Wow. I've been fortunate enough to drink quite a few zins/field blends across many of the top producers and quite a few vintages (my auction hunting game is pretty decent, ha!), so I'd like to consider my bar being fairly high. That said, this was outstanding! I wanted to open something that was structured but still had plenty fruit, and this was spot on perfect. Will's 2nd vintage of this wine I believe. Killer nose of florals and spice, with black fruits and pepper in the mouth, and an almost bitter cassis like note. It's very well integrated but still surprisingly showing some tannin on the long finish. But the acidity and fruit are playing together perfectly to create an incredible mouthfeel and just a ton of pleasure. I'm absolutley loving this right now and could not be happier that I opened it tonight..... but also think that there's upside over the next 5+ years, so will plan to hold my last bottle for a while. Amazing job @willbuckzin
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Last of 3 bottles. Last tried 6 years ago. Still very nice. Fruit has faded some, but still drinking nicely. Some blackberry with bramble, spice and earth.
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Needs ample air time. Eventually opens up to beautiful, classic Old Hill profile, with lots of bramble, briar, mint, earth. Splendid, but again, give it some real air, maybe 2-4 hrs.
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Still going strong. Still dark in color. Really nice nose of plum, tobacco and spice. Tasty palate of plum, earth, tobacco and spice. A nice wine that I enjoyed much more than last tried several years ago.
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Not quite as knockout as before. Nose is still rich, but has a light, citrusy background oddly. Actually adds an interesting note to the richness, but I find I'm not loving it as much as the 2000 I had a few days ago. Nose still has elements of tobacco and dark fruit, but more spice. Palate is chewy and dark with more tobacco. More tannins evident than the 2000, and I like that. All around, these two years have come out virtually identical in quality even though they do have their distinctions in detail.
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Stunning nose of black currants, tobacco, spice -- just knocks my nose back in the best possible way. Palate is dark, with tobacco, dark fruit, dark spice -- and bright acidity with some tannins in the background. Very good balance -- a real pleasure in its cleanliness and definition of flavors. I'm going to move the end date from 2010 to 2011, though even that may not be enough.
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Amazing floral nose quite different than 2000. Much more feminine, yet still robust and rich. Well balanced with dark fruit, tobacco on the palate, with medium tannins and good acidity and translucence of taste. Wonderful all around.
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Again a great Zin. Tobacco, bright fruit, and very deep fruit on the nose. Wonderful sense of maturity but no sense of nearing a peak. Very chewy, very clean taste overall, moderate acidity, earthy notes, leather, and moderate tannins. Really drinking superbly.
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Even better than last time. Tobacco, allspice and bright fruit on the nose. Feels likes it is maturng finally. The taste is intensely chewy, acidic, dark fruit, and tannins that don't stand out with good balance. Worked incredibly well with a cumin-based lamb dish. Yummy squared.
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full of allspice and bright fruit and tobacco in the nose. Still very young, but I had to try it again. Palate is chewy, tart, acidic, full of dark dark fruit, with very well integrated tannins. Very satisfying wine.
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Same as a couple of months ago, this wine is top notch. Fresh, young, with a spiciness in first hour and some tannic quality. Loads of dark fruit. Given that it takes some open time for this wine to become balanced, I suspect it is going to be good for many years to come.
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This is, again, a fabulous Zin. It has a great nose. The first flavors are spicy with good tannins. After half hour the flavors blend and lengthen and it is even more impressive.
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First had this bottle at Tra Vigne in Napa, and I was blown away. Strong, big, jammy, sweet,fruity, berry-like, with a touch of spice. Dark color with lots of legs. Slightly dry finish, not from tannins, though. Your mouth just waters after the finish. Probably my favorite bottle of wine, it defines zinfandel.
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9/23/2023 - RichEB1 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wow. I've been fortunate enough to drink quite a few zins/field blends across many of the top producers and quite a few vintages (my auction hunting game is pretty decent, ha!), so I'd like to consider my bar being fairly high. That said, this was outstanding! I wanted to open something that was structured but still had plenty fruit, and this was spot on perfect. Will's 2nd vintage of this wine I believe. Killer nose of florals and spice, with black fruits and pepper in the mouth, and an almost bitter cassis like note. It's very well integrated but still surprisingly showing some tannin on the long finish. But the acidity and fruit are playing together perfectly to create an incredible mouthfeel and just a ton of pleasure. I'm absolutley loving this right now and could not be happier that I opened it tonight..... but also think that there's upside over the next 5+ years, so will plan to hold my last bottle for a while. Amazing job @willbuckzin
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6/29/2018 - cos82 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Last of 3 bottles. Last tried 6 years ago. Still very nice. Fruit has faded some, but still drinking nicely. Some blackberry with bramble, spice and earth.
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3/25/2013 - swillpower wrote:
Needs ample air time. Eventually opens up to beautiful, classic Old Hill profile, with lots of bramble, briar, mint, earth. Splendid, but again, give it some real air, maybe 2-4 hrs.
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8/4/2012 - cos82 wrote: 90 Points
Still going strong. Still dark in color. Really nice nose of plum, tobacco and spice. Tasty palate of plum, earth, tobacco and spice. A nice wine that I enjoyed much more than last tried several years ago.
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5/18/2011 - JWG wrote: 91 Points
Not quite as knockout as before. Nose is still rich, but has a light, citrusy background oddly. Actually adds an interesting note to the richness, but I find I'm not loving it as much as the 2000 I had a few days ago. Nose still has elements of tobacco and dark fruit, but more spice. Palate is chewy and dark with more tobacco. More tannins evident than the 2000, and I like that. All around, these two years have come out virtually identical in quality even though they do have their distinctions in detail.
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6/27/2010 - JWG wrote: 94 Points
Stunning nose of black currants, tobacco, spice -- just knocks my nose back in the best possible way. Palate is dark, with tobacco, dark fruit, dark spice -- and bright acidity with some tannins in the background. Very good balance -- a real pleasure in its cleanliness and definition of flavors. I'm going to move the end date from 2010 to 2011, though even that may not be enough.
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11/18/2009 - JWG wrote: 93 Points
Amazing floral nose quite different than 2000. Much more feminine, yet still robust and rich. Well balanced with dark fruit, tobacco on the palate, with medium tannins and good acidity and translucence of taste. Wonderful all around.
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6/26/2009 - JWG wrote: 94 Points
Again a great Zin. Tobacco, bright fruit, and very deep fruit on the nose. Wonderful sense of maturity but no sense of nearing a peak. Very chewy, very clean taste overall, moderate acidity, earthy notes, leather, and moderate tannins. Really drinking superbly.
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1/17/2009 - JWG wrote: 94 Points
Even better than last time. Tobacco, allspice and bright fruit on the nose. Feels likes it is maturng finally. The taste is intensely chewy, acidic, dark fruit, and tannins that don't stand out with good balance. Worked incredibly well with a cumin-based lamb dish. Yummy squared.
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2/29/2008 - JWG wrote: 93 Points
full of allspice and bright fruit and tobacco in the nose. Still very young, but I had to try it again. Palate is chewy, tart, acidic, full of dark dark fruit, with very well integrated tannins. Very satisfying wine.
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2/26/2007 - JWG wrote: 92 Points
see notes from Sep 2006, same top notch qualities
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9/8/2006 - JWG wrote: 92 Points
Same as a couple of months ago, this wine is top notch. Fresh, young, with a spiciness in first hour and some tannic quality. Loads of dark fruit. Given that it takes some open time for this wine to become balanced, I suspect it is going to be good for many years to come.
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8/28/2006 - cos82 wrote: 87 Points
Decent, but I expected more from this wine. Soft, smooth, but lacking in fruit. It may be on its downside. Enjoyable, well made, but lacking punch.
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7/3/2006 - JWG wrote: 93 Points
This is, again, a fabulous Zin. It has a great nose. The first flavors are spicy with good tannins. After half hour the flavors blend and lengthen and it is even more impressive.
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1/18/2005 - tonyc wrote:
First had this bottle at Tra Vigne in Napa, and I was blown away. Strong, big, jammy, sweet,fruity, berry-like, with a touch of spice. Dark color with lots of legs. Slightly dry finish, not from tannins, though. Your mouth just waters after the finish. Probably my favorite bottle of wine, it defines zinfandel.
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