October Taste-Off
Zin II ~
Chutney Restaurant San Francisco
October 16, 2008
Wines are listed in order tasted in four flights of three. Fifteen members registered their impressions. The tasters ran the gamut from neophytes to afficionados. The first price listed is the winery MSRP; second price. best retail. Wines were tasted with Naan flat bread and tandori chicken. Ranking is based on totalling individual rating scores. It's worth noting that our first place wine from Opolo in Paso Robles, while it failed to garner four stars unlike our best of tasting in our earlier Zin tasting, is a large production wine: 6500 cases produced. The Paso Robles wines scored well in general. But then they came at the end of the tasting. Next times we'll have participants taste the wines more randomly.
Predictably, there is the occasional inconsistency-- "a bit bland" vs. "very fruit forward"--which is to be expected from a relatively large panel of consumers. We are looking for that special wine that appeals to a wide spectrum of palates: not an easy task when science seems to show that people's taste buds differ in sensitivity.
By sheer coincidence, a smaller tasting panel of true wine enthusiasts met recently in the offices of Snooth in New York City to taste and rank Zins in four flights of three wines. Only one overlap, the Quivera which was evaluated in our first taste-off (see below) and had much the same reception. Worth surfing over to this ranking exercise (no rating) which offer a fuller accounting. http://blog.snooth.com/2008/11/18/snooth-panel-tasting-program-explores-zinfandel/
A. Ballentine Vineyards Block 2003 Reserve Napa Valley $29/24 3 stars ~ Good robust, slightly spicey, ripe, dried plum, deep dark color (warm climate)opaque. smooth, tannic, full fruit, jammy, smooth, subdued nose, deep garnet, medium intensity, sweet finsh, blueberry, blackberry, plum, light bouquet, musty, earthy, little acidity, petrol, dusty, cocoa, bordering on rough.
B. Stuhlmuller Vineyards 2003 Estate Alexander Valley $24/21 3 - 3 1/2 stars ~ Good/Very Good berries, very smooth, excellent nose, dark cherry, floral, violet, jammy berry, blackberry, deep ruby, cherry pie, honey, higher acidity, some lingering on the finish, long finish, fruit bouquet, more complexity, nice minerally scent, brown sugar and molasses, tannic at end, slightly sour note.
C. Alex Sotelo Cellars 2004 Dalraddy Vineyard Napa Valley $30/26 2 1/2 - 3 stars ~ Satisfactory/Good petrol nose, spice and herbs, sandlewood, spice, flat, light garnet, licorice fennel, light nose acidic respberry, smooth, lighter style, light yet complex, a bit bland, little aroma, light fruit, cranberry spice, very fruit forward, lost some spice.
D. Harvest Moon Winery 2005 Russian River Valley $26/24 3 Stars ~ Good sharp initial taste, young, tannic, bright purple tinged garnet, medium intensity, red raspberry, hot.
E. Marcucci Farms 2005 Russian River Valley $36/32 2 1/2 stars ~ Satisfactory slightly bitter, grapefruit/citrus, pepper, peppery, drier, lower sugar, ordinary, rich baking spices, clove aroma, dried fruit, spicy palate, white pepper, very light and fruit.
F. Hawley Winery & Vineyard 2005 Ponzo Vineyard Sonoma County $25/23 3 1/2 stars ~ Very Good ~ 3rd Place robust and earthy, cocoa, young, really jammy, a little bitter, some oak, a bit explosive, nice velvetty, fruitier, dark earthy spice, deep loganberry, Petite Syrah blend? [5%-ed.], raisin, spice but subtle, sweet lingering finish.
G. Hendry Ranch 2005 Block 28 Napa Valley $30 /27 3 stars ~ Good cherries and spice, floral chocolate. good balance, nice food wine, bold, sweet candy apple, high alcohol [15.2%-ed.]
H. Falcor Wines 2005 Dry Creek Valley $36/32 3 - 3 1/2 stars ~ Good/Very Good ~ 6th Place rhubarb and cream, perfumy chocolate covered cherry. long finish, smokey, a bit of a kick, pepper undertones, earth, must, all spice, nutmeg, bright raspberry, funky after taste, smokey.
I. Jeff Runquist 2006 “Z” Massoni Ranch Amador County $24/20 3 1/2 stars ~ Very Good ~ 2nd Place ~ Best Value kumquats, cigar box , good finish, vanilla/oak, nice balance, marshmellow finish, jasmine scent, very pleasant .slight taste of burnt sugar, cherries, almost port like on first taste--lighter body after 2nd sip. bright fruit.
J. Opolo Vineyards 2006 Mountain Paso Robles $28/22 3 1/2 stars ~ Very Good ~ 1st Place slightly smokey, hint of cinammon, spice, licorice, higher alcohol, big, sweet, more crisp than juicy, classic zin, chocolate, huge fruit power on nose, bug punch, rich zingy flavors of blackberry pie, spice, clove, cinnamon.
K. Ridge Vineyards 2006 Paso Robles $30/28 3 - 3 1/2 stars ~ Good/Very Good ~ 5th Place Green peppers, dried fruit, earthy full bodied, light cordial taste, earthy spice, tingly cloves, subdued.
L. Four Vines Winery 2006 “Biker” Paso Robles $25/21 3 1/2 stars ~ Very Good ~ 4th Place chestnut and figs, subtle berries, red berry fruit, nose improved with exposure to air, too sharp, not as good with food, mild tannins, smooth, plums, prunes, highersugar content. raisin, rich spices, clove, stays on the lips. spicy lingering finish.
Chutney Restaurant San Francisco
October 16, 2008
Wines are listed in order tasted in four flights of three. Fifteen members registered their impressions. The tasters ran the gamut from neophytes to afficionados. The first price listed is the winery MSRP; second price. best retail. Wines were tasted with Naan flat bread and tandori chicken. Ranking is based on totalling individual rating scores. It's worth noting that our first place wine from Opolo in Paso Robles, while it failed to garner four stars unlike our best of tasting in our earlier Zin tasting, is a large production wine: 6500 cases produced. The Paso Robles wines scored well in general. But then they came at the end of the tasting. Next times we'll have participants taste the wines more randomly.
Predictably, there is the occasional inconsistency-- "a bit bland" vs. "very fruit forward"--which is to be expected from a relatively large panel of consumers. We are looking for that special wine that appeals to a wide spectrum of palates: not an easy task when science seems to show that people's taste buds differ in sensitivity.
By sheer coincidence, a smaller tasting panel of true wine enthusiasts met recently in the offices of Snooth in New York City to taste and rank Zins in four flights of three wines. Only one overlap, the Quivera which was evaluated in our first taste-off (see below) and had much the same reception. Worth surfing over to this ranking exercise (no rating) which offer a fuller accounting. http://blog.snooth.com/2008/11/18/snooth-panel-tasting-program-explores-zinfandel/
A. Ballentine Vineyards Block 2003 Reserve Napa Valley $29/24 3 stars ~ Good robust, slightly spicey, ripe, dried plum, deep dark color (warm climate)opaque. smooth, tannic, full fruit, jammy, smooth, subdued nose, deep garnet, medium intensity, sweet finsh, blueberry, blackberry, plum, light bouquet, musty, earthy, little acidity, petrol, dusty, cocoa, bordering on rough.
B. Stuhlmuller Vineyards 2003 Estate Alexander Valley $24/21 3 - 3 1/2 stars ~ Good/Very Good berries, very smooth, excellent nose, dark cherry, floral, violet, jammy berry, blackberry, deep ruby, cherry pie, honey, higher acidity, some lingering on the finish, long finish, fruit bouquet, more complexity, nice minerally scent, brown sugar and molasses, tannic at end, slightly sour note.
C. Alex Sotelo Cellars 2004 Dalraddy Vineyard Napa Valley $30/26 2 1/2 - 3 stars ~ Satisfactory/Good petrol nose, spice and herbs, sandlewood, spice, flat, light garnet, licorice fennel, light nose acidic respberry, smooth, lighter style, light yet complex, a bit bland, little aroma, light fruit, cranberry spice, very fruit forward, lost some spice.
D. Harvest Moon Winery 2005 Russian River Valley $26/24 3 Stars ~ Good sharp initial taste, young, tannic, bright purple tinged garnet, medium intensity, red raspberry, hot.
E. Marcucci Farms 2005 Russian River Valley $36/32 2 1/2 stars ~ Satisfactory slightly bitter, grapefruit/citrus, pepper, peppery, drier, lower sugar, ordinary, rich baking spices, clove aroma, dried fruit, spicy palate, white pepper, very light and fruit.
F. Hawley Winery & Vineyard 2005 Ponzo Vineyard Sonoma County $25/23 3 1/2 stars ~ Very Good ~ 3rd Place robust and earthy, cocoa, young, really jammy, a little bitter, some oak, a bit explosive, nice velvetty, fruitier, dark earthy spice, deep loganberry, Petite Syrah blend? [5%-ed.], raisin, spice but subtle, sweet lingering finish.
G. Hendry Ranch 2005 Block 28 Napa Valley $30 /27 3 stars ~ Good cherries and spice, floral chocolate. good balance, nice food wine, bold, sweet candy apple, high alcohol [15.2%-ed.]
H. Falcor Wines 2005 Dry Creek Valley $36/32 3 - 3 1/2 stars ~ Good/Very Good ~ 6th Place rhubarb and cream, perfumy chocolate covered cherry. long finish, smokey, a bit of a kick, pepper undertones, earth, must, all spice, nutmeg, bright raspberry, funky after taste, smokey.
I. Jeff Runquist 2006 “Z” Massoni Ranch Amador County $24/20 3 1/2 stars ~ Very Good ~ 2nd Place ~ Best Value kumquats, cigar box , good finish, vanilla/oak, nice balance, marshmellow finish, jasmine scent, very pleasant .slight taste of burnt sugar, cherries, almost port like on first taste--lighter body after 2nd sip. bright fruit.
J. Opolo Vineyards 2006 Mountain Paso Robles $28/22 3 1/2 stars ~ Very Good ~ 1st Place slightly smokey, hint of cinammon, spice, licorice, higher alcohol, big, sweet, more crisp than juicy, classic zin, chocolate, huge fruit power on nose, bug punch, rich zingy flavors of blackberry pie, spice, clove, cinnamon.
K. Ridge Vineyards 2006 Paso Robles $30/28 3 - 3 1/2 stars ~ Good/Very Good ~ 5th Place Green peppers, dried fruit, earthy full bodied, light cordial taste, earthy spice, tingly cloves, subdued.
L. Four Vines Winery 2006 “Biker” Paso Robles $25/21 3 1/2 stars ~ Very Good ~ 4th Place chestnut and figs, subtle berries, red berry fruit, nose improved with exposure to air, too sharp, not as good with food, mild tannins, smooth, plums, prunes, highersugar content. raisin, rich spices, clove, stays on the lips. spicy lingering finish.
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