From Joel's Library sale...decanted the sediment out and poured back in bottle...gorgeous nose of sweet cassis, cherries, mint, leather, humidor, old cellar dust. Very healthy looking with redberry prominent...still has a tannic/oak bite to it...dusty white pepper and oak barrel char...little heat poking out(14.5) but not off putting...the fruit is hanging in there...showing more zinberry than claret, which you see happen with quality aged zins...love the "rednesss" in this...raspberry cherry liqueur...licorice...really getting even more intense zin-ness with air...seems like it could go 30 more years no prob? LIKE it! Not the elegance I thought I would get with the age...still quite savage and rustic...but the flavors are fantastic...and it gives great pleasure knowing that the bottle went straight from the maker to my glass!
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Quite the wine! Not totally "wow", but very very good. Still with plenty of fruit and tannin remaining, even seemed ever so slightly reductive at points. Red fruits, some dried fruit as well, spices, touch of mint maybe? Still retains a "zinny" character as well.
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Remarkably fresh. Decanted off significant sediment to a light ruby-garnet color. Red fruit on the nose. Tart cherry and black tea palate. Mature but still a long life ahead.
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When first opened, this was disgustingly bretty. In a series of these Ravenswood Old Hills, which supremely qualify as old vine and old wine, this was the worst. But the brett blew off pretty well and the wine was certainly drinkable. Fruit was still present, but probably nowhere near as abundant as when the wine was younger. This was an interesting contrast to the Bucklin Old Hill Zin (this is Will Bucklin's vineyard from which he now makes wine) I had a while back. This Zin can survive to great age, but brings its best within probably 6 years of vintage. By the end of the night, I was enjoying this among the sea of interesting old Cali (mostly) offerings on the table.
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The Blind Drunks monthly tasting (Rich & Dana's): Pale crimson core, turning clear at the edge. Initially displays licorice, red currant and spice tones. Opens further in the glass with red fruit spice and subtle prune aromas. Balanced, with flavors of red fruit and white pepper, with a very subtle raisiny tone on the finish.
This was decanted briefly for sediment & rebottled for travel. It sat uncorked in bottle for about 45 minutes to an hour before it was tasted first in this flight.
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Nicely aged 17 yr-older, but drunk too late. Mainly the alc showed thru, a bit of the fruit remained. Nice experiment, but the intellectual aspect was its only reward. Purchased recently from one of those online wine consolidators, so provenance is suspected...as is the 17 yrs of age!
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An extra delicious Zinfandel! The nose was packed with dark fruits. Plum & blackcherry were most notable in the taste - some black pepper as well. A beautiful and smooth finish. I wish we had more in the cellar!
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Tasted in double-blind fashion at Vintage Wines, Ltd. Bottle provided by Mike Christensen. Bright disc. Deep ruby/garnet robe with brick rim. Clean nose, showing a very intense bouquet of plums, chocolate, leather, cherry and cigar box. Full-bodied on the palate, with medium acidity and medium sweet tannins. The flavors mirror the nose. Long, smooth finish. Tastes like a distinguished California Cabernet (I guessed a '94 Napa Cab).
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3/11/2024 - enthusiastic_amateur Likes this wine: 90 Points
Still retaining jammy fruit with some stewed character. Tannins are still strong, wonder if they will ever soften.
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2/2/2024 - Mrbuzz Likes this wine: 93 Points
From Joel's Library sale...decanted the sediment out and poured back in bottle...gorgeous nose of sweet cassis, cherries, mint, leather, humidor, old cellar dust. Very healthy looking with redberry prominent...still has a tannic/oak bite to it...dusty white pepper and oak barrel char...little heat poking out(14.5) but not off putting...the fruit is hanging in there...showing more zinberry than claret, which you see happen with quality aged zins...love the "rednesss" in this...raspberry cherry liqueur...licorice...really getting even more intense zin-ness with air...seems like it could go 30 more years no prob? LIKE it! Not the elegance I thought I would get with the age...still quite savage and rustic...but the flavors are fantastic...and it gives great pleasure knowing that the bottle went straight from the maker to my glass!
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3/3/2021 - klezman wrote:
Quite the wine! Not totally "wow", but very very good. Still with plenty of fruit and tannin remaining, even seemed ever so slightly reductive at points. Red fruits, some dried fruit as well, spices, touch of mint maybe? Still retains a "zinny" character as well.
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5/11/2019 - MotoMannequin Likes this wine:
Remarkably fresh. Decanted off significant sediment to a light ruby-garnet color. Red fruit on the nose. Tart cherry and black tea palate. Mature but still a long life ahead.
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11/12/2016 - Not647f wrote:
When first opened, this was disgustingly bretty. In a series of these Ravenswood Old Hills, which supremely qualify as old vine and old wine, this was the worst. But the brett blew off pretty well and the wine was certainly drinkable. Fruit was still present, but probably nowhere near as abundant as when the wine was younger. This was an interesting contrast to the Bucklin Old Hill Zin (this is Will Bucklin's vineyard from which he now makes wine) I had a while back. This Zin can survive to great age, but brings its best within probably 6 years of vintage. By the end of the night, I was enjoying this among the sea of interesting old Cali (mostly) offerings on the table.
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8/5/2015 - MikeATL Likes this wine: 91 Points
A Special Dinner (Park 75, Four Seasons Hotel, Atlanta): Lots of eucalyptus, blackberry,, cinnamon and nutmeg, rich fruit but with a little savory leather that keeps it in check.
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5/26/2013 - AllRed wrote:
35th Annual Zinfandel Retrospective - the 2008s (Rich & Dana's): Sadly, this one was over the hill- beef bouillon cubes, dried prune and black fruit qualities.
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2/15/2011 - Todd French wrote: 88 Points
Very interesting, quite complex and spicy
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10/23/2010 - AllRed Likes this wine: 91 Points
The Blind Drunks monthly tasting (Rich & Dana's): Pale crimson core, turning clear at the edge. Initially displays licorice, red currant and spice tones. Opens further in the glass with red fruit spice and subtle prune aromas. Balanced, with flavors of red fruit and white pepper, with a very subtle raisiny tone on the finish.
This was decanted briefly for sediment & rebottled for travel. It sat uncorked in bottle for about 45 minutes to an hour before it was tasted first in this flight.
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7/17/2010 - stufis wrote: 86 Points
Nicely aged 17 yr-older, but drunk too late. Mainly the alc showed thru, a bit of the fruit remained. Nice experiment, but the intellectual aspect was its only reward. Purchased recently from one of those online wine consolidators, so provenance is suspected...as is the 17 yrs of age!
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8/23/2009 - AllRed wrote: 88 Points
Garnet color. Notes of beef bouillon cubes, thyme and sage. The palate follows the nose, adding dusty cherry tones to the mix.
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6/12/2007 - MikeW wrote: 94 Points
An extra delicious Zinfandel! The nose was packed with dark fruits. Plum & blackcherry were most notable in the taste - some black pepper as well. A beautiful and smooth finish. I wish we had more in the cellar!
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5/14/2004 - La Cave d'Argent wrote: 94 Points
Tasted in double-blind fashion at Vintage Wines, Ltd. Bottle provided by Mike Christensen. Bright disc. Deep ruby/garnet robe with brick rim. Clean nose, showing a very intense bouquet of plums, chocolate, leather, cherry and cigar box. Full-bodied on the palate, with medium acidity and medium sweet tannins. The flavors mirror the nose. Long, smooth finish. Tastes like a distinguished California Cabernet (I guessed a '94 Napa Cab).
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