2004 Ballentine Vineyards Zinfandel Old Vines Block 11

Community Tasting Notes (5) Avg Score: 88 points

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View Vino Me's profile
  • Report Issue

  2/14/2010 - Vino Me wrote: 90 Points

  Found this on sale for $3 (normally $25). WA gave this 90 points. Mostly Zin with 2% each of Syrah and Petit Verdot. 570 cases produced. 16.7% alcohol. Inky black red color. Aromas of black licorice. Drank this after a Neal Cab and it had noticeably more body and weight. I did not detect any alcohol on the palate but this had a heavy texture and not really a food centric wine (perhaps a rib pairing or something with a heavier sauce). Notes of ripe blackberry, cassis liquor and dark chocolate. Full bodied and thick mouth coating finish. 89-90 points.

  Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View tcfishler's profile
  • Report Issue

  11/13/2007 - tcfishler wrote: 88 Points

  Medium, maybe medium dark violet red. Super-but-not-over-ripe plummy fruit and mint notes dominate the forgiveably warm nose. Silky and remarkably lithe in the mouth despite a shockingly high ABV. Finishes ever so slightly weedy, but this is still a delicious drop of Zin.

  Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View paulst's profile
  • Report Issue

  4/15/2007 - paulst wrote: 92 Points

  Opulent fruit consisting of plum, cherry and blueberry; thick chewy and earthy with grapey undertones.

  Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View JohnnyWine's profile
  • Report Issue

  2/14/2007 - JohnnyWine wrote: 88 Points

  Ripe spring strawberries in the nose right up front, but then leads to an unexpected, very well-balanced flavor and mouthfeel. Tastes more like cooked berries, strawberry, raspberry, with some cedar and definitely with plenty of alcohol present. A little bit of cigar smoke is present as well. Very nice pairing with the chili verde and baked asiago cheese bread for dinner.

  Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View shearma's profile
  • Report Issue

  12/28/2006 - shearma wrote:

  Ho, Ho, Ho. Another nice job by the Ballentine boys up in Napa. Great color. By the end of dinner, it both looked and tasted like ink.

  Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment

Professional reviews have copyrights and you can view them here for your personal use only as private content. To view pro reviews you must either subscribe to a pre-integrated publication or manually enter reviews below. Learn more.