2012 Gamba Old Vine Zinfandel Starr Road Ranch

Community Tasting Notes (14) Avg Score: 91.7 points

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  12/25/2022 - hosscrow Likes this wine: 95 Points

  I have not experienced a Zin that ages as well as a Gamba Zin. Aged Gamba's wines also beautifully express the Russian River Valley in the way that aged Rafanelli Zins express Dry Creek. In a perfect drinking spot right now, this wine is a dark garnet with a gradual rim variation from a clear meniscus to a dark but not opaque center. The intense and complex nose starts with mint, clove, and red fruits and moves on to cocoa and tobacco. Intoxicating to sniff, really. RRV elegance sums up the full, silky mouthfeel, soft resolved tannins with plenty of grip, and gobs of blackberries. Violets emerge but no leather or cedar box. To me, from the hot and often overripe 2012 vintage, here's the amazing thing- even at 16.2 ABV, there is nothing "hot" or out of balance in the delicious, long, long finish. A wine to savor by itself for two days, at least.

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  3/20/2021 - BillyOsh Likes this wine: 92 Points

  8+ years has really put this Gamba into a totally delicious balanced place. Honestly I may change my protocol going forward to allowing 8 years minimum before pulling a gamba cork. Just beautiful dark ripe blue fruit. But the age in bottle has softened most of the jammy bomb that can erupt from a young gamba. Delicious gorgeous blueberry fruit forward with dark chocolate covered blackberry. Yummy factor high.

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  8/16/2020 - Robwild Likes this wine: 92 Points

  Dark Purple color. Lots of dark fruits with a hint of oak. Full bodied with good structure with soft tannin. supple. Although this wine does not have much complexity, and is a bit jammy, it is nonetheless a favorite for me to serve to those who like very fruit forward wine - t is always delight for them and me.

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  11/24/2019 - buckeye76 Likes this wine: 92 Points

  Quite fruity, black cherries, raspberries, plums, and a touch of floral and earthiness. Medium to full bodied, medium length finish.

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  11/5/2017 - jaybird1234 Likes this wine: 88 Points

  Red fruit with tobacco and spice. Rhubarb. Did not open up completely after 1-2 hours. Let sit a bit more or decant early

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View all 14 Community Tasting Notes

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