2015 Birichino Zinfandel Saint Georges Old Vines

Community Tasting Notes (3) Avg Score: 87.2 points

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  5/11/2021 - Z1nnfull Likes this wine: 90 Points

  Since my 8/14/20 note, this bottle has matured a bit and all for the better. In retrospect, I would have held both bottles until end of 2021.
  All the flavors one expects from old vine Zin were present with maybe only a touch of oak (barely present), allowing the concentrated complex berry tastes, cigar box, etc to come to the fore without it being a fruit bomb. It's still a lighter style and for those who like the alcohol and fruit bomb Zins, this wine would really be an awakening at only 13.5% alcohol.

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  8/14/2020 - Z1nnfull Likes this wine: 88 Points

  Struck me as a cool climate, Rhone-like Zinfandel without oak (I can't say definitively that it had no oak, but didn't seem like it). As a result, it did not seem varietally correct to us...would be hard to identify as a Zin in a blind tasting. That said, while not particularly complex, the fruit and acidity was well-balanced, the wine is neither robust or thin, all told it was a pretty nice pairing with food. We chose ham and sides and that worked out well. Not sure what wine from vines this old should taste like, but it fell short of expectations. Would we buy again? Thinking of letting the second of two bottles have another year and try again, but on the fence as of this writing, particularly at the $27 price point...other better Zins for $$$.
  Hard to assess what extra time in the cellar might do, but it should hold up for at least a year.
  We have been pleased with other Birichino purchases and support what they are doing, but this one didn't ring our bell.

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  3/18/2019 - rossi.wine wrote: 90 Points

  Concentrated red/dark fruit on the nose, flowers, spices - very expressive. On the palate juicy and pure, quite soft with good acidity and lift. Unobtrusive tannins, slightly spicy and a little simple, but really well balanced. 89-91

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