Shockingly superb. Assumed it was past its prime .... so wrong. Nice light floral nose, full body with a lush mouth feel, and a little chocolate. Simply beautiful. Sad ... my last bottle.
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16.9% alcohol and almost late harvest in style. Big, jammy, long and viscous with raisin, fig and plum and a hint sweetness to it. Drinking superbly and a pleasure to drink. A delightful surprise for me. Full disclosure, my wife thought it was too over the top and would have rated it in the low 90s
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What a sexy wine. Blueberry cheesecake, cola, balsamic and molasses with a dollop of wet, plug, tobacco. Good, slightly stewed, fruit on the palate with some clove spice, moderate acidity, med + body and silken tannin. Plenty of structure and balance. This is a wine that I could spend a whole night with, but would certainly end up on the floor. 17%.... oof.
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I've had this wine a number of times, and it is one of the best zins I've ever had. It's natural to see an epic wine start to go downhill, but that's what is happening. This was in it's prime a few years ago and was remarkable. Today it's just above average. Drink up if you have some. I'd say this is probably a 90 today.
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Lots of bright fruit with berry, blueberry, earth, rose notes and some light bramble. Needs time to open to show itself as starts a little hot on the finish
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Still solid for a 10 year old high alcohol wine. It is more like a port and best after eating or maybe with like a blue cheese or something. Super smooth and balanced.
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Wonderful brambly and dark fruit notes on the nose. Got better as the evening went on with a plum, raspberry and blueberry flavors that had a rich mouth feel. Went surprisingly well with Chicken Fajitas for dinner but even better just sipping afterwards. Still would have had a few more good years of bottle age as well.
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Perfectly timed on uncorking this one. High alcohol content (16.9%!) was well hidden...balanced and integrated in this rich, dark, velvety Zin. Essentially it was desert in a bottle. Exceeded expectations.
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still drinking very well. Opened up nicely over the course of two hours, still rich enough to not come across as "hot" despite almost 17% alcohol. Maybe just past its prime, but probably still a few good years in it.
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Wonderful jammy quality with lush dark fruit, white pepper that opens lush and finishes velvety, belying the huge alcohol content.. So glad that we cellared this wine to enjoy with gourmet Bobby Flay hamburger recipe.
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Absolutely the best zinfandel I've ever had. No formal notes, but incredibly soft (in a good way) and approachable for 17% alcohol. Complex with all the features of a great zinfandel. Paired with BBQ burgers...perfect. I've had this vintage several times and it has never been better than right now. Drink up.
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We have an iconic wine here and I really hope to see zinfandel continue to be made in this colossal style. That being said, this wine's best days are behind it as Luisa's frame and structure has loosened to the point of near exhaustion. Open two hours now and the fruit smells moldy. Drink by June, 2013.
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Rare experience of jam and strong black pepper, fennel, coconut, viscous. Was worried this might be over the hill, but still a huge wine that can go a few more years.
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Deep ruby colour, sweet, jammy aroma - this is a big, sweet, jammy, fruit-bomb of a wine. Sort of like a Stanley Ranch Cherry Pie on steroids. Old world traditionalists will hate this wine, but - oh my - one has to occasionally give in to something as decadent as this. I left the decanter in the cellar and drank it cool. Yum!
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Fantastic. Velvety mouthfeel, creamy palate with plenty of fruit, spice, earth...all sorts of stuff. Alcohol was not overpowering by any means. I could sense it a bit, but my friends could not sense the high alcohol. Excellent job once again from Martinelli. Great vintage.
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RICH FRUIT IN THE NOSE AND FLAVOR, BLACK CHERRIES, CHERRIES, RASPBERRIES WITH HINTS OF LICORICE AND SPICE. NICE COMPLEXITY AND A MEDIUM TO LONG FINISH.
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Had this with BBQ, a match made in heaven. Still youthful, and - for me at least - its heat wasn't all that noticeable. Rich and voluptuous, with beaucoup red fruit, black fruit, pepper, and burnt sugar. Good finish and not even a hint of raisins. Zin doesn't get much better than this.
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This was a very fine wine. It was well integrated and while it gave off a sweetness in the nose, the wine was dry and tantalizing. Black cherry, thyme, kirsch, and the light wood brought it all together. Bravo!
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Slight downgrade from a bottle nine months ago, possibly because of the setting (dinner then, wine tasting free-for-all this time). Still pretty voluptuous, and the whopping 17% alcohol still overshadowed by the fruit. It could be my imagination or possibly the contrast with other wines at the tasting, but I detected a bit of raisins in this one that I didn't get from the previous bottle. Nevertheless, it's still a winner.
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Wow- I'm glad this was one of my rapture wines! The fruit was just singing and perfect!!! Great big zin fruit with no real jamminess. The 16.9% alc is so well hidden and balanced in this wine. Stellar job! It only lack a little more spice and pepper. Drank prefect with my French Dip from Houstons.
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Ripe with pepper, spice and boysenberry notes. I agree that it handles the alcohol level well. There's someting just not quite there for the ninety score. I wish I knew what it was like younger.
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Wow. Great extracted fruit still after 5 years and still some tanins to keep this going for another 5. Tasting some cherry almost like a pinot, but overall jammy berry fruit and a sweet overtone. Hot as you might expect for the 17% alcohol. Love the win.
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This wine has mellowed quite a bit, still too much of a fruit bomb for my tastes. The more air that hits it, the sweeter it seems to become. Almost taste residule sugar that I didn't taste when we opened it. Loads & loads of fruit, (cherry). The cork had about 1/8" of sediment, so it's lost lots of tannins, but is still pretty chewy. I miss the loss of them to balance out the fruit.
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Cowabunga! I'm not as big a fan of this style of zin as I used to be (I named my dog Turley, for God's sake), so I was a little apprehensive about this 17% monster. Opened (not decanted) about an hour before drinking, and, sure enough, my first impression was noticeable heat on the nose (don't light a match) and on the palate. However, after about 20 minutes, and accompanied by a bacon-wrapped filet, the heat was no longer noticeable. What WAS noticeable was an explosion of sinus cavity-filling fruit on the palate and on the lengthy finish. Medium body, but the powerful red and black fruit, pepper, and a hint of brown sugar made it seem huge. Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.
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Enjoyed in a little French joint in St. Maarten. Drank most of the bottle without food, enjoying the view. Sweet fruit, well balanced compared to a year ago, decanted for about 4 hours.
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The first sip of this wine, assuming you try it on the cold side (perhaps around 61), is amazingly good. Lots of wild strawberry's with a touch of balsamic, pepper and raspberry puree. However, as you slog through subsequent sips, at 16.9% alcohol, it gets heady, and heat pokes it head out as the glass warms. Ultimately, more beefy and charred flavors poke out, not bad, but masking what is the best thing about the wine, that being the pure fruit. I like the body and presence, certainly light on its feet in relation to the alcohol level, and no question the purity and weight of the fruit makes this a crowd pleaser, just keep it cool and drink it for what it is. Simple, pleasant and meant for moderation. And drink lots of water, or you'll feel this one for days.
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I really like this wine, but it certainly is not for everyone. Consumed at the Palm in Washington DC with some really good steaks. Decanted for about 45 minutes to let the alcohol blow off. (17%!). We gave the server a taste and saw the same reaction that anyone who likes this style of Zin (huge fruit, slightly sweet) has: "WOW".
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This wine really started to sing after about an hour. Very consistent with my prior notes. Full of plum, cherry. There was a nice white pepper taste under the fruit with a touch of other baking spices. Not as full bodied as I remember. For such a high octane wine, the alcohol seemed to behave itself after an hour or so in the glass.
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This wine is in a good drinking window right now. Decanted for 5 hours before drinking with short ribs. Great balance, fruit is not as overbearing as it was a year ago. Heat seemed to wear off with its time out of the bottle as well.
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Raising this rating from 92 to 94 points. I should have waited to finish the bottle before I rated this (too tempted to try using a new iPhone app to do so, and I got impatient... sorry). We took a full 2-3 hours to enjoy the whole thing, and I'm glad we did. Amazingly, despite the high alcohol, no signs of this bad boy rolling over the hill yet. If you like this style, there's not much more you can ask for. Glad I still have a couple left in the cellar!
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Hot nose with kirsch liqueur, graham cracker and brown sugar notes. Raspberry, cocoa and fig carry the focus of the palate through to the complex finish of caramel, spice, raisin and a touch of vanilla. The prevalent heat indicates this wine's 16.9% alcohol may simply be too much to contain. Still an interesting drink which makes me want to eat a big bar of dark chocolate. Or maybe two bars.
40+5+5+15+17+7=89
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Huge caramely and alcoholic fruit bomb. Wears its 17% alcohol surprisingly well but is hot and rather one-dimensional. I'm sure this would be a crowd-pleaser at a barbequeue though. Personally, I prefer the Jackass.
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I was looking for something powerful tonight and boy did I get it. Nose of brown sugar and alcohol which eventually blew off - this was port like in taste and structure (more like tawny) with caramel, candied nuts, pepper, and really spicy - the alcohol was little off-putting at first but one hour later things evolved and it became more integrated and less intrusive, really smooth and creamy texture and terrific finish. I am enjoying this bottle - i bought it at "the barn" 2 years ago after i tasted it - certainly not for everybody.
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This wine had a deep color to it and the spicy nose was huge! It was high powered dark fruit on the palate and while the alcohol level wasn't noticed when drinking but definitely surfaced later in the night. Wow, a good wine but dangerous!
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Delicious fruit bomb that can handle the alcohol without breaking stride. Big dark fruit palate and nose but still has some very good backbone to it so it doesn't taste like fruit punch and brings some real enjoyment to the table. It was the hit of the party.
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My 1st Martinelli! I was expecting the world in this bottle of Zin. This was a very good Zin, but not worth the secondary market prices that I see- $75-90! For the 16.9% alc, this wine hides it very well. I have had 15% alc Zins that have been way more over powering. Nose: spice and sweet blackberries. Taste: tons of berry fruits and easy drinking- smooth. Good long sweet finish of berries. A great satsifying Zin. I'm glad I have another bottle that I can see what happens with a couple more years of cellaring. Bought wine on winebid.com for $55- $62.50 with all the fees. Now a member of Martinelli and waiting for my 1st shipment this month.
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Pepper, spice and blackberry jam on the nose; full body; rich, complex unctuous fruit flavors of cherries, petrol and smoke; long finish; drinking great now but many more years left in this beauty.
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Loads of oak and blue fruit. Had a manufactured sweetness to it that was beyond jammy. Not my style, but seemiingly typical of most Martinelli's I've tried (including the Pinots)
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This is simply delicious. Even better than it was a year ago. If you didn't look at the label you'd never guess that this fruit bomb has an amazing 16.9% alcohol. Long, long finish. Slightl sweet. Tons of fruit.
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Wow, this was very good. Surprised me that it was medium bodied (despite 16.9%) and also was much lighter in color than I would have expected (a beautiful red). Deep strawberry and pomegranate fruit, good finish, a bit weak on mid-palate, but all and all outstanding. Probably the best Zin I have had.
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One of my favorite Zins; excellent consistency from vintage to vintage; nose of pepper, spice, and blackberry jam; full body but incredibly smooth considering the high alcohol; rich opulent fruit with flavors of cherries, touch of earth and toast; long finish with no signs of oxidation after opened 12 hours.
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Nose: Raspberry Jam, Cream, a lil' Milk Chocolate and a little Metallic; Enormous Taste: Raspberry and cream, spice; Jammy and very explosive; Mild tannins; smooth finish; a little hot and a little candyesque; I liked it.
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A bit too opulent for my tastes. Mouth full of red berries hides a an almost 17% alcoholic punch. It's not that there isn't complexity and finesse, it's just that you have a hard time getting to it after the punch in the mouth of fruit and alcohol. Julie and mom LOVED it; I'm not so sure? This will drive the meal not compliment it. It also went from fruit punch to PGA punch after only a couple hours of air. Not sure where it would go from that, as I stopped drinking. I don't know if this will age well, so I better start drinking.
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Probably one of the best zins I've ever had. Soft on the palate with huge amounts of juicy fruit. Though the alcohol is through the roof in this wine, you just dont' get that usual heat. Very well balanced and delicious. If I could get my hands on more, I certainly would. I'll keep the other bottle I have for a few years.
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Started the evening by poping the cork on an '02 Chateau Montelena Estate. What was I thinking. After two hours in the decanter the CM was still tight as a tick so decided to drink the CM tomorrow and go for some instant gratification. The Giuseppe and Louisa is a delicious zin. Dark purple red in color, Fruit and earth and a bit of alcohol on the nose. Delicious zin berry, pepper, spicey flavors that just beg to be devoured. Lovelylicious. I know this is a love hate wine but I continue to be a big fan. Yum!
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This was a fun wine to drink. Very sexy. Surprised at the alcohol content, because it's integrated nicely into the fruit. Would love to try this again.
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one of the best zin's i've had this year. liked it much better than the linne calado zins. cherry, vanilla, chocolate flavors on the palate. ripe, full bodied, well balanced finish.
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Wow!!. This is a big wine. Big nose, thick and viscous in the mouthfeel. Lots of dark fruit and spice, and although the alcohol is 16.9%, you would never guess it. Spectacular!
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As usual, an outrageously hedonistic zin that holds nothing back. Pushing the boundaries of fortified wine with its 16.9% alcohol, but a great wine to ring in the new year with. If this wine played football, it would be flagged for taunting. Probably would have went to the U of Miami. An excess success.
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Wow! Decanted for an hour before dinner at the Balck Olive in Baltimore. Really, really big wine. Tremendous fuit, blackberry, boysenberry. As it continued to open up this wine lost some of its heat (16.9 % alcohol) almost seemed sweet. The finish was long and peppery. Simply a delicious fruit bomb that will only get better with some more time in the bottle.
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Purple with red tints. Figs and baked blackcurrants with pepper and licorice. Lots of dark fruits here. Good acidity and complex on the palate. Completely spoiled by burning alcohol on the finish.
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Wow. Unbelievably rich flavors and unctuous mouthfeel while hiding as well as possible the high alcohol; I guess that means it's well integrated. Extremely tasty! Specific flavors vague as this was near the end of a social offline with no notes taken.
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WOW! This is the best Zin that I have ever had. Aromas and flavors of pepper, boysenberry, blackberry and licorice that are jammy and display a smoky meat flavor. Wonderful!
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One of the first two wines that made me think this whole wine thing might be worth exploring. Visited the winery, a cozy, slightly kitschy little barn, utterly unpretentious, which prepared me not at all for the dazzling experience of tasting this wine. Heady aromas of pure red raspberry and vanilla oak are followed by an onslaught of fresh strawberry and blackberry with dashes of brown sugar, briar and pepper. Finishes so long and hot you might feel flushed. The ultimate example of the supercharged style of California zinfandel.
Postscript: I later tried this with food on two separate occasions, and both wine and food were diminished by the pairing. Those who see wine only as a companion to food should steer well clear. Nothing against the wine -- that's just not what it's meant for. My rating might be a little inflated -- I might not enjoy this wine so much now that I've tasted so many more elegant ones -- but I'll take the liberty because of its personal significance.
The other revelatory wine I tasted that weekend, incidentally, was the 2004 Goldeneye Pinot Noir, a perfect match for ossobuco.
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Still a lot of alcohol, but I enjoyed this bottle a lot more than the first one. It was already better integrated. Very smooth, almost no tannins. Very well refined. Went well with pulled pork BBQ with Hot BBQ Sauce.
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Man! After tasting this wine, I wasn't sure if I should pour it into a martini glass, or a wine glass. This has way too much alcohol for me. It doesn't really show up on the nose for me, but it does show up in my mouth. Maybe the alcohol will integrate over the next 1-3 years. I have 3 more bottles, so I'll try one again next year and see where this wine is.
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Perhaps I'm influenced by the label and/or Parker but this is a great wine. You have to be in the mood and I'd be hard pressed to serve this with dinner. That said, this wine makes the high alcohol work (16.9%!). It's there no doubt but it's not got the level of hotness you'd expect. The fruit shines through but it's not a fruit bomb. There's plenty of spice and great oak imparted flavors in there as well. The 2nd night was maybe even better than the first.
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The ‘old world’ brother in law said that he wanted a big “blow your hair back” type of zinfandel and my old friend in Palm Desert happened to have two bottles of this left when we wandered into the shop. Now I don’t know if this will blow your hair back but I certainly wouldn’t play with fire while drinking or handling it because it could easily explode and burn all of your hair off just like that fateful lab accident that caused the big grudge between Lex Luther and the Man of Steel - but I digress - This was big, hot, somewhat one dimensional and certain to incite endless debate about what Zinfandel should be but it was also undeniably delicious with intensely concentrated blackberry flavors, spice and a long, long finish. Not my favorite style of zin but I will happily drink it anytime.
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Popped & poured. Some sediment and a gorgeous ruby color. At first this wine was pretty tight with pronounced leather and candied black fruits. Fast forward to the finish with pepper and some heat. 16.9% alcohol was masked for the most part though. 1-1/2 hours later the wine smoothed out and got a lot sweeter with less of a leathery aspect. 30+ second finish. Peppery finish still. I liked it.
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Tasted at Winery March 16, 2007. Well balanced, despite the intitial impression of ripe fruit. This wine is more nuanced and multi-dimentional than most GL's, much more a cousin of the 02 than the 03 vintage. My guess is will last well beyond 2013> Shared a bottle with friends at Cyrus in Healdsburg the prior evening and all agreed it was a wonderful. Despite the 16.9 alcohol and youth the wine paried wonderfully with both roasted halibut and short ribs.
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Well balanced zin with just the right amount of fruit. A touch hot, but that went away in the glass. The glass I drank the next day (after storeing the open bottle under a vacuum cork in the cellar) was actually even more pleasant. Typical black fruits on the nose and mouth with a bit of pepper. 75% was in new french oak which I thought mellowed the edges nicely, concentrated and balanced.
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10/23/2020 - bluedog Likes this wine: 97 Points
Shockingly superb. Assumed it was past its prime .... so wrong. Nice light floral nose, full body with a lush mouth feel, and a little chocolate. Simply beautiful. Sad ... my last bottle.
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5/29/2020 - Ruby99 Likes this wine: 95 Points
16.9% alcohol and almost late harvest in style. Big, jammy, long and viscous with raisin, fig and plum and a hint sweetness to it. Drinking superbly and a pleasure to drink. A delightful surprise for me. Full disclosure, my wife thought it was too over the top and would have rated it in the low 90s
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1/5/2019 - djchango77 Likes this wine: 91 Points
What a sexy wine. Blueberry cheesecake, cola, balsamic and molasses with a dollop of wet, plug, tobacco. Good, slightly stewed, fruit on the palate with some clove spice, moderate acidity, med + body and silken tannin. Plenty of structure and balance. This is a wine that I could spend a whole night with, but would certainly end up on the floor. 17%.... oof.
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3/22/2018 - CornDoggyDogg Likes this wine:
I've had this wine a number of times, and it is one of the best zins I've ever had. It's natural to see an epic wine start to go downhill, but that's what is happening. This was in it's prime a few years ago and was remarkable. Today it's just above average. Drink up if you have some. I'd say this is probably a 90 today.
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4/17/2017 - M DU VIN wrote: 89 Points
Pretty hot on the aftertaste and rather medicinal.
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12/5/2016 - Acohen Likes this wine: 91 Points
Lots of bright fruit with berry, blueberry, earth, rose notes and some light bramble. Needs time to open to show itself as starts a little hot on the finish
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11/26/2016 - Deryl Likes this wine: 92 Points
Really delicious after dinner. Too much fruit to have with food. Really singing.
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11/6/2016 - gr8r84u Likes this wine: 93 Points
Great place right now.
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7/4/2016 - M DU VIN wrote: 93 Points
Wonderful black fruit that is in balance and still going strong. Should be delightful drinking for several more years.
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9/13/2015 - Winokdub wrote: 90 Points
Still solid for a 10 year old high alcohol wine. It is more like a port and best after eating or maybe with like a blue cheese or something. Super smooth and balanced.
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12/8/2014 - Filippo Likes this wine: 95 Points
Amazing burst of cherries and red berries. Ripe and plump and yet fully balanced. You can't tell it's 16.9%!!!
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8/12/2014 - tcosgriff wrote: 85 Points
Purple color with a very grapey bouquet and flavor. Very high in alcohol. Not much more to say.
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5/2/2014 - macliii Likes this wine: 92 Points
Wonderful brambly and dark fruit notes on the nose. Got better as the evening went on with a plum, raspberry and blueberry flavors that had a rich mouth feel. Went surprisingly well with Chicken Fajitas for dinner but even better just sipping afterwards. Still would have had a few more good years of bottle age as well.
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12/12/2013 - Soundcaresser wrote: 89 Points
Perfectly timed on uncorking this one. High alcohol content (16.9%!) was well hidden...balanced and integrated in this rich, dark, velvety Zin. Essentially it was desert in a bottle. Exceeded expectations.
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9/22/2013 - BGK810 wrote: 93 Points
Tastes almost like a liqueur, packed with berry flavors and silky smooth. Not very many Zion's like it.
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8/24/2013 - lewisrise wrote: 93 Points
Nose of briar, white pepper, and forest floor. Soft tannins and smooth finish. Raspberry with a hint of cedar.
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7/6/2013 - Dombeck Likes this wine:
still drinking very well. Opened up nicely over the course of two hours, still rich enough to not come across as "hot" despite almost 17% alcohol. Maybe just past its prime, but probably still a few good years in it.
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6/14/2013 - lewisrise wrote: 75 Points
Bad bottle, too hot
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4/7/2013 - Wino Laurie wrote: 93 Points
Wonderful jammy quality with lush dark fruit, white pepper that opens lush and finishes velvety, belying the huge alcohol content.. So glad that we cellared this wine to enjoy with gourmet Bobby Flay hamburger recipe.
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3/14/2013 - bonedoc wrote: 90 Points
Hot candy, 16.9% etoh - port like.
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3/3/2013 - JPMC Likes this wine: 93 Points
Big, jammy. Classic example of the best zins that CA can produce. Consistent year to year. S good you don't notice the 17% alcohol .
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2/9/2013 - CornDoggyDogg Likes this wine: 96 Points
Absolutely the best zinfandel I've ever had. No formal notes, but incredibly soft (in a good way) and approachable for 17% alcohol. Complex with all the features of a great zinfandel. Paired with BBQ burgers...perfect. I've had this vintage several times and it has never been better than right now. Drink up.
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1/2/2013 - kanjimoti wrote: 91 Points
We have an iconic wine here and I really hope to see zinfandel continue to be made in this colossal style. That being said, this wine's best days are behind it as Luisa's frame and structure has loosened to the point of near exhaustion. Open two hours now and the fruit smells moldy. Drink by June, 2013.
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12/29/2012 - ennuigo Likes this wine: 93 Points
Rare experience of jam and strong black pepper, fennel, coconut, viscous. Was worried this might be over the hill, but still a huge wine that can go a few more years.
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10/15/2012 - gmat5497 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Peppery the way I like a Zin. Very nice
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10/13/2012 - peterk wrote: 92 Points
Deep ruby colour, sweet, jammy aroma - this is a big, sweet, jammy, fruit-bomb of a wine. Sort of like a Stanley Ranch Cherry Pie on steroids. Old world traditionalists will hate this wine, but - oh my - one has to occasionally give in to something as decadent as this. I left the decanter in the cellar and drank it cool. Yum!
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10/7/2012 - CornDoggyDogg wrote: 94 Points
Fantastic. Velvety mouthfeel, creamy palate with plenty of fruit, spice, earth...all sorts of stuff. Alcohol was not overpowering by any means. I could sense it a bit, but my friends could not sense the high alcohol. Excellent job once again from Martinelli. Great vintage.
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8/12/2012 - bnord81 wrote: 94 Points
Wonderful fruit. Balanced with several years left.
Decanted for 1 hour. Enjoyed on the island of SXM on the beach.
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7/13/2012 - buckeye76 wrote: 93 Points
RICH FRUIT IN THE NOSE AND FLAVOR, BLACK CHERRIES, CHERRIES, RASPBERRIES WITH HINTS OF LICORICE AND SPICE. NICE COMPLEXITY AND A MEDIUM TO LONG FINISH.
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5/28/2012 - Night Train wrote: 93 Points
Had this with BBQ, a match made in heaven. Still youthful, and - for me at least - its heat wasn't all that noticeable. Rich and voluptuous, with beaucoup red fruit, black fruit, pepper, and burnt sugar. Good finish and not even a hint of raisins. Zin doesn't get much better than this.
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5/1/2012 - bnord81 wrote: 95 Points
Drinking wonderfully, needs a few hours in the decanter.
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4/28/2012 - Sbradperkins wrote: 90 Points
Still a lot of heat, but beautiful fruit and spices. Might chill a bit to take the edge off the high alcohol.
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1/28/2012 - Dkato24 wrote: 80 Points
Strong aroma at the open which had us expecting big and bold. Decanted for an hour and it opened up so much that it tasted a smooth, sweet flavor.
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12/3/2011 - sirwine wrote: 93 Points
This was a very fine wine. It was well integrated and while it gave off a sweetness in the nose, the wine was dry and tantalizing. Black cherry, thyme, kirsch, and the light wood brought it all together. Bravo!
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11/7/2011 - nieuwoudt Likes this wine: 88 Points
Wonderful fruit forward but finish is simply too alcoholic...even aging hasn't mellowed it out nearly enough!
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9/24/2011 - bluedog wrote: 92 Points
Nice nose, plums and prunes, medium finish. Plenty of fruit. A bit too much heat on the finish.
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7/23/2011 - Night Train wrote: 92 Points
Slight downgrade from a bottle nine months ago, possibly because of the setting (dinner then, wine tasting free-for-all this time). Still pretty voluptuous, and the whopping 17% alcohol still overshadowed by the fruit. It could be my imagination or possibly the contrast with other wines at the tasting, but I detected a bit of raisins in this one that I didn't get from the previous bottle. Nevertheless, it's still a winner.
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7/22/2011 - pea wrote: 92 Points
Voluptuous!
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5/22/2011 - Roentgen Ray wrote: 93 Points
Nice fruit, big wine, paired well with steak au poivre with a morel sauce.
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5/20/2011 - VinoPKM wrote: 93 Points
Wow- I'm glad this was one of my rapture wines! The fruit was just singing and perfect!!! Great big zin fruit with no real jamminess. The 16.9% alc is so well hidden and balanced in this wine. Stellar job! It only lack a little more spice and pepper. Drank prefect with my French Dip from Houstons.
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3/3/2011 - gmat5497 wrote: 94 Points
This had the wow factor. Deep purple with outstanding fruit forward taste. Hints of pepper. Really well put together
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12/26/2010 - bluedog wrote: 92 Points
Cherries, blackberries, full of fruit. Sweeter and pleasantly balanced. Drinking Very nice.
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12/12/2010 - gmbdds wrote: 89 Points
Ripe with pepper, spice and boysenberry notes. I agree that it handles the alcohol level well. There's someting just not quite there for the ninety score. I wish I knew what it was like younger.
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12/5/2010 - jeffal66 wrote: 90 Points
Well made (nice work, Helen) and impressively level for 16.9%. Cassis, fruit fading. Long licorice finish. Wish I'd drunk this a year ago.
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11/27/2010 - Skip4wine wrote: 94 Points
Wow. Great extracted fruit still after 5 years and still some tanins to keep this going for another 5. Tasting some cherry almost like a pinot, but overall jammy berry fruit and a sweet overtone. Hot as you might expect for the 17% alcohol. Love the win.
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11/24/2010 - lshantz wrote: 92 Points
This wine has mellowed quite a bit, still too much of a fruit bomb for my tastes. The more air that hits it, the sweeter it seems to become. Almost taste residule sugar that I didn't taste when we opened it. Loads & loads of fruit, (cherry). The cork had about 1/8" of sediment, so it's lost lots of tannins, but is still pretty chewy. I miss the loss of them to balance out the fruit.
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11/6/2010 - Night Train wrote: 93 Points
Cowabunga! I'm not as big a fan of this style of zin as I used to be (I named my dog Turley, for God's sake), so I was a little apprehensive about this 17% monster. Opened (not decanted) about an hour before drinking, and, sure enough, my first impression was noticeable heat on the nose (don't light a match) and on the palate. However, after about 20 minutes, and accompanied by a bacon-wrapped filet, the heat was no longer noticeable. What WAS noticeable was an explosion of sinus cavity-filling fruit on the palate and on the lengthy finish. Medium body, but the powerful red and black fruit, pepper, and a hint of brown sugar made it seem huge. Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.
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10/3/2010 - 2loyal wrote: 93 Points
Still cranking out all the rich, extracted fruit you'd hope for/expect from this wine. Not for everyone, but yummy tonight.
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9/7/2010 - bnord81 wrote: 94 Points
Enjoyed in a little French joint in St. Maarten. Drank most of the bottle without food, enjoying the view. Sweet fruit, well balanced compared to a year ago, decanted for about 4 hours.
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7/8/2010 - shaferguy91 wrote: 92 Points
Decanted 2 hours.
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4/30/2010 - cadamson wrote: 90 Points
The first sip of this wine, assuming you try it on the cold side (perhaps around 61), is amazingly good. Lots of wild strawberry's with a touch of balsamic, pepper and raspberry puree. However, as you slog through subsequent sips, at 16.9% alcohol, it gets heady, and heat pokes it head out as the glass warms. Ultimately, more beefy and charred flavors poke out, not bad, but masking what is the best thing about the wine, that being the pure fruit. I like the body and presence, certainly light on its feet in relation to the alcohol level, and no question the purity and weight of the fruit makes this a crowd pleaser, just keep it cool and drink it for what it is. Simple, pleasant and meant for moderation. And drink lots of water, or you'll feel this one for days.
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4/8/2010 - msu wrote: 95 Points
I really like this wine, but it certainly is not for everyone. Consumed at the Palm in Washington DC with some really good steaks. Decanted for about 45 minutes to let the alcohol blow off. (17%!). We gave the server a taste and saw the same reaction that anyone who likes this style of Zin (huge fruit, slightly sweet) has: "WOW".
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3/25/2010 - dannyk8232 wrote:
Hot and ridiculous
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3/14/2010 - rdsboca wrote: 92 Points
This wine really started to sing after about an hour. Very consistent with my prior notes. Full of plum, cherry. There was a nice white pepper taste under the fruit with a touch of other baking spices. Not as full bodied as I remember. For such a high octane wine, the alcohol seemed to behave itself after an hour or so in the glass.
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1/20/2010 - bnord81 wrote: 92 Points
This wine is in a good drinking window right now. Decanted for 5 hours before drinking with short ribs. Great balance, fruit is not as overbearing as it was a year ago. Heat seemed to wear off with its time out of the bottle as well.
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12/25/2009 - 2loyal wrote: 92 Points
Extremely extracted (like it or not - I do... most of the time), but certainly not hot, and impressive in that the fruit hasn't faded one bit.
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12/20/2009 - rdsboca wrote: 93 Points
No formal notes, very enjoyable and full bodied.
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10/20/2009 - dst wrote:
Extremely high alcohol, but you do not feel it. It is a very well balanced zin.
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10/4/2009 - dsimmons wrote: 93 Points
Delicious fruit forward spicy zin. I love this wine.
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8/11/2009 - 2loyal wrote: 94 Points
Raising this rating from 92 to 94 points. I should have waited to finish the bottle before I rated this (too tempted to try using a new iPhone app to do so, and I got impatient... sorry). We took a full 2-3 hours to enjoy the whole thing, and I'm glad we did. Amazingly, despite the high alcohol, no signs of this bad boy rolling over the hill yet. If you like this style, there's not much more you can ask for. Glad I still have a couple left in the cellar!
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7/12/2009 - dannyk8232 wrote: 89 Points
Decanted one hour.
Hot nose with kirsch liqueur, graham cracker and brown sugar notes. Raspberry, cocoa and fig carry the focus of the palate through to the complex finish of caramel, spice, raisin and a touch of vanilla. The prevalent heat indicates this wine's 16.9% alcohol may simply be too much to contain. Still an interesting drink which makes me want to eat a big bar of dark chocolate. Or maybe two bars.
40+5+5+15+17+7=89
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6/14/2009 - Goldstone wrote: 87 Points
Huge caramely and alcoholic fruit bomb. Wears its 17% alcohol surprisingly well but is hot and rather one-dimensional. I'm sure this would be a crowd-pleaser at a barbequeue though. Personally, I prefer the Jackass.
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6/5/2009 - S. Lorin wrote: 92 Points
I was looking for something powerful tonight and boy did I get it. Nose of brown sugar and alcohol which eventually blew off - this was port like in taste and structure (more like tawny) with caramel, candied nuts, pepper, and really spicy - the alcohol was little off-putting at first but one hour later things evolved and it became more integrated and less intrusive, really smooth and creamy texture and terrific finish. I am enjoying this bottle - i bought it at "the barn" 2 years ago after i tasted it - certainly not for everybody.
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5/31/2009 - msu wrote: 95 Points
See prior notes
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5/17/2009 - rpenn77 wrote: 93 Points
Creamy texture and voluptuous mouthfeel. Lots of fruit.
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4/28/2009 - Patrick wrote: 90 Points
Huge, porty, rich and over extracted. Pretty good for what it is.
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4/12/2009 - brynmair wrote: 92 Points
This wine had a deep color to it and the spicy nose was huge! It was high powered dark fruit on the palate and while the alcohol level wasn't noticed when drinking but definitely surfaced later in the night. Wow, a good wine but dangerous!
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3/30/2009 - D.Callahan wrote: 95 Points
Delicious fruit bomb that can handle the alcohol without breaking stride. Big dark fruit palate and nose but still has some very good backbone to it so it doesn't taste like fruit punch and brings some real enjoyment to the table. It was the hit of the party.
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3/6/2009 - VinoPKM wrote: 92 Points
My 1st Martinelli! I was expecting the world in this bottle of Zin. This was a very good Zin, but not worth the secondary market prices that I see- $75-90! For the 16.9% alc, this wine hides it very well. I have had 15% alc Zins that have been way more over powering. Nose: spice and sweet blackberries. Taste: tons of berry fruits and easy drinking- smooth. Good long sweet finish of berries.
A great satsifying Zin. I'm glad I have another bottle that I can see what happens with a couple more years of cellaring.
Bought wine on winebid.com for $55- $62.50 with all the fees. Now a member of Martinelli and waiting for my 1st shipment this month.
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2/24/2009 - gr8r84u wrote:
Another great martinelli Zin. Hot and spicy with loads of fruit. Kind of like fruit punch mixed with grain alcohol.
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2/22/2009 - knelsfk wrote: 93 Points
Pepper, spice and blackberry jam on the nose; full body; rich, complex unctuous fruit flavors of cherries, petrol and smoke; long finish; drinking great now but many more years left in this beauty.
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1/19/2009 - dmalcolm wrote: 85 Points
Loads of oak and blue fruit. Had a manufactured sweetness to it that was beyond jammy. Not my style, but seemiingly typical of most Martinelli's I've tried (including the Pinots)
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11/27/2008 - gmat5497 wrote: 94 Points
Very balanced with hints of nut. Wonderfully smooth with great finish.
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11/24/2008 - sjk7 wrote: 93 Points
Fantastic.
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10/25/2008 - MarkC wrote:
Good stuff--drained the bottle--but no formal note.
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10/15/2008 - msu wrote: 96 Points
This is simply delicious. Even better than it was a year ago. If you didn't look at the label you'd never guess that this fruit bomb has an amazing 16.9% alcohol. Long, long finish. Slightl sweet. Tons of fruit.
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10/5/2008 - bluedog wrote: 92 Points
Consistent
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9/7/2008 - cadamson wrote: 93 Points
Wow, this was very good. Surprised me that it was medium bodied (despite 16.9%) and also was much lighter in color than I would have expected (a beautiful red). Deep strawberry and pomegranate fruit, good finish, a bit weak on mid-palate, but all and all outstanding. Probably the best Zin I have had.
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8/31/2008 - knelsfk wrote: 93 Points
One of my favorite Zins; excellent consistency from vintage to vintage; nose of pepper, spice, and blackberry jam; full body but incredibly smooth considering the high alcohol; rich opulent fruit with flavors of cherries, touch of earth and toast; long finish with no signs of oxidation after opened 12 hours.
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8/12/2008 - carnyc wrote: 92 Points
Nose: Raspberry Jam, Cream, a lil' Milk Chocolate and a little Metallic; Enormous
Taste: Raspberry and cream, spice; Jammy and very explosive; Mild tannins; smooth finish; a little hot and a little candyesque; I liked it.
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6/21/2008 - lshantz wrote: 91 Points
A bit too opulent for my tastes. Mouth full of red berries hides a an almost 17% alcoholic punch. It's not that there isn't complexity and finesse, it's just that you have a hard time getting to it after the punch in the mouth of fruit and alcohol. Julie and mom LOVED it; I'm not so sure? This will drive the meal not compliment it. It also went from fruit punch to PGA punch after only a couple hours of air. Not sure where it would go from that, as I stopped drinking. I don't know if this will age well, so I better start drinking.
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6/8/2008 - 2loyal wrote: 92 Points
Not decanted. Started a bit hot, but quickly came around to deliver gobs of rich, sweet fruit. Exactly what you'd expect and hope for from Helen.
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5/27/2008 - Roentgen Ray wrote: 91 Points
Big, blue and black fruit, peppery and a tad hot. This is what Helen makes, love it or leave it.
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5/16/2008 - brettp wrote: 94 Points
Probably one of the best zins I've ever had. Soft on the palate with huge amounts of juicy fruit. Though the alcohol is through the roof in this wine, you just dont' get that usual heat. Very well balanced and delicious. If I could get my hands on more, I certainly would. I'll keep the other bottle I have for a few years.
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4/6/2008 - GZ3 wrote: 98 Points
Smooth soft tannins, and extremely well balanced. This is as goodas it gets.
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3/14/2008 - dsimmons wrote: 95 Points
Started the evening by poping the cork on an '02 Chateau Montelena Estate. What was I thinking. After two hours in the decanter the CM was still tight as a tick so decided to drink the CM tomorrow and go for some instant gratification. The Giuseppe and Louisa is a delicious zin. Dark purple red in color, Fruit and earth and a bit of alcohol on the nose. Delicious zin berry, pepper, spicey flavors that just beg to be devoured. Lovelylicious. I know this is a love hate wine but I continue to be a big fan. Yum!
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3/8/2008 - rpenn77 wrote: 94 Points
What a fruit bomb. Silky smooth with elegant tannins.
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2/14/2008 - kemmen wrote: 92 Points
This was a fun wine to drink. Very sexy. Surprised at the alcohol content, because it's integrated nicely into the fruit. Would love to try this again.
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2/7/2008 - swazi wrote: 94 Points
one of the best zin's i've had this year.
liked it much better than the linne calado zins.
cherry, vanilla, chocolate flavors on the palate.
ripe, full bodied, well balanced finish.
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2/3/2008 - 2loyal wrote: 93 Points
Just as big and bad as you'd expect ;-)
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12/31/2007 - ETrain wrote: 93 Points
Wow!!. This is a big wine. Big nose, thick and viscous in the mouthfeel. Lots of dark fruit and spice, and although the alcohol is 16.9%, you would never guess it. Spectacular!
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12/31/2007 - otisabdul wrote: 92 Points
As usual, an outrageously hedonistic zin that holds nothing back. Pushing the boundaries of fortified wine with its 16.9% alcohol, but a great wine to ring in the new year with. If this wine played football, it would be flagged for taunting. Probably would have went to the U of Miami. An excess success.
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11/23/2007 - sjk7 wrote: 93 Points
delicious
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11/23/2007 - JAKurek wrote: 95 Points
It just gets a wow every time, blackberry, cherry and plum come to the forefront but the flavors open up with floral notes right through the finish.
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11/21/2007 - bluedog wrote: 90 Points
Second bottle - while good, not nearly as good as the first. This one was a bit hot, not as well balanced. Will decant the next one a bit longer.
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11/18/2007 - drs wrote: 90 Points
Huge jammy dried strawberry fruit. Ripe and yummy. A bit over the top, but very enjoyable.
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11/1/2007 - bluedog wrote: 95 Points
Outstanding. Decanted for 45 minutes. Just got better and better. Great fruit, Blackberry. Long finish.
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9/28/2007 - msu wrote: 95 Points
Wow! Decanted for an hour before dinner at the Balck Olive in Baltimore. Really, really big wine. Tremendous fuit, blackberry, boysenberry. As it continued to open up this wine lost some of its heat (16.9 % alcohol) almost seemed sweet. The finish was long and peppery. Simply a delicious fruit bomb that will only get better with some more time in the bottle.
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9/24/2007 - vespasian wrote:
Purple with red tints. Figs and baked blackcurrants with pepper and licorice. Lots of dark fruits here. Good acidity and complex on the palate. Completely spoiled by burning alcohol on the finish.
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9/1/2007 - Squirreljam wrote: 92 Points
Wow. Unbelievably rich flavors and unctuous mouthfeel while hiding as well as possible the high alcohol; I guess that means it's well integrated. Extremely tasty! Specific flavors vague as this was near the end of a social offline with no notes taken.
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8/10/2007 - matthen wrote: 94 Points
WOW! This is the best Zin that I have ever had. Aromas and flavors of pepper, boysenberry, blackberry and licorice that are jammy and display a smoky meat flavor. Wonderful!
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7/22/2007 - will2wine wrote: 94 Points
One of the first two wines that made me think this whole wine thing might be worth exploring. Visited the winery, a cozy, slightly kitschy little barn, utterly unpretentious, which prepared me not at all for the dazzling experience of tasting this wine. Heady aromas of pure red raspberry and vanilla oak are followed by an onslaught of fresh strawberry and blackberry with dashes of brown sugar, briar and pepper. Finishes so long and hot you might feel flushed. The ultimate example of the supercharged style of California zinfandel.
Postscript: I later tried this with food on two separate occasions, and both wine and food were diminished by the pairing. Those who see wine only as a companion to food should steer well clear. Nothing against the wine -- that's just not what it's meant for. My rating might be a little inflated -- I might not enjoy this wine so much now that I've tasted so many more elegant ones -- but I'll take the liberty because of its personal significance.
The other revelatory wine I tasted that weekend, incidentally, was the 2004 Goldeneye Pinot Noir, a perfect match for ossobuco.
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7/19/2007 - woodchuckwinemaker wrote:
Still a lot of alcohol, but I enjoyed this bottle a lot more than the first one. It was already better integrated. Very smooth, almost no tannins. Very well refined. Went well with pulled pork BBQ with Hot BBQ Sauce.
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6/2/2007 - woodchuckwinemaker wrote:
Man! After tasting this wine, I wasn't sure if I should pour it into a martini glass, or a wine glass. This has way too much alcohol for me. It doesn't really show up on the nose for me, but it does show up in my mouth. Maybe the alcohol will integrate over the next 1-3 years. I have 3 more bottles, so I'll try one again next year and see where this wine is.
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5/5/2007 - MBrown wrote: 94 Points
Perhaps I'm influenced by the label and/or Parker but this is a great wine. You have to be in the mood and I'd be hard pressed to serve this with dinner. That said, this wine makes the high alcohol work (16.9%!). It's there no doubt but it's not got the level of hotness you'd expect. The fruit shines through but it's not a fruit bomb. There's plenty of spice and great oak imparted flavors in there as well. The 2nd night was maybe even better than the first.
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4/12/2007 - greenblanket wrote: 92 Points
The ‘old world’ brother in law said that he wanted a big “blow your hair back” type of zinfandel and my old friend in Palm Desert happened to have two bottles of this left when we wandered into the shop. Now I don’t know if this will blow your hair back but I certainly wouldn’t play with fire while drinking or handling it because it could easily explode and burn all of your hair off just like that fateful lab accident that caused the big grudge between Lex Luther and the Man of Steel - but I digress - This was big, hot, somewhat one dimensional and certain to incite endless debate about what Zinfandel should be but it was also undeniably delicious with intensely concentrated blackberry flavors, spice and a long, long finish. Not my favorite style of zin but I will happily drink it anytime.
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3/31/2007 - hiltondg wrote: 92 Points
Popped & poured. Some sediment and a gorgeous ruby color. At first this wine was pretty tight with pronounced leather and candied black fruits. Fast forward to the finish with pepper and some heat. 16.9% alcohol was masked for the most part though. 1-1/2 hours later the wine smoothed out and got a lot sweeter with less of a leathery aspect. 30+ second finish. Peppery finish still. I liked it.
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3/17/2007 - enosnob wrote: 95 Points
Tasted at Winery March 16, 2007. Well balanced, despite the intitial impression of ripe fruit. This wine is more nuanced and multi-dimentional than most GL's, much more a cousin of the 02 than the 03 vintage. My guess is will last well beyond 2013> Shared a bottle with friends at Cyrus in Healdsburg the prior evening and all agreed it was a wonderful. Despite the 16.9 alcohol and youth the wine paried wonderfully with both roasted halibut and short ribs.
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3/12/2007 - halfred wrote: 93 Points
Well balanced zin with just the right amount of fruit. A touch hot, but that went away in the glass. The glass I drank the next day (after storeing the open bottle under a vacuum cork in the cellar) was actually even more pleasant. Typical black fruits on the nose and mouth with a bit of pepper. 75% was in new french oak which I thought mellowed the edges nicely, concentrated and balanced.
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