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.

 

New Zinfandels
Tasted last night some (mostly) New Zins:
Alexander Valley Vineyards Alexander Valley Sin Zinfandel (14.8%) '98: Med.color; pleasant simple raspberry bit earthy slight toasty/oak nose; light raspberry/simple/fruity bit sour/earthy light oak flavor; med.short simple/bright/clean/raspberry/Zinfandel light dusty/earthy finish w/ light tannins; a pleasant simple little Zinfandel but not worth $17.00
Lake Sonoma Old Vine Alexander Valley Zinfandel (14.4%) '97: Med.color; fairly spicy bright/raspberry/ blackberry bit perfumed talc/aromatic nose; soft bit bland/thin simple/bright/raspberry/Zinfandel light floral/perfumed talc light flavor; med.short light raspberry/Zinfandel/simple/clean/bright light floral/perfumed talc finish w/ little tannins; a pleasant/simple/light/typical K-J Zinfandel.
Murphey-Goode Sonoma Cnty Zinfandel Liar's Dice (14.5%) '97: Med.color; pleasant floral/cherry/ raspberry aromatic bit licorice light buttery/oaked fragrant nose; some buttery/Am.oaked/ milky spicy/floral/cherry/raspberry bright some Nalle-like flavor; med. bright/cherry/ raspberry/floral/aromatic light buttery/milky/oaked finish w/ light tannins; a very pretty bright aromatic Zinfandel.
Gary Farrell Bradford Mtn Dry Creek Vlly Zinfandel (TW) '97: Med.color; lovely bright/cherry/raspberry/ blackberry very spicy/aromatic light toasty/tobaccoy/Fr.oak nose; tart/bright/cherry/ raspberry very spicy/floral/aromatic light toasty/Fr.oak flavor; med.long tart very spicy/ floral/cherry/raspberry/perfumed some toasty/tobaccoy/Fr.oak finish w/ light tannins; very much a Pinot-style Zinfandel w/ lots of DCV character. Very likable Zinfandel but not at $29.00
De Loach Russian River Valley Zinfandel Papera Ranch (15.0%) '98: Med.light color; attractive spicy/ raspberry/cranberry fairly lush bit alcoholic/overripe nose; soft/light bit thin/alcoholic light spicy/raspberry/cranberry slight funky/licorice/overripe flavor; soft/light/raspberry/ cranberry/spicy/licorice slight off/funky bit overripe finish w/ light tannins; a bit on the thin side and some overripe character but not particularly hot.
De Loach Russian River Valley Zinfandel Pelletti Ranch (15.5%) '98: Med.dark color; deeper blackberry/ licorice/raspberry/slight boysenberry bit dusty/old vine some perfumed talc nose; soft attractive blackberry/raspberry/boysenberry slight dusty/old vine bit simple flavor; med.long soft blackberry/boysenberry/raspberry light dusty/old vine finish w/ light tannins; a nicely- done attractive spicy Zinfandel.
De Loach Russian River Valley Zinfandel Gambogi Ranch (15.5%) '98: Very dark color; deep blackberry/ boysenberru/dusty/ol vines/complex perfumed/aromatic nose; fairly rich boysenberry/blackberry dusty/old vines lush ripe very spicy/perfumed flavor; med.long lush/ripe/boysenberry/black- berry/complex/dusty light toasty/oaked finish w/ some tannins; needs yr or two.
De Loach Russian River Valley Zinfandel Barbieri Ranch (15.5%) '98: Med.dark color; slightly musty/ corked some blackberry/licorice rather supressed nose; tart bit lean some musty/corked light menthol/blackberry flavor; med.long some musty/cardboardy light menthol/blackberry/licorice finish w/ light tannins; underneath may be a pretty good Zinfandel but a bit too corked to tell much.
De Loach Russian River Valley Saitone Ranch (15.5%) '98: Med.dark color; slight funky (corked?) some blackberry/boysenberry bit dusty/pungent nose; tart thin slight funky/musty some ripe/ blackberry/licorice some tannic/hard bit washed-out flavor; med.long hard/lean some pungent/blackberry/licorice bit funky/dusty finish; lacks richness & lushness & has an underlying weirdness/funkiness to it.
De Loach Russian River Valley Zinfandel OFS (15.5%) '98: Dark color; deep blackberry/boysenberry/spicy/ licorice some menthol/dusty/old vines nose; soft/rich/ripe/blackberry/boysenberry/licorice some dusty/old vines not particularly big flavor; long rich/ripe/blackberry/boysenberry/ licorice/pungent rather dusty/old vines bit menthol/complex finish w/ light tannins; much more mainstream and much less over-the-top as previous OFS Zinfandels. Not worth $33.00
Wild Hog Sonoma Coast Zinfandel Estate (15.2%) '97: Med.dark color; some volatile/EA rather overripe/blackberry/boysenberry/complex/aromatic/cranberry some bretty/funky nose; very tart/ acid/grapefruity ripe cranberry/blackberry/licorice/complex/dusty/old vine spicy sausage some toasty/oaked flavor; med.long ripe/overripe/cranberry/blackberry very tart/shrill acidity some bretty/funky bit toasty/oaked finish w/ fair tannins; needs some age; weird wine.
Renwood Grand Pere Zinfandel Amador Cnty (15.3%; #010762 of 1457 cs) '97: Black color; strong blackberry/complex/perfumed/dusty/old vines/boysenberry some toasty/oaked bit milk-of- magnesia spicy/cinnammon nose; rich blackberry/boysenberry/extracted/oaked/spicy/spicy sausage some milky/Am.oaked/bretty flavor; long soft bit dilute spicy/blackberry/boysen- berry/chocolaty some toasty/oaked some bretty/unclean finish w/ light tannins; rather dark but not that big & extracted, seems a bit dilute.
Folie a Deux Amador Cnty Zinfandel (128yr old Harvey-Binz vnyd; 13.5%) '97: Med.color; quite spicy/ licorice ripe boysenberry/blackberry/bit chocolaty some buttery/toasty/oak nose; tart spicy/ ripe/blackberry/boysenberry/licorice/chocolaty light toasty/pencilly/oak flavor; very long tart/very spice/ripe/boysenberry/blackberry/licorice light pencilly/oak finish w/ some tanins; needs a yr or two; a bit lighter & more polished than the Renwood but a bit more complex, more interesting, more GrandPere, better balanced.
Folie a Deux Zinfandel Grand Pere (Barrel Sample) '97: Med.dark color; intense loads of blackberry/boysenberry/gamey/licorice/dusty/old vines rather pungent/smokey complex nose; big rich/lush/intense/blackberry/boysenberry/licorice/chocolaty/dusty/old vine pungent/gamey bit rustic flavor; very long intense/blackberry/boysenberry/licorice/ripe gamey/toasty/pungent/ rustic finish w/ ample tannins; needs more age; more intense, more sauvage character, more GrandPere character, not as polished & balanced.
Folie a Deux Zinfandel Grand Pere Essence (Barrel Sample) '97: Very dark color; very intense blackberry/ boysenberry/ chocolaty/ licorice rather overripe/raisened loads of fruit nose; rather sweet very intense boysenberry/blackberry/licorice/chocolaty raisened/overripe bit alcoholic flavor; very long sweet intense boysenberry/blackberry/chocolaty some alcoholic/ raisened/overripe finish w/ some tannins; lots of overripe blackberry fruit but a very good Essence.
Blaauuklippen Stellenbosch South Africa Zinfandel (13%) '95: Med.light color; really bright floral/cranberry very spicy/perfumed/aromatic nose; very tart/acidic/lean rather floral/ cranberry/spicy bit funky/plastic/hybridy flavor; med. bright cranberry very tart/lean finish w/ light tannins; rather weird but interesting wine.
Ravenswood Old Hill Ranch Zinfandel (14.9%) '91: Very dark color; intense licorice/old vines/dusty bit volatile some smokey/roasted/menthol some blackberry/Zinfandel complex nose; tart bit astringent/tannic very strong/licorice/pungent/smokey/toasty rather menthol/oaked some blackberry/boysenberry flavor; long very smokey/pungent/toasty/complex some blackberry/ boysenberry/licorice menthol/oak rather tannic finish; lots of pungent/smokey/menthol character but still good fruit; drying out a bit on the palate.
Rene Barbier Clos Mogador Priorat, Spain '97: Very black color; rather fecal/unclean/ pungent slight corked(?) very toasty/Fr.oaked deep fruit nose; soft tannic fecal/unclean rich/earthy some blackberry/strawberry/Grenache toasty/Fr.oaked flavor; med.long rich/ blackberry/grenache toasty/Fr.oaked some fecal/unclean/stinky finish w/ some tannins; interesting Priorat but a bit too unclean/fecal for my tastes.

And the usual tripe from Ye Olde Bloodie Pulpit:
De Loach SingleVnyds '98: The last 3 vintages of these wines have been, by and large, strong wines. Although not nearly as weak as a couple of their vintages in the early '90's, I would have to characterize these '98's as a bit on the weak side; lacking the depth and the intensity/extract huge fruit they can have in successful years. NOT bad wines, by any means, and NOT particularly overpriced, I would say; just not quite up to expectations. Clearly the Gambogi is the best of the lot. Generally, the OFS stands heads & shoulders above the SV ones in terms of "bigness", this OFS seemed only marginally better than the Gambogi. In the last two vintages, the SV Zinfandels had rather high acidity that I felt they had been excessively acidified (NOT trying to be a RP here). Cecil claims not; that that's just what the grapes gave, and I believe him. These '98's did not seem to have that much acidity to me, pretty much in balance. Furthermore, the last few vintages have not seemed to display that dusty/old vine character that you'd expect from 50-80-100+ yr old vnyds. Finally, I've criticized the De Loach SV Zinfandels in the past as not being sufficiently distinctive from one another to justify separate bttlgs, other than to command a higher price. Still feel that way about these '98's.
Pelletti Zinfandel: I was particularly interested in tasting this wine inasmuch as I had walked the vnyd w/ (then new-) owner Mike Officer, w/ Rachel & Riley tagging along, as the grapes were ripening. I pointed out to my wine group that I have such a perspicacious palate that I could easily taste grape #84, bunch 3, row 17, block 5, West Side 'cause I had watched that sucker ripening and we'd tasted its neighbor, grape #86. As they are wont to do, they scoffed at my suggestion & heaped the usual scorn & ridicule upon me they typically do!! The De Loach lease on Pelletti runs another year or two, and then Mike will be getting the grapes (plus then having to actually maintain the vnyd; no small task) for his Carlisle Cllrs label. I can hardly wait... then we'll see a REAL Pelletti Zinfandel!!
Wild Hog Zinfandel: This is a wnry located in Cazadero, just to the west of Occidental. Very cold area for growing Zinfandelfandel grapes, which means they often have ripening problems; which is exactly why Ridge abandoned their Occidental Zinfandel (big mistake & they've been scolded for it). This '97 very much reflects those difficulties. Even though it has high alcohol, it also has a teeth-rattling acidity to it, not unlike good Italian Barbera (salado, "salty", is the term used to describe that). Those grapes probably hung on those vine into December to get them ripened, would be my guess. My group roundly vilified the wine (especially because of the SeaRidge connection) but I thought it was an absolutely fascinating Zinfandel. It's a wine that has "soul" to it, as Randal describes in the latest Decanter magaZinfandele. I plan to buy a few more btls and follow how it evolves. I've had a number of WildHog wines (Zinfandel & Pinots) that I've really liked a lot. A winery I plan to follow more closely.
Grand Pere Zinfandel: Boy.... herein lies a tale!! Wines 12,13,14 all come from the same vnyd, same grapes, harvested at the same time. Half went to Renwood (suspiciously large # of cases for that wine to be GrandPere) and half went to Folie a Deux. Wines 13 & 14 are the exact same wine, just bttld at different points in their maturity. Wine 14 was a barrel sample that Scott Harvey brought last January to the Taos Winter Wine Festival & gave a btl to me to try w/ my group (likewise for wine 15, too). The GrandPere vnyd, across & down the road from Renwood there on Steiner Rd, is the oldest documented Zinfandelfandel vnyd in Calif. From the '97 vintage on, half the crop goes to Renwood wnry, half to Scott at Folie a Deux. It is/was owned by Scott.
Here's where it gets complicated. Scott was the winemaker at Renwood/Santino and primarily responsible (IMHO) for the turn-around in quality of the Amador wines and pushing of the Shenandoah Vlly into the Rhone varietals (in addition to making about the best Barbera made in Calif). The CEO of Renwood, Robert Smerling, threw Scott out of Renwood and brought in Gordon Binz from Ridge Vnyds as his winemaker. Scott landed at the morbund Folie a Deux wnry and has been responsible for the great increase in quality of those wines. As part of a divorce settlement, Scott got half of the GrandPere crop for 5(?) yrs and the other half Terry could sell to Renwood. So there are thus two GrandPere Zinfandels on the market for the time being.
But wait... it gets more complicated. The SitG Smerling has filed a trademark petition for the GrandPere vnyd name, a trademark that is being indicated on the Renwood labels and a petition that I understand is being contested in the courts. Thus Scott, at the present time, could not use the GrandPere designation w/o the threat of being hit by a lawsuit bit SitG Smerling, a practice he uses w/ utter abandon. If the trademark of SitG Smerling is upheld, presumably when he loses access to those grapes from the GrandPere vnyd in 5 yrs, he will just use the GrandPere designation to indicate a wine from an old Amador vnyd, not the real GrandPere (formerly John Downing) vnyd.
But wait.... it gets more complicated. By this Fall, when the Folie a Deux GP Zinfandel is ready for release, Scott doesn't have any way to indicate the source of these grapes. By now, Scott & Gordon are fairly good friends and so Scott comes up w/ the designation of the 128 yr old Harvey-Binz Vnyd, so those in the know will know that it's really GrandPere grapes. But wait.... it gets more complicated. By now, SitG Smerling has fired Gordon Binz at Renwood and retained Cary Gott, former (part-) owner and winemaker at Montevina in the early-mid '70's. Gordon, a very competent winemaker in his own right, is now consulting for several wineries there in the Shenandoah Vlly.
How this will all shake out is anybody's guess, but it would make a great episode for "As The World Turns" on the afternoon soaps that I'm addicted to. For now, Renwood is a wnry w/o much direction and appears to be floundering. The still have a fair amount of their '96's for sale and have only recently released their '97's. The only other Renwood '97 I've tasted was the '97 Old Vine Zinfandel and found it pretty ordinary. This '97 GrandPere is a pretty tasty Zinfandel, but not nearly as good as some that Scott made there at Renwood.
Blaauuklippen Zinfandel: This is a wine that Darrell Corti first brought to my attention at the last Aspen F&W Festival I attended in '96. It showed pretty miserable there in that venue, very weak and rather bretty/funky/unclean. I've since had 2 other btls that came from Calif that were much the same story. Not good for SouthAfrica Zinfandel. This was a btl that Steve Sterbenz brought to us from one of his trips to GreatBritan. By far, the best btl I've tasted of this wine. Not a killer, but pretty interesting rendition of Zinfandel.