From the Cellar

If it's Zin it Must be Rib Night (California)

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Category: Uncorked Tonight

(September 3, 2016) ... Three Zins for BBQ ribs night, six years apart, and each with their own brand of interestness - but then again I'm a Zin-fan, so I can usually find  something cool in the bottle as I learn about the age-ability of this grape.

Starting things off with the oldest bottle, Geyserville 2002 Sandy Lane Vineyard, Contra Costa County: dark fruit, mocha, spice, pepper, dried cherry, pruney and plummy all at the same time ... This 14 year old Zin has still kept some of it's fruit after all these years, and that's super cool. It's the interesting layers in this wine that makes it so interesting.

Bogle 2004 Phantom is not a full-on Zin, instead it's 54% Petite Sirah, 43% Old Vine Zinfandel and 3% Old Vine Mourvedre - it's still a beautiful wine full of sweet red fruits with spice and plum on the finish. Not as layered as the Geyserville, it's dealing on a more simplistic level, but also still very enjoyable.

Then came this odd-ball Zin from Wine Guerrilla (David Caffaro) 2008 Conte Vineyard Zinfandel - I picked this one up on a whim years ago because I had never heard of it and it was Zinfandel (it was also in my price range) ... Sweet raspberry, strawberry, vanilla, cherry and white pepper; I was super-surprised at how young it tasted at 8 years old.

Battle of the 2004s (Australia / California)

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Category: Uncorked Tonight

(August 28, 2016) ... Went into the cellar and grabbed out two bottles from the 2004 vintage starting with a Guenoc 2004 Petite Sirah, from California; at 12 years of age it might have been something exciting, but with the plastic closure the winery was saying it's a drink now wine - BUT THEY DID NOT MENTION THAT ANYWHERE ON THE BOTTLE - so now 12 years later I pay dearly for their inconsiderate labeling. This wine is totally undrinkable.

So I move on to the Cumulus 2004 Rolling Cabernet Merlot from Australia: aromas immediately grab my attention: eucalyptus, cassis, and mocha - that mocha follows through on the palate mixing in spice and dried blackberry with hints of eucalyptus/mint; within half-an-hour the alcohol begins to show thru and makes it a little more difficult to drink, but that first 30 minutes was a real revelation.