Drinking quite well. Brambly, mostly black, fruit. Not too ripe. Some spices. Good acidity. Tannins fully integrated. Not sure it will improve with further cellar time. My guess is no (but just a guess). If I had more, I would drink within the next 2-3 yrs.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Previous notes of PnP were accurate, decanted for 15min and really didn't need much to get going. Huge nose of dark cherry and blueberries. Tannins resolved and lovely balance right now of blue/black fruit with a nice and polished acidic finish. Need to buy more from this Vineyard!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Still just a very good wine. No complaints about that, but I wouldn’t rank it up with the strongest vintages of Papera and I don’t see it evolving there with more time in the cellar. When I have one of the Bedrock SVDs that performs at this level, I’m reminded just how good the Old Vine Zin is - as good, and sometimes better, at half the price.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
No longer all that tannic, but it's still a big boy. Decent nose. Primarily red fruit, but there was plenty of darker fruit as well. Fairly rich, with an above average finish. So why not a higher score? Papera is probably my favorite zinfandel vineyard, so i expect a religious experience whenever I drink a wine made from its fruit. Sorry, but this just didn't deliver. Although it did deliver a big, mouth-filling experience, it still struck me as rather simple and coarse.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
A bit of an underperforming Papera Ranch, to me. There’s good acidity but it sticks out a bit, needing a little more fruit richness to provide balance. In most vintages, that’s present. In the 2015, not quite. Still, it’s got more complexity than the Old Vine Zin and is a good food companion at this stage.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Delicious wine that showed the prettier side of Zin while showing more dark earth character than a pure varietal wine. Elevated ABV at 14.5, but in balance. Silky tannin, moderate acidity, and brambly fruit with added tertiary complexity. Showing well now.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Tasted side-by-side with a 2015 Carlisle Papera zinfandel. Compared to the Carlisle, this came across as somewhat coarse and unpolished. Nice nose, nice fruit, and nice finish, but it seemed a little rough and raw. Although the tannins are not all that obtrusive, I think it needs another year or so.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
A flavorful bold wine. It was tasty and interesting. Zin seems to anchor this. Other varietals add some interest. Nonetheless - a curious interesting wine. Drink now (as other recent notes suggest).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Opened, poured and let sit 1/2 hr. Then: Not much nose, maybe some red fruit. Sweetish red fruit on the taste, but a bit over-ripe; maybe some cherry; soft mouthfeel; not quite in balance; no tannin to speak of; still some acidity, at least at the beginning. Not really identifiable as zinfandel. Still drinkable, but big disappointment for svd Papara. I'm sure this is my last bottle; and drink now; definitely on the downside.
The spicy red fruits are deep, yet soft-spoken on the palate. The silky-smooth tannins and gentle acidity bring the sip in for a soft landing at the back of your throat. There is so much richness on the palate, but not in an overwhelming way.
Its an elegant yet powerful wine. Very pleasant and calming to drink.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Opened, poured and let sit 30 min. Then: Maybe some red fruit on the nose, but that's a reach. Taste is red fruit; tannin not an issue; no noticeable acidity; soft mouthfeel; some spice, but pretty monotone taste. The taste is pleasant, but everything is low key. Different again from prior bottles. An tasty generic zin at best; but for a Bedrock Papera, this is disappointing. Based on this bottle, drink now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
5 hour decant by the time I got around to it. Sappy purple fruits, still loads of acid, a bit of spice on the finish. Put it back away and forget about this bottle.
Opened, poured and let sit about 45 min. Then: Not much nose; maybe some red fruit. Taste is red fruit, but some noticeable acidity/alcohol running through as well. Mid-way, red fruit still there, as is the acidity/alcohol. Both carry through to the finish. Acidity/alcohol stays with the fruit and ends up diminishing the fruit. It doesn't dominate, but interferes enough to lessen the fruit. And the fruit is sort of one-dimensional. Maybe a slightly off bottle; or maybe time to drink up. Definitely not comparable to the last bottle of this in August. Not bad; just not as pleasurable as the last one.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Opened, poured and let sit 30 min. This bottle is noticeably better than the 4/12/2021 bottle. Seems lighter in body and closer to what I'm looking for in zinfandel: a bit spicier, alcohol not noticeable, red berry of some kind and not the simple monotone red wall of fruit, tannin not an issue - almost a soft mouth feel, extended finish. Based on this bottle, I would drink up. This particular bottle is in a great spot.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Thanks to those who recommended a decant. Gave it two hours to breathe and was careful to filter for sediment (there was a fair amount). Bedrock website says this is 50% Zin and 40% Carignan. The Carignan really showed for us as the smoked meat flavors really popped. Enjoyable blend and well made. Drinking well now.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Opened, poured and let sit in glass for 45 min: Very little nose, but a wall of dark reddish fruit from beginning to end, with a bit of spice. I guess I would call it a "modern" style/Bordeaux style. To me, not much zin taste - just that wall of fruit; similar to but not the same as any number of other modern zins. A nice wine, nice balance and very drinkable, but not what I was looking for from Papara. Tannins seemed to be an issue in others' notes, but were not much of an issue in this bottle. Still, no rush to drink. Day 2: No noticeable change.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
This wine has tons of promise; however, it was just beginning to open after a 1.5 hour decant. I am going to cellar my remaining bottles for at least 2-3 years. If you cannot wait, I recommend a long (2+ hour) decant.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
On the first night,it was quite good but somewhat disjointed and even a little hot. On night two, it had come together and was singing like a canary. An absolute delight to drink.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Purple in color. 14.5% ABV. Great nose of brambly red fruits, peach, citrus and earth. Medium to full bodied with ample acidity. Claret style with lush, jammy fruits. Boysenberry, raspberry liqueur, baking spices and pepper on the palate. Tremendous length on the finish. Awesome Zinfandel that is showing so well right now. Morgan consistently crafts great wines from this jewel of a vineyard at the intersection of Piner and Olivet. Best over the next 2-3 years.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
wow. This is really singing. Great energy and complicity going on here. Tightly wound, but has enough to be more than enjoyable. Boysenberry, bluebery, and such a healthy does of acidity that plays perfect off the very rich fruit. This works!!
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Give this bottle some time. Either lay it down for a few more years or decant 24 hours in advance. Was delicious on day one but after an overnight, this sings with what you expect from Papera Ranch. Have one more bottle to drink, hopefully I can keep my hands off for a few more years.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Memorial Day 2019; 5/25/2019-5/26/2019 (Big Bear CA): Very good! Fantastic? Not really. We paired this Bedrock 2015 Papera with a Carlisle 2015 Papera. Both were opened and allowed to breath for two hours. The Bedrock was the brighter flavored of the two, but the Carlisle was the more structured of the the two. Amongst the 10 of us drinking them, the Carlisle was preferred 6:4. Don't get me wrong! They are both wonderful wines! It was just that the Carlisle outshone the Bedrock when tasted head to head.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Strange bottle. Had a bottle a year ago that I rated 94, that was great on night one. This bottle was tight until night three and had a hot finish. Then, on night three it was the great wine I expected.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
While I've never been a fan of Zinfandel blends, this is utterly delicious indeed. Perfectly extracted without being heavy-handed. Notes of mountain berries and wild strawberries, and a touch of gravel. 91-92
6 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is a very complex wine. Not sure I can identify the tastes coming at me fast. I find warm black raspberries and a smoky nutty middle with herbs on the finish. Not really sweet but definitely like an exotic dessert. No telling what it will do over the next five years. I double aerated and it was ready to drink on night one but might have improved on night two.
6 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
14.5% abv. Dark ruby, very aromatic. Raspberry, cassis, blue fruit and a slightly minty finish. Sappy, rich, deep and long. This wine is loaded - great now and will continue to improve. An absolutely stellar Papera.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
3/29/2024 - bravo.solares Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drinking quite well. Brambly, mostly black, fruit. Not too ripe. Some spices. Good acidity. Tannins fully integrated. Not sure it will improve with further cellar time. My guess is no (but just a guess). If I had more, I would drink within the next 2-3 yrs.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/1/2024 - Sw244 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Previous notes of PnP were accurate, decanted for 15min and really didn't need much to get going. Huge nose of dark cherry and blueberries. Tannins resolved and lovely balance right now of blue/black fruit with a nice and polished acidic finish. Need to buy more from this Vineyard!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/24/2023 - bound4er wrote: 92 Points
Drinking quite nicely at present. Hard to say if further aging will provide upside.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/5/2023 - BRR Likes this wine:
Delicious with burgers. Not decanted. Lots of great fruit, but the structure wasn't overbearing. Drink now with pleasure or hold for more complexity.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/20/2023 - EMTAME wrote: 89 Points
Still just a very good wine. No complaints about that, but I wouldn’t rank it up with the strongest vintages of Papera and I don’t see it evolving there with more time in the cellar. When I have one of the Bedrock SVDs that performs at this level, I’m reminded just how good the Old Vine Zin is - as good, and sometimes better, at half the price.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/2/2023 - Night Train Likes this wine: 89 Points
No longer all that tannic, but it's still a big boy. Decent nose. Primarily red fruit, but there was plenty of darker fruit as well. Fairly rich, with an above average finish. So why not a higher score? Papera is probably my favorite zinfandel vineyard, so i expect a religious experience whenever I drink a wine made from its fruit. Sorry, but this just didn't deliver. Although it did deliver a big, mouth-filling experience, it still struck me as rather simple and coarse.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/23/2022 - EMTAME wrote: 89 Points
A bit of an underperforming Papera Ranch, to me. There’s good acidity but it sticks out a bit, needing a little more fruit richness to provide balance. In most vintages, that’s present. In the 2015, not quite. Still, it’s got more complexity than the Old Vine Zin and is a good food companion at this stage.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/2/2022 - Bozekt wrote: 91 Points
Delicious wine that showed the prettier side of Zin while showing more dark earth character than a pure varietal wine. Elevated ABV at 14.5, but in balance. Silky tannin, moderate acidity, and brambly fruit with added tertiary complexity. Showing well now.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/15/2022 - Night Train Likes this wine: 89 Points
Tasted side-by-side with a 2015 Carlisle Papera zinfandel. Compared to the Carlisle, this came across as somewhat coarse and unpolished. Nice nose, nice fruit, and nice finish, but it seemed a little rough and raw. Although the tannins are not all that obtrusive, I think it needs another year or so.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/25/2022 - djpo wrote: 90 Points
A flavorful bold wine. It was tasty and interesting. Zin seems to anchor this. Other varietals add some interest. Nonetheless - a curious interesting wine. Drink now (as other recent notes suggest).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/9/2022 - gmbdds wrote: 91 Points
Racy and juicy berry fruits. Vibrant and fresh though shy on pepper and savory notes.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/1/2022 - Quiller wrote: 85 Points
Opened, poured and let sit 1/2 hr. Then: Not much nose, maybe some red fruit. Sweetish red fruit on the taste, but a bit over-ripe; maybe some cherry; soft mouthfeel; not quite in balance; no tannin to speak of; still some acidity, at least at the beginning. Not really identifiable as zinfandel. Still drinkable, but big disappointment for svd Papara. I'm sure this is my last bottle; and drink now; definitely on the downside.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (3)
3/18/2022 - SH Wu wrote: 91 Points
The spicy red fruits are deep, yet soft-spoken on the palate. The silky-smooth tannins and gentle acidity bring the sip in for a soft landing at the back of your throat. There is so much richness on the palate, but not in an overwhelming way.
Its an elegant yet powerful wine. Very pleasant and calming to drink.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/26/2022 - pickhardt Likes this wine: 90 Points
Decanted for ~75 minutes. Nice dark fruit, but it didn't get past a 90 for me. Still it was very enjoyable.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/20/2022 - Quiller wrote: 87 Points
Opened, poured and let sit 30 min. Then: Maybe some red fruit on the nose, but that's a reach. Taste is red fruit; tannin not an issue; no noticeable acidity; soft mouthfeel; some spice, but pretty monotone taste. The taste is pleasant, but everything is low key. Different again from prior bottles. An tasty generic zin at best; but for a Bedrock Papera, this is disappointing. Based on this bottle, drink now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/29/2021 - adnorthup wrote:
5 hour decant by the time I got around to it. Sappy purple fruits, still loads of acid, a bit of spice on the finish. Put it back away and forget about this bottle.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2)
9/25/2021 - Quiller wrote: 89 Points
Opened, poured and let sit about 45 min. Then: Not much nose; maybe some red fruit. Taste is red fruit, but some noticeable acidity/alcohol running through as well. Mid-way, red fruit still there, as is the acidity/alcohol. Both carry through to the finish. Acidity/alcohol stays with the fruit and ends up diminishing the fruit. It doesn't dominate, but interferes enough to lessen the fruit. And the fruit is sort of one-dimensional. Maybe a slightly off bottle; or maybe time to drink up. Definitely not comparable to the last bottle of this in August. Not bad; just not as pleasurable as the last one.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/7/2021 - Quiller wrote: 92 Points
Opened, poured and let sit 30 min. This bottle is noticeably better than the 4/12/2021 bottle. Seems lighter in body and closer to what I'm looking for in zinfandel: a bit spicier, alcohol not noticeable, red berry of some kind and not the simple monotone red wall of fruit, tannin not an issue - almost a soft mouth feel, extended finish. Based on this bottle, I would drink up. This particular bottle is in a great spot.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/28/2021 - RobbieC Likes this wine:
Thanks to those who recommended a decant. Gave it two hours to breathe and was careful to filter for sediment (there was a fair amount). Bedrock website says this is 50% Zin and 40% Carignan. The Carignan really showed for us as the smoked meat flavors really popped. Enjoyable blend and well made. Drinking well now.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/12/2021 - Quiller wrote: 90 Points
Opened, poured and let sit in glass for 45 min: Very little nose, but a wall of dark reddish fruit from beginning to end, with a bit of spice. I guess I would call it a "modern" style/Bordeaux style. To me, not much zin taste - just that wall of fruit; similar to but not the same as any number of other modern zins. A nice wine, nice balance and very drinkable, but not what I was looking for from Papara. Tannins seemed to be an issue in others' notes, but were not much of an issue in this bottle. Still, no rush to drink. Day 2: No noticeable change.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/28/2021 - Dnacabernet wrote:
This wine has tons of promise; however, it was just beginning to open after a 1.5 hour decant. I am going to cellar my remaining bottles for at least 2-3 years. If you cannot wait, I recommend a long (2+ hour) decant.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/17/2021 - adnorthup Likes this wine:
Entering a good phase with a long decant. Classic Papera.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/17/2020 - kkoshkin wrote: 94 Points
Score from second night.
On the first night,it was quite good but somewhat disjointed and even a little hot. On night two, it had come together and was singing like a canary. An absolute delight to drink.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/4/2020 - kkoshkin Likes this wine: 92 Points
This is still just a baby. Delicious but still bursting with primary fruit.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/27/2020 - jstrovel@gmail.com Likes this wine: 93 Points
This has really come around in the last year. Dark and red fruits, spicy zin character. Yummy!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/16/2020 - tomlee wrote: 93 Points
Purple in color. 14.5% ABV. Great nose of brambly red fruits, peach, citrus and earth. Medium to full bodied with ample acidity. Claret style with lush, jammy fruits. Boysenberry, raspberry liqueur, baking spices and pepper on the palate. Tremendous length on the finish. Awesome Zinfandel that is showing so well right now. Morgan consistently crafts great wines from this jewel of a vineyard at the intersection of Piner and Olivet. Best over the next 2-3 years.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/14/2020 - mwrock Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nose sharp red fruit, lush semi sweet notes. Taste red fruit, light, smooth, balanced tannins and a great long finish.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/2/2020 - ShadowIII Likes this wine: 93 Points
dark fruits, blackberries, blueberries, lush, balanced, integrated tannins, long finish, pleasure to drink
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/30/2020 - lolo66 wrote: 94 Points
wow. This is really singing. Great energy and complicity going on here. Tightly wound, but has enough to be more than enjoyable. Boysenberry, bluebery, and such a healthy does of acidity that plays perfect off the very rich fruit. This works!!
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/28/2019 - Mootsie Likes this wine: 91 Points
Raspberry, cinnamon with a mineral finish. Bright acidity. Medium bodied.
Best on day 2. 92 on day 2.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/23/2019 - Sellar Rat Likes this wine: 89 Points
A boysenberry nose can be coaxed out. More on the palate with good balance
and depth, but no real complexity yet. Still very young. Definitely hold.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/3/2019 - Neat Water Back Likes this wine:
Give this bottle some time. Either lay it down for a few more years or decant 24 hours in advance. Was delicious on day one but after an overnight, this sings with what you expect from Papera Ranch. Have one more bottle to drink, hopefully I can keep my hands off for a few more years.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/25/2019 - JERB Likes this wine: 91 Points
Memorial Day 2019; 5/25/2019-5/26/2019 (Big Bear CA): Very good! Fantastic? Not really. We paired this Bedrock 2015 Papera with a Carlisle 2015 Papera. Both were opened and allowed to breath for two hours. The Bedrock was the brighter flavored of the two, but the Carlisle was the more structured of the the two. Amongst the 10 of us drinking them, the Carlisle was preferred 6:4. Don't get me wrong! They are both wonderful wines! It was just that the Carlisle outshone the Bedrock when tasted head to head.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/30/2019 - spicy1 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Strange bottle. Had a bottle a year ago that I rated 94, that was great on night one. This bottle was tight until night three and had a hot finish. Then, on night three it was the great wine I expected.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/28/2019 - pakabear wrote: 92 Points
Medium red fruits, baking spices, white pepper, vanilla, great balance and drinking well as a PnP.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/18/2018 - bonedocnine Likes this wine: 93 Points
very delicious!!!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/9/2018 - taylormartin Likes this wine: 95 Points
Best Bedrock wine I’ve ever had and we buy 1.5-2cases per year. Fantastic nose, long finish. Fantastic!
6 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/29/2018 - joraesque wrote: 91 Points
While I've never been a fan of Zinfandel blends, this is utterly delicious indeed. Perfectly extracted without being heavy-handed. Notes of mountain berries and wild strawberries, and a touch of gravel.
91-92
6 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/27/2018 - Mike Dildine Likes this wine: 94 Points
Absolutely delicious. With potential to be even more delicious!
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/27/2018 - spicy1 Likes this wine: 94 Points
This is a very complex wine. Not sure I can identify the tastes coming at me fast. I find warm black raspberries and a smoky nutty middle with herbs on the finish. Not really sweet but definitely like an exotic dessert. No telling what it will do over the next five years. I double aerated and it was ready to drink on night one but might have improved on night two.
6 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/15/2017 - Mike Dildine Likes this wine: 95 Points
14.5% abv. Dark ruby, very aromatic. Raspberry, cassis, blue fruit and a slightly minty finish. Sappy, rich, deep and long. This wine is loaded - great now and will continue to improve. An absolutely stellar Papera.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/17/2017 - Mootsie wrote:
Really tight. Not fair to score. Hold for at least a year or two.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/6/2017 - ichiballs wrote: 88 Points
tart cherries, medium/high acid, high alcohol. Tastes more of a pinot, but with higher alcohol content...Not what I was expecting.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment