11/26/2023 - TwoSmoochies wrote:

I think we drank it too soon/fast. Great structure but need to open.

3/26/2021 - tomlee wrote:

Crimson in color. 15.1% ABV. Gorgeous nose of black fruits, anise and cracked pepper. Full bodied with mouth watering acidity. Lush and fruit forward with exceptional balance. Black cherry, raspberry liqueur and white pepper on the palate. Tremendous length on the finish. Very good but lacking the sheer excitement of the 15 I had a month or so back. Best over the next 2-4 years.

7/1/2021 - Niagara wrote:

Must admit after two bottles of this, separated by a year, that it simply may be too young. It has neither the exuberance of youth, nor the gentled thoughtfulness of older age. Not to anthropomorphize excessively, because those values do not always correlate directly to the human population, but it’s the metaphor I’m sticking with until a better one comes along.

6/20/2021 - EMTAME wrote:

Everything about this wine is terrific, from the plush, velvety garnet color to the knockout nose, right on through to the deliciously ripe mountain fruit. The tannins are well behaved at this point, providing structure but not distracting at all from the other elements. The finish is long and shows a little bit of spice. I absolutely love this wine.

1/4/2021 - LingonTuvan wrote:

Flawed

12/12/2020 - Rktekt3 wrote:

Thank God this bottle is my last.

Tastes very much like a weak Porto. Prunes on the palate.

1/29/2019 - TwoSmoochies wrote:

This was merely okay.

3/6/2017 - TwoSmoochies wrote:

Corked

11/15/2016 - wicozani Likes this wine:

Ordered at Tre Piani restaurant in Princeton, NJ. Simply opened and poured. A brilliant medium+ ruby in the glass, with a somewhat reticent nose of bing cherry, red alpine currant, violet and leather. Quite high-toned acidity, with medium+ intensity and concentration leading into a quite long finish. This paired decently with a tortellini dish with a bright tomato sauce, but would likely be better with a more rich dish or with steak. This gained in structure the more it was open, bringing some blackberry and licorice into the mix. Very nice, but young and should improve with more time in the bottle.

10/5/2016 - danseng wrote:

Ehren Jordan making Zin again. Hurrah! Tastes nothing like any Turley Zin I've had. Way too young to drink but I did anyway. At this stage I would have guessed it was a Petite Syrah. Also has a lot of Carlisle flavor profiles which is always a good thing in my book. If you can find it, buy it.

3/6/2016 - WineAggregate wrote:

Nice dark red with a touch of red, this is saturated, rich, bordering on sweet. Dark blackberry, slightly gritty nose. Blackberry, black cherry and peppery on the palate with just a bit too much sweetness. This has softened considerably since I first got it. How does Parker give this a 93? Drink up.

9/30/2014 - MystMrQ wrote:

Nice, but not up to the standard I've come to expect from Rafanelli. This wine, while full bodied and with a long finish, was disjointed with bright red fruit flavors fighting with a vegetal flavor that reminded me a bit of a bitter bell pepper. While time may help the flavors better integrate, I'm doubtful that the green pepper flavors will fade enough for this wine to compete with other Rafanelli vintages.

10/19/2015 - Captaincorey wrote:

One of my favorite Provençal roses. Strong aromas of strawberry, with some floral hints. Very pale salmon in color. Light body, crisp acidity without being overpowering. Very tasty

7/7/2015 - Robert_Col wrote:

They make a small amount of the Merlot, and they don’t ship it. If you want the Merlot, then you have to visit the Winery. What a A.Rafanelli likes to do is have a bottle limit on all their wines that they will sell a person in a day. As their inventory decreases, they will lower that amount. As they don’t have any Merlot last year, everybody has been grabbing it, and it is almost gown.

Needs a year

7/15/2015 - Woodbridge Brad Likes this wine:

Hard to rate a wine like this and my 95 might be a bit low. Great wine with a heart and strength of character without being overpowering or tasting enhanced. Very balanced and concentrated with a long briar finish.

7/8/2015 - SexyEpicurean wrote:

This wine does nothing for me. I tried to find the original offer on it from Rimmerman (Garagiste) but could not locate it in my inbox. He must have hyped the heck out of it for me to buy a New World Pinot, though. It is very harsh, one note: no expansion, no good fruit or acidity. I really hope I didn't pay a lot. Anyone remember the offer date or the price? Stuck with 2 more bottles, too.

12/31/2014 - RMundell Likes this wine:

decanted a couple hours. Very good!

8/11/2014 - TwoSmoochies wrote:

Flat, aged. I hope this bottle is an anomaly

1/31/2014 - Delli Likes this wine:

A huge surprise at this price point. Tried to find more but Ontario is sold out. Purple and opaque. Nose of dark fruit, and tobacco. Sour cherries on the palate and strong in the finish. Plumbs, round tannins and hint of minerality deliver a generous mouth feel and smooth lingering finish. 5+12+17+8=92 (I wonder if the this bottle was an outlier).

4/6/2013 - DCSteve wrote:

I agree with jonahfactor - does not drink at all like a zin. Not at all like the typical peppery, high alcohol zins that California has become known for. Berries on the nose - well integrated fruits - light tannins - smooth as can be. Really enjoyed this.

3/7/2013 - beezer6 wrote:

Pinot in the City (City Winery, Chicago, IL): Oh my goodness. One of the wines of the day. So supple and elegant. Soft and young. Racy fig Newtons mixed with dark currants and some white pepper.
Long well structured palate. Needs some time on its side. Really killer juice.

1/8/2013 - cookie7 wrote:

Pop and pour - note after 2.5 hours. Chocolate, mocha and red cherries on the nose. Similar on the palate. Finish is a bit flabby and hot. Not sure this has a long future ahead of it.