January 20, 2018 - Lots of black fruits, blackberries, currants, black raspberries, and black cherries. The Storybook Reserve Zins need about 8-10 years, then become almost claret like. An elegant wine with medium to full body. Not like other zins but delicious nonetheless, and an excellent food wine.
December 30, 2015 - - Purple color with medium forming legs and aromas of black pepper, black currant, blackberry and fig. It's unbalanced and has flavours of black pepper, black currant, blackberry and fig with a medium body. Leathery texture with a medium finish.
March 3, 2015 - Spectacular. Opened 4 2007 (Pinot, zin, Syrah and cab) with an herbed roast leg of lamb. All were great matches. This is drinking beautifully, silky and smooth with great balance. Not a jammy zin but much more subtle and elegant.
March 25, 2013 - Unbelievable zin!
July 19, 2012 - Had with Phil T.
February 4, 2012 - Fantastic - reminds me of Martinelli fruit
December 28, 2011 - High-toned and a bit overpowering at the moment. Black pepper, creamy oak and super-concentrated black fruits dominate. Neeeds some time to mellow and come together. Hold 2-3 years.
June 11, 2011 - Served at the White House, and now I know why. Clean bouquet of flowers and blackberry fruit. Layer upon layer of fruit and glycerin, rich yet elegant. This fine wine cruised along with ease after a 30 minute decant -- I think it coud easily hold up for another 5 years, but its drinking well enough right now that the wiser course may be to consume it over the next 2 years.
April 30, 2011 - From 50ml bottle. Semi-dark maroonish red. Raspberry, earth, oak, and a slight bit of funk on the nose. Medium to full bodied, intense blackberries, gobs of black pepper, currents, tea leaves, dry but supportive tannins, a touch of smokey soy sauce, and a hot, medium to long finish. Impressive components that aren't quite knit together yet, but still really good.
March 26, 2011 - My rating for this wine is a bit high, but also based on potential given a few more years to age and develop. Drank at JCT Kitchen on my birthday. Evry time I have one of Storybook's zin's I'm shocked at how light and mellow they are.