Michael Pinkus Wine Review - From the Cellar

Pedroncelli 2007 Zinfandel, Bushnell Vineyard (California)

27 Dec 2018

Details: Category: Uncorked Tonight

Pedroncelli 2007 Zinfandel

(August 20, 2017) ... No one who reads me regularly will be surprised by a Zinfandel review, or an old Zinfandel review, and this particular one is one of the first I truly fell in love with because of it's depth of character, not just sweet luscious fruit ... Now some 10 years from vintage date it's time to look over what has happened to this wine. Still some wonderful aromas to lure you into the glass: plum, vanilla, white pepper, and black cherry - it still smelled young and vibrant, I had to look at the label to make sure I grabbed the older vintage. The palate was big and spicy, with echos of plum from the nose adding blackberry and vanilla with a spicy-oak finish ... Rich but very well-balanced, so spicy yet very tasty ... it is with a heavy heart I have to note that I did have a corked bottle in this batch, so I opened a second bottle, and this more than made up for it.

Errazuriz Ovalle Marchigue 2004 Cab Franc / Petit Verdot Reserve (Chile)

27 Dec 2018

Details: Category: Uncorked Tonight

Errazuriz Ovalle Marchigue 2004

(August 5, 2017) ... A weird 80% Cabernet Franc / 20% Petit Verdot blend, now 13 years from vintage date and my assumption that it might be dead is well off the mark. It still shows mint / spearmint notes with cassis, spiced blueberry and oak, plus there's a dry finish that's long and woodsy ... Opened a little longer (30 mins) the mid-palate starts to really develop a coffee bean, tobacco leaf note. Now an hour on and I am super impressed, for a 13 year old wine this is awesome. Layered with spice-oak, dried fruit flavour, smoky nuances and everything else that has come before it. Thumbs up here.