This is a still, dry, red wine, ruby-colored, fading to pink at the edges. It is of middleweight with medium to low acidity. Nose of walnuts and fresh rubber tires. Opening notes of cherry and chocolate. Middle tones include a slight, interesting hint of bitter black pepper. (Is this the bourbon barrel oakiness?) Delightfully long finish that suggests soda water and lemon. Remarkable complexity for a mid-weight red. I served it with spaghetti and meat sauce and sautéed spinach, and the match was perfect.
It was just an okay Zinfandel flavor - typical fruit and spice. Got a hint of the bourbon aging, but it didn't bring much to the overall texture and body.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Get rid of the initial alcohol harshness by decanting for an hour or two before serving. The berries and cherries really stand out if you do this. Oak finish is strong and syrupy but for some reason works with this wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I see other (Cali Cab) people enjoying this as a novelty, but I didn't like it, way to much oak. I tasted the Cooper and Thief bourbon aged zinfandel at a $30 price point, and it was more balanced than this effort at $15.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is a big, bold Californian Zinfandel, as we've come to expect them. Not overly complex, but certainly pleasing. Medium ruby in colour, this wine is all fruit on the nose, with a hint of alcohol that gives away its 15.4% strength. Berries, cherries and booze, oh my!
The palate follows as expected, with some secondary notes from the aging in bourbon barrels, but still very fruit-forward. Tannins are minimal, and acid is low, but sufficient to keep the wine from being flabby. The finish is fairly long, with lingering fruit and alcohol.
This wine is as far from Old World as can be. Some people will like that, others won't. I served this with a hearty, spicy mole-style chili and it worked great. This could easily be consumed without food as well.
I liked this wine, and it was what I expected and wanted as a pairing. Not sure it's worth $30 (CDN) though; there are a lot of good Zins that cost less.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is an interesting wine, however the key words on the front of the bottle are writing checks that the grape juice inside isn't cashing. Expectations going in was a sweeter but more dynamic flavor profile with maybe some molasses or dark brown sugar behind it. The reality was slightly less exciting.
When I opened the bottle for sizing up, it was 'alcoholy' on the nose with nothing really shining front and center. I breathed the bottle for about 4 hours, plus a 1 hour decant. Good thing too, because she opened up a little.
This wine has a dark purple core with light ruby rim. Long legs, this has a remarkable 15.6% alcohol, but doesnt really taste like it. After opening it up a bit, the nose found black currants, cherries, and hints of wet stone. This wine is medium dry, low on tannins, low on acid, and soft volume. The palate has black fruit, black pepper, with back flavors of baking spices and vanilla, and blueberries but more like blueberry muffins.
I paired it with chicken Tikka masala, and surprisingly it worked out well. This wine is a drinkable crowd pleaser, but lacks the finesse, teroir, and subtlety of a more refined wine. Make sure you decant first.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Interesting concept wine. Nose was sweet cherry, overly ripe fruits (should appeal new wine drinkers.) Palate was monolithic but had a decent finish. Not very ZIN like if you drink zins on a normal basis from the big houses. The high alcohol level came thru on the palate with a touch of heat but would probably tone down with a year in the cellar. Almost an after dinner sipper with dessert?
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Sweet and easy, a crowd pleaser (though I'm not part of that crowd). The 15.4% alcohol stood out in the company of five other more temperate zinfandels and it was easily my last place wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Jammy cherry fruit, sweet, cloying , manufactured, one dimensional, low varietal character, redeeming quality is a nice cinnamon/clove finish that helped balance the cloying sweetness and kept this out of the drain. Would not by again but I can see this as a crowd pleaser.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
At first a weak expression but it did improve. Though at 12$ a bottle it seems that this could and did drink above the price. Floral note aromatics with a deep and unfortunately dried and closed pallete. Short finish which made me regret my tasting notes, however it is still probably worth the dive into this wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Caramel, vanilla and butterscotch. Surprisingly long finish considering some of the notes on here. Desert like on day one reminding me of bananas foster (minus the banana). Two days later evolved to a more traditional zin with dried fruit and a hint of cinomin. For $18, I'd buy again.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Pleasant, fruit-forward wine. Rich nose, very vibrant first taste which stands up to swirling in the mouth, but then flattens (like most zins, in my experience- not a huge fan) across the palate at the finish. Did not need a long time to breathe. Probably better paired with a red meat meal than a cheese course.
Powerful wine. The molasses like sweetness goes on for a minute. Almost like a smoky BBQ sauce in your glass. Definitely enjoyable, but needs solid food to go with it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
A big brooding red. lots of dark fruit and heavy tannins. Nothing wrong with it, but feels a bit unbalanced. A decent wine but not a great value at the price.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I like it, but I don't LOVE it. It's a pretty generic-tasting, uncomplicated Zin. I get just a hint of sweetness that could be a result of the bourbon-barrel ageing, but it's nowhere near as pronounced as the several bourbon-barrel beers/ales I've tried. If this were $10 it'd be a good bargain ... at over half-again as much, not really. Highly unlikely to be a repeat purchase.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
5/16/2020 - sjs1949 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Read Carolinius tasting more. Spot on. Although I wouldn’t give it quite as high a rating. Be sure to let breathe well after opening.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/27/2019 - GulashAbbott wrote:
So good
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/7/2019 - Carolinius Likes this wine: 94 Points
This is a still, dry, red wine, ruby-colored, fading to pink at the edges. It is of middleweight with medium to low acidity. Nose of walnuts and fresh rubber tires. Opening notes of cherry and chocolate. Middle tones include a slight, interesting hint of bitter black pepper. (Is this the bourbon barrel oakiness?) Delightfully long finish that suggests soda water and lemon. Remarkable complexity for a mid-weight red. I served it with spaghetti and meat sauce and sautéed spinach, and the match was perfect.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
2/18/2018 - Machong wrote:
It’s. Good wine buy onsale
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/28/2017 - Magic Trout Likes this wine: 90 Points
Meget god Zinfandel
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/29/2017 - Chefcar Does not like this wine: 70 Points
It was just an okay Zinfandel flavor - typical fruit and spice. Got a hint of the bourbon aging, but it didn't bring much to the overall texture and body.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/19/2017 - DurocShark wrote: 90 Points
Decant, decant, decant!
Get rid of the initial alcohol harshness by decanting for an hour or two before serving. The berries and cherries really stand out if you do this. Oak finish is strong and syrupy but for some reason works with this wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/28/2017 - mcbright wrote: 84 Points
It's nice, but the barrel aging makes it heavy and slightly syrupy
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/2/2017 - L Wilson wrote:
Buy more-look for 2015 vintage.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/23/2017 - rlevinepstein@gmail.com Likes this wine: 99 Points
Bourbon barrel very slight, great jammy zin- got at TJs. Def buy again
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/19/2017 - bakhawk wrote:
Hindby sommerhus
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/17/2017 - mdennison wrote: 86 Points
Easy to drink POP.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/19/2017 - ChrisCummings86 Does not like this wine: 86 Points
I see other (Cali Cab) people enjoying this as a novelty, but I didn't like it, way to much oak. I tasted the Cooper and Thief bourbon aged zinfandel at a $30 price point, and it was more balanced than this effort at $15.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/14/2017 - Superpops2330 Likes this wine: 88 Points
Immediate oak and red fruit on the nose, capped off with strong raspberry on first taste.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/11/2017 - TheRFMan wrote: 88 Points
This is a big, bold Californian Zinfandel, as we've come to expect them. Not overly complex, but certainly pleasing. Medium ruby in colour, this wine is all fruit on the nose, with a hint of alcohol that gives away its 15.4% strength. Berries, cherries and booze, oh my!
The palate follows as expected, with some secondary notes from the aging in bourbon barrels, but still very fruit-forward. Tannins are minimal, and acid is low, but sufficient to keep the wine from being flabby. The finish is fairly long, with lingering fruit and alcohol.
This wine is as far from Old World as can be. Some people will like that, others won't. I served this with a hearty, spicy mole-style chili and it worked great. This could easily be consumed without food as well.
I liked this wine, and it was what I expected and wanted as a pairing. Not sure it's worth $30 (CDN) though; there are a lot of good Zins that cost less.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/26/2017 - Shmo40 Likes this wine: 85 Points
This is an interesting wine, however the key words on the front of the bottle are writing checks that the grape juice inside isn't cashing. Expectations going in was a sweeter but more dynamic flavor profile with maybe some molasses or dark brown sugar behind it. The reality was slightly less exciting.
When I opened the bottle for sizing up, it was 'alcoholy' on the nose with nothing really shining front and center. I breathed the bottle for about 4 hours, plus a 1 hour decant. Good thing too, because she opened up a little.
This wine has a dark purple core with light ruby rim. Long legs, this has a remarkable 15.6% alcohol, but doesnt really taste like it. After opening it up a bit, the nose found black currants, cherries, and hints of wet stone. This wine is medium dry, low on tannins, low on acid, and soft volume. The palate has black fruit, black pepper, with back flavors of baking spices and vanilla, and blueberries but more like blueberry muffins.
I paired it with chicken Tikka masala, and surprisingly it worked out well. This wine is a drinkable crowd pleaser, but lacks the finesse, teroir, and subtlety of a more refined wine. Make sure you decant first.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/2/2017 - egb3_98 wrote: 85 Points
Nice but undistinguished. Drinkable definitely. Fruity with a short finish.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/25/2017 - FullPolicyLimits wrote: 88 Points
Interesting concept wine. Nose was sweet cherry, overly ripe fruits (should appeal new wine drinkers.) Palate was monolithic but had a decent finish. Not very ZIN like if you drink zins on a normal basis from the big houses. The high alcohol level came thru on the palate with a touch of heat but would probably tone down with a year in the cellar. Almost an after dinner sipper with dessert?
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/24/2017 - Neecies Does not like this wine: 84 Points
Sweet and easy, a crowd pleaser (though I'm not part of that crowd). The 15.4% alcohol stood out in the company of five other more temperate zinfandels and it was easily my last place wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/2/2016 - wineshaman wrote: 82 Points
Jammy cherry fruit, sweet, cloying , manufactured, one dimensional, low varietal character, redeeming quality is a nice cinnamon/clove finish that helped balance the cloying sweetness and kept this out of the drain. Would not by again but I can see this as a crowd pleaser.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/12/2016 - Sheribug wrote: 87 Points
Pairs so wonderfully with my husband's superb chili.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/11/2016 - tomoem wrote: 88 Points
At first a weak expression but it did improve. Though at 12$ a bottle it seems that this could and did drink above the price. Floral note aromatics with a deep and unfortunately dried and closed pallete. Short finish which made me regret my tasting notes, however it is still probably worth the dive into this wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/23/2016 - Garb Likes this wine: 88 Points
Caramel, vanilla and butterscotch. Surprisingly long finish considering some of the notes on here. Desert like on day one reminding me of bananas foster (minus the banana). Two days later evolved to a more traditional zin with dried fruit and a hint of cinomin. For $18, I'd buy again.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/21/2016 - Ronvino wrote:
Wiseguys 17.99
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/18/2016 - rocking88s Likes this wine: 87 Points
Pleasant, fruit-forward wine. Rich nose, very vibrant first taste which stands up to swirling in the mouth, but then flattens (like most zins, in my experience- not a huge fan) across the palate at the finish. Did not need a long time to breathe. Probably better paired with a red meat meal than a cheese course.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comments (2)
9/21/2016 - cavedivr Likes this wine: 89 Points
Powerful wine. The molasses like sweetness goes on for a minute. Almost like a smoky BBQ sauce in your glass. Definitely enjoyable, but needs solid food to go with it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/15/2016 - Lmnoles wrote: 80 Points
Jammy, mild spice. Short finish
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/9/2016 - mzmijewski wrote: 87 Points
Mild spice, finish short and uninspired, good acid.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/19/2016 - arass Likes this wine: 87 Points
A big brooding red. lots of dark fruit and heavy tannins. Nothing wrong with it, but feels a bit unbalanced. A decent wine but not a great value at the price.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/24/2016 - foobarski wrote: 84 Points
I like it, but I don't LOVE it. It's a pretty generic-tasting, uncomplicated Zin. I get just a hint of sweetness that could be a result of the bourbon-barrel ageing, but it's nowhere near as pronounced as the several bourbon-barrel beers/ales I've tried. If this were $10 it'd be a good bargain ... at over half-again as much, not really. Highly unlikely to be a repeat purchase.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/13/2016 - Wine_in_HD wrote: 88 Points
Jammy and candy like with definite touches of vanilla. Straight forward and not very complex. Pretty good.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/1/2016 - Angle Gold Likes this wine: 89 Points
Some candy, sweet, red fruit. Can definitely taste the effects of the bourbon barrel aging.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/29/2016 - ashikoh Does not like this wine: 83 Points
Jammy black fruit with vanilla, toasted oak, caramel, and significant residual sugar. Zin aged in old bourbon barrels. A gimmick wine.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/11/2016 - botrytisvirtuoso1819 wrote: 87 Points
batch 4
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/22/2016 - jw8273 wrote:
Great Zinfandel with blue cheese burgers
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/23/2016 - TastesGoodToMe wrote: 88 Points
Pleasantly surprised! Good mid week quaffer!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment