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.

Random California Wines
I went out to the ZAP Tasting last week. Below are my notes of wines I tasted along the way. Most are Zins, but there were some others I tasted at dinners and such. A pretty shabby performance at the ZAP event, only made it thru 63 Zins.... shoulda trained harder!! The * are ones I particularly liked a lot.

Word Play Reserve Chard '94: made by Jim Clendennan of ABC, a bit restrained for him but classic SantaBarbara fragrant pineapply w/ light oak
* Newton Napa Chard '94: a beautiful rich lush almost peachy rather strong toasty oak; very perfumy; lovely stuff
Rabbit Ridge Barrel Cuvee Zin '95: attractive lush blackberry Zin w/ very light oak; very nice for an inexpensive Zin.
Word Play regular Chardonnay '94: This is the Prima house Chard that Jim makes for them. Each bottle has the case # on it and one of a dozen 4 letter words. Thus impossible to have a "complete" collection of these labels. This bottle was the "LOVE" version. Bit softer & less intense than the Reserve above, bit more silly on the oak.
Leeward Bien Nacido Vineyard Reserve Pinot Noir '94: Quite dark for Pinot, lots of toasty oak, rich earthy type of Pinot fruit; quite nicely done.
Rosenblum Contra Costa Zinfandel '95: pleasant plummy tart berry/spicy nice drinking wine; not that big but probably the most attractive zippy ContraCosta wines made anywhere.
Ravenswood Monte Rosso Vineyard Zinfandel '94: pleasant spicy/berry/oaked nose; tart lean hard light berry flavor; a tart lean hard berry Zin, lacks lushity.
* Peachy Canyon Old Bailey Vineyard Zinfandel '95: very spicy blackberry lush nose; tart rich lush very spicy blackberry flavor; a big ripe rich lush very strong blackberry Zin; great stuff from a new vnyd for Doug.
* Peachy Canyon Leona's Vineyard Second Crop Zinfandel '95: lots of ripe blackberry fruit; tart bit lean tannic hard on the palate; again lots of fruit but that sorta hollowness in the mouth that 2nd crop wines can have.
* Peachy Canyon Dusi Ranch Zinfandel '95: Huge ripe PasoRobles jammy blackberry Zin nose; big rich ripe mouthfilling jammy blackberry some dusty/earthy/ complex flavors; has the structure & tannins to age; a hige ripe lush classic Peachy Zin; killer stuff.
Vigil Vineyards Tres Condados (3 counties) Zinfandel '95: pleasant raspberry/cinammon & cloves/oaked nose; tart lean spicy bit hard flavor; a pleasant raspberry Zin a bit on the lean & narrow side.
Storybook Mountain Vineyards Mayacamas Range Zinfandel '94: hard dusty earthy ligt raspberry nose; tart spicy raspberry bit dusty/earthy flavor; nice balance of fruit & oak but a bit on the hard & lean side.
* Storybook Mountain Vineyards Reserve Zinfandel '92: Deep dusty rich some pencilly/oaked nose; rich lush blackberry oaked spicy cinammon flavor; very well made wine & probably the best young Storybook I've had.
* Coturri Sonoma Chauvet Vineyard Zinfandel '95: Rich ripe dusty old vines bit volatile/ unclean nose; huge rich ripe deep raspberry/blackberry off-dry some charred oak flavor; a huge ripe extracted rather strange Zin that many did not like; sorta strange but I loved it.
* Coturri Albarello (10 varieties, 40% Zin) '95: deep dusty old vines earthy very ripe blackberry/boysenberry jammy bit volatile nose; slightly sweet very charred/pungent oaked dusty old vines flavor; not as much ripe fruit & more dusty/earthy than the Zin but just as strange.
Sonoma Creek Sonoma Zinfandel '94: soft lush ripe forward blackberry Zin; drink up over the short term.
Gallo Frei Ranch Zinfandel '94: pleasant spicy/brambly/blackberry tart bit lean Zin; would like a bit more extract & character, but nice Zin.
Hayward Los Chamizal Zinfandel '94: Ligt dusty/raspberry/light oaked Zin; a bit hard & needs a yr or two.
Sierra Vista El Dorado Zinfandel (barrel sample) '95: deep mushroomy earthy light blackberry nose; oaked bit bretty dusty mushroomy flavor; slight wet dog fur finish; clearly an unfinished wine.
Sierra Vista 5 Reserve Zin '95: Stronger more intense mushroomy/earthy rather more pencilly oaked nose; again a slight wet dog fur finish; a bit bigger & richer & extracted; an unfinished wine.
Amador Foothill Ferraro Ranch Zinfandel '94: Lovely spicy aromatic raspberry nose; tart hard lean tannic raspberry flavor.
Amador Foothill Clock Springs Vineyard Zinfandel '95: lovely fragrant spicy aromatic raspberry nose; ripe buttery/oaked bit hard & lean flavor; very young but a bit more lushness than Ben's Zins tend to have.
Creston Bailey Vineyard Zinfandel '94: ripe jammy/blackberry lush bit earthy soft Zin; lots of PasoRobles Zin character.
Creston Bailey Vineyard Zinfandel '95: bit more bigger & ripe & lush classic jammy blackberry Zin; both great buys at $10.
ZAP Blend '94: Slightly bretty rather dull nose; simple bit smokey/charred oak bit unclean/bretty flavor; when you take a whole spectrum of Zinfandels, many very very good; blend them all together slapdash style; this is exactly what you get: a "grey" wine that truly plods across the palate.
* Newlan Napa Zinfandel '94: Deep blackberry dusty earthy HowellMtn Zin nose; hard smokey charred oak rich dusty old vines some blackberry flavor; a big hard rustiv mountain Zin that needs some age; not as hard & narrow as previous Newlans; the real find of this tasting.
Windsor Sonoma Zinfandel '94: soft buttery/oaked pleasant raspberry Zin; very nice Zin for $9.
Windsor Sonoma Signature Series Zinfandel '94: a bit leaner & harded & more oaked; not as attractive as the regular.
* Belvedere DryCreek Zinfandel '94: attractive very peppery very spicy nose; soft very buttery/oaked very peppery flavor; not a very profound Zin but one that just seemed to resonate w/ me. Nicely done wine.
Benzinger Sonoma Zinfandel '94: pleasant raspberry spicy buttery oaked nose; soft very buttery oaked flavor; pleasant simple Zin.
Benzinger Late Harvest Zinfandel '95: deep ripe lush blackberry plummy nose; fairly sweet but thin/lean rather spicy/blackberry flavor; nice nose w/ no raisened or late harvesty character but rather thin & harsh & alcoholic on the palate.
Rosenblum Late Harvest Zinfandel '94: very intense blackberry jammy nose; rich lush spicy very blackberry jammy slight Kansas feed store flavor; another delicious Rosenblum LateHrvst.
** Edmunds St.John Durell Vineyard Syrah '95: Black color; big intense rich blackberry Syrah roasted coffee/toasty/roasted/Rhone-like nose; big hard tannic roasted/pungent/blackberry Syrah flavors. This is absolutely stunning stuff, probably Steve's best Syrah ever, probably as good as the Qupe Hillside Select '94. Lots of ripe blackberry Syrah & lots of toasty/roasted Rhone character. To be released this Fall around $30; not to be missed.
** Edmunds St. John Grand Heritage Syrah '92: beautiful complex oaked very spicy dusty perfumy nose; rich big lush mouthfilling pungent blackberry Syrah very spicy complex flavor. Probably the best LaChappelle ever made in this country. Still can use some age, but really developing nicely.
Rosemblum Napa Zinfandel '94: pleasant berry/raspberry/Zinberry light oaked simple wine
Rosemblum Vintner's Cuvee XIV: attractive raspberry spicy bit plummy/ContraCosta Zin; a great value at $10, Ken't best in several cuvees.
Rosemblum Contra Costa '95: deeper raspberry bit earthy nose; soft spicy plummy some raspberry Zin flavor; Kent makes probably the brightest & most zippy ContraCosta Zin of anybody.
Rosemblum LePaws Mourvedre '95: ripe plummy bit earthy Mourvedre nose; tart ripe plummy bit smokey/toasty flavor; a great drinking red for $10.
* Rosemblum Annette's Reserve Mendocino County Zinfandel '95: deep blackberry bit earthy/dusty Mendo Zin nose; ripe very spicy blackberry dusty flavor; this is Kent's first Mendocino Zin release & he's done a wonderful job with it; one of the best Mendocino Zins I've had in a long time.
Rosemblum Harris-Kratka Alexander Valley Zinfandel '95: deep pencilly some smokey/toasty oaked ripe raspberry Zin nose; lush ripe very spicy raspberry flavor. His '94 was vastly overrated by Connoisseur's Guide at 3 puffs, but the '95 version may be worth that; much more structured & rich than than the '94 version.
* Rosemblum Sonoma Old Vines '95: deep earthy dusty very spicy/blackberry Zin; much more structured than the '94; another very well-done SOV, always one of my most favorites from Rosenblum.
* Mt.Veeder Brandlin Ranch Zin '95: very spicy lush deep blackberry ripe Zin; more richness & depth & lushness than the '94. I always prefer the Mt.Veeder to the Hendry of his Napa Zins.
** Samsul Maggie's Reserve Zin '95: Very dark color; intense licorice pungent chocolaty very dusty old vines blackberry/boysenberry Zin; another killer Samsul w/ more extract than the previous few.
Holbrook Mitchell Trio (Cab blend) '95: ripe rich chocolatly/blackcurranty Cab fruit wine; seems a bit less effusive & less Zin-like & a bit more restrained than the '94; a beautiful Cab
Hendry Reserve Zinfandel '95: deeper blackberry more pure Zinberry fruit & more tannic & structured than the '94; seems more vibrant fruit & more focused than previous one. Will be a good one.
Hendry Reserve Cabernet '95: lots of bright spicy blackcurranty almost Zin-like fruit; bit on the lean & hard side. He hasn't made a Hendry Res Cab since '91; prefer the Holbrook Mitchell Trio
Lone Oak Merlot '95: rather blackcurranty Cab-like nose; soft bit sour some herbal flavor. Doesn't jazz me much.
* Late Harvest Sonoma Zinfandel '95: deep blackberry/cassis/frambois nose; sweet ripe lush blackberry/boysenberry flavor w/ some tannins; doesn't seem hot & alcoholic at all. The previous few LateHrvsts have seemed to have a slightly vegetal/herbal/Kansas feed store (you had to have been there to appreciate that) character to them. This one doesn't show any of that; his best LateHrvst yet, perhaps.
Napa Cordineu Brut NV: very nice lean light yeasty delicate sparkler
Bott Reserve Personnelle GWT '82: slight cabbaggy bit spicy nose w/ little GWT fruit; soft bit flabby rather smooth delicat light spicy/nutmeg flavor; interesting & nice but lack complexity & intensity & starting its downhill slide.
* Leon Beyer Clos de Egusheim GWT '83: fragrant spicy cloves complex developed nose; soft lush bit off-dry smooth spicy elegant flavor; a very nice VendageTardive GWT, probably near its peak. Very elegant.
** Schloss Groensteyn Kiedricher Sandgrube Auslese '76: beautiful complex cedary buttery old Rheingau nose; slightly sweet soft buttery very complex peachy/botrytis flavor; bit tart/metallic very complex buttery cedary finish that goes on and on. A classic mature Rheingau.
* Diamond Creek Volcanic Hill Cabernet Sauvignon '79: Very dark color; beautiful intense blackcurranty licorice cedary toasty oaked nose; rich toasty oaked ripe blackcurranty Cab pungent flavor; bit short on the finish w/ some tannic lean hard character. Needs more age yet.
Diamond Creek Volcanic Hill Cabernet Sauvignon '80: Black color; unusual menthol fragrant pungent licorice some blackcurranty Cab nose; bit tart metallic lean licorice pungent flavor; still needs some age; interesting Cab but something just seems a bit off-kilter about this wine; nothing bad, just not up to expectations.
** Diamond Creek Volcanic Hill Cabernet Sauvignon '78: Black color; very intense pungent licorice smokey/toasty oaked very ripe blackcurranty Cab nose; rich lush blackcurranty Cab pungent toasty licorice chocolaty flavor; still a youngster; a huge Cab that could use another 10 yrs. Killer stuff.
Beringer Special Select Late Harvest Johanisberg Reisling '93: intense botrytis/peachy/apricotty nose; very intense sweet apricotty/ambroisal/botrytis flavor; good acid & should age 10-20 yrs; lovely stuff.
Mark Swann Coonawarra White Riesling '82: intense complex Mosel/valve oil bit cedary/oaked nose; tart bit dried out sweet spicy apricotty flavor; a bit disappointing, expected a bit more lushness, seems a bit lean & hard on the palate, but a great nose.
Biale Vineyard Sonoma Monte Rosso '95: lighter pleasant raspberry nose; tart lean simple some oaked raspberry falvor.
* Biale Vineyard Napa Two Vineyards Zinfandel '95: deep very spicy black peppery/black berry some pencilly oaked nose; rich very peppery buttery oaked blackberry oaked flavor; a really lovely very spicy Zin
* Biale Vineyard Napa Old Crane Ranch Zinfandel '95: lighter color; pleasant spicy bit pencilly oaked nose; ripe lush spicy blackberry light pencilly oaked nose; very well made very spicy Zin
Castle Vnyds Sonoma Zinfandel '94: Med.light color; very nice attractive raspberry bit light oaked mainstream Zin
* Castle Vineyards Sonoma Zinfandel '95: ripe very lush spicy raspberry nost; soft forward lush ripe raspberry flavors; quite a nice drinking Zin
Cline Cellars Live Oak Vineyard Contra Costa Zinfandel '95: deep ripe blackberry some oaked nose; soft dusty mushroomy plummy ripe light oaked flavor; nice drinking plummy CC Zin but bit expensive @ $20.
Cline Jacuzzi Family Vineyards Contra Costa Zinfandel '95: lighter rather oaked bit plummy nose; lean buttery oaked low fruit bit earthy plummy flavor; not as rich & lush as the LO; way overpriced @ $38.
D-Cubed Cellars Howell Mountain Zinfandel '95: deep blackberry HowellMtn dusty nose; soft rich peppery light dusty/raspberry flavor; short finish; nice HM Zin nose but a bit low on the palate
De Rose Winrery Cienega Valley Cedolini Hillside Old Vines Zinfandel '94: very jammy plummy very ripe nose; very soft lush very jammy blackberry flavor; a classic jammy central coast Zin but overpriced @ $18
Deux Amis Sonoma Zinfandel '94: very fragrant spicy raspberry nose; very soft light buttery/raspberry flavor; fragrant nose but light on palate
Deux Amis Sonoma Zinfandel '95: same fragrant raspberry spicy nose; soft bit richer more lush flavor; on the light side but nice drinking
Dry Creek Vineyard Sonoma Zinfandel '95: lush very forward raspberry Am.oaked nose; soft light pleasant raspberry buttery oaked flavor; very aromatic nose but would like more extract
Dover Canyon Paso Robles Zinfandel '95: ripe lush very spicy jammy blackberry nose; lovely ripe raspberry jammy flavor; classic jammy PR Zin
Eberle Winery Paso Robles Zinfandel '95: lovely very fragrant spicy raspberry peppery nose; bit tannic very spicy fragrant raspberry flavor; a real raspberry fruit bomb; much like the '89 but more structure.
Edmeades Vineyard Eaglepoint Vinyard Mendocino Zinfandel '95: fragrant blackberry some earthy oaked nose; soft light bit washed out flavor
Edmeades Vineyard Ciapusci Vineyard Mendocino Zinfandel '95: deep blackberry dusty old vines nose; soft some lush blackberry flavor; great nose but doesn't deliver on the palate
* Edmeades Vineyard Zeni Vineyard Mendocino Zinfandel '95: deep dusty old vines black- berry/black cherry bit oaked nose; soft rich ripe dusty ripe blackberry/black cherry nose; great nose & does deliver on the palate
Fife Vineyards Spring Moutain Napa Zinfandel '94: light raspberry light oaked bit closed nose; soft buttery raspberry fairly lush flavor; nicely done but a bit soft & diffuse Zin
Fife Vineyards Redhead Vineyard Redwood Valley Mendocino Zinfandel '94: dark color; rather spicy peppery interesting nose; rather lean hard raspberry flavor; very nice nose but bit thin on the palate.
* Fife Vineyards RedHead Vineyard Redwood Valley Mendocino Zinfandel '95: deep lush peppery/ blackberry nose; rich soft lush blackberry peppery very spicy flavor; has the nose & the extract, very good Mendocino Zin
* Howell Moutain Vineyards Black-Sears Howell Mountain Zin '95: Deep dusty pungent smokey nose; very spicy peppery blackberry flavor; very interesting Zin w/ lots of ripeness & lushness for Howell mtn (generic sense) Zin
Karly Amador County Zinfandel '95: ripe blackberry dusty nose; ripe soft fat buttery some blackberry/briary flavor; nice mainstream Amador Zin
Karly Warrior Fires Estate Amador Zinfandel '95: deep dusty blackberry briary oaked nose; soft dusty briary blackberry oaked flavor; nice Amador Zin but a bit overpriced.
Kendall-Jackson Grand Reserve California Zinfandel '94: fragrant spicy pencilly oaked nose; tart lean buttery rraspberry flavor; unexciting and very overpriced @ $24
King Estate Oregon Zinfandel '94: pungent toasty dusty old vines bit blackberry nose; sour dusty OV pungent flavor; rather interesting bit lacks fruit & lushness.
* La Crema Sonoma County Reserve Zinfandel '95: deep lush raspberry oaked nose; rich lush very blackberry very spicy oaked dusty flavor; big rich ripe Zin
Lonetree Winery Mendocino Zinfandel '94: rather dusty low fruit nose; hard lean earthy bit pickle juice little fruit flavor; strange stuff.
Madrona Vineyards Reserve El Dorado Late Harvest Estate Zinfandel '95: lovely lush jammy boysenberry/blackberry/framboise nose; bit hot alcoholic light blackberry flavor; great nose but bit hot & fumey on palate
* Martinelli Jackass Vineyard Russian River Valley Zinfandel '95: very fragrant perfumy lush blackberry very spcy nose; ripe very spicy dusty old vines blackberry some oaked flavor; a classic ripe structured Zin, beautiful
Martinelli Jackass Hill Russian River Valley Zinfandel '95: rather stinky pungent H2S mercaptan bit skunky some blackberry nose; hard tannic light blackberry oaked pungent stinky flavor; a wine that has definite problems; rather unclean & lacking fruit; obscenely priced @ $45!
Milano Winery Sanel Valley Vineyard Mendocino Zinfandel '95: light closed nose; tart lean little fruit flavor; rather oxidized/wet dog fur finish
Milano Winery Sanel Valley Vineyard Mendocino Zinfandel '94: med.color; bit dusty earthy nose; hard low fruit flavor; another Mendocino disappointment
Paraduxx Napa Valley Zin '94: closed simple berry some oaked nose; strange rather herbal/vegetal flavor; expected more from Duckhorn.
* Pezzi King Vnyds Dry Creek Vlly Hillside Estate Zin '95: ripe fragrant very aromatic raspberry some oaked nose; lush very spicy very raspberry light oaked flavor; very much a Nalle style zin w/ lots Zinberry character; very well-made wine
Ravenswood Monte Rosso Vineyard Sonoma Zinfandel '95: Dark color; fragrant raspberry blackberry nose; tart bright raspberry bit lean flavor; very nice nose but a bit lean on the palate
* Ravenswood Wood Road Russian River Valley Zinfandel '95: Very fragrant very spicy blackberry nose; big rich ripe blackberry/dusty OV flavor; very well-done Zin w/ lots of richness & structure.
Renwood Fox Creek Vineyard Shenandoah Zinfandel '95: pleasant raspberry nicely spicy bit briary nose; tart bit thin pleasant raspberry flavor; lack the richness & lushness of Renwoods of old; little Amador character
Ridge Vineyards Zinfandel/Grenache '95: lovely fragrant strawberry/Grenache nose; very attractive spicy fragrant strawberry/raspberry flavor; a really great drink zippy little wine
Ridge Vineyards Lytton Springs Zinfandel '95: attractive very forward raspberry Zin nose; soft light spicy raspberry flavor; not the richness or extract previous LS Zins
Ridge Vinyards Lytton Estate Zinfandel '95: bit more lush spicy raspberry nose; soft round lush spicy raspberry flavor; seemson the light side.
Ridge Vineyards Geyserville '95: more deep blackberry bit dusty/earthy typical Gysrvle funky nose; soft lush earthy dusty blackberry light oaked flavor; not the richness & tannins of earlier versions; seems a bit closed & dumb
* Saddleback Cellars Napa Valley Zinfandel '94: Black color; intense pencilly smokey oaked pungent toasty some blackberry nose; intense pungent toasty oaked roasted some blackberry flavor; a Cote-Rotie of Zins; much like some of the old Philip Togni Buehler Zins; great stuff if eccentric
* Saddleback Cellars Old Vines Napa Zinfandel '95: same toasty/roasted oak but more ripe blackberry fruit; another killer Zin
J. Runquist Massoni Ranch Amador Zinfandel '95: pleasant simple raspberry nose; light simple raspberry flavor; little Amador character or extract; much like his rather stripped Montevina Zins
* Saucelito Canyon Arroyo Grande Valley Zinfandel '95: intense blackberry dusty plummy rather milky/Am oaked nose; soft very spicy blackberry jammy dusty flavor w/ some tannins; anothe great Saucelito Cnyn Zin
Shenandoah Vineyards Vintners Selection Amador County Zinfandel '95: fragrant Amador briary bit light nose; soft ripe plummy Amador briary flavor; nice drinking Zin bit lacking in structure
Sobon Estate Fiddletown/Lubenko Vineyard Zinfandel '95: very dark color; pungent smokey dusty earthy light blackberry nose; rich dusty earthy pungent some blackberry flavor; another very good Lubenko
Sobon Estate Cougar Hill Shenandoah Zinfandel '95: some blackberry bit bretty/ unclean oaked nose; hard closed dusty OV bit blackberry flavor; seems a bit hard & closed
Sobon Estate Rocky Top Zinfandel '95: fragrant perfumy spicy briary slight bretty nose; rather soft spicy raspberry/briary flavor; doesn't have the extract of previous RockyTops
Sky Vineyards Mt.Veeder Estate Zinfandel '94: dusty low fruit nose; hard lean tart light raspberry flavor; a hard lean mtn Zin that needs some age.
Spenker Winery Lodi Zinfandel '95: really strong oaky/smokey rather dusty/plummy nose; soft plummy very toasty/pencilly oaked flavor; rather interesting very oaked Zin
Swan Vineyards Stellwagen Vineyard Sonoma Zinfandel '95: very fragrant spicy Zin nose; attractive raspberry spicy dusty light oaked flavor; very nicely done interesting Zin.
* Swan Vineyards Ziegler Vineyard Russian River Valley Zinfandel '95: Lush fragrant very spicy aromatic raspberry/Zinberry nose; tart bit smokey oaked very spicy raspberry dusty OV flavor; very interesting very spicy Zin
* Swan Vnyds Lone Redwood Ranch Russian River Valley Zinfandel '95: deep lush peppery very spicy aromatic nose w/ slight volatility; lush ripe very spicy peppery bright fragrant raspberry flavor; a lovely very spicy Zin
Teldeschi Dry Creek Valley Estate Zinfandel '92: bit unclean some blackberry dusty nose; dusty bit low in fruit blackberry flavor.
Easton Fiddletown/Eschen Vineyard Amador Zinfandel '95: classic Eschen bright cherry/ black cherry nose; hard lean closed tannic light black cherry flavor; a classic hard tannic Eschen Zin; needs age badly
Easton Amador County Shenandoah Valley Zinfandel '95: fragrant blackberry Shenandoah Vlly briary nose; bit overripe blackberry/briary flavor; good example of Shenandoah Vlly Zin
* Tria Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel '95: lovely spicy OV dusty fragrant raspberry/ Zinberry nose; tart very raspberry very spicy light oaked flavor; a very well-made classic DCVlly Zin
Tria Napa Valley Zinfandel '95: softer raspberry bit closed nose; leaner tarter bright raspberry Zin flavor; not the depth of the DCVlly
* Turley Black-Sears Howell Moutain Zinfandel '95: deep blackberry very ripe bit alcoholic nose; rich ripe lush blackberry toasted oaked flavor; lots of ripeness but still retains its balance.
* Turley Hayne Vineyard Napa Valley Zinfandel '95: Very dark color; deep licorice pungent oaked ripe blackberry nose; hard tannic pungent toasty oaked rich dusty OV licorice flavor; lots of ripeness but still the balance is there
Wellington Vineyards Indian Springs Ranch Sonoma Zinfandel '95: soft attractive nice drinking pleasant raspberry Zin; nice for the $10 price
Wellington Casa Santinamaria Sonoma Valley Zinfandel '95: deep lush blackberry nose; soft ripe lush blackberry jammy flavor; much like the '94 but a bit richer & lusher.
Deaux Chapeaux Napa Valley Pinot Noir '94: this negiocant operation is Larry Stone's second hat. The wine mostly was Rasmussen Pinot. Rather strange and somewhat on the herbal side w/ lots of oak; not much extract
Ojai Sauvignon Blanc '95: nice pleasant bit simple melony nose; rather soft maybe even off-dry on the palate. Expected much more from thiswine.
Ken Wright Wash State Ciello Vnyd Melon de Bourgogne '95: incredible perfumy fragrant nose of pears & spice; best Melon I've ever had
Colgin Napa Valley Henry Lamb Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon '93: This is Fred's wine, made by Helen Turley & my first exposure to it. Absolutely incredible Cabernet. Black color; very intense blackcurranty Cab some dusty/earthy/ chocolaty mtn Cab nose; huge mouthfilling ripe blackcurranty Cab some toasty oaked pungent licorice flavor. Reminds me a bit of the Togni Cabs w/o the overpowering toasty oak. Almost enough to make one start drinking Cab again.
Mt. Eden Old Vines Reserve SantacCruz Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon '92: rather herbal/earthy/dusty nose that cleared to a light blackcurranty Cab classic SCM Cab nose; fairly big ripe extracted dusty SCM Cab flavor; much like a jr. Monte Bello Cab.
??? Monbazillac '88: fairly dark gold color; rather botrytis/peachy/ bit earthy nose; bit hard rather botrytis/peachy earthy flavor; quite a good Sauternes wannabe w/ a nice funky earthiness. ??? Quarts de Chaume '93: rather closed light pear-like earthy nose; tart lean narrow hard slightly sweet CB flavor; a ggod QdC but badly in need of some age.







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