February 5, 2022. Drank from Bin North 8. Spice plum currant nose. Dark purple. Full body spice oak leather with dry chalk finish and plum finish. 7/10.
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Really great wine. Enjoyed with a Lamb Shank, Greek lemon potatoes and brussels. Wine holds it own against rich food tastes. Deep ruby in the glass, cassis and raisin nose, very smooth chocolate and red cheery taste and a very smooth finish. Not sure what happened to my other bottles, but will buy again.
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Sehr einnehmende Duft, sehr kräftig. Schöne schwarzfruchtsnoten in Begleitung von Gewürznoten. Nicht besonders elegant aber einfach gelungen. Leichte pelziger Abgang.
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Crimson colour, blackberries and a bit of raspberries and blueberries, prunes, pepper and warm spices, bit of coffee and rocky minerality. Mature wine, perhaps just past peak but still very good and interesting with good structure and body. Dry, good acidity, bit of alcohol but fairly well balanced against the abundance of flavours, with quite a lot of spicy, aged oak and cedar, smooth tannins.
Best right out of the bottle, deteriorated a bit on day two. Would pair very well with a BBQ. Great QPR at discount price of €17,50.
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The last of my bottles of 2011 while we missed the zone on this wine it’s held up well in the bottle and exhibits all the characteristics you’d expect from a Zin. Deep ruby color and while it’s nose has faded it solid in all other aspects.
Blueberry and raspberry jam, on the back end there are some warm spices and a hint of remaining oak and cedar resin. Paired well with some spicy shrimp fried rice.
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The nose is loaded with fresh blueberries, raspberries, and hints of oak. It’s held it’s dark purple color. The wine had been tamed by time, but it’s still packing berries and some fig jam. Very enjoyable and classic zinfandel profile.
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This was my last bottle of four purchased five years ago, all were consistently very good. Hasn’t lost a step over the last year. This should be good to drink for at least another year.
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Well balanced nose and flavor of blackberries and cherries with just the right acidity. Excellent with a french beef and wine stew. Not sure that this wine will get any better so enjoy in the next year or two.
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Still drinking well and seems to be in a great place currently. Paired with smoked jalapeño beef sausage, potato salad and ranch beans. Shows jammy, spicy red and black fruits, mocha, dark earth and acidity to pair well with any kind if BBQ, smoked meat, or grilled red meat. Very good And well balanced Zinfandel.
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2 timer i dekanter. Servert til entrectoe m Grønnpeppersaus. God match. Mørke bær, litt beskjeden på tunga, men kommer etterhvert. Balanserte tannniner. Tror dette er spiret.
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Crimson in color. 14.8% ABV. Brambly red and black fruits, white pepper and spiced plums on the nose. Medium body with mouth watering acidity. Silky and lush on the palate with flavors of raspberry, blackberry and pepper. Medium length on the finish. This Zinfandel is just a touch on the lean side which is a reflection of the vintage. Pretty good nonetheless. Drink over the next 2-3 years.
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Five different people commented on how good this wine was. It has big fruit of black and red raspberry, boysenberry, blueberry and a big briary texture. Balance is quite good and the finish is long, showing both fruit and dry tea tannins. The wine showed well with or without food
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Lots of nice fruit - blackberry, black cherry and some red currant. Nice acidity to balance the fruit. Opened because I had seen some notes that sounded like this was past peak and some that sounded like it could still use more time. For me, this is at a perfect drinking point. Excellent now but would probably drink my remaining bottle in the next year or so.
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If more Zins drank like this one, I'd have a whole lot more in my cellar. This wine comes from Ravenswood, the winery that sells more zin than many other wineries produce total. Of course the large production wines you see in Safeway are made in bulk, basically. There is another segment of Ravenswood's portfolio dedicated to doing things in small batches, single vineyard lots, like this one. And it's lovely. BIG black cherry flavors, with vanilla and other baking spices. Tannins are still making themselves known, so this will probably hold at least 3 more years. Over all this wine is delicious now, so why wait.
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Nose of black raspberry, pepper, cherry cola, and new oak. On the palate, restrained with black cherry and pepper flavors. Decent finish but there is obvious alcoholic heat poking through. Pity because the rest of the package is very nice. Drink over the near term.
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Second time with this wine since the summer of 2014. Really paired well with smoked beef short ribs, potato salad and ranch beans. There is enough jammy, spicy red fruit, vanilla and acidity to pair well with any kind if BBQ, smoked meat, or grilled red meat to provide a solid pairing. Very good WOR.
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Really enjoyed this Zin. Strong bouquet of jammy red/black berry fruit on the nose. Dusty tannins with a hint of oak andwell balanced long finish. Would buy again at this price point should get better with another year in the bottle.
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Nose of blueberry muffin, hints of almost overripe and juicy black cherry fruit, gunpowder tea and clove, wee hint of alcohol, more of the same on the palate, smooth, supple and almost elegant for a zinfandel, touch simple, big body, long, long, fruity finish and aftertaste. This wine reminds me of Dan Teldeschi.
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P&p. Clear purple with strong legs in the glass; highly perfumed nose, fruit forward but with a caramel aura, boysenberry pie; fruit continues on the palate with pepper and spice, silky mouthfeel, with the 14.8% alcohol well integrated; long finish. One of my favorite zins this year, but others' notes suggest a good deal of bottle variation. Excellent pqr at $23.
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Textbook spicy Zin with a bit of heat and pepper. Nice fruit throughout, well balanced mid-weight quaffer. Perfect for drinking with some mild cheese. Well worth it at $24, would definitely buy again.
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P&p. Clear purple with strong legs in the glass; highly perfumed nose, fruit forward but with a caramel aura, boysenberry pie; fruit continues on the palate with pepper and spice, silky mouthfeel, with the 14.8% alcohol well integrated; long finish. One of my favorite zins this year, but others' notes suggest a good deal of bottle variation. Excellent pqr at $23.
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Nice light-bodied 2011 Zin. The nose screams pepper and fresh berries. The palate has up front raspberries and cherries with pepper and no oak. There is plenty of acidity to balance the spicy and slightly sweet finish. Drink now with an hour decant.
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Aromatic upon opening. Fruit driven ripe plum, dark berry cobbler, spicy raspberry, and sweet vanilla; smooth and balanced mouthfeel. Pretty straight forward, nothing elaborate but solid and tasty. Paired great with a smoked brisket, potato salad, and the fixens. Great effort given the subpar vintage in Sonoma.
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Taking a whiff, it all but confirmed that this wine had some head. Alcohol and plum on the nose. The rest of what could have been detectable was drowned out. Juicy, tannic and overbearing. There's a lot of bombast present here, which sadly hides what the Zinfandel grape can offer. It's a great glass, but anything beyond that sends your senses reeling. Upon tasting the next day, the alcohol became more timid and the berries seemed to express themselves more. Decant for a day, and you'll find some pleasing nuances. But, I'd have to say, skip this one.
Does not have an explosive aroma right out of the bottle. But taste is really big. Nice balance between black and blue fruit, pepper and oak elements. Deep purple in the glass with a beautiful ruby rim. Long, thick legs are consistent with 14.8% alcohol content. Great QPR at $22. Will be adding these to the everyday drinker inventory
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Consumed over the course of five days, re-corking and storing in the fridge; definitely got better with time; very dark, inky purple in color; reticent nose and not much in terms of coaxing anything from the glass other than some darker fruits; dark fruit profile on the palate, with some bramble, cedar and a good amount of spice; strong, drying tannic structure but still nicely balanced, mid to somewhat heavier in weight, especially as the wine warmed to room temperature (68 degrees).
My first of the Ravenswood from this vineyard so difficult to say if this is just young or in somewhat of an awkward period where it's not showing much on the nose and still fairly simple on the palate.
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Drinking very young right now, but showing much potential. Big black fruit and silky palate. Dry and tannic finish. Gains weight with air. Excellent pairing with barbecue chicken.
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7/29/2023 - myexperience4u Likes this wine: 90 Points
🍇in der Nase kräftig nach Waldboden, Brombeere, Zimt, Kirsche, Holz.
🍇am Gaumen schöne Tannine. Leichte Bitterkeit, trotzdem viel Frucht und Volumen.
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6/30/2023 - Kramer49 Likes this wine:
Still showing strong but probably as good as it will get. Enjoyed the bottle.
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5/8/2023 - wtianseter wrote: 90 Points
This bottle showed nice as a solid, no-nonsence Zin. Good berry flavors.
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2/5/2022 - RDB Wine Likes this wine: 70 Points
February 5, 2022. Drank from Bin North 8. Spice plum currant nose. Dark purple. Full body spice oak leather with dry chalk finish and plum finish. 7/10.
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11/14/2020 - CosmicDude Likes this wine: 92 Points
Really great wine. Enjoyed with a Lamb Shank, Greek lemon potatoes and brussels. Wine holds it own against rich food tastes. Deep ruby in the glass, cassis and raisin nose, very smooth chocolate and red cheery taste and a very smooth finish. Not sure what happened to my other bottles, but will buy again.
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10/7/2020 - ggroebli Likes this wine: 92 Points
Sehr einnehmende Duft, sehr kräftig. Schöne schwarzfruchtsnoten in Begleitung von Gewürznoten. Nicht besonders elegant aber einfach gelungen. Leichte pelziger Abgang.
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6/17/2020 - Zorba Likes this wine: 90 Points
Crimson colour, blackberries and a bit of raspberries and blueberries, prunes, pepper and warm spices, bit of coffee and rocky minerality. Mature wine, perhaps just past peak but still very good and interesting with good structure and body. Dry, good acidity, bit of alcohol but fairly well balanced against the abundance of flavours, with quite a lot of spicy, aged oak and cedar, smooth tannins.
Best right out of the bottle, deteriorated a bit on day two. Would pair very well with a BBQ. Great QPR at discount price of €17,50.
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1/23/2020 - CLE Rocks! wrote: 90 Points
The last of my bottles of 2011 while we missed the zone on this wine it’s held up well in the bottle and exhibits all the characteristics you’d expect from a Zin. Deep ruby color and while it’s nose has faded it solid in all other aspects.
Blueberry and raspberry jam, on the back end there are some warm spices and a hint of remaining oak and cedar resin. Paired well with some spicy shrimp fried rice.
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1/19/2020 - CLE Rocks! wrote: 83 Points
The nose is loaded with fresh blueberries, raspberries, and hints of oak. It’s held it’s dark purple color. The wine had been tamed by time, but it’s still packing berries and some fig jam. Very enjoyable and classic zinfandel profile.
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7/4/2019 - wmccone54 wrote: 91 Points
This was my last bottle of four purchased five years ago, all were consistently very good. Hasn’t lost a step over the last year. This should be good to drink for at least another year.
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3/4/2019 - sdahar Likes this wine: 91 Points
Well balanced nose and flavor of blackberries and cherries with just the right acidity. Excellent with a french beef and wine stew. Not sure that this wine will get any better so enjoy in the next year or two.
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7/4/2018 - wmccone54 wrote: 91 Points
Still drinking well and seems to be in a great place currently. Paired with smoked jalapeño beef sausage, potato salad and ranch beans. Shows jammy, spicy red and black fruits, mocha, dark earth and acidity to pair well with any kind if BBQ, smoked meat, or grilled red meat. Very good And well balanced Zinfandel.
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4/7/2018 - ROrmand Likes this wine: 92 Points
Waves and waves of delectable fruit. Good structure, too. Masterful winemaking.
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3/18/2018 - silbakor wrote: 89 Points
More dry than expected. Great with food. Balanced acid and still dry tannins. Not at all jammy.
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9/1/2017 - VidarS wrote: 89 Points
2 timer i dekanter. Servert til entrectoe m Grønnpeppersaus. God match. Mørke bær, litt beskjeden på tunga, men kommer etterhvert. Balanserte tannniner. Tror dette er spiret.
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5/21/2017 - tomlee wrote: 90 Points
Crimson in color. 14.8% ABV. Brambly red and black fruits, white pepper and spiced plums on the nose. Medium body with mouth watering acidity. Silky and lush on the palate with flavors of raspberry, blackberry and pepper. Medium length on the finish. This Zinfandel is just a touch on the lean side which is a reflection of the vintage. Pretty good nonetheless. Drink over the next 2-3 years.
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2/19/2017 - jsherdc Likes this wine: 91 Points
Great Zin. Blackberry but not too heavy (at least for a zin). Delicious
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8/23/2016 - 1961Vintage Likes this wine: 92 Points
Terrific Zin. Great ptq.
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7/5/2016 - cjsadler wrote: 90 Points
Opened up with a bit of time-- no rush to drink this. Balanced dark fruit, some nice complexity.
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5/31/2016 - srwatters Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nice zin flavor profile without being overly jammy or a fruit bomb. Time to drink and enjoy is now.
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5/31/2016 - wtianseter wrote: 93 Points
Five different people commented on how good this wine was. It has big fruit of black and red raspberry, boysenberry, blueberry and a big briary texture. Balance is quite good and the finish is long, showing both fruit and dry tea tannins. The wine showed well with or without food
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5/30/2016 - kmack wrote:
Lots of nice fruit - blackberry, black cherry and some red currant. Nice acidity to balance the fruit. Opened because I had seen some notes that sounded like this was past peak and some that sounded like it could still use more time. For me, this is at a perfect drinking point. Excellent now but would probably drink my remaining bottle in the next year or so.
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5/25/2016 - TallMikeWine Likes this wine: 90 Points
If more Zins drank like this one, I'd have a whole lot more in my cellar. This wine comes from Ravenswood, the winery that sells more zin than many other wineries produce total. Of course the large production wines you see in Safeway are made in bulk, basically. There is another segment of Ravenswood's portfolio dedicated to doing things in small batches, single vineyard lots, like this one. And it's lovely. BIG black cherry flavors, with vanilla and other baking spices. Tannins are still making themselves known, so this will probably hold at least 3 more years. Over all this wine is delicious now, so why wait.
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4/30/2016 - grover91 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Another solid zin from Ravenswood. Ready to drink now.
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4/18/2016 - ecola Likes this wine: 89 Points
Probably peaked a year or so ago. Fruit is slightly faded and a bit prune like on the finish. This was an amazing bottle a few back.
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12/24/2015 - mazik Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nice zin, perhaps fading
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12/16/2015 - GalvezGuy wrote: 90 Points
Nose of black raspberry, pepper, cherry cola, and new oak. On the palate, restrained with black cherry and pepper flavors. Decent finish but there is obvious alcoholic heat poking through. Pity because the rest of the package is very nice. Drink over the near term.
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10/18/2015 - wmccone54 wrote: 91 Points
Second time with this wine since the summer of 2014. Really paired well with smoked beef short ribs, potato salad and ranch beans. There is enough jammy, spicy red fruit, vanilla and acidity to pair well with any kind if BBQ, smoked meat, or grilled red meat to provide a solid pairing. Very good WOR.
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7/9/2015 - Twopawsup Likes this wine: 91 Points
Really enjoyed this Zin. Strong bouquet of jammy red/black berry fruit on the nose. Dusty tannins with a hint of oak andwell balanced long finish. Would buy again at this price point should get better with another year in the bottle.
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7/3/2015 - CosmicDude Likes this wine: 90 Points
Great California Zin
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5/21/2015 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nose of blueberry muffin, hints of almost overripe and juicy black cherry fruit, gunpowder tea and clove, wee hint of alcohol, more of the same on the palate, smooth, supple and almost elegant for a zinfandel, touch simple, big body, long, long, fruity finish and aftertaste. This wine reminds me of Dan Teldeschi.
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3/23/2015 - mazik wrote: 92 Points
P&p. Clear purple with strong legs in the glass; highly perfumed nose, fruit forward but with a caramel aura, boysenberry pie; fruit continues on the palate with pepper and spice, silky mouthfeel, with the 14.8% alcohol well integrated; long finish. One of my favorite zins this year, but others' notes suggest a good deal of bottle variation. Excellent pqr at $23.
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11/26/2014 - Dale Rattles Likes this wine: 90 Points
Textbook spicy Zin with a bit of heat and pepper. Nice fruit throughout, well balanced mid-weight quaffer. Perfect for drinking with some mild cheese. Well worth it at $24, would definitely buy again.
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11/5/2014 - mazik Likes this wine: 92 Points
P&p. Clear purple with strong legs in the glass; highly perfumed nose, fruit forward but with a caramel aura, boysenberry pie; fruit continues on the palate with pepper and spice, silky mouthfeel, with the 14.8% alcohol well integrated; long finish. One of my favorite zins this year, but others' notes suggest a good deal of bottle variation. Excellent pqr at $23.
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11/5/2014 - chanote44 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Nice light-bodied 2011 Zin. The nose screams pepper and fresh berries. The palate has up front raspberries and cherries with pepper and no oak. There is plenty of acidity to balance the spicy and slightly sweet finish. Drink now with an hour decant.
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11/3/2014 - KeithSurg wrote: 84 Points
Not the best representative of this varietal. Red fruit and a little spice on the palate. Herbal and tart on the thin finish.
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10/7/2014 - cjsadler Likes this wine:
Dark fruit, a bit of vanilla, balanced and nice, if not the most complex wine. Hard to tell if this will improve or not.
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7/4/2014 - wmccone54 wrote: 90 Points
Aromatic upon opening. Fruit driven ripe plum, dark berry cobbler, spicy raspberry, and sweet vanilla; smooth and balanced mouthfeel. Pretty straight forward, nothing elaborate but solid and tasty. Paired great with a smoked brisket, potato salad, and the fixens. Great effort given the subpar vintage in Sonoma.
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3/26/2014 - FrugalGlug wrote: 88 Points
Taking a whiff, it all but confirmed that this wine had some head. Alcohol and plum on the nose. The rest of what could have been detectable was drowned out.
Juicy, tannic and overbearing. There's a lot of bombast present here, which sadly hides what the Zinfandel grape can offer. It's a great glass, but anything beyond that sends your senses reeling. Upon tasting the next day, the alcohol became more timid and the berries seemed to express themselves more. Decant for a day, and you'll find some pleasing nuances. But, I'd have to say, skip this one.
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3/15/2014 - bzukaitis Likes this wine: 90 Points
May be better than 07 and 09's Very approachable already but has plenty of time left.
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3/9/2014 - Blankje wrote: 89 Points
Does not have an explosive aroma right out of the bottle. But taste is really big. Nice balance between black and blue fruit, pepper and oak elements. Deep purple in the glass with a beautiful ruby rim. Long, thick legs are consistent with 14.8% alcohol content. Great QPR at $22. Will be adding these to the everyday drinker inventory
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3/7/2014 - tcufletch wrote:
Consumed over the course of five days, re-corking and storing in the fridge; definitely got better with time; very dark, inky purple in color; reticent nose and not much in terms of coaxing anything from the glass other than some darker fruits; dark fruit profile on the palate, with some bramble, cedar and a good amount of spice; strong, drying tannic structure but still nicely balanced, mid to somewhat heavier in weight, especially as the wine warmed to room temperature (68 degrees).
My first of the Ravenswood from this vineyard so difficult to say if this is just young or in somewhat of an awkward period where it's not showing much on the nose and still fairly simple on the palate.
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3/4/2014 - cjsavino wrote: 89 Points
Big bodied wine, heavy on the oak treatment, and a bit hot.
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2/25/2014 - Screameagle Likes this wine: 90 Points
A very nice zin that is drinking well now and is probably at its peak for sure. A pop and pour that was a great qpr.
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1/22/2014 - rjonwine@gmail.com wrote: 91 Points
Very dark ruby color; redolent, ripe berry, violets nose; tasty, ripe berry, violets, black cherry palate; medium-plus finish (14.8% alcohol) 91+ points
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11/4/2013 - ecola Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drinking very young right now, but showing much potential. Big black fruit and silky palate. Dry and tannic finish. Gains weight with air. Excellent pairing with barbecue chicken.
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8/31/2013 - silbakor wrote:
Mellow from the Carignane, soft, medium tannins, and food friendly.
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