Community Tasting Note

will2wine wrote:

Wednesday, October 14, 2009 - After the surprising brilliance of Ancient Peaks' '06 zin, I was anxious to try the '07, but also apprehensive. What a disappointment it would be if the new vintage proved the previous success to be a fluke. Certainly, the '05 was not in the same league. Then again, '07 was a stellar growing year, and folks at the winery assured me when I visited this past winter that quality would only rise.

My worries were unfounded. The '07 is deeper, darker and richer than the shimmering '06, but it doesn't lose the sense of proportion that made that wine one of my favorite zinfandels. Like its predecessor, it is driven by ripe raspberry fruit, with added dimensions of blue and black fruit, shaded by pepper and vanilla. The oak is unmissable, but it remains a complement to the fruit rather than vying for supremacy. While it's a bit hot on day one, and carries 15 percent alcohol, the size is justified by a long, deep, fruit-filled finish that eclipses that of the '06. This tasted better on the second day than the first, suggesting it could evolve with age.

The overall impression is of a serious, claret-like zinfandel that is also juicy and fun right out of the bottle. For $16 retail, this remains the best zinfandel bargain I have found -- even more so now that Seghesio has hiked its prices. Nice work, Ancient Peaks.

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