Welcome fellow Zinfandel seekers. Scribed upon this page you will find the results of many a Zin tasting conducted by the The Royal Tannin Bomb family. I chose to keep it consolidated on this single page for easy reference, so bookmark and come by time and again. The Royal’s massive Zin tastings will be/were held on 10/10/2008 and 10/24/2008, so expect new results after those dates, and other smaller additions across the years.
I’ll insert links, at key taste-offs, to the blog section of this website so that you can post comments and see the ensuing discussions.
ALL TASTINGS CONDUCTED BLIND
Typically Bad Man reigns, while Tally-Ho pours, and Full-Throttle drives.
Here’s a table to summarize all the Zins we tasted in 2008, except where noted. If a wine was tasted multiple times it is shown multiple times. All details and tasting notes (ratings are somewhat of a necessary evil) shown below after this table, or on the master assaggio majoralus page here.
The stand-out Zins are in bold, the super-duper stand-out Zins are in bold blue.
| Zin | Burp, I mean Blurb |
| 7 Deadly Zinfandel 2006 $16 | Bacon, smoke, light cherry, no finish, no tannins, rustic |
| Ballentine Napa Valley Old Vines 2003 $15 | The nose started out closed but then developed into red berry cocoa and spice, with a vegetal warmth that put Bad Man (that’s me) off. There were strong tannins in the front of the palette, but not enough fruit to balance the structure. (full blind tasting notes) |
| Bella Vetta Jack’s Cabin Vineyard Rockpile Sonoma Zinfandel 2006, 15.2% abv, $29.99 (reg. $39.99) |
TRTB: 85.5 Nose: Maple, spice, band-aids, dark cherry and berries. Mouthfeel: Well integrated tannins, lovely dark berry fruit, dark chocolate, lovely creamy mouthfeel, full lush supple and rewarding, long warm lingering finish. Overall: TH: Don’t rush this wine. It takes hours to come into its own, but patience will be rewarded. This wine is remarkable. BM: Hot, nothing special, but not bad. Elegant grace. (full blind tasting notes) |
| Robert Biale Black Chicken Napa Valley Zinfandel 2007, 15.5% abv, $45 | TRTB: 88.0 Aroma.Bouquet.Nose: Toasted marshmallow, camphor, cloves, cardamom, mulch, creosote, cassis, sugared cherries, maple covered toast. Flavor.Body.Finish: Tight bright acid, great integrated tannins, racy and bright fruit, classic Zin sourness, good fucking wine, grittiness, a finish of great mashed fruit with a nice line of spiciness. Overall.Notes.Final: TH: A seductive nose but the rest of the experience is not in synch – lighter than I prefer. BM: A (full blind tasting notes – 20090613) |
| Cline Ancient Vines California 2007 Zinfandel, 14.5% abv $12.99 | 2 out of 10 |
| Earthquake M.D. Phillips Lodi appellation Zinfandel 2006 15.5% abv $19.99 | Cookies and Crème (Bad Man’s favourite wine character!) |
| Earthquake M.D. Phillips Lodi appellation Zinfandel 2006 15.5% abv, $19.99 | 6+ out of 10 |
| Earthquake M.D. Phillips Lodi appellation Zinfandel 2006 15.5% abv, $19 | Strong nose of smoked meat and bacon and maple syrup – this one instantly recognizable as the Earthquake. Rich full mouthfeel with bracing acidity and zero tannins, awesome flavor profile with insane rich bright fruit but not enough structure. (tasted 11/03/2008) |
| Edmeades Zinfandel 2006 $15 | Low fruit, high acid, tart, green and no finish. |
| Four Vines Winery “The Biker” Paso Robles Zinfandel 2006 pH 3.47 TA: 0.53, 15.0% abv, $19.99 | Dark ruby in the glass, with coffee, cocoa, earth, tobacco and spice box generously available on the nose. In the mouth this baby had rich fruit, bright acid, impeccable balance, a creamy great mouthfeel, medium-body, great structure, dustiness, and an excellent finish. What’s not to like?!? (tasted 11/10/2008) |
| Four Vines Winery “The Biker” Paso Robles Zinfandel 2006 pH 3.47 TA: 0.53, 15.0% abv, $19.99 | ANOTHER go-to Zin!. Dark red (yeah, right) with dark fruit to match – slight bell pepper laced with violets, sweet vanilla, anise, and maple. Tannic with great dark fruit flavor profile, not cloying but only moderate acid, lasting finish, marvelous extract. (full blind tasting notes) |
| Four Vines Winery “The Biker” Paso Robles Zinfandel 2006 pH 3.47 TA: 0.53, 15.0% abv, $19.99 | ANOTHER go-to Zin!. Bacon, sugar, spice, and salami on the nose. Not flabby – this is meaty – and I don’t mean chewy – it actually tastes like pork! It’s tannic, it’s full-bodied, and it burns. I (Bad Man) love it! (full blind tasting notes) |
| Four Vines Winery “The Biker” Paso Robles Zinfandel 2006 pH 3.47 TA: 0.53, 15.0% abv, $19.99 | ANOTHER go-to Zin!. Bronze colour, nose of violets, maple syrup, herbs and green pepper. Sweet fruit, reasonably tannic, with a complex layered body, strong acid, and persistent finish. This bugger is rustic, has tannins, and is structured for longevity. (full blind tasting notes) |
| Four Vines Winery “The Biker” Paso Robles Zinfandel 2006 pH 3.47 TA: 0.53, 15.0% abv, $19.99 | Herbs, spice, vanilla, anise, smoked meat, pepperoni, and sausage abound on the nose, so much so that I’d have to say it’s a little too much smoked meat for me tonight. Has good acid and dark fruit flavours but still too much meat. (full blind tasting notes) |
| Four Vines Winery “The Biker” Paso Robles Zinfandel 2006 pH 3.47 TA: 0.53, 15.0% abv, $19.99 | ANOTHER go-to Zin!. Green pepper, smoke, that sour Zin-ness, and spice. High acid and full-bodied. (full blind tasting notes) |
| Four Vines Winery “The Biker” Paso Robles Zinfandel 2006 pH 3.47 TA: 0.53, 15.0% abv, $19.99 | ANOTHER go-to Zin!. Closed nose, slight hint of cloves, hot fruit, and herb. Richly elegant velvety body, slight forward tannins, fully realized, complex mouthfeel, medium-bodied, lasting finish ++ (Bad Man’s highest notation rating). Subtly complex, richly textured, amazingly delicate yet full mouthfeel. (full blind tasting notes) |
| Four Vines Winery Dusi Vineyard Paso Robles Zinfandel 2005, 14.9% abv, $40 | Perfumey spice box, medium tannins. Bright cherry was the defining characteristic, and in a very soda-pop style. Not pleasant, and not good. Came in dead-last; the only wine in the tasting that wasn’t world class. (full blind tasting notes) |
| Four Vines Winery “The Maverick” Amador County Zinfandel 2006 pH 3.88 TA: 0.72, 14.9% abv, $25 | Wooden nose with dark fruit, currants, middle eastern spices, hay and wood chips. Very tannic, medium acid, complex texture. (full blind tasting notes) |
| Four Vines Winery “The Maverick” Amador County Zinfandel 2006 pH 3.88 TA: 0.72, 14.9% abv, $25 | Vanilla and spice and all that’s nice (at least for The Bad Man). Tannic but smooth, nice velvety texture, cocoa laced with dark dried fruits – yummy. Okay, I have to say, there are a number of go-to Zinfandels on this page, and yes we’ve only tried this one two or three times, but if you get a chance to buy ANY of the Zins on here make sure you include the Four Vines “The Maverick” as top priority. I’m beginning to think there is no better Zin, period. And at $20-$25 it’s perfectly priced, so don’t delay. (full blind tasting notes) |
| Four Vines Winery “The Maverick” Amador County Zinfandel 2006 pH 3.88 TA: 0.72, 14.9% abv, $24.99 | TRTB: 87.0 Nose: Spice, dark cherry and plum, Hoisin sauce, smoked pork, light cedar, charred toast, pencil eraser, vanilla, maple syrup, black cherry. Mouthfeel: Tannic, chewy dusty cocoa brambly fruit, lush good fruit presence with spice, claret-like with a somewhat funky finish. Overall: TH: Good Zin, very lovely in the glass. A perfectly lively Zin! BM: Very funky, interesting, lighter style, austere claret but bright acid, complex, with nice grainy tannins. My 2nd fav of the night! (Rosenblum Harris Kratka 2006 came in first for me) (full blind tasting notes) |
| Four Vines Winery “The Maverick” Amador County Zinfandel 2006 pH 3.88 TA: 0.72, 14.9% abv, $24.99 | Tawny (for a young Zin) rim around typical dark Zin red juice. On the nose we have spice, shoe leather, sawdust, cedar chip, Lysol which blew off – complex and rustic. Tight acidity, dark fruit flavours, fine-grained tannins, and balanced. Exactly the right amount of acidity to support the fruit which is rich and luscious. Good nice spicy chocolate finish. Hits all the points – front, middle, back, and finish – a full chord. I (Bad Man) guessed this to be the Four Vines Maverick 2006, which is a poor man’s Rosenblum Cellars Annette’s Reserve 2005, although it’s only about a $10 differential. (full blind tasting notes – 20090408) |
| Four Vines Winery “The Maverick” Amador County Zinfandel 2006 pH 3.88 TA: 0.72, 14.9% abv, $24.99 | TRTB: 89.0 Dark cherry, blackberries, toasted vanilla, sweet baking spice, maple. Textured mouthfeel, very balanced, great acidity, not angular, modest fine grained tannins. Warm and spicy lasting finish – perfectly complete. TH: Soft plush layers of fruit supported by balanced acid and tannins. BM: Some tannins along the sides of the palette, a certain softness, followed by length and breadth. (full blind tasting notes – 20090501) |
| Four Vines Winery “The Maverick” Amador County Zinfandel 2006 pH 3.88 TA: 0.72, 14.9% abv, $24.99 | TRTB: 82.0 Aroma.Bouquet.Nose: Dark raspberry, red cherry, floral, spice box, sugar cookies, rental car air freshener. Flavor.Body.Finish: Soft ripe fruit, silky rich spicy fruit with a dusting of cocoa, not too lush, plum flavours, modest very fine supple tannins, warm lingering finish of cocoa and cinnamon with good acid follow-through. Overall.Notes.Final: TH: Good structure and balance, layered fruit and warm spice presence. BM: No perceptible flaws, a solid effort in a medium-bodied firm structure. Bright red acid, sweet. Not as much richness in the mouthfeel and not a spectacular finish but again no flaws. My style of Zin for sure, well done! (full blind tasting notes – 20090613) |
| Four Vines Old Vine Cuvee California Zinfandel 2006 pH 3.66 TA: 0.75, 14.6% abv, $10.99 | A GO-TO $11 ZIN! Floral nose with dark berries and a touch of vegetalness and strong classic Zinfandel black pepper. Medium bodied very dry rustic Zin with a smooth satisfying finish and a lovely kick. (tasted 11/05/2008) |
| Four Vines Old Vine Cuvee California Zinfandel 2006 pH 3.66 TA: 0.75, 14.6% abv, $10.99 | The cheapest go-to Zin at $11!!! Scarlet in colour; bacon, pepper, chocolate, spice, mint, sugar, and overripe prunes on the nose. This has a thin body, slightly awkward at first but grew into itself as the night progressed. Tasted twice with the consistent result that this is a great Zin for $11, definitely one of the best at that price point. (tasted 11/10/2008) |
| Four Vines Old Vine Cuvee California Zinfandel 2006 pH 3.66 TA: 0.75, 14.6% abv, $10.99 | Graphite, crème, bell pepper, smoked meat. Nice layered mouthfeel, not too exciting but a near-perfectly proportioned balanced Zin with a lasting finish. Rich texture, but barely any tannins – similar in structure to the 2006 Louis Martini Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon. Not as interesting in the flavour department as it should be, but still an excellent example of affordable Zin, albeit a tad restrained. Picked up some effervescence after an hour. On Day 2 had nice texture, solid flavours, not disappointing at all – should remain satisfying through 2012. Note also that the effervescence had settled out. TRTB: 85 (full blind tasting notes) |
| Four Vines Winery “The Sophisticate” Sonoma County Zinfandel 2006 pH 3.69 TA: 0.71, 14.8% abv, $25 | Heat on the nose, with green pepper eucalyptus and smoked meat. High acid, nice texture, chocolate. This did not show well compared with other A-list Zinfandels, which was surprisingly as it is from a great Zinfandel area and a great winery. (full blind tasting notes) |
| Jessie’s Grove Winery Lodi 2006 Earth, Zin & Fire Zinfandel, 14.8% abv, $12.99 | 4 out of 10 |
| Joel Gott California Zinfandel 2006, 14.5% abv, $14.99 | Super bad – smells like pooh! |
| Klinker Brick Old Ghost Old Vine Lodi Zinfandel 2006, $35.99 | TRTB: 93.5 Aroma.Bouquet.Nose: Black currant, dark fruit, oak, stuffy hot leather, pencil lead, bacon, floral, Tahitian vanilla. Flavor.Body.Finish: Chewy and edgy, big and fruity, spice is in check – a supporting role as it should be, a sublime warm caress of fruit and spice on the finish. Gargantuan – needs time. Overall.Notes.Final: TH: Ball buster Zin. An awkward adolescent that will evolve into a real full throttle Zin. This wine simply announces itself! BM: Bitter and messed up and all fucked up. Too young – the best fucking Zin I’ve ever had! Shows the most promise on the table. (full blind tasting notes – 20090613) |
| Lamborn Family Vineyards “Howell Mountain” “Serendipity” Heidi Barrett Zinfandel 2006, 15.5% abv, $35 | 73 out of 100 – super disappointing from Heidi Barrett, this wine was not corked and was BAD, boring dull, no future |
| Lamborn Family Vineyards “Howell Mountain” “Vintage” Heidi Barrett Zinfandel 2005, 15.9% abv, $35 | 84 out of 100 – adequate, but barely – another surprise from the reputation of Heidi Barrett, but I’ve yet to have a decent wine of her creation |
| Lamborn Family Napa Valley Howell Mountain Proprietor Grown Zinfandel “Vintage” 2005, 15.9% abv, $43 | TRTB: 86.3 Well here it is – finally a rematch with Heidi Barrett, and this time she crafts a winner. Dunno why it showed so poorly before, but this time around it came loaded with creamy dark fruit that I (Bad Man) love – this is a good solid wine, and the nose of skunk/musk, vanilla, warm syrup, brown sugar, dark berry, pepper and burnt sugar put it over the top into greatness. (tasted 10/24/2008) |
| Limerick Lane Collins Vineyard Zinfandel 2005, 14.5% abv, %?.?? | Pretty and beautiful, but light |
| Limerick Lane Collins Vineyard Zinfandel 2005, 14.5% abv, $?.?? | 85 out of 100 |
| Lolonis Redwood Valley Zinfandel 2005, 14.8% abv, $15.99 | A nice, but not big, zin |
| Lolonis Redwood Valley Zinfandel 2005, 14.8% abv, $15.99 | 7 out of 10 – performed well this night |
| Lolonis Redwood Valley Zinfandel 2005, 14.8% abv, $15.99 | Did not perform well this night |
| Lytton Springs Winery Lytton Springs Sonoma County 1986, 14.3% abv, $45 | 22 year old Zin from Bad Man’s favorite Zin winery in the 80’s. This hasn’t turned but the fruit is gone. It’s like chewing a block of wood with zero finish and the nose of rotten wood. Sad to see, but I appreciate the great opportunity to taste something this old that has been well kept. (tasted 10/30/2008) |
| Martinelli Jackass Hill Vineyard Russian River Valley 1996, 18% abv, $220 | TRTB: 90.5 A hot chewy peppered bacon fiesta! Very interesting – complex, port-like resonance, overripe fruit, killer nose, excellent length. (tasted 10/24/2008) |
| Martinelli Jackass Hill Vineyard Russian River Valley 2002, 17.5% abv, $200 | TRTB: 82.7 All heat and acid, but maybe it would be okay with some strong cheese to provide resistance for the high acids to cut through. Better the 2nd day. (tasted 10/24/2008) |
| Peachy Canyon Winery Westside Paso Robles Zinfandel 2006 $18 | Overrated from their hey-day in the 90’s, but it’s hard to get a good zin out of Paso Robles |
| Pezzi King Sonoma County Zinfandel 2005, 14.9% abv, $17.99 | “Stadium funk”, but usually an adequate zin |
| A. Rafanelli Dry Creek Valley Sonoma County Zinfandel unfiltered 2006, 14.8% abv, $38 | 90 out of 100 |
| A. Rafanelli Dry Creek Valley Sonoma County Zinfandel unfiltered 2006 14.8% $38 | 85 out of 100 |
| A. Rafanelli Dry Creek Valley Sonoma County Zinfandel unfiltered 2006, 14.8% abv, $38 | TRTB: 79.5 Aroma.Bouquet.Nose: Violets, warm spice box, cassis, licorice, orange peel, black cherry, grandmother’s perfume. Flavor.Body.Finish: Gripping acid, dark rich voluptuous fruit, slight spiciness, vanilla, persistent finish of dark fruit. Overall.Notes.Final: TH: Not a big chewy jammy Zin, but the fruit – though not yielding on the nose is rich and lively in the mouth, less impressive than the other contenders. BM: Perhaps a little hollow in the mid-palate, light on the uptake, a disappointing offering – and an AWFUL nose. (full blind tasting notes – 20090613) |
| Rancho Zabaco Reserve Dry Creek Valley Sonoma County Zinfandel 2004, 15% abv, $18 | THE go-to <$20 Zin! |
| Rancho Zabaco Reserve Dry Creek Valley Sonoma County Zinfandel 2004, 15% abv, $18 | THE go-to <$20 Zin! Possesses beautiful extract, length, body and the flavor profile Bad Man likes (20081030) |
| Rancho Zabaco Reserve Dry Creek Valley Sonoma County Zinfandel 2004, 15% abv, $18 | In the mouth slight tannins, slightly overripe slight finish, but overall a nice balanced firmly acidic Zin. The nose was beautiful but a little too subtle. (tasted 11/03/2008) |
| Rancho Zabaco Reserve Dry Creek Valley Sonoma County Zinfandel 2004, 15% abv, $18 | THE go-to <$20 Zin! Consistent tasting notes on multiple occassions - Bad Man found the nose terrific right from the get-go, noting the dark berry, chocolate, and smoke, while Tally-Ho picked up the nutmeg and fig. Great dark flavor profile in the mouth, with zippy firm acidity, nice front tannins, good mouthfeel if a bit rough at first, rustic, medium to full-bodied, and a lasting finish. (tasted 11/10/2008) |
| Rancho Zabaco Reserve Dry Creek Valley Sonoma County Zinfandel 2004 15% $18 | Brick red on the eye, smoky nose of charcoal and cocoa on the nose – something’s burning here my friends. But I don’t want to use the fire escape quite yet, cuz I’m liking the cardamom and nutmeg and chocolate – mmmmm. In the mouth we have lasting fruit, a nice smooth soft body, and slight tannins. (full blind tasting notes) |
| Rancho Zabaco Reserve Dry Creek Valley Sonoma County Zinfandel 2004, 15% abv, $18 | Dark fruit, vanilla, coffee, spice box. The acid is too bright, slight integrated tannins, nice finish, nice fruit. (full blind tasting notes) |
| Rancho Zabaco Reserve Dry Creek Valley Sonoma County Zinfandel 2004, 15% abv, $18 | Deep scarlet/purple, vanilla, sweetness, mint, pepper, lead pencil and floral define the nose. High acid, no tannins, bright finish, and nice fruit flavours define the palette. (full blind tasting notes) |
| Rancho Zabaco Reserve Dry Creek Valley Sonoma County Zinfandel 2004, 15% abv, $18 | Floral notes over a cold dark brooding nose, with something fishy going on plus a little maple thrown in for good measure. Ripe cherry fruit (not Bad Man’s favourite) is full force in the mouth, paired with bright acid, slight tannins, nice length, some chocolate, but a little bit soda-poppy. (full blind tasting notes) |
| Rancho Zabaco Reserve Dry Creek Valley Sonoma County Zinfandel 2004, 15% abv, $18 | Sugar, toffee, caramel, and vanilla on the nose. Red raspberry flavors, straightforward yet simple, high acid, wound a little too tightly, slight front tannins, lacking depth and persistence culminating in a bitter finish. (full blind tasting notes) |
| Rancho Zabaco Reserve Dry Creek Valley Sonoma County Zinfandel 2004, 15% abv, $10.50 (reg. $18) | Searing nose of bright red fruit, round body, light but firm tannins, light texture, chocolate, mint, red currant, raspberry fruits. Definitely a simple wine but well balanced and (this to me is the single most important element of Zinfandel) good acid, rich dark flavours – definitely an incredible bargain at $10-$11/bottle. No flaws, nice nose, Cab-like dark fruit notes, measured cadence on the palette, gentle, flowing, with that characteristic Zinfandel burnt/bitter fruit in the middle of the quaff. Youthful exuberance, excellent length. On Day 2 exhibited orange peel, asphalt, mineral and ripe burnt plum on the nose, with dusty tannins and less purity on the palette after a day being opened. Still enriching, and I’d project it’ll hold well for a year or two more – drink by 2010/2011. TRTB: 87 (full blind tasting notes) |
| Ravenswood 2005 Teldeschi Vineyard Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel, 15.5% abv, $25 | 6 out of 10 |
| Ravenswood Vintner’s Blend 2006 California, 13.5% abv, $7.29 | Vegetal nose accompanied by chemical smells and turpentine. In the mouth balanced with nice flavors of cherries, some tannins, crisp acidity, rich fruit, ending with a good finish. If the nose wasn’t so bad this would be a good wine. Not acceptable. (tasted 11/05/2008) |
| Renwood Fiddletown Zinfandel 2005, 15% abv, $28 | Needs time |
| Renwood Fiddletown Zinfandel 2005, 15% abv, $28 | This possesses a hesitant nose with herbaceous grass and floral notes, yet austere. Structured mouthfeel wrapped around a medium body with strong acidity, front tannins, rich fruit and (again) killer structure. But yikes the nose is so closed down, and what it does deliver is so, well, bad.. (tasted 11/03/2008) |
| Renwood Grandmere Zinfandel 2005 $32 | 73 out of 100 |
| Renwood Grandpere Zinfandel 2005 $32 | 85 out of 100 |
| Renwood Winery Jack Rabbit Plot Amador County Zinfandel, 2005, 15% abv, $32.99 | Tawny around the rim, otherwise dark red. A nasty funk – aborigine armpit. Also reminded us of the A. Rafanelli nose, which I (Bad Man) HATED but Tally-Ho didn’t mind – don’t get me wrong: despite a horrible nose the A. Raf. is so grand in the mouth I gave it a 90!!!! Anyway, back to this wine: Nice rich fruit, good finish, rich acid, crispness, not as balanced as wines #1 and #2 [2006 Four Vines Winery “The Maverick” Amador County and 2005 Rosenblum Cellars Snows Lake Vineyard Lake County, respectively], more austere, but nice lasting finish. Overall very disappointing for the price – a terrible value. (full blind tasting notes – 20090408) |
| Renwood Old Vine Zinfandel 2005 | Bad nose, light color, but a killer bod – skip this, but try the next vintage |
| Renwood Shenendoah Valley California Zinfandel 2005, 15% abv, $15 | 8 out of 10. A good go-to zin for the $15 range |
| Renwood Shenendoah Valley California Zinfandel 2005, 15% abv, $15 | Didn’t perform as well as before on (20081030). Tally-Ho liked it better than Bad Man, as the Rancho Zabaco Reserve 2004 we had it up against had beautiful extract, length, body and the flavor profile Bad Man liked better. |
| Renwood Sierra Foothills Zinfandel 2005, 13.5%, $?.?? | Good, but a funky nose and no sustain limits it. |
| Renwood Sierra Foothills 2005, 13.5% abv, $10.99 | Vanilla and floral bouquet with brittle acidity over a thin bodied soda-poppy wine. Not acceptable. (tasted 11/05/2008) |
| Ridge Lytton Estate Dry Creek Valley 1996 ATP, 14.6% abv, $50 | “Poo!” nose and full-bodied, with rich vibrant flavors but an uninteresting bouquet even after the poo blew off. (tasted 10/30/2008) |
| Ridge Lytton Springs California Dry Creek Valley 2002, 14.4% abv, $37 | TRTB: 85.3 Big Zin, tannins soften on breathing but nose is still too tight (tasted 10/24/2008) |
| Ridge Lytton Springs California 2005, 14.4% abv, $32 | Austere, but good (tasted 2007) |
| Ridge Lytton Springs California 2005, 14.4% abv, $32 | 77 out of 100 – very dismal (not corked). Bad Man particularly disappointed, as this is his baby! |
| Ridge Pagani Ranch California Zinfandel 2006, 14.8% abv, $48 | 74 out of 100 – SHOCKING! Absoultely terrible in almost every way (see review here) (not corked) |
| Rombauer California 2006 Zinfandel 59% Amador County, 24% Napa County, 11% Lake County, 6% El Dorado County, 15.5% abv, $27.99 | 6 out of 10 |
| Rosenblum Cellars Annette’s Reserve Redwood Valley Zinfandel 2005, 14.7% abv, $32 | 88 out of 100 – a consistent winner, top of the class, but a tiny bit lacking in heady structure |
| Rosenblum Cellars Annette’s Reserve Redwood Valley Zinfandel 2005, 14.7% abv, $32 | 91 out of 100 – a consistent winner, top of the class, but a tiny bit lacking in heady structure |
| Rosenblum Cellars Annette’s Reserve Redwood Valley Zinfandel 2005, 14.7% abv, $30 | TRTB: 91.0 Best of Tier I, per the Bad Man AND the average of all The Royal Tannin Bomb’s ratings and all our rankings, beating out the old and new Turley’s and old and new Martinelli’s as well as Helen Turley and Heidi Barrett all conducted in a single blind (AS ALWAYS) tasting! At $30, and being a regular easy-to-find-on-the-shelf bottling, this is THE Zin to buy. (tasted 10/24/2008) |
| Rosenblum Cellars Annette’s Reserve Redwood Valley Zinfandel 2005, 14.7% abv, $30 | Deep scarlet purple in the glass, with a nose possessed (literally) of black currants, anise, tar, smoke, grapes, and a bitter sourness characteristic of Zins. Medium-bodied, low (fine) tannins, good length, nice fruit, slightly overripe, soft. Perhaps a little cloying, but great complexity in the palette in terms of the flavors and the nose. This girl is all about finesse, she’s not a monster. She makes Rancho Zabaco Reserve Zinfandel (one of our low-price favourites here at The Royals) taste like a cheap Chianti – this baby is not balls-out but the fruit flavors explode while ever maintaining impeccable balance. Honestly. (full blind tasting notes) |
| Rosenblum Cellars Annette’s Reserve Redwood Valley Zinfandel 2005, 14.7% abv, $30 | We have to forgive, excuse and dismiss this particular showing – we got a corked bottle. Pepper, mint, chocolate and dark fruit on the nose, overwhelmed by menthol and chloroform – smells like a gas station I (Bad Man) did coke in in the late 80’s. Medium bodied, firm tannins, not enough fruit, but still tight acidity. The finish was a little hollow, and the nose was just so acrid, even after 5 hours of decanting. (full blind tasting notes) |
| Rosenblum Cellars Annette’s Reserve Redwood Valley Zinfandel 2005, 14.7% abv, $30 | Dark chocolate, richly complex, cassis, black currant. Moderate tannins, rough fruit, medium to full-bodied, big but awkward – needs time to lay down. (full blind tasting notes) |
| Rosenblum Cellars Annette’s Reserve Redwood Valley Zinfandel 2005, 14.7% abv, $30 |
TRTB: 90.0 Aroma.Bouquet.Nose: Sweet maple, chocolate covered strawberries, leather, complex, pepper, light oak, sugar, dark berries. Flavor.Body.Finish: Tight tannins, sugar, dark cherry and Mediterranean spice on the tongue, with a beautiful hot, spicy rolling finish. Intense layers of my (Bad Man’s) favourite fruit profile. Overall.Notes.Final: TH: More spice than fruit but a decent effort. Great spicy fruit – nice Zin lush and full in the mouth – yum! BM: Beautiful dark fruit balance. Layers of rich textured fruit define this wine. I can’t stress that enough – if you want to experience “layers” in a wine, this is the Zin with which to do it. In fact, speaking in specific and general, this is THE Zin. (full blind tasting notes – 20090320) |
| Rosenblum Cellars Annette’s Reserve Redwood Valley Zinfandel 2005, 14.7% abv, $30 | TRTB: 86.0 Hint of burnt sugar, oak, spice box, tight nose with classic Zin sourness, blue/black fruit. Excellent extraction and heat blended with fine round tannins under blue/black fruit with terrific middle Eastern spices, not a complex wine but a very drinkable effort. TH: Slightly hot finish but all in all a very nice example of my kind of Zin. The only fault of this wine is possibly a lack of complexity compared to the other two which is not a bad thing considering the contenders. Maybe this is too young to compete. BM: A little disjoint and definitely needs more time. Heat. (full blind tasting notes – 20090501) |
| Rosenblum Cellars Annette’s Reserve Redwood Valley Zinfandel 2005, 14.7% abv, $30 | TRTB: 88.5 Aroma.Bouquet.Nose: Smoked meat, toasted bread, plastic, vanilla bean, Swiss dark chocolate, currants, blackberries, floral, sawdust, rose, chemical glue. Flavor.Body.Finish: Lush mouthfeel with a dark fruit profile, dusty fine tannins, dark brooding mélange of mixed berries supported by bright acid, followed by a terrific chocolate covered berry finish that goes and goes. Overall.Notes.Final: TH: Structured and rich – the gothic novel of Zins insinuating and sinister, the Energizer (©) bunny of Zin finishes. BM: Pretty unadmirable nose, hollow a little on the third quarter of the palate, bitter. (full blind tasting notes – 20090613) |
| Rosenblum Cellars Annette’s Reserve Redwood Valley Zinfandel 2006, 14.9% abv, $35 | TRTB: 86.5 Must, brown sugar, toasted oak, cinnamon, slightly overripe, raisony, blackberry, raspberry. Slight acidity but well-suited to the fruit and medium integrated tannins with just the right amount of grip. Spicy cocoa dusted dark fruit – how can that be bad? Bright tannic middle with the perfect hair-pulling attention getter. Fruit and spice all the way down to a satisfying finish. TH: Sharp grip with wonderful fruit. Structured but without the complexity of wine #1. BM: A touch awkward, becoming more than a little raisony as the night progressed. I fear for the ageworthiness of this; what started out so promising with searing acid and wonderful grip turned all pruney and raisony – blech! (full blind tasting notes – 20090501) |
| Rosenblum Cellars Aparicio Vineyard Amador County, 2005, 14.9% abv, $28 | TRTB: 90.0 Aroma.Bouquet.Nose: Tar, anise, coffee, brown sugar, that flower dipping chemical stuff that was in last week’s Snows Lake, vanilla, sugar, oak, plums and blackberries. Flavor.Body.Finish: Solid tannins, dusty cocoa, plumy dark berries, slight pepper and spice in a rich textured mouthfeel, great finish of rich fruit and spice and chocolate all the way down. Overall.Notes.Final: TH: From nose to gullet – a wonderfully conceived Zin. Really lovely – everything you want in a Zin. BM: Incredible nose, but acid isn’t high enough. Fruit profile not as good as the Snows Lake 2005 and the Annette’s Reserve 2005. Also has a brittle woody structure. (full blind tasting notes – 20090320) |
| Rosenblum Cellars Contra Costa County 2006, 14.4% abv, $15 | Creamy herbaceousness in the heady nose with eucalyptus, soy, green beans, and some indefinable funk. Rich fruit in the mouth, thin-bodied, no tannins, not a great flavor set; more on the cherry-herbal side. (tasted 11/16/2008) |
| Rosenblum Cellars Harris Kratka Vineyard Alexander Valley Zinfandel 2006, 14.7% abv, $33.99 | TRTB: 86.0 Nose: Oak, red fruit, slight spice, nutmeg, cool, urinal-but-in-a-good-way, overripe prune, acrid, skunky, complex. Mouthfeel: Tannic rich and lush, complex, rustic, good finish, rich textured mouthfeel. Overall: TH: A spicy fruit example of Zin. Less “peignoir pretty” than some but admirable example. Slightly brash and youthful. Good Zin profile. BM: Good stuff, biggest of the bunch, definitely oaked. My #1 pick! (full blind tasting notes) |
| Rosenblum Cellars Harris Kratka Vineyard Alexander Valley Zinfandel 2006, 14.7% abv, $33.99 |
TRTB: 82.0 Aroma.Bouquet.Nose: Herbal, mint, burnt sugar cookie, camphor, very slight fruit (Bad Man circled that this was the most disappointing nose, only picking up the herbs and mint). Flavor.Body.Finish: Bright acid, moderate tannins, dark fruit, pepper and warm spice on the flavor profile, modest finish, robust structure, rich full mouthfeel but not a great finish. Overall.Notes.Final: TH: Jammy fruit spice bomb lovely and structured this wine rewards the patient. Decant and be patient. My notes changed dramatically over time on this wine but given some time – it will reward you for the effort. BM: Most disappointing nose of the bunch, along with the Rosenblum Rockpile Road 2006. But soundly structured with reasonable flavours – nothing special. Correctly guessed it to be the Harris Kratka which I liked best in last week’s tasting but the flavours just weren’t there. (full blind tasting notes – 20090320) |
| Rosenblum Cellars Maggie Zinfandel 2004 $40 | 89 out of 100 – needs to be laid down more than any other Zin here! |
| Rosenblum Cellars Monte Rosso Vineyard Sonoma Valley Reserve Zinfandel, 2006, 14.8% abv, $39.99 | TRTB: 84.0 Aroma.Bouquet.Nose: Sage, pepper, violet, vanilla, chewing gum, sweet vanilla (Bad Man penned super). Flavor.Body.Finish: Light acid, slightly tannic, flavors of spice, rich blackberry, dark chewy fruit, rich. Finishes warm on a chord, not a single note (Tally-Ho). Overall.Notes.Final: TH: Nice mouthfeel with rich fruit and spice, a lovely, well-structured Zin. Finesse but with some nice backbone and a little attitude. A rewarding spicy Zin with great fruit and creamy texture. BM: Awkward, needs time. Chalky tannins, nice but nothing special. Beautiful nose with burnt fruit and herbaceousness on the palette. Definitely more bitter than a Zin should be, and yes I am aware Zins are, and should be, bitter. (full blind tasting notes – 20090320) |
| Rosenblum Cellars Paso Robles 2006, 14.9% abv, $16 | Blueberry, pepper, mint, heat, and a very noticeable woody smell. Richly textured fruit, a touch of overripe prune typical to Zin, silky mouthfeel, lasting finish, but suffers from the overripe components. Beautiful flavor profile of dark fruits. (tasted 11/16/2008) |
| Rosenblum Cellars Paso Robles 2006, 14.9% abv, $16 | Dark tawny rim, cherry perfume with some sourness – Tally-Ho proclaimed “fish on the wharf”. Bad Man found it had a lot of that sawdust thing he’s (that’s me) not fond of – similar perhaps to the more “pet store” nose of the otherwise beautifully proportioned A. Rafanelli. In the mouth we have zingy high acid, some effervescence and over-ripeness going on over a nice soft body, but the fruit is a little hollow. (full blind tasting notes) |
| Rosenblum Cellars Paso Robles 2006, 14.9% abv, $16 | Dark fruit, dark chocolate, tobacco and spice. Clipped finish, very dry, immature – a simple wine, boring, not rich. (full blind tasting notes) |
| Rosenblum Cellars Rockpile Road Vineyard Rockpile Upper Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel, 2006, 14.8% abv, $31.99 | TRTB: 79.5 Aroma.Bouquet.Nose: Herb, mint, oak, dark cherry, red currant, Bad Man: brambly, green pepper, sulpher, swimming pool, yeasty – bad, but not as bad as the Rosenblum Harris Kratka 2006!. Flavor.Body.Finish: Big tannins, green herbal flavours, that sour Zin element, and a clipped, bone-dry non-existent finish. Overall.Notes.Final: TH: The least remarkable wine on the table. Not fabulous. BM: Just way too tannic and dry. Try in 2-3 years but good luck. Also suffers from all the green fruit. (full blind tasting notes – 20090320) |
| Rosenblum Cellars Snows Lake Vineyard Lake County Zinfandel, 2005 14.9% abv, $29.99 |
TRTB: 86.5 Nose: Blackberry jam, sugar cookie, spice, dark yummy fruit, that flower-dipping chemical, Smokey the Bear. Mouthfeel: Chewy jammy purple fruits, slightly simple but great mouthfeel, warm nice finish. Overall: TH: Fruit forward rich and yielding – OMG! This is a terrific Zin! BM: Overripe purple fruit flavours, the only bad wine of the bunch (that wasn’t corked, of course). Concord grape jelly flavour profiles – I kept going back again and again to confirm. It was better after several hours, but very disappointing for Rosenblum at this price point. Not much else going on here – decent structure but nothing special. (full blind tasting notes) |
| Rosenblum Cellars Snows Lake Vineyard Lake County Zinfandel, 2005 14.9% abv, $29.99 |
TRTB: 89.0 Aroma.Bouquet.Nose: Burnt oak, searing, molasses, brown sugar, spice box, vanilla oak, brambly berries, smoke. Flavor.Body.Finish: Bright, balanced acid – not huge but not cloying, integrated fine tannins, warm chocolaty fruit with spice notes, supple and round in the mouth, yielding and lovely with a warm medium finish. Overall.Notes.Final: TH: Such a nice Zin example – fruit, spice, chocolate/vanilla loveliness. From the very first sniff and first sip a terrific Zin! I love this ZIN! =) BM: Maybe too bright and red fruited, but rich sweet fruit profile and lush mouthfeel. (full blind tasting notes – 20090320) |
| Rosenblum Cellars Snows Lake Vineyard Lake County Zinfandel, 2005 14.9% abv, $29.99 | Darkest in colour of the three [in the tasting], cool dark berry, spice, and an overripe prune and raisony thing going on, eventually opening up to the bright red fruit thing that Snows Lake (my (Bad Man’s) guess) has going on, the last two times we tasted it. Tight tannins, definitely the most tannic and well-built of the bunch, with a nice mouthfeel and spice on the bitter (typical for a Zin) finish. A very Zinny Zin, quirped Bad Man. After 2 hours the cherries came out in force. (full blind tasting notes – 20090408) |
| Rosenblum Cellars Snows Lake Vineyard Lake County Zinfandel, 2005 14.9% abv, $29.99 | TRTB: 86.5 Aroma.Bouquet.Nose: Dark cherry, oak and earth, menthol/mint, maple extract, cedar, fresh lavender, whiff of chemical. Flavor.Body.Finish: Round & spicy, decent fruit, balanced and layered, lush and dusty, great extract, persistent finish of bright fruit and dark chocolate. Overall.Notes.Final: TH: Acids, tannins, fruit and spice create a serendipity of voluptuous juice. BM: Great extract, persistent finish. (full blind tasting notes – 20090613) |
| Rosenblum Cellars California Vintner’s Cuvée XXX, 14.5% abv, $9.99 (reg. $11.99) | Sulfer, rose, chemical, wet grass, and spice on the nose. Virtually no finish, clunky body. (tasted 05/03/2008) |
| Rosenblum Cellars California Vintner’s Cuvée XXX, 14.5% abv, $9.99 (reg. $11.99) | Showed great this night, not a bad Zin for $12. Closed nose with hints of eucalyptus, chocolate, tobacco and berry. Overripe at times in the flavor profile, medium-bodied with excellent balance between its bracing dryness and rich fruit. (tasted 11/05/2008) |
| Rosenblum Cellars California Vintner’s Cuvée XXX, 14.5% abv, $9.99 (reg. $11.99) | Cherry, vegetal, floral, incense, and soap on the nose. No tannins, high acid. Inconsistent tasting results favoring that this is can only be trusted as a simple table wine. (tasted 11/10/2008) |
| Sausal Private Reserve Alexander Valley 90 year old vines Zinfandel 2005 $20 | Not like I remember it from the 90s |
| Seghesio Sonoma County Zinfandel 2007 $20 | Wine Spectator’s #1 Zinfandel of 2008. The nose here is soapy mint vegetal grandma’s-perfume – everything I (Bad Man) HATE in a nose! Nice flavor profile, nice soft smooth body. Lame lame lame – you people who insist on trashing the “full-throttle” style of Zinfandel crafting (high alcohol or not – it’s not necessary, but high acid is) are dead-wrong. You are annoying me – stupid Wine Spectator shite and its shallow-minded zombie followers. (full blind tasting notes) |
| Sin Zin Alexander Valley Sonoma Zinfandel 2006 $16 | Pepper, tart and puckery mouthfeel, grapey lasting finish with some effervescence – atomic warhead pixie stick! |
| Sobon Estate Amador County Rocky Top 2006 Zinfandel, 14.2% abv, $14.99. | 3 out of 10 |
| St. Francis Pagani Vineyard Reserve Sonoma Valley Zinfandel 2004, 15.3% abv, $35 | Flabby |
| St. Francis Pagani Vineyard Reserve Sonoma Valley Zinfandel 2004, 15.3% abv, $35 | 80 out of 100, an average and adequate zin, but overpriced |
| St. Francis Sonoma Zinfandel 2005 $20 | Bacon cherry, watery yet with forward fruit, dark cherry, dirty/harsh finish. |
| Summers Villa Andriana Vineyard Estate Bottled Napa Valley Zinfandel 2006, 14.2% abv, $19.99 | TRTB: 85.5 Nose: Burnt caramel, violets, dark fruit, bar of soap, lavender, violet flower bed, a little pet-store sawdust going on, hollow, turpentine. Mouthfeel: Modest tannins, chewy fruit, warm spices, chocolate, nice finish, a little cloying. Overall: TH: Fruit forward spicy Zin with tons of sugar but well structured and balanced. On the simple side but a very drinkable wine. BM: Great flavours, HORRIBLE NOSE and the ACID IS WAY TOO LOW! Low acid kills a Zin. (full blind tasting notes) |
| Tobin James Ballistic Zinfandel 2005 | Totally overrated, again it’s hard to get a good zin out of Paso Robles |
| Turley Cellars Hayne Vineyard Napa Valley 1996, 17% abv, $135 | TRTB: 87.7 Hot and jammy, spectacular, lingering caress, a monster. Great structure, great nose. (tasted 10/24/2008) |
| Turley Cellars Hayne Vineyard Napa Valley 2005, 16.1% abv, $100 | TRTB: 76.3 Very bright, easily drinkable wine, not a great finish, thin-bodied and no tannins. Not offensive, and not a world-class Zin by any standard. (tasted 10/24/2008) |
In-depth reviews below.
Early tasting, pre-formation of The Royal Tannin Bombs. I’m not sure of the actual vintages. Bad Man (that’s me) and Flamenco in attendance.
Ridge Lytton Springs Zinfandel 2005 – lead pencil on the nose with dark fruit, slightly high in acid, tannic, ageworthy, and all-around gnarly. Developed into an elegant, refined, big style zin definitely worth laying down for a while.
Tobin James Ballistic Zinfandel 2005 – vanilla and spice nose, slighter in body than the Ridge, with balance, chocolate, butter, and a thick chewy mouthfeel. Still the least body and most austerity of this trio.
St. Francis Pagani Ranch Zinfandel 2004 – ripe cherry/berry nose with curry, pepper and spice, effervescent nearing kool-aid in the mouth, smooth and lively with some tannins; quite precocious. The softest mouthfeel of these three, with burnt rich fruit and a reasonable finish.
Result: Only the Ridge really shined out as a great wine in this bunch, with Flamenco in agreement.
Attendees: Bad Man (that’s me) and Tally-Ho.
Lolonis Zinfandel 2005, 14.8% abv – Light in colour, cherry flavors, soundly structured, tannic, fruit not as rich as the other wine. Good but not great – 7 out of 10.
Renwood Shenandoah Valley Zinfandel 2005, 15% abv – Light in colour, hot nose, balanced, rich dark fruit, creamy and round, exactly what I (Bad Man) want in a zin – 8 out of 10.
Result: Neither of these are contenders for the Tier II or Tier I zin showdown, that is certain.
Attendees: Bad Man (that’s me) and Tally-Ho.
Edmeades Zinfandel 2006 $15 – Brackish brown colour, yeasty soapy cheesy and bread, astringent. Thin body; wound too tightly. Low fruit, high acid, tart, green and no finish.
Peachy Canyon Winery Westside Paso Robles Zinfandel 2006 $18 – Darker in colour. a bronze red. Pruney with smoke, strawberry, green pepper, coconut, and freshly mowed lawn. Not as dry as the others, but still tannic and somewhat fruity.
Sausal Private Reserve Alexander Valley 90 year old vines Zinfandel 2005 $20 – Inky black, with floral, some kind of white flower but lighter than gardenia, tannins on the back palette, somewhat complex but not rich. Some searing fruit on the roof of the mid-palette.
Result: None of these are contenders for the Tier II or Tier I zin showdown, that is certain.
Attendees: Bad Man (that’s me) and Tally-Ho.
7 Deadly Zinfandel 2006 $16 – Bacon, smoke, light cherry, no finish, no tannins, rustic.
Sin Zin Alexander Valley Sonoma Zinfandel 2006 $16 – Pepper, tart and puckery mouthfeel, grapey lasting finish with some effervescence – very atomic warhead pixie stick! (Tally-Ho coined these terms)
St. Francis Sonoma Zinfandel 2005 $20 – Bacon cherry, watery yet with forward fruit, dark cherry, dirty/harsh finish.
Rancho Zabaco Reserve Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel 2004 $16 – Lily, lilac, flowers and sugar on the nose, structured and balanced, and not smooth.
Result: The Rancho is the best, but none of these are contenders for the Tier II or Tier I zin tasting.
Attendees: Bad Man (that’s me) and Tally-Ho.
Renwood Grandmere Zinfandel 2005 $32 – Slightly tawny, aromas of soap, funk, Victorian lilac, middle eastern toasted spice, cardamom. Low acid, smooth medium-bodied but a slightly bitter finish, shows potential toward the Bad Man’s Cookies and Crème style, possessing a silky elegance but not overly pronounced – just “above average”. Bad Man gives it 73 out of 100.
Renwood Grandpere Zinfandel 2005 $32 – Light colour, cherry coke nose with green pepper, herbs, floral, sugar and caramel. Moderate tannins, rich mouthfeel, balanced, with a lasting finish. Dark fruit, toffee and dust – rated “AAA” – “above above average”. Bad Man: 85 out of 100
Rosenblum Annette Zinfandel 2005 $30 – Darkest in colour of the bunch. Floral grandma bacon and cherry on the nose – sounds awful but is surprisingly good, and certainly complex. Integrated tannins, ultra-rich in the mouth, full-bodied, burnt sugar cookie. Surprisingly notes of paint thinner and turpentine/vinegar as the bottle breathed; hopefully that will blow off over time? A bit awkward; will benefit from cellar time. Two words: French Kiss. Bad Man: 88 out of 100
Rosenblum Maggie Zinfandel 2004 $40 – Dark scarlet in colour. Campfire, eucalyptus, mint, marinara sauce on the nose. Integrated tannins, intense mouthfeel, medium to full-bodied. Fig on the finish, excellent extract, very port-like. Wow. Most lush of the bunch – Tally-Ho really liked the style of this entry. I (Bad Man) felt this was very structured yet immature, like Juliette Lewis in the remake of Cape Fear. Bad Man: 89 out of 100
Result: The Maggie is awesome but needs to lay down a year (Bad Man (that’s me) predicts it will be GREAT!), so it won’t be included in this title fight. The Renwoods were surprisingly unremarkable, yet fine wines. The Annette is the one drinking best now, and will advance to the Tier II tasting and perhaps beyond.
Attendees: Bad Man (that’s me) and Tally-Ho.
Lolonis Zinfandel 2005, 14.8% abv – A repeat from the above tasting – Spice, smoked fish, strawberry and pepper on the nose, overripe fruit, balanced but too light in body, nice effervescent fruit.
Renwood Old Vine Zinfandel 2005 – Light in colour, mint plum cherry paint thinner and rot on the nose, dark fruit and a super structure. Go figure.
Result: Neither of these are contenders for the Tier II or Tier I zin showdown.
Attendees: Bad Man (that’s me) and Tally-Ho.
Limerick Lane Collins vineyard Zinfandel 2005, 14.5% abv – Purple red colour, dark bright fruit similar to the Lolonis, smooth, some acid, not tannic. Rich fruit, not thin but somewhat soft, quite interesting, round, violets, rich fruit. Not “remarkable”, just simple rich balanced fruit. Tally-Ho and I (Bad Man) thought this had to be the Renwood, because it wasn’t structured enough or complex enough to be from the famed, and oft-tasted, Limerick estate.
Renwood Sierra Foothills Zinfandel 2005, 13.5% abv – Lighter red in colour, possessing a funky complex nose of must, wood, licorice – to grandmother’s house we go. Sugar, and some complexity in the mouth, eventually turning dull and boring and uninspiring as the evening wore on, but that was after the unveiling where we realized our minds had tricked us. It just goes to show that you have to taste more than a few wines blind at a time to keep your mental influences to a minimum.
Result: Neither of these are contenders for the Tier II or Tier I zin showdown, which is surprising to me for the Limerick Lane.
Attendees: Bad Man (that’s me), Tally-Ho, and Full-Throttle.
Earthquake Lodi appellation Zinfandel 2006, 15.5% abv $19.99 – Vanilla, burnt sugar, maple syrup, e-gads it is a perfect example of that Cookies and Crème style Bad Man adores, so much so that everyone agreed it had a fantastic nose at first but then just went over the top, reminiscent of falling into a vat of maple syrup. Full-Throttle pointed out that it didn’t go well with any of the assertive cheeses we had selected. Tally-Ho said it was not a classic zin, perhaps closer to a Merlot, and that it smelled like Vermont. She added that what it isn’t is a “rough and tumble meet me in the alley” kind of wine.
Lolonis Redwood Valley Zinfandel 2005, 14.8% abv, $15.99 – Vegetative, green pepper, sour. Maybe this one just couldn’t make a dent in the residual syrup left on our palettes from the Earthquake monster.
Joel Gott California Zinfandel 2006, 14.5% abv, $14.99 – Full-Throttle exclaimed, “Smells like pooh!” I don’t have any more notes on this wine – it wasn’t corked, and it was baaaaad.
Pezzi King Sonoma County Zinfandel 2005, 14.9% abv, $17.99 – Chocolate, tobacco, sugar, spice, cardamom, Mediterranean. Bad Man quipped, “Stadium funk!”
Result: None of these are contenders for the Tier II or Tier I zin showdown.
Attendees: Bad Man (that’s me) and Tally-Ho
Lamborn Family Vineyards “Howell Mountain” “Vintage” Heidi Barrett Zinfandel 2005, 15.9% abv, $35 – Dark red with chocolate, heat, red berry, middle eastern spice, tobacco, and eucalyptus (but thankfully not too much) on the nose, good acidity, rich fruit, silky, full, round, lush, and supple. As the evening developed so did the nose, complex, but something is awry in the finish. Bad Man rates this 84 out of 100.
Lamborn Family Vineyards “Howell Mountain” “Serendipity” Heidi Barrett Zinfandel 2006, 15.5% abv, $35 – Rustic, earthy, compost heap nose, low acid, and slight tannins. Solid fruit, but thin to medium-bodied, a little cloying on the finish. Bad Man rates this 73 out of 100.
Renwood Fiddletown Zinfandel 2005, 15% abv, $28 – Bright scarlet in colour, musty earth and chocolate spice nutmeg cardamom nose, tannic, rich fruit, medium-bodied, reasonable but not lasting finish, a little like kool-aid. Awkward precocious disjoint frivolous rococo frilly, but it does indeed show promise. Needs time. Note that the Rombauer Fiddletown Zinfandel was considered but after reading many reviews stating that it was a port/dessert wine, we opted out.
Result: This was our essential Heidi Barrett zin taste-off to see which, or if both, were going to make the grade into the Tier II and/or Tier I zin tasting(s). We were shocked at how poorly this highly touted wine maker’s zins faired. Just on principle we must include a Barrett zin in the Tier I tasting, next to the likes of Turley and Martinelli, but I’m not expecting it to show well. Given that, the clear choice is the 2005 “Vintage” Barrett. The “Serendipity” might do well after some cellar time, but I (the Bad Man) disagree – it does NOT have the stuff to go any distance – very disappointing.
In my spare time, I (Bad Man) tasted the Rombauer Napa Valley Zinfandel 2005 and Ravenswood Teldeschi 2005 Zinfandel. Neither are substantial enough to move into the Tier II or Tier I tastings.
Here are the Rombauer tasting notes:
Rombauer California 2006 Zinfandel 59% Amador County, 24% Napa County, 11% Lake County, 6% El Dorado County, 15.5% abv, $27.99
Saw dust, warm cedar, and fish market come to mind when I placed a glass of this up to my sniffer. In the mouth we have dark candied fruit, rich on the palette, nearly explosive, with dry tannins, full body, fairly tightly focused on the finish but yet a round mouthfeel without being cloying or overripe. Ripe lasting fruit, somewhat creamy. Not my ideal Zin, but damn close to it in execution. 6 out of 10.
Here are the Ravenswood tasting notes:
Ravenswood 2005 Teldeschi Vineyard Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel, 15.5% abv, $25
Color – ruby red. Nose – intoxicating wafts of perfume, flowers, orange peel, cinnamon, and clove. Firm but supple body, with the structure to hold things together for a while, but don’t hold her too long. Flavors are still honestly Kool-aid/fruit punch, but now the finish is opening up with a nice harmonious creamy texture. Okay, so the flavors are her weak point but thank goodness the nose isn’t herbaceous – I hate ye olde Herbaceous Herb. 6 out of 10.
I (Bad Man) also tasted the following in various assaggio minoralus tastings during the summer and fall of 2008.
Sobon Estate Amador County Rocky Top 2006 Zinfandel, 14.2% abv, $14.99.
Light tarnished red/bronze in the glass, indicative (but sometimes deceiving) of a lighter style red. The nose wafted up with smoky notes of red berries, prunes, burnt raisons and copious amounts of green bell pepper bordering on fresh-cut grass (wtf!?!). On the palette we have a medium to thin (yep) bodied Zin, with a correspondingly demure finish. Frankly, reminded me of kool-aid – and no, perceptible tannins were nowhere to be found.
This is exactly what a Zin should NOT be. 3 out of 10.
Cline Ancient Vines California 2007 Zinfandel, 14.5% abv, $12.99
Floral, a little skunky, bubblegum, plastic, and violets on the nose. Effervescence in the mouth, low acid, low tannin, some persistence on the finish but a bit thin, turning bitter. Somewhat pruney, simply structured. Never improved over the hours. Finally put the cork back in to save for a day when taste doesn’t matter and I just need a drink. I.e. this swill has a date with the sink drain. 2 out of 10
Jessie’s Grove Winery Lodi 2006 Earth, Zin & Fire Zinfandel, 14.8% abv, $12.99
Overripe prune and plum that burn the back roof of my mouth. Finish turns alternately bitter and yet has a potential suppleness that shows, with the right winemaker or perfect growing season, the glimmer of hope that this could become a satisfying effort. There is a vibrancy in the mouth, with a big finish, but the flavors are amateuristic, unbalanced, and unrewarding.
Needs refinement (never thought I’d say that about a freakin’ wine); watch for sophomore efforts as you never know… 4 out of 10.
2006 Earthquake Zinfandel, Lodi appellation, 15.5% abv, $19.99
Inky black edged with ruby red. Cedar, red plum, prune, oak, perfume and spice affront the nose. In the mouth it possesses a rich, creamy texture, smooth, medium bodied, with a lasting and balanced finish. Not taxing on the palette, which – given the full-throttle Zin style that Bad Man enjoys – isn’t necessarily a good thing, but this baby is quaffable none the less.
Honestly I have to say this is a nice balanced near (Bad Man’s coined highest accolade) Cookies & Crème wine, still, somehow, I think we should expect more from a Zin. I want to be clubbed over the head with a monster Zin hammer, not pampered with a soft Zin Kleenex ©.
6+ out of 10.
Attendees: Bad Man (that’s me), Tally-Ho, and Full-Throttle.
Ridge Lytton Springs California 2005, 14.4% abv, $32
St. Francis Pagani Vineyard Reserve Sonoma Valley Zinfandel 2004, 15.3% abv, $35
Rosenblum Annette’s Reserve Redwood Valley Zinfandel 2005, 14.7% abv, $32
Ridge Pagani Ranch California Zinfandel 2006, 14.8% abv, $48
A. Rafanelli Dry Creek Valley Sonoma County Zinfandel unfiltered 2006, 14.8% abv, $38
Result: Read the full review here.
Attendees: Bad Man (that’s me) and Tally-Ho
Tasting Date: 10/22/2008
Well, it’s right up to the wire before The Royal Tannin Bombs massive Tier I 2008 Zinfandel tasting, and Bad Man thought it best to have a final show-down between two of the previously eliminated contenders that both seemed to have similar style with killer body/fruit/mouthfeel to see if the previous tasting evaluation would yield consistent results once again. In summary, yes, these performed as we expected. Both have excellent qualities, but neither are top-notch Zins, especially when price is taken into consideration.
A. Rafanelli Dry Creek Valley Sonoma County Zinfandel unfiltered 2006, 14.8% abv, $38 – Bitter and biting on the nose, with the same sawdust, soapy, pet-store rotting leather upholstery that Bad Man hated in the previous tasting, but Tally-Ho didn’t find nearly as offensive as did he. She noted the spice, smoke, eucalyptus, vanilla, red fruits, and cedar, combined with a slightly off-putting unpleasantness in the bouquet. In the mouth it was balanced and superbly structured, with lush, full, driving fruit, pure richness, with high acid and medium tannins in the front palette. Without the nose, commented Bad Man, this is THE body I look for in any wine.
Bad Man rates this 85 out of 100.
Tally-Ho rates this 83 out of 100.
Limerick Lane Collins vineyard Zinfandel 2005, 14.5% abv – Abounding with plum, dark cherries, Asian spices, smoked meat, oak, sugar, heat, mint and maple syrup, the Collins is a super nice wine. In the mouth there are unfortunately hardly any tannins for this youngster, overall it’s a little on the thin side in body, with a modest but unflawed finish. Both of us agreed that if this was $20 instead of $30 it’d be a charmer. Bad Man noted that the nose is way above average, but the body and fruit profile aren’t there to hold it up. Still, a pretty and nearly 0-flaw wine, better than all but the best Zins the world has to offer. The lack of tannins, structure and body really hurt its final standing.
Bad Man rates this 85 out of 100.
Tally-Ho rates this 81 out of 100.
The Bad Man just can’t get past the nose on the A. Raf., while the Collins is really elegant and just plain pretty. Tally-Ho was more resiliently capable of handling the A. Raf’s wafting aromas, and agreed that the body is to die for, so she is happy that she still has some of this beauty in her cellar. But everyone’s in agreement that we’re expecting the Tier I Zin tasting contenders to bring the full package of depth, extraction, power and structure, so we’ll pass on these two for the big 10/24 show-down.
Attendees: Bad Man (that’s me), Tally-Ho, and Full-Throttle.
Title: Zinfandel, Tier I 2008 tasting (assaggio majoralus)
Turley Cellars Hayne Vineyard Napa Valley 1996, 17% abv, $135
Turley Cellars Hayne Vineyard Napa Valley 2005, 16.1% abv, $100
Martinelli Jackass Hill Vineyard Russian River Valley 1996, 18% abv, $220
Martinelli Jackass Hill Vineyard Russian River Valley 2002, 17.5% abv, $200
Lamborn Family Napa Valley Howell Mountain Proprietor Grown Zinfandel “Vintage” 2005, 15.9% abv, $43
Ridge Lytton Springs California Dry Creek Valley 2002, 14.4% abv, $37
Rosenblum Annette’s Reserve Redwood Valley Zinfandel 2005, 14.7% abv, $30
Result: The decisive winners, as can be seen here, are the Martinelli ‘96 and Rosenblum Annette’s ‘05, with the Lamborn Family 2005 coming in third by average of our ranks – not ratings; ranks (1-7) are the only fair assessment. It is reassuring that the Martinelli ‘96 and Rosenblum Annette’s ‘05 both placed in each of our top 3!
We all agree that Turley is the most disappointing now with the absence of winemaker Helen Turley; although surprisingly Full-Throttle didn’t care for the ‘96 either.
Read the full review here.
Attendees: Bad Man (that’s me), Tally-Ho, and Full-Throttle.
Title: Zinfandel, Tier 0 (assaggio majoralus)
Ye Old Zin – Lytton Springs Winery Lytton Springs Sonoma County 1986, 14.3% abv, $45
Ye Special Old Zin – Ridge Lytton Estate Dry Creek Valley 1996 ATP, 14.6% abv, $50
Mystery I – Rancho Zabaco Reserve Dry Creek Valley Sonoma County Zinfandel 2004, 15% abv, $18
Mystery II – Renwood Shenendoah Valley California Zinfandel 2005, 15% abv, $15
Result: This was an interesting foray into a pair of older Zins, a 12 and a 22 year old, followed by a pair of the “affordable” young Zins from the current release aisle of the local grocer.
Read and comment on the full review here.
Attendees: Bad Man (that’s me) and Tally-Ho.
Title: Zinfandel – final under $20 showdown – mk i/iii (assaggio minoralus)
Rancho Zabaco Reserve Dry Creek Valley 2004 15% abv, $18
Renwood Fiddletown 2005, 15% abv, $28
M.D. Phillips Earthquake Lodi 2006, 15.5% abv, $19
Result: Two words: “Rancho Zabaco”.
Read and comment on the full review here.
Attendees: Bad Man (that’s me), Tally-Ho, Flamenco and Roadkill.
Title: Zinfandel – final under $20 showdown – mk ii/iii (assaggio minoralus)
Four Vines Old Vine Cuvee California, 14.6% abv, $10.99
Ravenswood Vintner’s Blend 2006 California, 13.5% abv, $7.29
Renwood Sierra Foothills 2005, 13.5% abv, $10.99
Rosenblum Cellars California Vintner’s Cuvée XXX, 14.5% abv, $9.99
Result: A mixed evening, with the Rosenblum Cuvée XXX showing well for once but I think the true focus here should be on affordable newcomer Four Vines Old Vine Cuvee.
Read and comment on the full review here.
Attendees: Bad Man (that’s me) and Tally-Ho.
Title: Zinfandel – final under $20 showdown – mk iii/iii (assaggio minoralus)
Rosenblum Cellars California Vintner’s Cuvée XXX, 14.5% abv, $9.99
Four Vines Biker Paso Robles, 15% abv, $19.99
Rancho Zabaco Reserve Dry Creek Valley 2004, 15% abv, $18
Four Vines Old Vine Cuvee California, 14.6% abv, $10.99
Result: And there you have it. The Royal’s year-end Zin wrap-up (special post to soon follow with the Zin Award Ceremony for 2008!) reveals the Rancho Zabaco Reserve 2004, a wine that Tally-Ho introduced to the group as the best all-around reasonably priced Zin and the bargain basement cheapster Four Vines Old Vine Cuvee at $11 being the everyday wine winner. Congratulations to our big winners of 2008, and here’s looking forward to the Zins of next year!
Read and comment on the full review here.
View and comment on The Royal Tannin Bomb’s 2008 Zinfandel Awards Ceremony
here.
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