Cline is still exciting with spice, acidity and plumy-spicey-cola notes ... vanilla, cherry, spiced-plum ... Lots of great flavour (15%) makes it dangerous, but it's tasty as hell.
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Aromas are olfatory awakening with plum, vanilla, and black cherry ... palate was round and full of flavour: juicy with spiced-plum, vanilla bean, black cherry, and just the right amount of spice for balance.
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Agreed with previous reviewer. This is at its peak right now. I've had this wine many times and it's never been this good. Drinking above its price point. Ripe berries, vanilla, oak. Moderate tannins. Well balanced.
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The 15% alcohol is perfectly integrated, contributing body and no heat. Mocha, mild spice, imprecise dark fruit, and a hint of tar. The flavors are pleasant but not robust and tannins are minimal.
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For the ratings and a 14% alcohol content, this was a very disappointing wine. Smooth, fruity blackberry taste with little to no spice. Not a favorite.
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For the ratings and a 14% alcohol content, this was a pretty sub-par wine. It is very smooth, light, and fruity. Strong blackberry flavor... Very little spice.
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At Boerne Wine Club tasting. I like Cline zins, as they are generally offer good value for the dollar. High-toned bing cherries and blackberries on nose. Palate has flavors of crushed berries, earth, and rugged licorice. Tannins a little too prominant on finish. Balance ok.
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Boerne Wine Club - Zinfandel (Scenic Loop Cafe, San Antonio, TX): Fine sweet raspberry nose. Palate quite sweet and concentrated, with cassis, raspberries, and strawberry, leading into a medium creamy finish. While it holds it alcohol well, was quite round and heavy on the palate. One dimensional ripe fruit. A disappointing effort from Cline.
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dark and fruity. first flew sips are a little tough, but it gets pretty good after the first half glass. We tried it blind against the cirque du vin and the tobin james rock and roll. It won the tasting, though it wsa pretty comparable to the rock and roll.
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Nose of sharp pecorino and dusty earth. Nice hints of bacon up front. Rich red and black fruit on the palate. Sage and pepper in balance with the fruit. Nice. - Blind tasted at Schreiner's Winers zin tasting 9/18/10
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similar nose to last time with blackberry and tobacco. Fruit of blackberry, rhubarb and watermelon. agree with acidity, but found that the acidity was a bit disjointed from the fruit (temporally). for me, not hot. at that price, a Joel Gott or similar would work better for me.
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Dulcie's preparation for the Portland marathon seems to have inspired her thirst for wine as bottles are flying off the rack, barely before I can get a taste of them. I picked this off a shelf at Binny's, attracted mainly by the modest discount, thinking that buying wine is largely a mug's game. This is dark blackberry in color, a ripe brambly fruit aroma, velvet and smooth, ripe berry fruit, some mocha and hints of pepper, not particularly long lasting.
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Lots of good things going on here. Bright fruit with muddled spices and earth. Medium length. A bit hot on opening but - likely due to the alcohol - is completely equally delicious into the third day.
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15% ABV. I received this as a gift. I had previously given up on the Cline portfolio, but this was respectable Zin. Translucent dark ruby in appearance. Spicy nose of muted clove and cinnamon. Medium full bodied with tangy red berry fruit and late raisin and coffee notes. Finishes a bit short and hot. Not bad for the asking price.
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Nice black fruit, rasbberry, cocoa and a nice floral note on the mid palate. Good acid, can pair with food. Pretty well balanced, not a one dimensional fruit bomb.
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Blackberry jam. Dark fruit with enough tannin to keep the sweetness from being cloying. Very little black pepper, but a hint of Asian 5-spice. Not a superb Zinfandel, but drinks above it's price-point. Could benefit from decanting a bit at this stage.
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Blackberry and tobacco on the nose (with a touch of soap). A little bit less vibrant in the mouth than expected, given nose. Blackberry and rhubarb in the mouth. Basic vanilla / tannins on finish - which feel to some extent "added on". Nonetheless, a nice quaff...
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Dark purple to the rim. Not much of a nose, some cherry, and whiff of vanilla. On the palate there is a blast of boysenberry pie. Soft mouthfeel, medium to full body. Perhaps this wine is just too young, but I found it almost over the top. Had that very "winey" flavour that young (and inexpensive) wines often do have. Well made, with plenty of stuffing, but not terribly interesting. Not my thang.
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Good/Very Good. Dark and dense purple. Vanilla jumps from the bottle when opened. Dark fruit, cedar and vanilla flavors. This old vine zin just made me happy. <Wow/Very Good/Good/Fair/Plonk>
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color: red-purple velvet; nose: cedar-oak; taste: blackberry jam, medium-bodied, and slightly tart mouth feel, short and spicy-chalky-licorice finish with a dash of tannins; overall: not bad, but for the same money ($13 on sale) you can usually find fuller, rounder zins from Edmeades, Rosenblum, or St. Francis -- for me, this one's second tier at best
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A deep, enticing nose of boysenberry and vanilla leads to lesser flavors of raspberries and almond essence, with a hint of quince on a tartr finish. Light in color and body for a Zin, with sufficient acidity, but it trails off rather quickly. Decent, but serves as another example of how Zins struggle at this price point.
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Outstanding considering the price. On the nose, sweet fruit that reminds me of a garnacha, but a bit clunkier. On the palate, definitely dark fruit with a smoky component and just the tiniest bit of licorice. Light for a zin, but I really like it for a weekday wine. Nice.
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Tasted blind. First guess based on "chap smell" was Spanish Garnacha. Drinking buddy guessed Rioja. Cheap smell, medium mouthfeel. God acidity. Kind of bland. Inexpensive.
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Popped and poured. Very sweet, almost cloying. Nose was mainly sweet fruit, though I couldn't say which. Taste had an interesting anise component and maybe some tar. After 30 minutes, the anise and tar were noticeable on the nose. The finish was surprisingly long. Minimal tannins especially at the beginning.
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had this wine with guests on Thanksgiving. Found the aroma of dark grapes to be a close match to its taste. I enjoyed this very much and would purchase another bottle. A deal at the price I paid.
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5/6/2021 - owr Likes this wine: 90 Points
Cline is still exciting with spice, acidity and plumy-spicey-cola notes ... vanilla, cherry, spiced-plum ... Lots of great flavour (15%) makes it dangerous, but it's tasty as hell.
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8/5/2015 - owr Likes this wine: 90 Points
Aromas are olfatory awakening with plum, vanilla, and black cherry ... palate was round and full of flavour: juicy with spiced-plum, vanilla bean, black cherry, and just the right amount of spice for balance.
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6/6/2014 - kmicho Likes this wine: 88 Points
Agreed with previous reviewer. This is at its peak right now. I've had this wine many times and it's never been this good. Drinking above its price point. Ripe berries, vanilla, oak. Moderate tannins. Well balanced.
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3/23/2014 - AIB Likes this wine: 88 Points
Fruity and drinking at peak. Crowd pleaser.
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3/10/2013 - lovanc@outlook.com wrote:
Fruit forward however with some smokiness and acidity.
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11/1/2012 - Halfeel wrote: 86 Points
Perhaps a year or so past its prime. Acceptable, but not great as might be expected for the moderate price.
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9/29/2011 - gatame wrote: 86 Points
The 15% alcohol is perfectly integrated, contributing body and no heat. Mocha, mild spice, imprecise dark fruit, and a hint of tar. The flavors are pleasant but not robust and tannins are minimal.
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5/17/2011 - Vavikingchick wrote: 88 Points
Smooth and super finish
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3/6/2011 - OmiyaDrinker wrote: 84 Points
Too sweet, syrupy, and caramelised for my taste. Ate with hamburgers whhich was a reasonable match but soon tired of it when drinking alone.
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2/12/2011 - malbayspirit wrote: 88 Points
This is a great wine Hat it with ribs.
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1/15/2011 - Loriandalex wrote: 85 Points
Nice
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12/27/2010 - jsclarke wrote: 91 Points
Max's mom gave us excellent ESP for price
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11/22/2010 - hv1110 wrote: 84 Points
Ok
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11/13/2010 - knuckles1970 wrote: 90 Points
I always really enjoy this wine. Soft tannins, but juicy. Not anything outstanding on the nose, but easy drinking.
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11/5/2010 - boulderej wrote: 90 Points
Paired quite well with the cocoa chile rub pork chops! Nice balance of fruit and spice.
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11/5/2010 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Woody and youthful, needing just a bit of time to come together.
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10/31/2010 - nzinkgraf wrote:
contra costa, sonoma, lodi fruit. 80-120yr old vines. nose doesn't show the overt incense that the palate thrusts.
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10/23/2010 - Autumnisnow wrote: 70 Points
For the ratings and a 14% alcohol content, this was a very disappointing wine. Smooth, fruity blackberry taste with little to no spice. Not a favorite.
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10/23/2010 - Autumnisnow wrote: 70 Points
For the ratings and a 14% alcohol content, this was a pretty sub-par wine. It is very smooth, light, and fruity. Strong blackberry flavor... Very little spice.
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10/10/2010 - macker100 wrote: 87 Points
At Boerne Wine Club tasting. I like Cline zins, as they are generally offer good value for the dollar. High-toned bing cherries and blackberries on nose. Palate has flavors of crushed berries, earth, and rugged licorice. Tannins a little too prominant on finish. Balance ok.
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10/10/2010 - Nutty08 Does not like this wine: 88 Points
Boerne Wine Club - Zinfandel (Scenic Loop Cafe, San Antonio, TX): Fine sweet raspberry nose. Palate quite sweet and concentrated, with cassis, raspberries, and strawberry, leading into a medium creamy finish. While it holds it alcohol well, was quite round and heavy on the palate. One dimensional ripe fruit. A disappointing effort from Cline.
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10/5/2010 - DoubleMagnum wrote: 87 Points
Not bad. A bit of over-evident oak but the cinnamon notes made up for it. Good amount of fruit.
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10/1/2010 - jjlobi wrote: 86 Points
An OK every day red.
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9/23/2010 - jjlobi wrote: 86 Points
Needs to open, better tasting 2nd day. Still an OK every day red.
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9/21/2010 - arass Likes this wine: 88 Points
dark and fruity. first flew sips are a little tough, but it gets pretty good after the first half glass. We tried it blind against the cirque du vin and the tobin james rock and roll. It won the tasting, though it wsa pretty comparable to the rock and roll.
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9/19/2010 - vegasoenophile wrote: 89 Points
Nose of sharp pecorino and dusty earth. Nice hints of bacon up front. Rich red and black fruit on the palate. Sage and pepper in balance with the fruit. Nice.
- Blind tasted at Schreiner's Winers zin tasting 9/18/10
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9/17/2010 - tairanosaurus wrote: 85 Points
similar nose to last time with blackberry and tobacco. Fruit of blackberry, rhubarb and watermelon. agree with acidity, but found that the acidity was a bit disjointed from the fruit (temporally). for me, not hot. at that price, a Joel Gott or similar would work better for me.
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9/16/2010 - Dulcie and Aylwin wrote:
Dulcie's preparation for the Portland marathon seems to have inspired her thirst for wine as bottles are flying off the rack, barely before I can get a taste of them. I picked this off a shelf at Binny's, attracted mainly by the modest discount, thinking that buying wine is largely a mug's game. This is dark blackberry in color, a ripe brambly fruit aroma, velvet and smooth, ripe berry fruit, some mocha and hints of pepper, not particularly long lasting.
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9/14/2010 - cheersthanks wrote: 87 Points
Lots of good things going on here. Bright fruit with muddled spices and earth. Medium length. A bit hot on opening but - likely due to the alcohol - is completely equally delicious into the third day.
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8/27/2010 - jeward wrote: 87 Points
Good balance of fruit and acid.
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8/20/2010 - Madhaus wrote: 89 Points
Nice flavor, smooth finish
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8/16/2010 - Schunior wrote: 88 Points
We like
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8/14/2010 - jthomp wrote: 84 Points
Ken and Michelle
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8/13/2010 - jeward wrote: 87 Points
Lots of fruit and alcohol. Good value
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8/12/2010 - OneLastSyrah wrote: 88 Points
15% ABV. I received this as a gift. I had previously given up on the Cline portfolio, but this was respectable Zin. Translucent dark ruby in appearance. Spicy nose of muted clove and cinnamon. Medium full bodied with tangy red berry fruit and late raisin and coffee notes. Finishes a bit short and hot. Not bad for the asking price.
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8/3/2010 - jjlobi wrote: 86 Points
Definite dark berry fruit, high alcohol. Liked the flavor and finish. Would try again at $12.
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7/31/2010 - Grape Stuff wrote: 85 Points
Nice black fruit, rasbberry, cocoa and a nice floral note on the mid palate. Good acid, can pair with food. Pretty well balanced, not a one dimensional fruit bomb.
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7/30/2010 - GGinSF wrote: 87 Points
Blackberry jam. Dark fruit with enough tannin to keep the sweetness from being cloying. Very little black pepper, but a hint of Asian 5-spice. Not a superb Zinfandel, but drinks above it's price-point. Could benefit from decanting a bit at this stage.
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7/29/2010 - shaunalynn wrote:
Intense and rambunctious flavors black raspberry fruit.
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7/25/2010 - lumpkins wrote: 85 Points
alcohol soaked blackberry pie
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7/9/2010 - hubas wrote: 86 Points
A very good Zin but I would have liked to see it a little bit tougher.
Still very good!
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7/3/2010 - winemeup wrote:
Nice wine despite being young. Good value.
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6/13/2010 - tairanosaurus wrote: 88 Points
Blackberry and tobacco on the nose (with a touch of soap). A little bit less vibrant in the mouth than expected, given nose. Blackberry and rhubarb in the mouth. Basic vanilla / tannins on finish - which feel to some extent "added on". Nonetheless, a nice quaff...
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6/6/2010 - awinejourney wrote: 84 Points
A bit thin. No nose to speak of. Nice delicious factor, however.
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5/23/2010 - Stirling wrote: 87 Points
Dark purple to the rim. Not much of a nose, some cherry, and whiff of vanilla. On the palate there is a blast of boysenberry pie. Soft mouthfeel, medium to full body. Perhaps this wine is just too young, but I found it almost over the top. Had that very "winey" flavour that young (and inexpensive) wines often do have. Well made, with plenty of stuffing, but not terribly interesting. Not my thang.
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5/20/2010 - clio_wine wrote:
Good/Very Good. Dark and dense purple. Vanilla jumps from the bottle when opened. Dark fruit, cedar and vanilla flavors. This old vine zin just made me happy. <Wow/Very Good/Good/Fair/Plonk>
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5/9/2010 - europat55 wrote: 86 Points
Basic zin. Cherry, medium tanin and finish.
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5/8/2010 - WannabeRenaissanceMan wrote: 90 Points
Pepper and strawberries on the nose. Spice and berries on the palate. Very tasty wine.
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5/7/2010 - Jezza wrote: 85 Points
Nice and gentle, good example and good value
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4/21/2010 - hutch wrote: 87 Points
Berry, sweet fruit. Maybe not a whole lot to it, but delicious, and will fill its role rather nicely.
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4/18/2010 - Jezza wrote: 84 Points
Light, bright, tasty. Not complex but very pleasant.
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4/11/2010 - Epic Tale wrote: 84 Points
color: red-purple velvet; nose: cedar-oak; taste: blackberry jam, medium-bodied, and slightly tart mouth feel, short and spicy-chalky-licorice finish with a dash of tannins; overall: not bad, but for the same money ($13 on sale) you can usually find fuller, rounder zins from Edmeades, Rosenblum, or St. Francis -- for me, this one's second tier at best
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4/6/2010 - WineontheBarrelhead wrote: 82 Points
A deep, enticing nose of boysenberry and vanilla leads to lesser flavors of raspberries and almond essence, with a hint of quince on a tartr finish. Light in color and body for a Zin, with sufficient acidity, but it trails off rather quickly. Decent, but serves as another example of how Zins struggle at this price point.
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3/25/2010 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Very tasty.
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3/12/2010 - jonhuff wrote:
Dinner Gift
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2/26/2010 - Badger Will wrote: 84 Points
Basic zin. Cherry, medium tanin and finish. Decent value.
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2/22/2010 - andrewstevenson.com wrote: 92 Points
Deep and concentrated black fruit on the nose. Very, very plush palate. Fantastic concentration, but without huge power.
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2/20/2010 - brandon1717 wrote: 83 Points
Not as good as previous bottles I have drank but nice easy drinking zin.
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2/18/2010 - Lobonick wrote: 86 Points
Outstanding considering the price. On the nose, sweet fruit that reminds me of a garnacha, but a bit clunkier. On the palate, definitely dark fruit with a smoky component and just the tiniest bit of licorice. Light for a zin, but I really like it for a weekday wine. Nice.
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2/1/2010 - Calvin&Hobbes wrote: 84 Points
very good wine for the price, smooth mouth feel.
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1/8/2010 - nick_pivonka wrote: 88 Points
Love this as a multiday drinker. high alcohol
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12/29/2009 - milwaukeewino wrote:
Tasted blind. First guess based on "chap smell" was Spanish Garnacha. Drinking buddy guessed Rioja.
Cheap smell, medium mouthfeel. God acidity.
Kind of bland. Inexpensive.
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12/26/2009 - nick_pivonka wrote: 88 Points
Cherry fruit is the core of this wine. Very drinkable, and a value at ~$12. Another one to stock up.
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12/23/2009 - thayosh wrote: 83 Points
Popped and poured. Very sweet, almost cloying. Nose was mainly sweet fruit, though I couldn't say which. Taste had an interesting anise component and maybe some tar. After 30 minutes, the anise and tar were noticeable on the nose. The finish was surprisingly long. Minimal tannins especially at the beginning.
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12/11/2009 - Bradford wrote: 87 Points
Light for a zin. Cherries, raspberry jam on the nose. Good tannins, dark cherry, coffee and chocolate. Medium finish. Good value.
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12/10/2009 - grantmchamberlain wrote: 89 Points
had this wine with guests on Thanksgiving. Found the aroma of dark grapes to be a close match to its taste. I enjoyed this very much and would purchase another bottle. A deal at the price I paid.
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11/27/2009 - closetcook wrote: 89 Points
Really good...I am afraid to buy it again as I will just drink it right away...hard to keep.
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