Blind Zins For Lunch

The latest installment of tastings at Jason Hagen's office was blind Zinfandels. We had our usual blind white starter and enjoyed some pizza for lunch. The wines showed a decent amount of variety which was heartening to me as Zinfandel is so often lumped into a narrow category which I find unwarranted. All revels came after the tasting was finished.
I voted
1 - 2006 Sandler
2 - 2003 Fife
3 - 2003 Swan

Group Vote was pretty tight if I remember correctly with only a couple points separating the top 3 or 4.
1 - 2003 Fife
2 - 2005 Leonesse
3 - 2006 Sandler
4 - 2006 Saucelito

• 2003 Arcadian Chardonnay Sleepy Hollow Vineyard

  USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands

  Light butter and lemon nose. Touch of honey with plenty of lemon and strong acidity. A nice Chard without the hussy dressings.

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• 2003 Joseph Swan Vineyards Zinfandel Mancini Ranch

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

  Very deeply colored this displayed huge yummy zinberry aromas. Bright palate with a good amount of tannins and big brightly fruited though somewhat straightforward giving some sweet boysenberry and licorice. Would have normally expected a big more complexity from a Swan and not quite a biggish in the fruit department.

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• 2005 St. Francis Zinfandel Old Vines Sonoma County

  USA, California, Sonoma County

  Soft round nose with some heat and tart berry. Dark heavy fruit, somewhat soft and bland. Seemed to be have some oxidation or an aged quality in the background.

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• 2005 Leoness Cellars Zinfandel

  USA, California

  Very ripe juicy type of nose with plenty of heat and VA. Very juicy with a nice palate feel. Full and candy like. The type of Zin that gave it a bad name with wine geeks. VA got worse with air.

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• 2006 Sandler Wine Company Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Dry Creek Valley

  Very light color. Soft light berries on the nose. Soft elegant lean palate feel with very late acting tannins. Has potential to get better. My favorite on the tasting.

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• 2006 Saucelito Canyon Zinfandel

  USA, California, Central Coast, Arroyo Grande Valley

  Tight nose showing plenty of heat and a touch of reduction. Big juicy full feeling palate, big sweet fruit showing signs of oak.

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• 2005 Chateau Montelena Zinfandel The Montelena Estate

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Calistoga

  Odd nose showing some brown sugar and caramel, bit tight. On the leaner side of palate feel with a dark fruited young character with some sweetness and violets. Odd for a Zin.

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• 2003 Fife Zinfandel Mendocino Uplands

  USA, California, North Coast, Mendocino

  Straight forward zinberry nose that seems tart. Palate has nice tannic grip still with a juicy quality. Lots of berries and a bit of heat. Still pretty good and won our blind tasting on the day. A terrific bargain.

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