Dense and foreboding, I have to think the fruit has faded a good amount while of course the alcohol has not. At 14.9% ABV, this showed hot on the finish and felt disjointed and blowsy; blue fruit and dark red fruit in decent shape (albeit faded) but not in a great place today.
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Drank from magnum. Cork was dried out but was able to salvage the contents rather easily by pushing the cork through. This bottle was impressive and really held together through all these years. Did not seem tired but I think it only goes down from here. While I enjoyed it, it did have a more oak-y taste than I recall from more recent bottles. My only gripe is that I didn’t taste any evolution…just held up well after 30+ years. Was a nice treat though.
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First Dinner at the Farm (Pokai Parera, Ekatahuna, New Zealand): Very aged and developed Zinfandel nose, with great ripeness and suggested sweetness. Some caramel, dark fruits, oxidative nutty character. In the mouth, very ripe, super structure, very much alive. Fabulous intensity, richness and the warm alcohol adds wonderful dimension to this wine.Silky mouthfeel. A Zinfandel that has transformed with age, and has not just changed character. While I think I would have preferred it when first released, this wine is ageing extremely well! Stunning with a Braised Oxtail with Chorizo and figs, which really proved a food link to wine. At its best with food.
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Remarkably ageless and still wearing it's Zin-ness on its sleeve. Ripe blackberry fruit dominates the nose. On the palate the wine is plush and rich. A little too much heat on the finish (it's 14.9% alcohol) mars the experience for me though. Really weird that fruit shows no sign of maturity at age 27.
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(Ridge Lytton Springs) Bricking medium dark red violet color; ripe plum, spicy plum nose; tasty, mature, ripe, spicy plum, dried berry, berry syrup palate; time to drink up; medium-plus finish 92+ points (last vintage that had Zinfandel on the label; 88% Zinfandel, 8% Petite Sirah, 4% Grenache)
(Ridge Lytton Springs) Bricking medium dark cranberry red color; maturing, mushroom, tart red plum, red currant dried berry, cigar box nose; tasty, mature, dried plum, currant, mushroom, dried cherry palate, plush but nicely mature; medium-plus finish 92+ pts. (last vintage that had Zinfandel on the label; 88% Zinfandel, 8% Petite Sirah, 4% Grenache)
8/4/2023 - SoundinBetween wrote:
Dense and foreboding, I have to think the fruit has faded a good amount while of course the alcohol has not. At 14.9% ABV, this showed hot on the finish and felt disjointed and blowsy; blue fruit and dark red fruit in decent shape (albeit faded) but not in a great place today.
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6/23/2023 - jpp10780 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Drank from magnum. Cork was dried out but was able to salvage the contents rather easily by pushing the cork through. This bottle was impressive and really held together through all these years. Did not seem tired but I think it only goes down from here. While I enjoyed it, it did have a more oak-y taste than I recall from more recent bottles. My only gripe is that I didn’t taste any evolution…just held up well after 30+ years. Was a nice treat though.
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6/22/2021 - Seanwsmithm3 Likes this wine:
Drinking near peak. Fantastic Bottle. Fruit, acid, tannin with tons of depth.
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9/27/2020 - Marc wrote: 92 Points
First Dinner at the Farm (Pokai Parera, Ekatahuna, New Zealand): Very aged and developed Zinfandel nose, with great ripeness and suggested sweetness. Some caramel, dark fruits, oxidative nutty character. In the mouth, very ripe, super structure, very much alive. Fabulous intensity, richness and the warm alcohol adds wonderful dimension to this wine.Silky mouthfeel. A Zinfandel that has transformed with age, and has not just changed character. While I think I would have preferred it when first released, this wine is ageing extremely well! Stunning with a Braised Oxtail with Chorizo and figs, which really proved a food link to wine. At its best with food.
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5/28/2019 - MartyL wrote: 89 Points
Remarkably ageless and still wearing it's Zin-ness on its sleeve. Ripe blackberry fruit dominates the nose. On the palate the wine is plush and rich. A little too much heat on the finish (it's 14.9% alcohol) mars the experience for me though. Really weird that fruit shows no sign of maturity at age 27.
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