This wine has been in my cellar since its release, and I've kept it as a curiosity since I assumed it was long over-the-hill. Well surprise! Out of boredom I opened it last weekend and it was a revelation. Probably not as bright as it was 10-20 years ago, but still outstanding. Dense nectarine/cherry flavors, full body and no oxidation. The cork was also in great shape. Many a classified Bordeaux has faired less well after 36 years - go figure!
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Worried when I saw the cork but ended up being fine. Nose opened very sickly sweet. After about 30 min that blew off and showed poached berries, brandy apples and a little dirty leather. Compared to the nose the palate still had some vibrancy. Sweet strawberry, dusty cherry, pomegranate that still had some acidity and tannins. Enjoyable to drink as a novelty with a friend born in ‘87. Honestly better than the red wine served on domestic first class flights.
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Medium garnet/brick color...faded a bit with separation at the edges. Nose was showing cherry, cedar, earth. Later in the tasting started to pick up caramel. Palate showed dusted fruits - cherry, currant, pomegranate, earth. Medium weight and finish. nice flavor through the mid palate.
While it probably peaked a few years ago it was really fun to drink a rare wine like this. Still vibrant and expressive. Longevity and quality here a tribute to Ridge and Paul Draper
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Perfect fill, this Zinfandel blend is tired and was no doubt better 5-10 years ago. Showing some black tea tannins, pleasant dried strawberry and it has just a kiss of the signature American oak. Not bad, but this adds to my feeling that Lytton Springs doesn't age like Geyserville (of which the wines from the late 80's are still terrific).
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Bottle age can really do things to wines. By that I mean I was unable to discern the informing grape (served double-blind) on this one as age and perhaps some bottle variation as well had taken their toll. Instead of Zin fruit, this was all about the 'Draper perfume', i.e. American Oak. For me, it was just too much, and no amount of swirling or letting it sit in the glass seemed to matter. Caramel and brown sugar on the nose (with little else), but a palate that is still in fine shape - properly lifted, with a sweet, still fresh core of red berry fruit. Nothing fascinating here in terms of complexity, but it does make a case - in terms of purity of fruit and ripeness/balance - for PD as one of the greatest American winemakers of all time. 82% Zin, 13% Carignane, 5% Cinsault, with 13,4% abv.
Having said all that, I feel the Am. oak imbalance was due to bottle variation, and (more) likely, less than ideal storage at some point(s) during its life.
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Cork came out well intact using an Ah So wine puller. Color shows it age but not much bricking. Mature but pleasant aromas. Nice soft, sweet fruit and balance. Declined a bit as the night went on but crazy good for a 28-year old Zinfandel.
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Purchased at the winery and drank that night with a group of friends in Santa Rosa. It was rare to find a 25 year old Zin in this condition. I went in skeptical, but the tasting room employees had the wine recently enough and raved about it.
Very fresh for a wine this age, would have guessed it was 10-12 years old if I didn't know. Color has lightened a bit but still very rich. (from memory, no notes) Dry cherries, cedar, earth, tobacco. Excellent finish - up to 20 seconds. Wine improved as we drank it, could use a 30 minute decant.
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Nose - mature dark fruit, showing brambly cherry, rustic and tart, touch of olive, some floral notes. Mature tart black cherry and olive, rose hips and other floral notes. A bit too tart for the maturity of the fruit, which would be easily remedied with food.
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BIG RICH FRUITY AROMA, BLACK CHERRIES AND LICORICE ON OPENING WITH RASPBERRIES & TOUCH OF EARTHINESS. DEEP DRIED FRUIT IN THE FLVR.MED TO LONG FNSH.MUCH BETTER THAN 2/92 TSTG (17/22/24/21=84)
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8/20/2023 - jimoak Likes this wine: 93 Points
This wine has been in my cellar since its release, and I've kept it as a curiosity since I assumed it was long over-the-hill. Well surprise! Out of boredom I opened it last weekend and it was a revelation. Probably not as bright as it was 10-20 years ago, but still outstanding. Dense nectarine/cherry flavors, full body and no oxidation. The cork was also in great shape. Many a classified Bordeaux has faired less well after 36 years - go figure!
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8/10/2018 - jvphoto Likes this wine: 87 Points
Worried when I saw the cork but ended up being fine. Nose opened very sickly sweet. After about 30 min that blew off and showed poached berries, brandy apples and a little dirty leather. Compared to the nose the palate still had some vibrancy. Sweet strawberry, dusty cherry, pomegranate that still had some acidity and tannins. Enjoyable to drink as a novelty with a friend born in ‘87. Honestly better than the red wine served on domestic first class flights.
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6/1/2017 - walkerjfw wrote: 92 Points
Alfresco dinner w old wines and young - Princeton Wine Crew and special guest Jamie Leahy of Marston Vineyards (Chez Walker - Princeton, NJ): First in a lineup of nicely aged reds from my cellar. From a magnum purchased at the winery 5 years ago, only 4 left at the time...given the provenance I had to have it! Drank the first mag in 2012, this one in my cellar since. Cork came out clean, decanted for about 1 hour prior to drinking, fair amount of sediment but easily fined out through my strainer.
Medium garnet/brick color...faded a bit with separation at the edges. Nose was showing cherry, cedar, earth. Later in the tasting started to pick up caramel. Palate showed dusted fruits - cherry, currant, pomegranate, earth. Medium weight and finish. nice flavor through the mid palate.
While it probably peaked a few years ago it was really fun to drink a rare wine like this. Still vibrant and expressive. Longevity and quality here a tribute to Ridge and Paul Draper
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6/22/2016 - andtheodor wrote: flawed
Somewhat caramelly and oxidized, though the signature dried strawberry and tea elements still poke out. Not a great bottle.
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6/17/2016 - blanquito wrote: 86 Points
Perfect fill, this Zinfandel blend is tired and was no doubt better 5-10 years ago. Showing some black tea tannins, pleasant dried strawberry and it has just a kiss of the signature American oak. Not bad, but this adds to my feeling that Lytton Springs doesn't age like Geyserville (of which the wines from the late 80's are still terrific).
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6/14/2016 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:
Bottle age can really do things to wines. By that I mean I was unable to discern the informing grape (served double-blind) on this one as age and perhaps some bottle variation as well had taken their toll. Instead of Zin fruit, this was all about the 'Draper perfume', i.e. American Oak. For me, it was just too much, and no amount of swirling or letting it sit in the glass seemed to matter. Caramel and brown sugar on the nose (with little else), but a palate that is still in fine shape - properly lifted, with a sweet, still fresh core of red berry fruit. Nothing fascinating here in terms of complexity, but it does make a case - in terms of purity of fruit and ripeness/balance - for PD as one of the greatest American winemakers of all time. 82% Zin, 13% Carignane, 5% Cinsault, with 13,4% abv.
Having said all that, I feel the Am. oak imbalance was due to bottle variation, and (more) likely, less than ideal storage at some point(s) during its life.
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8/22/2015 - BoulderWine Likes this wine: 91 Points
Cork came out well intact using an Ah So wine puller. Color shows it age but not much bricking. Mature but pleasant aromas. Nice soft, sweet fruit and balance. Declined a bit as the night went on but crazy good for a 28-year old Zinfandel.
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12/30/2012 - fisk15 wrote:
Cork was solid, wine was just tired with maderized tawny port nose and palate. The other bottle from the same source was better. Not rated.
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7/22/2012 - walkerjfw wrote: 92 Points
Purchased at the winery and drank that night with a group of friends in Santa Rosa. It was rare to find a 25 year old Zin in this condition. I went in skeptical, but the tasting room employees had the wine recently enough and raved about it.
Very fresh for a wine this age, would have guessed it was 10-12 years old if I didn't know. Color has lightened a bit but still very rich. (from memory, no notes) Dry cherries, cedar, earth, tobacco. Excellent finish - up to 20 seconds. Wine improved as we drank it, could use a 30 minute decant.
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11/25/2011 - jlgnml wrote: 90 Points
The Kids are Legal (Our House): Bright and deep color. Great nose, really good for its age and you could wait and still enjoy this wine.
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12/5/2010 - andtheodor wrote:
Bricked color, earthy red fruits, approaching a dry cedary/tobacco profile. Impressive acidity though. Very good.
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9/26/2010 - yhn wrote: 86 Points
Nose - mature dark fruit, showing brambly cherry, rustic and tart, touch of olive, some floral notes.
Mature tart black cherry and olive, rose hips and other floral notes. A bit too tart for the maturity of the fruit, which would be easily remedied with food.
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2/9/1990 - buckeye76 wrote: 91 Points
BIG RICH FRUITY AROMA, BLACK CHERRIES AND LICORICE ON OPENING WITH RASPBERRIES & TOUCH OF EARTHINESS. DEEP DRIED FRUIT IN THE FLVR.MED TO LONG FNSH.MUCH BETTER THAN 2/92 TSTG (17/22/24/21=84)
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