A vertical of Joseph Swan Zins (Scott & Jo's): A bit darker than the 94 or 96. Ruby in color. The nose is dusty but starts to have a more defined cherry fruit quality. At first, it is my favorite of the older Zins, but this lacks the depth and complexity of the others. One can sense it changing from Zin-like to Bordeaux like. A foot in both camps so to speak. The palate has dark cherry flavors and slight layering. More of a moist earthiness. Nice balance and great acidity. Solid finish. Worked well with foods.
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Bought off the list at Chez Panisse Café during Zinfandel Week and expertly decanted off significant sediment by our waiter. Brilliant translucent ruby color with fresh strawberries and leather on the nose. This wine showed remarkably fresh only barely showing some of that old zin flavor. Intense cherries and strawberries followed by black pepper with a lovely silky texture. The wine was still evolving and improving over the hour it took to polish it off.
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Smells of what I would expect in aged Zin! Screamin' nose... Framboise compote, raspberry/cranberry, spicy, ripe/roasted notes, all red fruits, sweet and a touch of earth...
Full-bodied though the tannins are fully resolved, black pepper, ripe, fleshy, fresh fruit with an aged leathery note going on too...the wine stops just short of being cloying...I liked this wine, and it was really cool to taste, but I actually preferred several of the 98's believe it or not to this bottling. A little to "much" for me, though quite good.
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Huge huge wine - amazing if you like big full on fruit and 15%+ alc, big sweet black fruits, intense, good lenth, aging nicely will keep for many more years.........
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1/25/2016 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 90 Points
A vertical of Joseph Swan Zins (Scott & Jo's): A bit darker than the 94 or 96. Ruby in color. The nose is dusty but starts to have a more defined cherry fruit quality. At first, it is my favorite of the older Zins, but this lacks the depth and complexity of the others. One can sense it changing from Zin-like to Bordeaux like. A foot in both camps so to speak. The palate has dark cherry flavors and slight layering. More of a moist earthiness. Nice balance and great acidity. Solid finish. Worked well with foods.
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12/11/2013 - MotoMannequin Likes this wine:
Bought off the list at Chez Panisse Café during Zinfandel Week and expertly decanted off significant sediment by our waiter. Brilliant translucent ruby color with fresh strawberries and leather on the nose. This wine showed remarkably fresh only barely showing some of that old zin flavor. Intense cherries and strawberries followed by black pepper with a lovely silky texture. The wine was still evolving and improving over the hour it took to polish it off.
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11/25/2009 - mplympton wrote:
Wasn't very good. This bottle was over the hill. I'll try others soon.
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7/26/2007 - CO CHRIS wrote:
15.3% alc...
ruby, cloudy, touch of brick at the edge...
Smells of what I would expect in aged Zin! Screamin' nose... Framboise compote, raspberry/cranberry, spicy, ripe/roasted notes, all red fruits, sweet and a touch of earth...
Full-bodied though the tannins are fully resolved, black pepper, ripe, fleshy, fresh fruit with an aged leathery note going on too...the wine stops just short of being cloying...I liked this wine, and it was really cool to taste, but I actually preferred several of the 98's believe it or not to this bottling. A little to "much" for me, though quite good.
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6/22/2007 - PaulvM wrote: 90 Points
Huge huge wine - amazing if you like big full on fruit and 15%+ alc, big sweet black fruits, intense, good lenth, aging nicely will keep for many more years.........
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8/11/2004 - twoamps wrote: 90 Points
big chewy start in redibly furity ripeness; smaller oddly smooth finish
held its own against carnitas and nectarine gallote dessert
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