December 27, 2023 - Found this in the cellar and figured that it would be well past the drinking window. But we decanted it and let it sit for a little bit and it was quite nice.
September 5, 2012 - I show I bought three and drank three, yet here in the cellar was another bottle...bonus Tubee! Given a brief decant before dinner, this was growing quite a bit of fine sediment. Initially a little tight, after twenty minutes or so aromas of cherry, licorice, red fruit liqueur and spice emerged. Domino noted a hint of vanilla. Balanced, with white pepper, spice and red fruit flavors. Medium finish. At the hour mark, this has taken on southern Rhone-like qualities with garrigue/warm black and red fruit things going on. The Rhonish quality fades into a nice red fruit/boysenberry quality. Juicy, with plenty of acidity. A really fun bottle at this stage. 89+ pts.
May 4, 2012 - Deep inky crimson color. Notes of cherry, lavender, plum, spice and saddle leather. Black fruit and spice flavors.
November 16, 2011 - Perfect with pizza
February 10, 2011 - S FL Welcomes Stefania's Paul & Stef (& MiamiAtty Gets Hitched!) (JC & FKG's - Hollywood, FL): Liked this one a bit less than the 07 and 08. Raspberry and blackberry fruit, medium to high acidity, and some drying tannins upfront similar to the 08.
January 8, 2010 - nice - everything has softened just a bit. Same fruit profile with zinfandel being dominate. Very nice sipping wine.
October 2, 2009 - As always, Stefania and Paul continue to impress me with their delicious wines, and they hold the most worthy titled of Top Producer in my cellar. This wine continues to evolve, and keeps getting better and better. Very nice fragrant nose of blackberry, black cherry, blueberry, currants, pepper, leather, and spice. The nose on this wine could almost pass for a Rhone wine, and I love it! There is so much going on with the nose of this wine that it is intoxicating, and I say that in a good way! On the palate, this wine has improved since we had it last December. Everything has come together very nicely, and on the palate, I think that the zinfandel is the shining star here, and I sense some nice cabernet notes here as well, but don’t know for sure. Dark blue and black fruits dominate the palate with some cherry and raspberry. Nice finish with subtle tannins make this wine a joy to drink. Kudos as always to Paul and Stef, and this was a joy with pizza at Delorenzos Tomato Pies in Trenton! 90 points!
March 20, 2009 - took to a blind tasting and everyone liked it - held up well against some big names...
nice dark garnet color
leather, tobacco and pepper on the nose
hint of green olive? and green bell pepper, pit/stone fruit, light tannings, and some great jam & bing cherry flavors- I should stock up on more of this
January 27, 2009 - For some reason this was the first time in a while that I noticed and enjoyed, the green bell pepper / hint of olive undertone I associate with santa cruz wines - I need to pick up another case of this soon
November 1, 2008 - Wow, continue to love this for a value casual wine that still has some oompf. Bright nose, raspberry, blueberry and spice. On the palate, incredibly juicy with fantastic acidity. I find tannins to be low, or outweighed by the acid at least, and to me the mouthfeel reminds me of a ripe Barbera. Plenty long finish for this kind of casual drinker.