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by Tom Hill

A self-admitted wine geek, Tom lives in Northern New Mexico and works as a computational physicist at Los Alamos National Laboratory doing numerical neutron transport & large scale code development. He has been tasting wines since 1971, participates locally with a couple of large tasting groups in his area, and is practically a fixture at most California wine festivals, such as the Hospice du Rhône, Rhône Rangers, and ZAP. Other interests: Tom is heavily into competitive sport fencing (foil & epee), biking, cooking, basketball, skiing, backpacking, mountain climbing.

Bedrock/Carlisle Zins - February 9, 2011

We tasted last night Mostly Bedrock/Carlisle Zins:

  1. BedrockWineCo CuveeCaritas SonomaCnty WW (14.4%; 60% 110 old Semillon/MonteRossoVnyd; 40% SauvBlanc KickRanch; www.BedRockWineCp.com) 2009: Light gold color; strong herbal/figgy/SB/appley/slight cat pee bit chalky/ minerally/earthy perfumed quite interesting nose; tart strong figgy/waxy/Semillon bit herbal/SB somewhat chalky/minerally/ perfumed/perfumed talc some austere flavor; long waxy/figgy/Semillon light herbal/SB/ cat pee quite perfumed finish; nose of SauvBlanc but speaks of Semillon on palate; lovely wine w/ little oak. $28.00
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  2. BedrockWineCo Zin OldVine SonomaVlly (15.0%; 6 vnyds mostly planted in 1919, some to 1888 & 1890; 9 brls, 2 puncheons) 2009: Med.dark color; strong very spicy/rosemary/thyme bright blackberry/Zin/boysenberry rather dusty/old vine beautiful fragrant/perfumed nose; intense blackberry/Zin/boysenberry very spicy/rosemary quite dusty/old vine rather rough/tannic/hard/structured light oak flavor; very long rather rough/tannic/hard very spicy/ rosemary intense blackberry/ boysenberry/Zin some dusty/old vine finish; needs much age; big/spicy/perfumed fruit and great structure for the long haul; terrific Zin at a terrific price. $22.50
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  3. BedrockWineCo Zin StellwagonVnyd/SonomaVlly (15.3%; 110 yr old vines; 8 brls) 2009: Very dark color; very strong blackberry/Zin/boysenberry some earthy/dusty deep bass notes slightly less fruit quite aromatic  very slightfumey/alcoholic lovely nose; big/rough/tannic very strong blackberry/Zin/boysenberry slight vanilla/oak some earthy/dusty rather old-school Zin flavor; very long tannic/rough/hard very strong blackberry/Zin/boysenberry light oak finish; structured and needs age; a rather old-timey/old-school Zin like the Swans of old and the early Ravenswoods; not as much spicy fruit and more bass notes; great value at $28.50
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  4. BedrockWineCo Zin BedrockVnyd OldVine SonomaVlly O'Brother! (121 yr old Zin vines/Block 42; 15.0%) Galen Wolf-Peterson/little brother 2009: Dark color; very strong very spicy/blackberry/ boysenberry/Zin very aromatic/ perfumed nose; some dusty/old vines very spicy strong blackberry/ Zin/boysenberry slight tannic/hard light oak flavor; very long very spicy/blackberry/Zin/boysenberry rather dusty/old vine light oak finish; not quite as hard/tanic/rough as the other two and some like #2 w/o the exotic spiciness; lovely Zin. $30.00
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  5. Carlisle Zin RRV (15.9%; + AlicanteBouschet; 118 cs) 1998: Med.dark color w/ slight bricking; rather strong/blackberry/ cranberry/Zin light toasty/oak light pencilly/cedary/old Zin/cigar box rather complex nose; soft fairly smooth strong blackberry/cranberry/spicy/Zin slight cedary/old Zin/pencilly fairly smooth/polished/DrPepper/RCCola some complex flavor; med.long blackberry/cranberry/Zin/spicy some cedary/cigar box/old Zin slight alcoholic finish w/ fairly smooth tannins; showing more high-toned/cranberry notes and some nice old Zin/pencilly character; probably worth drinking up. $24.00
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  6. Carlisle Zin GoldMineRanch/DCV (15.1%; Planted in 1914; +Carignane; 100 cs) 2007: Very dark color; very strong blackberry/Zin/raspberry perfumed/aromatic/floral/briary lovely nose; soft rather rich/lush strong blackberry/raspberry/Zin light toasty/oak rather perfumed/floral some tannic flavor; long strong blackberry/raspberry/Zin fairly spicy bit dusty/old-vine light toasty/oak finish w/ some tannins; bit more high-toned/raspberry character than the other two, bit more polished/lush; lovely Zin. $34.25
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  7. Carlisle Zin PaperaRanch/RRV (15.2%; Planted in 1934; 645 cs) 2007: Very dark color; very strong lush pungent/licorice intense blackberry/boysenberry/Zin light toasty/oak lovely nose; tart lush/blackberry/boysenberry/Zin some licorice/ pungent light toasty/oak bit tannic flavor; very long pungent/licorice blackberry/boysenberry/Zin light toasty/oak finish w/ some tannins; needs 2-5 yrs; lots of RRV/blackberry character; lovely Zin w/ very good potential. $37.75
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  8. Carlisle Zin CarlisleVnyd/RRV (14.8%; Planted by AlcidePelletti in 1927; +PS/AB/GrandNoir; 550 cs) 2007: Dark/near black color; beautiful very fragrant/perfumed boysenberry/blackberry/raspberry/Zin very spicy/DrPepper/peppery perfumed/ aromatic rather complex/exotic nose; tart very spicy/floral/ perfumed/DrPepper/peppery very strong blackberry/ raspberry/Zin dusty/old vines very spicy/perfumed/ exotic flavor w/ some tannins; very long/lingering very spicy/perfumed/peppery intense blackberry/ raspberry/Zin some dusty/old vine finish w/ some tannins; very classic RRV/peppery Zin w/ some DCV/raspberry/high-toned notes; very perfumed/aromatic/spicy; my favorite of these Carlisles; amazing Zin. $37.75
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  9. JCCllrs Zin SweetwaterSpringsVnyd/RRV (15.3%) 2008: Very dark/black color; strong blackberry/ boysenberry/Zin/spicy/licorice bit herbal/earthy rather strong toasty/oak bit fumey/alcoholic/overripe nose; soft/lush very ripe/blackberry/Zin/boysenberry strong toasty/charred/burnt/oak some tannic flavor; long bit hot/fumey strong blackberry/boysenberry/Zin slight herbal very strong charred/oak finish; loads of very ripe Zin fruit but pushing the boundaries of ripeness a bit. $35.00
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  10. JCCllrs PetiteSirah SweetwaterSpringsVnyd/RRV (15%) 2008: Black color; low key licorice/peppery/ earthy/dusty/tarry slight reduced/diaper pail that clears strong pencilly/charred/oak some funky/earthy noose; soft bit funky/unclean/rustic/earthy very tannic some tarry/funky/licorice rather charred/oak flavor; med.long tannic/hard/extracted strong toasty/charred/oak bit licorice/tarry/pungent fairly hard/ tannic finish; a rather rough/rustic quite tannic PS w/ lots of oak and not a lot of fruit; needs time to evolve but not sure where it will go. $35.00
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  11. ShenandoahVnyds Zin AmadorCnty (15.1%) 1978: Med.color w/ some bricking; very dusty/earthy/ damp Kansas root cellar walnutty/adhesive tape/band aidlight vanilla/oak complex very unusual nose; tart very dusty/earthy/walnutty/adhesive tape no fruit rather smooth flavor w/ little tannins; very long earthy/dusty/walnutty/adhesive tape/pungent no fruit smooth very unusual finish w/ little tannins; no tired/dried-out/old Zin character whatsoever; almost like an old earthy Bdx; very unusual development for an old Amador Zin; almost like an old Sercial Madeira w/o the oxidation; very/very interesting development in this wine. $6.00
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  12. Montevina Zin AmadorCnty LateHarvest (EB; RS: 3.4%; 16%) 1978: Very dark color w/ very little bricking; very strong chocolate cake/angel food cake beautiful blackberry/boysenberry/Zin/chocolaty some Am.oak/toasty/vanilly rather briary/AmadorCntyZin beautiful/complex ripe nose; slightly sweet some chocolaty/very ripe/boysenberry/jammy/blackberry/briary strong vanilla/toasty/oak no overripe/ pruney/raisened slight coffee/espresso/charred complex flavor; very long/lingering jammy/ ripe/ blackberry/boysenberry/briary strong vanilla/charred/toasty/oak finish w/ light tannins; a beautiful ripe/briary Amador Zin that has aged amazingly well. $6.00
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  13. Ridge Calif Zin StoneRanch (3% PS; 14.8%; Drk: 12/04-12/08: PD) 2002: Med.dark color; very ripe/overripe rather raisened/Recioto-like somewhat alcoholic strong pencilly/oak somewhat complex nose; tart somewhat hard/tannic very ripe/overripe/Recioto-like licorice/blackberry/earthy/Zin some toasty/oak/DraperPerfume burnt toast flavor; long very ripe/overripe/Recioto-like hard/tannic some burnt toast/earthy slight chocolaty/blackberry/Zin finish; lots of Recioto-like character; not very attractive.
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  14. Ridge Calif Zin DusiRanch LateHrvst (100% Zin; 15.5%; SaH: 28.7%; RS: 1.4%; Drk: 6/08-6/14: EB) 2007: Dark color; very strong/intenseblackberry/boysenberry/jammy/PR Zin beautiful floral/lilacs/ violets slight alcoholic lovely/perfumed nose; off-dry very intense blackberry/boysenberry /jammy/ripe huge fruit rather floral flavor; very long intense blackberry/boysenberry/jammy off-dry huge fruit finish w/ little obvious tannins; tons of ripe fruit but not at all raisened/pruney/overripe character; much like a junior Essence; classic PR ripe/jammy Zin.

And the usual pompous BloodyPulpit:

1. The Oldies: The ShenandoahVnyds was one of LeeSobon's first wines, back when he was making some pretty amazing wines, some of the best (along w/ CaryGott/Montevina) in AmadorCnty, long after SutterHome had kissed off making quality Deaver Zin. It had evolved in a very strange, not altogether unpleasant, way; with lots of very earthy/ dusty character; like no other old Zin I've had. It showed absolutely no signs of that dried-out/tannic old Zin character you often find in old Zins. Really quite an interesting and good-drinking wine.

I was expecting the Montevina LateHrvst to be pretty much dead & gone. It was not. Still very much alive and plenty of Amador fruit in it. Usually, LateHrvsts this old show lots of pruney/ raisened dried out character. This one did not and was in beautiful balance. Amazingly good old Zin.
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2. StoneRanch: I hate it when my people throw these old wines as mystery wines back in my face. When this wine came out in early '05, it was what I thought was one of the best Ridge ATP Zins I'd had in yrs. Huge fruit, much like a big Pagani. I recall touting this wine to DonnReisen as one of the best Ridge Zins I'd had in ages. He sorta rolled his eyes, gave me a gently/fatherly pat on the shoulder, and assured me that, of course, I was right...as always. My group bought several cases of the StoneRaanch.

Well.....this wine has evolved into a very/very weird old Ridge Zin. Way old before its time. It was pretty hard and tannic and reminded me more of a Recioto than anything. Not particularly attractive. Hate it when my peeps do this to me.
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3. It was interesting to taste a bunch of Carlisle and Bedrock Zins together. Distinctly different in style, but hard to put descriptors to it. The Bedrocks seemed to have rougher tannins and are more old-timey/old-school style of Zins, much like the early Swans and Ravenswoods; maybe w/ a bit more exotic spiciness to them and a bit more aromatic/perfumed in character. The Carlisles are very consistent w/ Mike's style over the yrs. They're big and ripe, but carry the alcohol very well; no overripe character, at least when young. Though there are plenty of tannins there; they seem rather more smooth & polished than the Bedrocks, not quite as hard and rough; perhaps a bit more modern & polished winemaking. Guess I need to take more data points for both. Can't go wrong w/ either one I think. Of course...followed 'em both from the very start.

TomHill

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