DAOU Lodi Old Vine 2008 Zinfandel

DAOU Lodi Old Vine 2008 Zinfandel, $25.99-$29.99, 88 points.
Hiding in an aroma of rich fruit is this burnt toast and tire rubber (Not all bad), but didn't please me much either; many White Wines have pleased my nose less and still tasted good. 
The color wasn't crystal-clear, but youthful deep Bordeaux.
The texture is lush and smooth.
Flavors of tangy plum and licorice dominate a Zinfandel that only finishes with moderate black-pepper.
On the second day, this wine improved, and the finish gained some depth.



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Geyserville Is A Geyser Galore

Ridge Geyserville 2008 Red Wine, 72% Zinfandel, 20 % Carignane, 6% Petite Syrah, 2% Mourvedre (Mataro), $29.74-$34.99, 93 points, is an  amazing wine ( I would just like to say I'm so glad I didn't let my first impression of Ridge-wines stop me from trying these other wonderful wines ) from Ridge.



The color is dense Syrah purple, and the aroma is earthy with blackberry-spice, and is Ridge-typical-wonderful, and as is so often the case, more European in character than most Californian wines. Special, is a descriptor that comes to mind. 

This Red Wine  has good acidity and a firm tannin presence. There is the obligatory plum and Ridge's trademark tang accentuating this Red Wine, but there is also black olive, the proper subtle hint of violet, and intense Black and White pepper which shuttles a long finish to cap-off this wonderful experience. 
Sorry if this is too detailed, tasting wine ought not be cumbersome, for the foundation of a really good wine is how delicious it is to YOU.
I can tell how much I love a wine: when I can't wait to get home and have another go at it.
The Geyserville is  a wine to buy a case of, and every year open a bottle and compare the evolution of a great wine at a great price, because this wine is great now and will be great for years to come.

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Ridge Pagani Ranch 2007 Zinfandel

Ridge Pagani Ranch 2007 Zinfandel, $30.59-$35.99, 92 points, is a wonderful way to return to the place of Zinfandel.
I had no complaints about my detour to Italy, but I can't say that anything there, that I tasted, was much better than this.
The Pagani Ranch has a beautiful dense ruby-red color, and a typically wonderful aroma, one that makes me just breathe it in as my necessary air, with cedar and cinnamon spice.
The early palate acidity enhanced the tart cherry and mellow plum as layers of fruit balanced off one-another in an archetypical waltz. In step is the pirouette of firm tannins swirling around a late palate tang and lunging long with a white pepper finish.
On the third day the 2007 Pagani continued to evolve with cigar and grape notes, without any unpleasant developments.
This is just another in the long line of remarkable wines that Ridge builds. This one is crafted from 92% Zinfandel (bramble-spice), 5% Alicante Bouschet (Friendly and soft), and 3% Petite Syrah (Firm and powerful). For years the Pagani Ranch has scored upwards of 95 points, but for a number of reasons the 2007 vintage scored, by the pros, in the mid-eighties, but I guess that I'm a die-hard fan, and if the 2006 is 10 points higher rated, I'll be amazed at just how good Ridge wines can be. WS scored the 2008 vintage 92 points.

   
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Carpineto 2006 Chianti Classico Reserva VS Petite Petit

Carpineto Classico Reserva, Dry Farmed 2006 Chianti, $18.69-$23.99, 89 points, begins with a dense Syrah Purple and is followed by a strong aroma of Cinnamon, Clove, and Cedar, that carries over to the overall palate along with some floral characteristics. Though I tried this wine after breathing for eight hours, these characteristics did not fade.
This is a medium-plus bodied wine that pairs well with Babyback Ribs, but will need cuisine of strong flavors to match its own powerful flavor.



Michael-David Vineyards 2008 Petite Petit Syrah-Verdot, $16.99-$22.99, 87 points, reminded me of the Carpineto Classico Reserva, yet is less smooth and structured (Not to Knock California Petite Syrah), but the floral character of this Petite Petit is remarkably similar and when the clove, cedar, and cinnamon,  are added, there is a resemblance that probably makes me look foolish (Different grapes and the weird look the Vintner gave me upon my comparison). The Petite Petit has a weaker finish, but is about the same price. 


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Tuscan Wine That Has Generated More Opinions Than Any Other I've Seen

Monte Antico Toscana 2006 Red Table Wine, $9.99-$12.99, 86 points, is one of the most advertised, most debated, and most available Italian Wines I've seen.
Simply put, this wine is inexpensive, available, and food-friendly, and with a pleasant fragrance, a fair flavor, light to medium bodied (Not much complexity here); this mostly Sangiovese is just easy to pair and easy on your wallet, but this wine strikes me as a joyful-little Red.

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Chianti Classico Had To Be Here Somewhere!

Castello Banfi 2007 Chianti Classico Riserva, $12.74-$18.99, 88 points, is a wonderful Red Tuscan Table Wine, and if you are serving almost any typical Italian cuisine, this will please most and not cost you your pension.
Dense Red Color, with a bit of cherry and plum on the nose (this carries over to flavor), followed by a light-to-medium-body, and enough layers of flavor-hints to please the curious.
This wine can be found almost everywhere.


Toscolo Tuscan 2005 Chianti Classico, $16.79-$21.00, 89 points, is very similar, but a bit more floral, with a more European earthiness and leather, yet still quite smooth. The flavor is only as good as the Banfi, but maybe a bit more interesting.
This wine is not so easy to find.
I bought it as a "Close-out" at the Coliseum Dr. Nashua, NH. Liquor Store, but I also saw it at the Mobil Station on Routes 111 and 93.
  


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Sangiovese & Syrah Meet In Italy In SaSyr Rocca Delle Macie

SaSyr Maremma, Tuscany, Rocca Delle Macie 2007 60% Sangiovese-40% Syrah, $9.34-$10.99, 87 points, has a dense purple color, with grape and a nose-puckering spice aroma.

This is a medium bodied Red Wine with a smooth texture and early palate spice, with a nice late palate tartness that finished with moderate black pepper.

I began drinking this wine as soon as I took the cork out, and there was a definite delicious factor, but on the second day this wine went bust for me; suffering a diminished tartness, being replaced by an over-powering plum flavor that reminded me of some sad Syrah wines I've tried.

I paid only $9.34 for the SaSyr, and as a table wine it was okay, and certainly a very good wine within the early hours of opening.

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