Good mature zin, something I really enjoy that doesn't always work out great in my opinion but when it does is a highly enjoyable full bodied, balanced and deep wine. And here, we have that. In a great drinking spot, would consume within the next year or so.
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Unusual profile, as noted in other reviews. The Zin fruit from this vineyard at the top of Howell Mtn consistently has a peppery note, and that was a little subdued in this bottle compared to others I've had. Having evolved this long it has developed a refinement we usually don't get in Zin. We enjoyed it with grass fed rib eyes off the grill. This is ready now. Maybe a little past prime. I see no benefit to waiting.
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Last one. Maybe the most average of them all, thus far. Could be this vintage has shot its wad and is now settling into just another red wine from here on out? Seems to me the last semblance of zin, has left the building.
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I'll say it for those again....who haven't heard it before. This Zin drinks like a Cab. Even Jimbo had to stop and look at the bottle tonight to make sure.
Dark purple in the glass. The nose is of dark berry fruit, difficult to tell if it's a cab of a zin at first. Great weight in the mouth, balanced acidity and tannin structure. Seems to benefit from 1-2 hours of air. Quite the pleasurable wine......this bottle borders on a 94 for me, but age is calming these animals down a bit..
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Crimson in color. 16.1% ABV. Sublime nose of red fruits, anise and pepper. Full bodied with mouth watering acidity. Plush and juicy on the palate. Flavors of raspberry compote, mulberry, chocolate truffle and Howell Mountain white pepper. Exceptional length on the finish. Big, full throttle Zinfandel that hits all the right spots. Best over the next year or so.
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Picked this one up back in July '22 with an Outpost cellar/library sale @$80/bottle. Sitting in the cellar ever since arriving. Pnp'd heading into the jacuzzi tub after a long work day at the market in what amounts to feeling like near freezing temps in FL of 56 Degrees.....lol. It's amazing how chilled to the bone you can get when you are used to 85 degrees all the time! I think our wind chill was like 50 degrees most of the cloudy morning. Alas, I truly feel for all my northern CT friends right now, who might die if they go out to the mailbox to get their mail today. You have my sympathies.....screw the hot chocolate, drink more wine on days like today! This bottle has THE most pristine virginal cork of any 7 yo wine I've ever seen, in my lifetime. It literally looks brand spankin' new. Almost zero absorption on the end and what's there is light red not dark as you would think should be there after 7 years sitting in a cellar. The nose is of typical zin fruit, the color looks just a tad faded but still fairly dark in the glass. The palate is of this smooth integrated Cali zin with just the right amount of zin spice/white pepper. Nothing hot despite the stated 16.1% alc. Not a harsh edge in sight. Everything in balance. Wonderful ending of orange peel and acidity. What a beautiful wine! If we had more left in the bottle, it might even score higher. Having said that, I think these have peaked and I'll be drinking my other 2 bottles of this '16 over the next few months......
Picked up at the winery, intended to bring home, but I don’t know if there are any survivors going to make it out of Napa after opening the first one. Perfectly balanced, dark fruits, spice, finely grained tannins. A touch hot on pop and pour but gets to harmony really quickly. A brilliant expression of Zinfandel and Howell Mountain , pure joy. Could be held for probably 3 or 4 more years but no reason to.
Recent notes have been raving about this wine. I have to agree—it’s some really killer juice. It’s been several days so I’m recalling impressions more than details—I found it definitely ready to drink, but still pretty bold tannins suggest some future softening could make this even better. Big fruit but smooth and long; maybe a touch of heat immediately but a short time open resolves. Have another bottle I’m giving a year or two and a ‘17 after that. I may buy more of this.
My final bottle of this '16, and the finest yet. With each year that passes this wine gains an additional point, now a 95 verging on a 96. Again, these Outpost beasts are a cab drinkers, zin. Rich and powerful are understatements. Dark mountain fruit, 16.1% alc and almost......almost perfectly integrated at this point in time. Just a tad of heat remaining, but I can easily overlook that when the rest of the product is this good. I recently had a '19 that was so over the top jammy and didn't even feel like a zin. It was disappointing at the time. I now am a confirmed believer that I should not touch my '18 or '19 zins for another 3 years, minimum.
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Deep garnet color. Medium bodied. Nose of chocolate, pepper, raspberry-dark cherries, With roasted pork butt, slowly simmered white beans with Cajun Andouille and smoked sausage and baked yams (sweet potatoes) was an amazing accompaniment. Lawdamercy! Enjoy this baby!
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Predominately red fruit leads the way with blue note and Asian spices following closely behind. What a great expression of Zinfandel. Pleasing to the nose as the wine unfurls in the glass. Good juice.
Once again a velvety wine with creamy mouthfeel. Balanced blue fruits carry until the palette moves to a spiced mid palette. Spices carry to the finish with the presence of acidity and a structured backbone which goes on for 1 min plus. One of the better zin which I have found.
Really a classic version of Cali zin.....not just any zin, but damn good zin. Just the right amout of juicy black, brambly fruit. Truly rich. Truly good and well representative of the varietal. Classy, with a great acidic backbone which supports the fruit beautifully. We loved this so much we opened a second bottle and Carol is now passed out while it is still light out.....embarrassing, no?
Crimson in color. 16.1% ABV. Sublime nose of red fruits, licorice and white pepper. Full bodied with mouth watering acidity. Big, rich and lush with remarkable balance. Black cherry, raspberry liqueur, plums and pepper on the palate. Exceptional length on the finish. Full throttle Zinfandel that pushes the envelope but in the end completely delivers. Best over the next 3-5 years.
I decanted for one hour and the wine was just starting to open up. I would recommend at least two hours of air time if you plan to open this bottling anytime in the next 12-18 months. This zinfandel is unique in its viscosity - the wine coats the palate. Dark-toned fruit and full bodied without ever feeling flabby. All elements in balance. QPR at $50.00 from K&L is fair. For the money, i would likely go for a Carlisle or Bedrock wine - monte rosso comes to mind. Still, it’s nice to have a zinfandel from a Napa AVA to mix things up.
Two hour decant. Very deep dark magenta color. Boysenberry, toffee, chocolate, maraschino cherry, and cola on the nose. Dry, velvety palate. Firm, full tannins on the surprisingly long finish.
This Cabernet-like Zinfandel is drinking in prime time. It’s that thick-skinned mountain fruit that does it.
Mountain fruit sings from the hillside with echoing delight. The TRB silkiness is on full display here. Layers upon layers of goodness for such a young Zinfandel. There is no waiting for enjoyment. Good juice.
Didn’t take notes on this when we consumed it a few days ago, but we sure enjoyed every drop. I wish the price was just a little lower, as it’s a little high for Zinfandel, but you can’t argue with the quality of what’s in the bottle.
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Had at a dinner with friends. Same dinner with 2016 Phelps Cab and Fay 2013. Decanted this for one hour. It was the star. The black, brambly mountain fruit comes through from the nose to the finish. The mouthfeel is incredibly rich. Remains one of my all time favorites.
Calmed down a great bit since last tasted at Outpost (10/18). Opened Monday and had 1 glass, finished the bottle Thursday. Even better on day 2, but no slouch on PnP.
Explodes with jammy fruit, with no hint of the wall of tannins that it had back in 2018. One of my favorite Zins - consistent and long lasting.
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Tasted and reviewed blind. Sweet, jammy fruit with limited structure (very light tannins and acidity). My wife says: “I think it’s New World because I like it.” I agree it’s New World. Dates, prunes, brown sugar, black tea, Christmas spices. I guess 2016 Outpost Zinfandel.
Non-blind. Rating: 91. Very smooth. I give zinfandel a pass for its weak structure because it is so delicious and distinctive. Tannins are a bit heavier than I noticed blind.
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I honestly understand JD’s 96 here. This is a really wonderful wine. I’m probably too much of a Cabernet whore to ever get my Zin scores into the upper 90s, but this is magic. I would buy two cases of this and drink them until they are gone. Jammy, blue fruit, incredibly smooth, beautiful tannin.
Wow, what an improvement! Martinelli Jackass at 50% off... big and full of Zin flavor with a LONG finish. Zin purists may lament the lack of pepper, but we love the smoothness of it. What a mouthful! Can't believe it's the same wine we had only nine months ago.
Sweet and delicious. Very easy to drink, very satisfying. Good complexity; notes of blueberries, chocolate roasted herbs, and wood. Moderately big with silky mouthfeel. I never noticed alcohol.
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3 bottles thus far.....2 good, one not so....what's up with this wine? Sweet on opening, dark black fruit as it opens up over an hour. Black tar like tannins, gripping and good! There's some power here.....bracing mouthwatering acidity means this has a wayssssss to go! Still got a touch of alc on the nose, and it doesn't dissipate as quickly as I would like but I'm sure in future bottles it'll lessen.
I am reiterating notes from last November. I found the notes perfectly attributable again tonight.
Awesome Zin with a creamy texture and velvety mouthfeel. Starts with crushed blueberry nose with some floral notes. Really balanced in mouth, velvet like feel with flavors of blueberry both at the mid palette and finish. Long lingering flavor which after 30 seconds includes white pepper and doesn't quit. One of the better zinfandel
P: Med body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which fairly seamlessly evolves into a LONG, balanced, ult fairly pleasant finish with a tangy/swtness to the dusty tannins. NEEDS through '20, then drinking for 4 yrs more? My EXC-/EXC; 96 pts Dunnuck, 94 Vinous (Galloni), & 93-95 WA. [Check with this vendor if interested in their very COMPETITIVE price.]
Note: Today I sensed more structure than when I tasted it on 1/5/2019.
Red fruits galore with typical raspberry fruit. A little underwhelmed for a $50 Zinfandel, given that Ridge zins will blow this away for almost half the cost. May need some time and will revisit in another two years to give it its fair shake. Not much tannin or length at this stage but nice to drink.
Ehhhh, I'm a little disappointed in this bottle. Quite jammy on my Corvain pour. It's all fruit and nothing but the fruit for an hour or more of air and then it calms down just a bit and is drinkable. This is well made but there's little spicebox/pepper to distinguish it from a jar of Smucker's blackberry jam. This is very different than the last bottle and reminiscent of how underwhelming it was during our tasting at the winery last fall. I'm going to hold all these and hope they show better later.
Tasted @ Outpost: Blackberry, cassis, bit of spice on the palate, but flavor profile continues into a long finish. Very nice, not quite as good as the Martinelli 93+
Deep ruby red with medium viscosity. Nose contains elements of crushed lilac, dark fruit, candied cherry, and sweet oak. This wine explodes off the palate from the beginning with juicy plum, blackberries, and crushed rock. Low-moderate acidity with lighter well integrated tannins. Overall an excellent wine!
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Great dark fruit, mouth wateringly so....rich, deep and dark. Gentle spice, great mouth feel, perfect acidity. I didn't feel this delivered when tasted at the winery in Sept but I ordered 6 bottles nonetheless.....now they are delivering...probably will be a 94 in a few more months. My brother visiting from out of town gave it a 92.1....when I signed on to CT I found 11 notes averaging 92.1 That's like a blind squirrel finding an acorn for him. He knows absolutely zero about wine grading. Or he's a wine savant. I don't know which.
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A potentially excellent Zin that needs several years of bottle age. It's still hot and peppery, really needs time to calm down, smooth out, and knit itself together. I'm not convinced that the wait will be worth it compared to simpler, cheaper Zins that are drinking well now. It's not a complicated grape. I'll save a couple to see.
P: Med body; Very NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by some astringent pucker which quite resolves by the LONG, beautifully BALANCED finish with a tangy/swtness to the few, dusty tannins. For now, but DESERVES through '19, then drinking for 3 yrs more. IMPRESSIVE! My EXC. 94 pts Vinous (Galloni), 93-95 WA, & 92-94 Jeb Dunnuck. [Check with this vendor if interested in their *very* COMPETITIVE price.]
Note: I found this vintage SURPRISINGLY more approachable than their '15.
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Awesome Zin with a creamy texture and velvety mouthfeel. Starts with crushed blueberry nose with some floral notes. Really balanced in mouth, velvet like feel with flavors of blueberry both at the mid palette and finish. Long lingering flavor which after 30 seconds includes white pepper and doesn't quit. One of the better zinfandel wines which I have found.
5/7/2024 - cacastine Likes this wine: 92 Points
Good mature zin, something I really enjoy that doesn't always work out great in my opinion but when it does is a highly enjoyable full bodied, balanced and deep wine. And here, we have that. In a great drinking spot, would consume within the next year or so.
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12/29/2023 - hughe wrote: 93 Points
prime time. rich and to be savored. atypical great zin
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10/8/2023 - Deryl Likes this wine: 92 Points
Unusual profile, as noted in other reviews. The Zin fruit from this vineyard at the top of Howell Mtn consistently has a peppery note, and that was a little subdued in this bottle compared to others I've had. Having evolved this long it has developed a refinement we usually don't get in Zin.
We enjoyed it with grass fed rib eyes off the grill.
This is ready now. Maybe a little past prime. I see no benefit to waiting.
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10/1/2023 - seijaro wrote: 91 Points
A nice $20 Zin... wait, it's $52? What a ripoff.
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8/21/2023 - Mark1npt Likes this wine: 91 Points
Last one. Maybe the most average of them all, thus far. Could be this vintage has shot its wad and is now settling into just another red wine from here on out? Seems to me the last semblance of zin, has left the building.
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7/10/2023 - Mark1npt Likes this wine: 93 Points
I'll say it for those again....who haven't heard it before. This Zin drinks like a Cab. Even Jimbo had to stop and look at the bottle tonight to make sure.
Dark purple in the glass. The nose is of dark berry fruit, difficult to tell if it's a cab of a zin at first. Great weight in the mouth, balanced acidity and tannin structure. Seems to benefit from 1-2 hours of air. Quite the pleasurable wine......this bottle borders on a 94 for me, but age is calming these animals down a bit..
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5/28/2023 - seijaro Likes this wine: 92 Points
Right in the middle of the previous two bottles. A nice big Zin but not good enough to pay $60, so won't buy any more.
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4/26/2023 - Gruffalius Likes this wine: 94 Points
Serious Zin. In a good place.
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2/28/2023 - tomlee wrote: 94 Points
Crimson in color. 16.1% ABV. Sublime nose of red fruits, anise and pepper. Full bodied with mouth watering acidity. Plush and juicy on the palate. Flavors of raspberry compote, mulberry, chocolate truffle and Howell Mountain white pepper. Exceptional length on the finish. Big, full throttle Zinfandel that hits all the right spots. Best over the next year or so.
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2/4/2023 - Mark1npt Likes this wine: 95 Points
Picked this one up back in July '22 with an Outpost cellar/library sale @$80/bottle. Sitting in the cellar ever since arriving. Pnp'd heading into the jacuzzi tub after a long work day at the market in what amounts to feeling like near freezing temps in FL of 56 Degrees.....lol. It's amazing how chilled to the bone you can get when you are used to 85 degrees all the time! I think our wind chill was like 50 degrees most of the cloudy morning. Alas, I truly feel for all my northern CT friends right now, who might die if they go out to the mailbox to get their mail today. You have my sympathies.....screw the hot chocolate, drink more wine on days like today! This bottle has THE most pristine virginal cork of any 7 yo wine I've ever seen, in my lifetime. It literally looks brand spankin' new. Almost zero absorption on the end and what's there is light red not dark as you would think should be there after 7 years sitting in a cellar. The nose is of typical zin fruit, the color looks just a tad faded but still fairly dark in the glass. The palate is of this smooth integrated Cali zin with just the right amount of zin spice/white pepper. Nothing hot despite the stated 16.1% alc. Not a harsh edge in sight. Everything in balance. Wonderful ending of orange peel and acidity. What a beautiful wine! If we had more left in the bottle, it might even score higher. Having said that, I think these have peaked and I'll be drinking my other 2 bottles of this '16 over the next few months......
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11/27/2022 - Indywinefan Likes this wine: 91 Points
Better than the last bottle.
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10/1/2022 - lundmc wrote: 95 Points
Picked up at the winery, intended to bring home, but I don’t know if there are any survivors going to make it out of Napa after opening the first one. Perfectly balanced, dark fruits, spice, finely grained tannins. A touch hot on pop and pour but gets to harmony really quickly. A brilliant expression of Zinfandel and Howell Mountain , pure joy. Could be held for probably 3 or 4 more years but no reason to.
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7/24/2022 - ddingley Likes this wine: 93 Points
Recent notes have been raving about this wine. I have to agree—it’s some really killer juice. It’s been several days so I’m recalling impressions more than details—I found it definitely ready to drink, but still pretty bold tannins suggest some future softening could make this even better. Big fruit but smooth and long; maybe a touch of heat immediately but a short time open resolves. Have another bottle I’m giving a year or two and a ‘17 after that. I may buy more of this.
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7/22/2022 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Full throttle zin, currently in a good drinking window with a little bit of air. Deep rich purple fruit, coats the mouth, very long finish.
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7/12/2022 - Mark1npt Likes this wine: 95 Points
My final bottle of this '16, and the finest yet. With each year that passes this wine gains an additional point, now a 95 verging on a 96. Again, these Outpost beasts are a cab drinkers, zin. Rich and powerful are understatements. Dark mountain fruit, 16.1% alc and almost......almost perfectly integrated at this point in time. Just a tad of heat remaining, but I can easily overlook that when the rest of the product is this good. I recently had a '19 that was so over the top jammy and didn't even feel like a zin. It was disappointing at the time. I now am a confirmed believer that I should not touch my '18 or '19 zins for another 3 years, minimum.
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2/18/2022 - Lawino7 wrote: 95 Points
Deep garnet color. Medium bodied. Nose of chocolate, pepper, raspberry-dark cherries, With roasted pork butt, slowly simmered white beans with Cajun Andouille and smoked sausage and baked yams (sweet potatoes) was an amazing accompaniment. Lawdamercy! Enjoy this baby!
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10/3/2021 - Oldmanzin Likes this wine: 93 Points
Predominately red fruit leads the way with blue note and Asian spices following closely behind. What a great expression of Zinfandel. Pleasing to the nose as the wine unfurls in the glass. Good juice.
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10/2/2021 - tomoem Likes this wine: 93 Points
Once again a velvety wine with creamy mouthfeel. Balanced blue fruits carry until the palette moves to a spiced mid palette. Spices carry to the finish with the presence of acidity and a structured backbone which goes on for 1 min plus. One of the better zin which I have found.
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7/12/2021 - Mark1npt Likes this wine: 94 Points
Really a classic version of Cali zin.....not just any zin, but damn good zin. Just the right amout of juicy black, brambly fruit. Truly rich. Truly good and well representative of the varietal. Classy, with a great acidic backbone which supports the fruit beautifully. We loved this so much we opened a second bottle and Carol is now passed out while it is still light out.....embarrassing, no?
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6/22/2021 - tomlee wrote: 95 Points
Crimson in color. 16.1% ABV. Sublime nose of red fruits, licorice and white pepper. Full bodied with mouth watering acidity. Big, rich and lush with remarkable balance. Black cherry, raspberry liqueur, plums and pepper on the palate. Exceptional length on the finish. Full throttle Zinfandel that pushes the envelope but in the end completely delivers. Best over the next 3-5 years.
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4/9/2021 - Gruffalius Likes this wine: 94 Points
Awesome zin. Rich, smooth and gorgeous. Top of the line.
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3/4/2021 - Dnacabernet Likes this wine: 91 Points
I decanted for one hour and the wine was just starting to open up. I would recommend at least two hours of air time if you plan to open this bottling anytime in the next 12-18 months. This zinfandel is unique in its viscosity - the wine coats the palate. Dark-toned fruit and full bodied without ever feeling flabby. All elements in balance. QPR at $50.00 from K&L is fair. For the money, i would likely go for a Carlisle or Bedrock wine - monte rosso comes to mind. Still, it’s nice to have a zinfandel from a Napa AVA to mix things up.
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1/30/2021 - AGELVIS Likes this wine: 95 Points
Two hour decant. Very deep dark magenta color. Boysenberry, toffee, chocolate, maraschino cherry, and cola on the nose. Dry, velvety palate. Firm, full tannins on the surprisingly long finish.
This Cabernet-like Zinfandel is drinking in prime time. It’s that thick-skinned mountain fruit that does it.
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12/21/2020 - Oldmanzin Likes this wine: 93 Points
Mountain fruit sings from the hillside with echoing delight. The TRB silkiness is on full display here. Layers upon layers of goodness for such a young Zinfandel. There is no waiting for enjoyment. Good juice.
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9/29/2020 - EMTAME wrote: 92 Points
Didn’t take notes on this when we consumed it a few days ago, but we sure enjoyed every drop. I wish the price was just a little lower, as it’s a little high for Zinfandel, but you can’t argue with the quality of what’s in the bottle.
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9/18/2020 - bburke40 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Had at a dinner with friends. Same dinner with 2016 Phelps Cab and Fay 2013. Decanted this for one hour. It was the star. The black, brambly mountain fruit comes through from the nose to the finish. The mouthfeel is incredibly rich. Remains one of my all time favorites.
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7/6/2020 - Mneumeier wrote: 90 Points
Needed to open up.
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5/18/2020 - YankeeRobio Likes this wine: 96 Points
One of the best Zin's out there. Spectacular
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4/23/2020 - sean7711 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Calmed down a great bit since last tasted at Outpost (10/18). Opened Monday and had 1 glass, finished the bottle Thursday. Even better on day 2, but no slouch on PnP.
Explodes with jammy fruit, with no hint of the wall of tannins that it had back in 2018. One of my favorite Zins - consistent and long lasting.
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3/21/2020 - jcassi01 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Cool blue and purple mixed fruit, with polished texture. This might be a TRB trait, the tannin is nearly imperceptible.
Note this needs to be served slightly chilled
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12/31/2019 - rmalloy Likes this wine: 91 Points
Tasted and reviewed blind. Sweet, jammy fruit with limited structure (very light tannins and acidity). My wife says: “I think it’s New World because I like it.” I agree it’s New World. Dates, prunes, brown sugar, black tea, Christmas spices. I guess 2016 Outpost Zinfandel.
Non-blind. Rating: 91. Very smooth. I give zinfandel a pass for its weak structure because it is so delicious and distinctive. Tannins are a bit heavier than I noticed blind.
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11/27/2019 - JJZ Likes this wine: 93 Points
Would buy a case
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10/15/2019 - dmwilsondvm Likes this wine: 95 Points
I honestly understand JD’s 96 here. This is a really wonderful wine. I’m probably too much of a Cabernet whore to ever get my Zin scores into the upper 90s, but this is magic. I would buy two cases of this and drink them until they are gone. Jammy, blue fruit, incredibly smooth, beautiful tannin.
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10/6/2019 - seijaro Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wow, what an improvement! Martinelli Jackass at 50% off... big and full of Zin flavor with a LONG finish. Zin purists may lament the lack of pepper, but we love the smoothness of it. What a mouthful! Can't believe it's the same wine we had only nine months ago.
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9/18/2019 - rmalloy Likes this wine: 91 Points
Sweet and delicious. Very easy to drink, very satisfying. Good complexity; notes of blueberries, chocolate roasted herbs, and wood. Moderately big with silky mouthfeel. I never noticed alcohol.
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8/21/2019 - Mark1npt Likes this wine: 93 Points
3 bottles thus far.....2 good, one not so....what's up with this wine? Sweet on opening, dark black fruit as it opens up over an hour. Black tar like tannins, gripping and good! There's some power here.....bracing mouthwatering acidity means this has a wayssssss to go! Still got a touch of alc on the nose, and it doesn't dissipate as quickly as I would like but I'm sure in future bottles it'll lessen.
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7/28/2019 - tomoem Likes this wine: 93 Points
I am reiterating notes from last November. I found the notes perfectly attributable again tonight.
Awesome Zin with a creamy texture and velvety mouthfeel. Starts with crushed blueberry nose with some floral notes. Really balanced in mouth, velvet like feel with flavors of blueberry both at the mid palette and finish. Long lingering flavor which after 30 seconds includes white pepper and doesn't quit. One of the better zinfandel
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7/27/2019 - srh Likes this wine:
Winebar [2 Rosés, 2 Whts, & 8 Reds] from 07/26/19 + 6 Shared Bottles (Vintage Wines Ltd., San Diego, CA): N: Slightly closed; RIPE berries with distinct notes of minerality
P: Med body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which fairly seamlessly evolves into a LONG, balanced, ult fairly pleasant finish with a tangy/swtness to the dusty tannins. NEEDS through '20, then drinking for 4 yrs more? My EXC-/EXC; 96 pts Dunnuck, 94 Vinous (Galloni), & 93-95 WA. [Check with this vendor if interested in their very COMPETITIVE price.]
Note: Today I sensed more structure than when I tasted it on 1/5/2019.
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6/1/2019 - Winegeek83 wrote: 90 Points
Red fruits galore with typical raspberry fruit. A little underwhelmed for a $50 Zinfandel, given that Ridge zins will blow this away for almost half the cost. May need some time and will revisit in another two years to give it its fair shake. Not much tannin or length at this stage but nice to drink.
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5/10/2019 - YankeeRobio Likes this wine: 93 Points
Blue fruit, menthol, eucalyptus, really nice wine
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5/5/2019 - Mark1npt Likes this wine: 89 Points
Ehhhh, I'm a little disappointed in this bottle. Quite jammy on my Corvain pour. It's all fruit and nothing but the fruit for an hour or more of air and then it calms down just a bit and is drinkable. This is well made but there's little spicebox/pepper to distinguish it from a jar of Smucker's blackberry jam. This is very different than the last bottle and reminiscent of how underwhelming it was during our tasting at the winery last fall. I'm going to hold all these and hope they show better later.
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5/4/2019 - EpochMD Likes this wine: 93 Points
Tasted @ Outpost: Blackberry, cassis, bit of spice on the palate, but flavor profile continues into a long finish. Very nice, not quite as good as the Martinelli 93+
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4/5/2019 - Tmud Likes this wine: 94 Points
Deep ruby red with medium viscosity. Nose contains elements of crushed lilac, dark fruit, candied cherry, and sweet oak. This wine explodes off the palate from the beginning with juicy plum, blackberries, and crushed rock. Low-moderate acidity with lighter well integrated tannins. Overall an excellent wine!
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2/6/2019 - Mark1npt Likes this wine: 93 Points
Great dark fruit, mouth wateringly so....rich, deep and dark. Gentle spice, great mouth feel, perfect acidity. I didn't feel this delivered when tasted at the winery in Sept but I ordered 6 bottles nonetheless.....now they are delivering...probably will be a 94 in a few more months. My brother visiting from out of town gave it a 92.1....when I signed on to CT I found 11 notes averaging 92.1 That's like a blind squirrel finding an acorn for him. He knows absolutely zero about wine grading. Or he's a wine savant. I don't know which.
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1/23/2019 - Neat Water Back Likes this wine:
Excellent but needs a few years to age.
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1/8/2019 - seijaro Likes this wine: 90 Points
A potentially excellent Zin that needs several years of bottle age. It's still hot and peppery, really needs time to calm down, smooth out, and knit itself together. I'm not convinced that the wait will be worth it compared to simpler, cheaper Zins that are drinking well now. It's not a complicated grape. I'll save a couple to see.
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1/5/2019 - srh Likes this wine:
Zinfandels (Vintage Wines Ltd., San Diego, CA): N: An attractive melding of smoke & berries; Intensity lurking
P: Med body; Very NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by some astringent pucker which quite resolves by the LONG, beautifully BALANCED finish with a tangy/swtness to the few, dusty tannins. For now, but DESERVES through '19, then drinking for 3 yrs more. IMPRESSIVE! My EXC. 94 pts Vinous (Galloni), 93-95 WA, & 92-94 Jeb Dunnuck. [Check with this vendor if interested in their *very* COMPETITIVE price.]
Note: I found this vintage SURPRISINGLY more approachable than their '15.
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11/22/2018 - jtonglet Likes this wine: 90 Points
Smooth and fruit-forward. Blackberry and dark cherry notes. Paired exceptionally well with roasted duck.
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11/18/2018 - YankeeRobio Likes this wine: 93 Points
Tiny bit early, still very good now, but my guess is a stellar selection in three years
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11/13/2018 - tomoem Likes this wine: 93 Points
Awesome Zin with a creamy texture and velvety mouthfeel. Starts with crushed blueberry nose with some floral notes. Really balanced in mouth, velvet like feel with flavors of blueberry both at the mid palette and finish. Long lingering flavor which after 30 seconds includes white pepper and doesn't quit. One of the better zinfandel wines which I have found.
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10/8/2018 - sean7711 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Napa Harvest Weekend; 10/5/2018-10/8/2018 (Napa Valley, CA): Tasting at Outpost. 3rd of 5 wines, and served side by side with 2015.
Still needs more time. Have 3 bottles on my way, but sit this one down for a few years before thinking about opening.
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