are quite soft and pleasant.
Altogether this seems quite well balanced and, given adequate aeration, is a sure-fire crowd-pleaser.
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4/18/2014 - Mike Kopanski wrote: 86 Points
Tastes very much in consistency with the multiple vintages we have enjoyed from this respected blend. This is not the most intense and concentrated vintage. The nose is a little shy with a touch of herbal and floral aromas and vanilla enhancing some blueberry preserves, mulberry and oak. Very typical, thin skinned Zinfandel, just slightly more than medium bodied mouth feel. Somewhat subtle, but still quick hitting and precise blue fruit. Very clean and soft. Only a hint of secondary stuff like graphite, cola and charcoal. Really opens up with time in the glass revealing more blueberry and almost raisiny grape flavors through a satisfying fruit orientated finish.
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3/8/2014 - wboyd wrote: 85 Points
Very dry. Good color and clarity. Red Berry aromas. Long finish. Minimal tannins and acidity.
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2/22/2014 - JeffnShari0614 wrote: 81 Points
Fast legged, medium bodied, CO2 bubbles in legs. This wine needs time to breathe. Nose of dark fruits and earth. Very acidic on the palette, almost sour, yet merlot-like. Decent tannins, workable alcohol percent of 13.5... Might settle down with another 12-24 months. Right now she's young and bold, like it or not. Fast finish as well.
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2/13/2014 - RS67 wrote: 81 Points
Needs to breath a bit before drinking.
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1/25/2014 - GBC Likes this wine: 80 Points
strong berry notes
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1/25/2014 - LeroyVW wrote: 83 Points
- Purple color with medium forming legs. It's somewhat balanced with a light/medium body. Smooth texture with a medium finish - Not much spice or kick but drinks nicely for the price.
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1/22/2014 - jonz113 wrote: 84 Points
Clean and fruit forward but lacks complexity. Ok as table wine for price point.
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1/4/2014 - mjrhomberg wrote: 78 Points
This is ok. The good is that it is cheap and would make a decent table wine. The bad is that the wine is thin and one dimensional. It is fruit forward and peppery. Not very integrated. Not very interesting. Overall a very average wine.
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12/7/2013 - ivsimler Likes this wine: 86 Points
Tastes pretty damn good for a cheap zinfandel.. Will buy again. Not so peppery, bit more fruit forward, but its good.
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