Ridge East Bench 2007 Zinfandel Revisited

Ridge East Bench 2007 Zinfandel Revisited, $28.99, 90 points, was a core deep ruby trending blood-red toward the clear wine ring.
Smells of fresh linen, loam, clove, cedar, and lively blackberry were still outstanding.
Medium-plus body (texture had become just a tad syrupy), good acidity, and mostly resolved tannin carried a wonderful balance of black fruit, red cherry, licorice, and mulling spice.
Finished well with cola notes, a hint of Cholula, the trailing palate, and a still remarkably controlled 15.4% alcohol.
Paired great with my meatball/provolone sub.
Being at least a year past Ridge's peak drinkability, this wine still beats the pants off of most Cali Zins I've tasted.



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Are Wine Labels Going To The Birds Part II?

 

Ahora sé etiquetas de vino han ido a los pájaros!

 

Owl City Vanilla Twilight

 

 

 

 

 

More wine labels on my first "bird labels" post:
Are wine Labels going to the birds?
Are Wine Labels Going To The Birds Part III?
Are Wine Labels Going To The Birds Part IV?


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Lagaria delle Venezie IGT 2014 Pinot Grigio

Lagaria delle Venezie IGT 2014 Pinot Grigio, $11.99-$13.99, 88 points, poured a  light golden color.
First whiffs were pineapple and grapefruit, but quickly settled-down to orange peel and a lovely floral component.
Light-bodied, good acidity, and a straight-forward tart flavor of orange peel with hints of honeydew melon and ginger.
Finished fair on the trailing palate and an innocuous 12.5% alcohol.
Paired well with my buttered dipped North Atlantic lobster tails.



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Zenato Alanera IGT 2012 Rosso Veronese

Zenato Alanera IGT 2012 Rosso Veronese made in a partial Amarone style (grapes dried prior to fermentation), $14.99-$19.99, 91 points, poured core black grading a lovely crushed blackberry purple/red toward the broad crystal-clear wine ring.
Aromas needed a bit of swishing and swirling, but a little effort teased-out a rewarding bouquet of soft fresh-linen, fruits, herbs, and flowers.
Medium-plus body, good acidity, and mild luscious tannin managed a red wine to entice the naysayers, the doubters, and the red wine skeptical; though beguiling non-red wine drinkers, cerebral red wine aficionados too can be taken-back by the sheer pure flavors of damson plum, mulling spice, and hints of sweet tobacco.
Finished long on the trailing palate and a well-integrated 13.5% alcohol.
Varietals were 55% Corvina, 25% Rondinella, 10% Corvinone, 5% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon.
Score:
Appearance 20.
Aroma 18.
Body 17.
Flavor 18.
Finish 18.

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David Boyer

  As I have been revisiting and tasting older Zinfandel wines (four-plus years), I'm reminded by David Boyer that great wines, such as Bordeaux, Barolo, Priorat, Grange caliber Shiraz, and great Californian Cabernet Sauvignons are young at ten to twenty years; for those with a heart and head for a greater understanding of the dilemma that wine producers and consumers face, check-out David Boyer's most recent essay on the subject.

Class of 1855

 

 

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Seghesio Old Vine Sonoma County 2008 Zinfandel,

Seghesio Old Vine Sonoma County 2008 Zinfandel, $29.74-$42.99, 92 points, fits into the same category as the Gamba Moratto Russian River Old Vine 2009 Zinfandel: cellared for years and high in alcohol (15.5%); having tasted two other vintages, 2007 and 2011, the Seghesio 2008 Old Vine is old enough to list as an age worthy test of Zinfandel's staying prowess.
However, unlike the Gamba, this 2008 Old Vine was wonderful, with wild berries, mucho spices, a distinctive clove, and it was delicious with or without food, but as is true of any good wine, it made my food (Buffalo wings) better.
The color was a deep maroon grading purple/red at the clear wine ring and sheeted glass wall.
Smells of cedar, blackberry, and clove were outstanding.
Near full-bodied, good acidity, and still a supportive underlayment of grainy tannin managed lively fruit and spice flavors, which enriched the long finish with a warm/hot 15.5% alcohol.
Though just past peak, a remarkably good Zinfandel nonetheless.


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Cave De Tain Saint Joseph (l’Hermitage) 2011 Syrah

Cave De Tain Saint Joseph (l’Hermitage) 2011 Syrah, $21.49-$29.99, 89 points, poured core black grading blood red toward the broadly transparent wine ring.
Tanned leather aroma barely transitioned towards cloves with a hint of tobacco, but never reached a satisfactory olfactory experience for me.
Near full-bodied with mouth-watering acidity, grainy firm tannins, and flavors of licorice, blackberries, and savory were excellent.
Finished long on the trailing palate, black pepper, and a restrained 12.5% alcohol with hints of tobacco, coffee, and a touch of pomegranate.

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