Decanted for sediment. Nose of black cherry, juicy plum, a bit of toasty oak, spice. Similar flavors on the palate with slightly baked plummy fruit and a touch of peppery spice. A bit soft on the palate with medium- acid and medium tannin at best. Still a tasty and enjoyable wine but definitely drink up if holding any.
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Great nose. Beautiful mature Zinfandel in the pallette. Layered and interesting. Finish a hair lean and could use food as I popped as a pre dinner out warm up wine. Probably not going to get any better and already in the latter phases of its life.
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Nice sweet fruit. Really delicious. I'm consistently amazed how well (generally) Rafanelli Zins age and this still has many years of life ahead. (14.7% alc)
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This was really enjoyable. First night it wasn’t opened all the way and the fruit was a bit hidden by the dusty tannins. Second night really opened up more to tertiary notes. Will wait a bit on last one or give a much longer time to drink or decant.
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Color - Garnet with a edge of purple and a hint of orange. Nose - Raspberries, Berries Palate - Berries with a touch of harshness up front which softened as it breathed, never went away and came back with more oxygen contact. This caused the whole experience to disappoint. Could be the orange in the color was a sample of things to come. The longer it aged 24, 48 hours and beyond the harshness went away but fruit also diminished.
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PnP. The oak has been tamed from five years ago. Still lots of fruit and nicely balanced. Seemed best on the first pour. Threw a bit of sediment. Drank great with Pizza Leah.
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Dark crimson in color. 14.7% ABV. Awesome nose of juicy red fruits, licorice, baking spices and pepper. Medium to full bodied with mouth watering acidity. Rich and exceptionally elegant. Black cherry, raspberry liqueur, earth and pepper on the palate. Tremendous length on the finish. Dry Creek Valley at its very best. Delicious Zinfandel that will be best over the year or so.
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same as a few weeks ago. Planning to drink these up. Still have 2 more. A couple people gave it a 94. I will stick with the 93 given earlier though this was extra good with slow cooked BBQ ribs. Yum!!!
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Color - Dark Garnet with a touch of purple along the edge. Nose - Light Alcohol burn, (hot), perceptible up front with blackberries, Boysenberries Raspberries and plum. Palate - Light tannins, balanced and fruit forward, berries, hint of chocolate, almost jammy in character, rich and complex with a bit of earthiness. Best to drink now as is near its peak.
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Popped and poured. Drank in a large line up of great wines so no formal notes but this was really good. The 2014 is more red fruited than usual and carries a light touch of Brettanomyces which is somewhat more typical in their Zinfandel. If memory serves me correctly, this vintage was delicious and easy to drink on release. That being said, I am happy to report that it's aging gracefully. I have one remaining bottle that I am in no particular rush to drink.
Amazing at first, popped and poured. Spot on vibrancy and balanced fruit. Zippy. Day two was a little flat at first but aired out to a nuanced carmelized aromatics.
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Very nice Zin, perhaps a bit more restrained in character than the "big" Dry Creek Zins we have had over the years. A couple years left on the Community Drink Dates seems about right.
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In a dumb phase, methinks. Not nearly as interesting as the bottle we opened last July--soft fruit, acid-dominated. Andouzed for 24 hours but it hardly budged. HOLD.
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Bright crimson in color. 14.7% ABV. Beautiful nose of black fruits, dark chocolate, flowers and pepper. Full bodied with mouth watering acidity. Rustic, Claret style Zinfandel with still substantial tannins. Blackberry, black cherry liqueur, bittersweet chocolate and pepper on the palate. Exceptional length on the finish. Delicious but slightly less approachable than one would expect. Rafanelli remains a benchmark for Dry Creek Zinfandel but this Zin could use another 1-2 years in the cellar.
This is in such a killer place right now. In my mind, this bottle proves what Zinfandel is capable of. I detect a small touch of Brett but only just. Anyway, it works whether intended or not. This example is not your jammy-style of Zinfandel. It’s balanced, full of delicious red fruits and light on its feet.
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No longer my style of wine. Jammy without being big. Spicey without any identifyable origin. Hot. Nothing really wrong with it, except a history of disappointing bottles now and no real wow factor. Like any failed relationship I wonder is it me, or them that changed?
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Always dependable. Nose has a caramel spice note. Excellent balance throughout. Hides the 14.7% really nicely. Perfect with ribs, brisket and pulled pork.
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Just fantastic. We buy and drink too little zin, but that's because we love this complex, restrained, claret style and too few are like this (and available where we live). Heady nose and layered flavors of boysenberry, clove, allspice and cumin.
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Not surprised at all that this family vineyard just keeps pumping out the best product ever. This was my first bottle of this lot, and maybe I drank it too soon, but it was over the top--and I have no regrets. Restraint will come if I can ration the next bottles.
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The 2014 Rafanelli Zin is dark red to violet in color and its nose is appealing to the senses with flavors of blackberry, black cherry and spicy plum. The palate is chewy with tart black fruit, mocha and chocolate. The wine has a strong finish with firm tannins and an oaky taste. As many Rafanelli Zins, this wine also features delicious jammy berry fruit and a spicy core, which will likely continue to develop depth and complexity as it ages.
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This was better on the second day of being opened, cherry, raspberry and pepper scents, rich and lush, with raspberry, cherry jam, blueberry,spice and pepper notes on the palate, an elegant style of zinfandel, has jammy character without being too fruit-forward, high quality, take your time with this one, can be shared at a steakhouse
24 hours after opening the wine has significantly improved. The fruit is richer. More plum today, raspberry and mocha with pepper, spice and a pleasant tang. Today: full body, long finish. Thoroughly enjoyable, even decadent. Lesson: at this time it needs a long decant (>1hour) or more time in the bottle (? 1 year+). Don't rush this wine.
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Removed from cellar. PNP. Dark purple. Earthy, berry fragrance. Flavors of raspberries, bramble, spice and pepper. Slightly hot with plenty of tannins and a pleasant tang. Has lost some of its intensity and fruit since tasted last. Enjoyable but slightly awkward and just off balance. Medium body. Medium finish. Perhaps a day with the bottle open will help.
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Love it as always, this vintage is a tad lighter than others I’ve had and certainly lighter than many of the regional fruit bombs, but I prefer it in style as it reveals more layers and depth.
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Good rustic Zin, nice dark red fruit. Round and a bit less tannic than expected. Probably a medium term ager, decent acid just missing some fireworks. Drinks well now.
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I'm not sure if 2014 was a premium year, but this 14 certainly is starting to taste like one. EVERYTHING that could be asked for is in this bottle. I will hold the last 3 bottles and wait for other comments.
I can't remember not loving a Rafanelli Zin. Consistently excellent and an excellent example of straight up zinfandel; not too fruit forward, not too restrained, not too peppery, not jammy at all, just a wonderful California zinfandel...which also means I wouldn't let it sit around forever. Five years, tops is my rule.
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Popped and poured. Judging from this bottle and a few others that I have had the pleasure to try, I would have to say these 2014's are already in outstanding form. If there is a single word that best describes this vintage of Rafanelli's Zinfandel, it has got to be "balance". I mean, everything seems to be in the right place and in the right amounts. I think these are going to be very fun to drink over the next 10-15 years and I'm looking forward to their evolution. Drink now or Hold.
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A little bottle age is transforming this into a magical wine. It has a deep dark purple color with a fragrance of dark berries. A luscious mouthful of rich blueberries, blackberries, cinnamon, pepper, cassis, licorice and spice.Well balanced. Fruit forward. Smooth tannins at the end with a very long finish. Delicious. Still very early for this wine; it should improve over next 2 years.
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90 was my starting point. I was so impressed by the first bottle, that I'm afraid to go to a higher number. In the shortest decanting period, it was open and ready to drink. The fruits and flavors wanted to jump out of my mouth. I'm truly surprised that this 2014 is that good, that soon.
What a difference time makes! When I first tasted this wine in the spring it was young, awkward and full of potential. Five months later this is rapidly maturing into a powerful, elegant Dry Creek benchmark. Deep, deep dark purple with classic Dry Creek valley fragrance of berries enveloping and surrounding you. Rich, luxurious, full bodied palate of blueberries mixed with blackberries, raspberries, mint, pepper and spice. Long, long, ...finish. Perfect match with home-made, double fried, baked melanzane parmiagianno with pecorino. This wine is just beginning to reveal itself. It will continue to evolve and improve (?) over the next several years. Enjoy over the next 5 years. But keep a couple of bottles to see how long it can last. Truly superb!!
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I don't usually open these this early but thought we'd give it a try. Bad idea...the amount of oak was overwhelming. 2-3 days later it was drinking better, but this definitely needs more time.
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Always like this wine. First time drinking the 2014. Was on par with other vintages and typical of their style. This vintage is still very young and tight, and will benefit from some time in the cellar. Unlike many Zins, Rafanelli does not overpower. It is balanced and layered, earthy and a tad smoky.
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Appearance: Bright and clear, it has deep purple color, with wide fading rims and legs. Nose: Clean, with medium intensity aromas of black fruit of blackberry and bramble, red fruit of strawberry and raspberry, oak notes of vanilla, floral notes of violet, dried fruit of peach preserve, herbal notes of star anise. The wine is youthful. Palate: Dry with medium (-) acidity, the wine has medium tannin of ripe and silky texture, with high alcohol and medium body, medium intensity flavors of black fruit of plum, red fruit of strawberry, dried fruit of raisin, oak notes of cedar, sweet spice of 5-spice powder. The wine has a medium finish. Conclusion: Good quality Zinfandel with a reasonably intense nose showing good complexity, the wine is elegant and not overpowering even though the alcohol level is high, and still exhibiting a fine range of flavors and finesse. With fair concentration and a decent finish, it is a young wine but already enjoyable but can potentially develop for another 1-2 years.
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Deep garnet color. Fragrant raspberries on the nose. On the palate the fruit and tannins are not yet integrated and the wine is slightly awkward. Good berry and classic zinfandel flavor with pepper. Shorter finish than usual. I think its still too early for this wine. It needs more cellaring. Hopefully, time will bring better balance and spotlight the exuberant fruit this producer is known for. Wait one more year to try again. Addendum: I've been tasting this wine over the past several hours and I'm having a hard time reconciling the difference between this wine and past efforts. At this point in development, though good, this wine seems a slimmed down version of the rich, voluptuous, effusive, long finishing zinfandels I recall from the past. Hopefully time will evolve this wine to similar heights.
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Agree with the prior note that this isn't fully developed yet. Hoping it gets a little more jam to it as it evolves. Really good now though. The bramble and raspberry flavors are really apparent. You get the spice and pepper on the nose and a little at the very end, but also should be more balanced as it ages. As usual though, a great value and very drinkable. One of my favorites.
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Nice smooth wine initially, developed more Zin favors in the bottle. I bought a case and will lay down balance for a year before retrying. Usually develops nicely.
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2/1/2024 - BGK810 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Black fruit flavors, oak, some tannins. Still drinking well, and if you tasted it blind you might think it’s a cab or Bordeaux. Medium length finish.
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1/26/2024 - Sonoma Duck Likes this wine: 91 Points
This nicely aged zinfandel is drinking like a 10 year old Bordeaux.
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9/1/2023 - MMiazga Likes this wine: 92 Points
Classic rafanelli cherry chocolate after 2 hour decant. Some secondary, no tertiary flavors yet. Properly cellared. Drink now or plenty of life left.
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6/18/2023 - tdoyle@smcdslaw.com wrote: 85 Points
Nose was retrained. Very one dimensional and hot with alcohol bursting through.
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4/30/2023 - Winokdub wrote: 93 Points
Yum!
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1/15/2023 - Winokdub wrote: 92 Points
Still holding fairly strong but fruit is fading 92 plus
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10/6/2022 - Rich S wrote: 89 Points
Decanted for sediment. Nose of black cherry, juicy plum, a bit of toasty oak, spice. Similar flavors on the palate with slightly baked plummy fruit and a touch of peppery spice. A bit soft on the palate with medium- acid and medium tannin at best. Still a tasty and enjoyable wine but definitely drink up if holding any.
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6/12/2022 - barrytaylor Likes this wine: 92 Points
deep color, nice & ready
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3/29/2022 - Winokdub wrote: 93 Points
The last of 4. All enjoyable.
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11/30/2021 - Winokdub wrote: 93 Points
Great nose. Beautiful mature Zinfandel in the pallette. Layered and interesting. Finish a hair lean and could use food as I popped as a pre dinner out warm up wine. Probably not going to get any better and already in the latter phases of its life.
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11/23/2021 - BoulderWine Likes this wine: 94 Points
Nice sweet fruit. Really delicious. I'm consistently amazed how well (generally) Rafanelli Zins age and this still has many years of life ahead. (14.7% alc)
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10/9/2021 - lovemycab Likes this wine: 92 Points
This was really enjoyable. First night it wasn’t opened all the way and the fruit was a bit hidden by the dusty tannins. Second night really opened up more to tertiary notes. Will wait a bit on last one or give a much longer time to drink or decant.
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8/24/2021 - tamfrezo Likes this wine: 92 Points
Excellent Zin...full of flavors
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8/1/2021 - VinCA wrote:
Has not yet shed its rustic nature. Nice fruit and tannin with acidic backbone.
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5/9/2021 - steveg1776 wrote: 93 Points
Mother's Day
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3/27/2021 - Jamul Wino wrote: flawed
Color - Garnet with a edge of purple and a hint of orange.
Nose - Raspberries, Berries
Palate - Berries with a touch of harshness up front which softened as it breathed, never went away and came back with more oxygen contact. This caused the whole experience to disappoint. Could be the orange in the color was a sample of things to come. The longer it aged 24, 48 hours and beyond the harshness went away but fruit also diminished.
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1/11/2021 - cwmyers Likes this wine: 98 Points
I have not had a rafanelli like this since 2005. It is great and drew me to this winery back then. It almost has an effervescence to it. Great Zin.
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1/6/2021 - BoulderWine Likes this wine: 92 Points
PnP. The oak has been tamed from five years ago. Still lots of fruit and nicely balanced. Seemed best on the first pour. Threw a bit of sediment. Drank great with Pizza Leah.
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12/31/2020 - Paul from the Oblong Table Likes this wine: 93 Points
CONSISTANT!!! As good as it gets (that I can afford), if you like dark and heavy "reds", this is (was) the one. Last bottle.
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11/19/2020 - tomlee wrote: 92 Points
Dark crimson in color. 14.7% ABV. Awesome nose of juicy red fruits, licorice, baking spices and pepper. Medium to full bodied with mouth watering acidity. Rich and exceptionally elegant. Black cherry, raspberry liqueur, earth and pepper on the palate. Tremendous length on the finish. Dry Creek Valley at its very best. Delicious Zinfandel that will be best over the year or so.
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8/16/2020 - Winokdub wrote: 93 Points
same as a few weeks ago. Planning to drink these up. Still have 2 more. A couple people gave it a 94. I will stick with the 93 given earlier though this was extra good with slow cooked BBQ ribs. Yum!!!
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8/5/2020 - NYCITYRAT Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very refined for a Zin. Great balance of cedar and fruit. Drank well within 15 minutes. Paid $110 at restaurant.
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7/28/2020 - Winokdub wrote: 93 Points
The first hour of this is really amazing but then it seemed to fade off fast.
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6/21/2020 - dlduchon Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nice balance. Lovely Zin.
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5/30/2020 - dlduchon Likes this wine: 92 Points
Another excellent bottle.
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5/8/2020 - Leomania Likes this wine: 92 Points
Black cherry, raspberry, plum. A bit of cacao and pepper. Well-integrated oak and fine tannins. Terrific.
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4/13/2020 - Nyrican wrote: 92 Points
Nice berry and fruit without being jammy Cedar undertones very nice well balanced delicate tannins Love it
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4/1/2020 - Jamul Wino Likes this wine: 91 Points
Color - Dark Garnet with a touch of purple along the edge.
Nose - Light Alcohol burn, (hot), perceptible up front with blackberries, Boysenberries Raspberries and plum.
Palate - Light tannins, balanced and fruit forward, berries, hint of chocolate, almost jammy in character, rich and complex with a bit of earthiness. Best to drink now as is near its peak.
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3/15/2020 - thesternowl Likes this wine: 92 Points
Popped and poured. Drank in a large line up of great wines so no formal notes but this was really good. The 2014 is more red fruited than usual and carries a light touch of Brettanomyces which is somewhat more typical in their Zinfandel. If memory serves me correctly, this vintage was delicious and easy to drink on release. That being said, I am happy to report that it's aging gracefully. I have one remaining bottle that I am in no particular rush to drink.
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2/16/2020 - mjmiller1223 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Earthy with notes of raspberry or dark cherry soda. Alcohol is evident but it works quite well. Wonderful easy drinking wine.
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2/6/2020 - dlduchon Likes this wine: 93 Points
Amazing at first, popped and poured. Spot on vibrancy and balanced fruit. Zippy. Day two was a little flat at first but aired out to a nuanced carmelized aromatics.
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1/5/2020 - daveste Likes this wine: 91 Points
Still fine, good nose, but drink up.
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12/28/2019 - Tony Poli Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drinking perfectly right of the bottle. Smooth and resolved. No hurry, but these are wonderful now.
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10/26/2019 - Growler69 wrote: 91 Points
Drinking beautifully right now: still a lot of red fruit with nicely resolved tannins.
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9/30/2019 - tamfrezo Likes this wine: 90 Points
Excellent full of flavors a great Zin
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8/27/2019 - JgPharm wrote:
Good vintage
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6/23/2019 - Paul from the Oblong Table Likes this wine: 92 Points
ABSOLUTELY DYNAMITE...THESE PEOPLE AND THEIR WINES ARE INCREDIBLE. Bring on the rest of them...
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6/6/2019 - Terramare Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very nice Zin, perhaps a bit more restrained in character than the "big" Dry Creek Zins we have had over the years. A couple years left on the Community Drink Dates seems about right.
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5/21/2019 - Neecies Likes this wine:
In a dumb phase, methinks. Not nearly as interesting as the bottle we opened last July--soft fruit, acid-dominated. Andouzed for 24 hours but it hardly budged. HOLD.
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5/15/2019 - tomlee wrote: 92 Points
Bright crimson in color. 14.7% ABV. Beautiful nose of black fruits, dark chocolate, flowers and pepper. Full bodied with mouth watering acidity. Rustic, Claret style Zinfandel with still substantial tannins. Blackberry, black cherry liqueur, bittersweet chocolate and pepper on the palate. Exceptional length on the finish. Delicious but slightly less approachable than one would expect. Rafanelli remains a benchmark for Dry Creek Zinfandel but this Zin could use another 1-2 years in the cellar.
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4/6/2019 - wirelesswine wrote: 91 Points
Starting to really open up and show well, classic Rafanelli zin with that brambly fruit - intense flavors, but all balanced and not over the top.
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3/2/2019 - WineDoctors Likes this wine: 92 Points
Ruby color to rim. Intense. Medium legs. Plums. Violets. Boysenberries. Med acid. Full bodied. Long finish.
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2/7/2019 - thesternowl Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is in such a killer place right now. In my mind, this bottle proves what Zinfandel is capable of. I detect a small touch of Brett but only just. Anyway, it works whether intended or not. This example is not your jammy-style of Zinfandel. It’s balanced, full of delicious red fruits and light on its feet.
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12/1/2018 - Seneg wrote: 89 Points
Decanted for a couple of hours. Muted , missing character
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11/23/2018 - Barnaby33 wrote:
No longer my style of wine. Jammy without being big. Spicey without any identifyable origin. Hot. Nothing really wrong with it, except a history of disappointing bottles now and no real wow factor. Like any failed relationship I wonder is it me, or them that changed?
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11/23/2018 - Gr8penut Likes this wine: 92 Points
Always a crowd pleaser!
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11/7/2018 - barrytaylor Likes this wine: 90 Points
good young wine, deep color, raspberry flavors. will go another 5 yrs.
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10/27/2018 - bowmanbc Likes this wine: 92 Points
a bit muted. maybe held too long.
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10/13/2018 - 87tellub Likes this wine: 91 Points
Always dependable. Nose has a caramel spice note. Excellent balance throughout. Hides the 14.7% really nicely. Perfect with ribs, brisket and pulled pork.
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8/14/2018 - daveste Likes this wine: 90 Points
Good but not the best year. Drink up as it may not keep.
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7/11/2018 - Neecies Likes this wine:
Just fantastic. We buy and drink too little zin, but that's because we love this complex, restrained, claret style and too few are like this (and available where we live). Heady nose and layered flavors of boysenberry, clove, allspice and cumin.
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6/3/2018 - Paul from the Oblong Table Likes this wine: 91 Points
Not surprised at all that this family vineyard just keeps pumping out the best product ever. This was my first bottle of this lot, and maybe I drank it too soon, but it was over the top--and I have no regrets.
Restraint will come if I can ration the next bottles.
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5/19/2018 - Cajthaml Likes this wine: 91 Points
The 2014 Rafanelli Zin is dark red to violet in color and its nose is appealing to the senses with flavors of blackberry, black cherry and spicy plum. The palate is chewy with tart black fruit, mocha and chocolate. The wine has a strong finish with firm tannins and an oaky taste. As many Rafanelli Zins, this wine also features delicious jammy berry fruit and a spicy core, which will likely continue to develop depth and complexity as it ages.
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2/17/2018 - whits Likes this wine: 93 Points
This was better on the second day of being opened, cherry, raspberry and pepper scents, rich and lush, with raspberry, cherry jam, blueberry,spice and pepper notes on the palate, an elegant style of zinfandel, has jammy character without being too fruit-forward, high quality, take your time with this one, can be shared at a steakhouse
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2/9/2018 - In vino potestus est Likes this wine: 93 Points
24 hours after opening the wine has significantly improved. The fruit is richer. More plum today, raspberry and mocha with pepper, spice and a pleasant tang. Today: full body, long finish. Thoroughly enjoyable, even decadent. Lesson: at this time it needs a long decant (>1hour) or more time in the bottle (? 1 year+). Don't rush this wine.
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2/8/2018 - In vino potestus est Likes this wine: 90 Points
Removed from cellar. PNP. Dark purple. Earthy, berry fragrance. Flavors of raspberries, bramble, spice and pepper. Slightly hot with plenty of tannins and a pleasant tang. Has lost some of its intensity and fruit since tasted last. Enjoyable but slightly awkward and just off balance. Medium body. Medium finish. Perhaps a day with the bottle open will help.
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12/26/2017 - wirelesswine wrote:
Served blind
Wouldn't have guess this!
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11/12/2017 - Chemming Likes this wine: 92 Points
Love it as always, this vintage is a tad lighter than others I’ve had and certainly lighter than many of the regional fruit bombs, but I prefer it in style as it reveals more layers and depth.
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9/30/2017 - Krun48 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drank at scalinatella. In nyc. Birthday weekend. Excellent with lamb.
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9/9/2017 - MateusPetrus Likes this wine: 92 Points
A *gorgeous* experience (except for the label, which sucks). Deep dark inky ruby red color, and it just gets better after that.
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8/18/2017 - Mrp2008 wrote: 91 Points
Good rustic Zin, nice dark red fruit. Round and a bit less tannic than expected. Probably a medium term ager, decent acid just missing some fireworks. Drinks well now.
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6/18/2017 - Paul from the Oblong Table Likes this wine: 92 Points
I'm not sure if 2014 was a premium year, but this 14 certainly is starting to taste like one. EVERYTHING that could be asked for is in this bottle. I will hold the last 3 bottles and wait for other comments.
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4/29/2017 - twoamps Likes this wine: 92 Points
I can't remember not loving a Rafanelli Zin. Consistently excellent and an excellent example of straight up zinfandel; not too fruit forward, not too restrained, not too peppery, not jammy at all, just a wonderful California zinfandel...which also means I wouldn't let it sit around forever. Five years, tops is my rule.
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4/1/2017 - thesternowl Likes this wine: 92 Points
Popped and poured. Judging from this bottle and a few others that I have had the pleasure to try, I would have to say these 2014's are already in outstanding form. If there is a single word that best describes this vintage of Rafanelli's Zinfandel, it has got to be "balance". I mean, everything seems to be in the right place and in the right amounts. I think these are going to be very fun to drink over the next 10-15 years and I'm looking forward to their evolution. Drink now or Hold.
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2/2/2017 - Paul from the Oblong Table Likes this wine: 92 Points
As good as it gets. Color, Flavor, Taste, Linger Effect, and more fruit than I could count.
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1/4/2017 - wynlvr Likes this wine: 91 Points
Still very young, will just get better with time, I think 5 plus years and more.
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12/15/2016 - In vino potestus est Likes this wine: 94 Points
A little bottle age is transforming this into a magical wine. It has a deep dark purple color with a fragrance of dark berries. A luscious mouthful of rich blueberries, blackberries, cinnamon, pepper, cassis, licorice and spice.Well balanced. Fruit forward. Smooth tannins at the end with a very long finish. Delicious. Still very early for this wine; it should improve over next 2 years.
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11/6/2016 - Paul from the Oblong Table Likes this wine: 90 Points
90 was my starting point. I was so impressed by the first bottle, that I'm afraid to go to a higher number. In the shortest decanting period, it was open and ready to drink. The fruits and flavors wanted to jump out of my mouth. I'm truly surprised that this 2014 is that good, that soon.
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10/22/2016 - In vino potestus est Likes this wine: 96 Points
What a difference time makes! When I first tasted this wine in the spring it was young, awkward and full of potential. Five months later this is rapidly maturing into a powerful, elegant Dry Creek benchmark. Deep, deep dark purple with classic Dry Creek valley fragrance of berries enveloping and surrounding you. Rich, luxurious, full bodied palate of blueberries mixed with blackberries, raspberries, mint, pepper and spice. Long, long, ...finish. Perfect match with home-made, double fried, baked melanzane parmiagianno with pecorino. This wine is just beginning to reveal itself. It will continue to evolve and improve (?) over the next several years. Enjoy over the next 5 years. But keep a couple of bottles to see how long it can last. Truly superb!!
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9/25/2016 - PVJC wrote:
I don't usually open these this early but thought we'd give it a try. Bad idea...the amount of oak was overwhelming. 2-3 days later it was drinking better, but this definitely needs more time.
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8/8/2016 - Chemming Likes this wine: 91 Points
Always like this wine. First time drinking the 2014. Was on par with other vintages and typical of their style. This vintage is still very young and tight, and will benefit from some time in the cellar. Unlike many Zins, Rafanelli does not overpower. It is balanced and layered, earthy and a tad smoky.
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7/29/2016 - peterchoy wrote: 90 Points
Appearance: Bright and clear, it has deep purple color, with wide fading rims and legs.
Nose: Clean, with medium intensity aromas of black fruit of blackberry and bramble, red fruit of strawberry and raspberry, oak notes of vanilla, floral notes of violet, dried fruit of peach preserve, herbal notes of star anise. The wine is youthful.
Palate: Dry with medium (-) acidity, the wine has medium tannin of ripe and silky texture, with high alcohol and medium body, medium intensity flavors of black fruit of plum, red fruit of strawberry, dried fruit of raisin, oak notes of cedar, sweet spice of 5-spice powder. The wine has a medium finish.
Conclusion: Good quality Zinfandel with a reasonably intense nose showing good complexity, the wine is elegant and not overpowering even though the alcohol level is high, and still exhibiting a fine range of flavors and finesse. With fair concentration and a decent finish, it is a young wine but already enjoyable but can potentially develop for another 1-2 years.
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6/7/2016 - In vino potestus est Likes this wine: 89 Points
Deep garnet color. Fragrant raspberries on the nose. On the palate the fruit and tannins are not yet integrated and the wine is slightly awkward. Good berry and classic zinfandel flavor with pepper. Shorter finish than usual. I think its still too early for this wine. It needs more cellaring. Hopefully, time will bring better balance and spotlight the exuberant fruit this producer is known for. Wait one more year to try again. Addendum: I've been tasting this wine over the past several hours and I'm having a hard time reconciling the difference between this wine and past efforts. At this point in development, though good, this wine seems a slimmed down version of the rich, voluptuous, effusive, long finishing zinfandels I recall from the past. Hopefully time will evolve this wine to similar heights.
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6/5/2016 - AJ101 wrote: 83 Points
A bit stringent and the flavors less developed than other vintages of this excellent producer.
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5/12/2016 - BoulderWine wrote:
Really enjoyed this at Passport Weekend but my first bottle opened was dominated by oak. Will probably wait a few months before trying again.
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4/27/2016 - norzano Likes this wine: 90 Points
Agree with the prior note that this isn't fully developed yet. Hoping it gets a little more jam to it as it evolves. Really good now though. The bramble and raspberry flavors are really apparent. You get the spice and pepper on the nose and a little at the very end, but also should be more balanced as it ages. As usual though, a great value and very drinkable. One of my favorites.
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4/7/2016 - Mike Dildine Likes this wine: 92 Points
14.7% abv. Dark ruby with expressive aromatics. Black raspberries, plumb and bramble on the palate. Very deep and long. Quintessential Dry Creek Zin.
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4/2/2016 - metldr Likes this wine: 89 Points
Nice smooth wine initially, developed more Zin favors in the bottle. I bought a case and will lay down balance for a year before retrying. Usually develops nicely.
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