Dark Star Cellars

• Oct 17

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  Page modification by Kursulla

  
  
• 

  May 2009

  Soft Shoulder 2006

  Snoothrank: Starting at $35^.00

  It really does have a soft feel in your mouth. It's a wonderful wine.

  Wine review by Cniem

  
  

• November 2008

  Wine flights for this blind tasting. Flight 1- Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel 2006 Pedroncelli Mother Clone 2005 Quivira 2006 Holdredge Flight 2 – Dry Creek Valley Single Vineyards 2006 Dashe Cellars Florence Vineyard 2006 Dry Creek Vineyard Somers Ranch 2005 Carol Shelton Rocky... Read moreWine flights for this blind tasting. Flight 1- Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel 2006 Pedroncelli Mother Clone 2005 Quivira 2006 Holdredge Flight 2 - Dry Creek Valley Single Vineyards 2006 Dashe Cellars Florence Vineyard 2006 Dry Creek Vineyard Somers Ranch 2005 Carol Shelton Rocky Reserve Florence Vineyard Flight 3 - 100 years and what do you get? 2006 Terra d'Oro Deaver Vineyard 100 year old - Amador County 2005 Kunde Century Vines Shaw Vineyard Reserve - Sonoma valley 2006 Sausal Century Vines- Alexander Valley Flight 4 - The big, the bold and the beautiful 2005 Howell Mountain Vineyards Beatty Vineyard Napa Valley 2005 Cakebread Red Hills Lake County 2005 Sky Vineyards Mt. Veeder Napa Valley Snooth's Panel Tasting Program met this past Sunday night, just in time for Thanksgiving, to do a blind tasting of that all-American wonder-grape, Zinfandel. We had a solid panel, which I lead and included: Karl - Professional chef and blogger Stephanie - Sales manager for Astor Wines & Spirits Greg - A representative for Frontier Wine Imports Natali - A wine enthusiast Clayton - A wine enthusiast Elizabeth - A wine salesperson with Astor Wines & Spirits Julie - A wine writer and blogger While technically not American, it is after all the Croatian grape Crljenak Kastelanski,  Zinfandel has certainly risen to fame on the merits of the wines produced in Northern California. A true chameleon of a grape, Zinfandel has been used to produce everything from the ubiquitous White Zinfandel, to  everything from nouveau styles through some of the biggest, meanest, monster fruit bombs ever to emerge from the west coast. Most Zinfandel however could historically have been characterized as falling within two categories: the restrained elegant Bordelaise style or the rich, jammy fruit driven style that is probably the most typical and representative expression of Zinfandel. A bit of a quirky grape, Zinfandel require a long, slow growing season due to it’s unusual ripening, prone to having both raisins and green berries on the same bunch. While producing what undoubtedly seem like warm climate wines, Zinfandel actually prefers a bit of a cooler zone in order to limit this problem and promote more uniform ripening. In general regions where Zinfandel has enjoyed success have been viewed as areas less conducive to the production of more prestigious wines such as Cabernet Sauvignon. The Dry Creek Valley region of Sonoma county has long been one of the hot beds of Zinfandel production and is a source of some of the greatest old-vine vineyards in the state. The more northern areas such as Lake County and Mendocino County in addition to Amador County and some of the other areas of “gold rush” country have also proven to be ideal regions for the production of Zin. Napa valley in general is too viewed as too warm though some exceptional wines have come from the valley, in particular the cooler, mountain regions such as Howell Mountain and Atlas Peak. At its best Zinfandel is a richly fruited wine full of black berries and spice with subtle soil tones and finely integrated structure. These are not shy wines with alcohol rarely below 14%, and more frequently close to, if not above, 15%. They are wines that can be flamboyant, though many producers have pushed the limits of what this grape can do and produced wines that were terribly alcoholic, jammy and packed with so much oak that while impressive to taste, were virtually undrinkable. In an effort to discover wines suitable for the Thanksgiving Day feast I selected a dozen wines that I felt would range within the classic style of Zinfandel though give expression to the full scope that this range is capable of. All of the wines were opened around 2pm and tasted by me at that time. The Panel Tasting went from 6-8pm and thus the wines saw between 4 and 6 hours of air during that time. The wines performed well and while there were some absolute stars all the wines had their virtues.  Each flight had a theme and tasters were asked to contribute their opinions for each wine and then choose their favorites.  The following begins with the least favorite and ends with the wine crowned ‘Best of the Night”. 12th place - 2005 Sky Vineyards Mt. Veeder Napa Valley 13.5%            $30 This was a controversial wine and the lean style and slight volatility provoked pretty visceral reactions from Karl’s “vinegar and pine-sol” to Greg’s “acetic and latex” and Clayton’s characterization of the wine as smelling like a “cheap hotel room”. No one was a particular fan of this wine though I would have to say that it was much better when I did my initial tastings. My ninth place wine. 11th place - 2006 Sausal Vineyard Century Vines - Alexander Valley 14.7%    $30 This wine didn’t illicit much emotion with Clayton feeling it was “good for the mass market” and Julie considered it “ nice, easy and accessible” On the flip side Elizabeth noted that it’s “not excessively aromatic” nnd Julie commented on it “easy, soft finish”. That pretty much summed this wine up for me. The mouthfeel was very appealing but there was much there there. My twelfth place wine. 10th place - 2006 Dry Creek Vineyard - Somers Ranch Dry Creek Valley 15.0%        $24-26 There was a marked difference of opinion with this wine. Natali liked the “strong berry and pepper notes” on the nose while Karl felt it was “intense, and not in a good way”. Greg disliked this wine feeling that it was "grassy and earthy and totally out of balance with alcoholic heat and bitter tannins”. Elizabeth also felt the wine showed it’s alcohol but enjoyed the” jellied rather than jammy fruit and Christmas pudding spices”.  I think this was an intense wine that was a bit heavy and dark and that may have been off-putting to some. My sixth place wine. 9th place - 2005 Quivira Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley 14.9%        $15-20 While also provoking controversy this wine at least was fairly consistently viewed. The dark character of the wine was characterized by Stephanie as “ full of Christmas spice, coffee, and chocolate and even a little farty” Karl also found the fruit “dark and pruny” and Natali took the characterization one step further by noting the “nose lacked freshness”. Clayton enjoyed the “dark, oaky flavors” as did Greg who found the wine “a little funky but very cherried". A solid middle of the road performance. My eleventh place wine. 8th place - 2006 Terra d’Oro Deaver Vineyard 100 Year Old - Amador 15.5%    $25 With this wine we move from wines that were mostly criticized to wines that garner more praise than complaints. While Greg felt this smelled “weird, like a coffee soufflé” Julie liked the “ bright puckery Jolly Rancher fruits” on the nose and Natali was also enthusiastic proclaiming this to be “quintessential Zin” though she did add it tasted “acidic almost to the point of saltiness” Both Elizabeth and Clayton noted the rather intense spiciness of the wine, Clayton even commented that he felt Like “ a big steak to pair with the spicy flavors” but went on to fault the wine for a short finish.   My seventh place wine. 7th place - 2005 Cakebread Red Hills Lake County 15.1%            $40-42 There were many points of agreement on this wine with both Greg and Julie finding a caramel element and Stephanie and Clayton both commented on the vanilla notes. The oak was noticeable to all and Julie saw it more through it’s expression as star anise and spice. Beyond the sweet oakiness of this wine everyone was unanimous in noting the spicy, fruity though somewhat anonymous character of the wine though Karl felt this would be an ideal match for “Peking duck which would tame the wines acid and tannin”.  My eight place wine. 6th place - 2006 J. Pedroncelli Mother Clone Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley 14.4%   $12-15       This was a bit of a surprise being our value leader, it was an impressive showing.  People were all over the board in commenting on the nose from Stephanie’s “soft violets and plums” to Natali’s “ dark chocolate and light fruits” and Julie’s “peppery black fruit”. The theme of black spice was echoed by Greg who felt the wine had “ a strong licorice bitterness and spiciness but it’s finishing too short” a sentiment shared by Stephanie. None-the-less everyone found this to be perfectly decent if not distinguished. My tenth place wine. BEST BUY 5th place - 2006 Holdredge Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley 15.3%             $20 With this wine we really moved up a notch to wines that had more universal appeal though both Karl and Stephanie enjoyed the nose more than the palate with Stephanie commenting on the wines “great notes of earth, tar and smoke” which Greg characterized as “ the most complex of the flight, spicy, earthy, with pencil shavings and a bit of herbalness”. Clayton preferred the palate to the nose commenting on the “bitter cherry fruit”.  My fourth place wine. 4th place - 2005 Carol Shelton Rocky Reserve - Florence Vineyard - Rockpile Dry Creek Valley 14.8%         $30-35 This wine elicited some unusual descriptor though both Stephanie and Greg found black tea aromatics with everybody commenting on the “sharp”,” Acidic” or “citrussy” component of the nose. Natali enjoyed it and felt “ it was great but blunt, over quickly” While Julie liked it’s “ funky, blackberry and pepper” qualities. Everyone also commented on the tannins with Stephanie summing it up as a “super-tannic Zin” My second place wine. 3rd place - 2005 Kunde Century Vines Shaw Vineyard Rsrv - Sonoma Valley 14.9%   $30                                                                                                                                                                                 Many felt this wine showed some obvious alcohol but everyone commented on the nose with Julie commenting on it’s “interesting” nose and Elizabeth finding "jammy and menthol tones” while Stephanie noticed the “dried chile and dried blackberry fruit” qualities. Clayton also found the “aromas are strong and the wine has real staying power”. Natali liked the “creamy, low alcohol feel and vanilla and cinnamon flavors” while Greg felt the toasted marshmallow and sweet cherry fruit on the nose delivered more than the palate. My first place wine. 2nd place - 2006 Dashe Cellars Florence Vineyard - Dry Creek Valley 14.5% $30-35 While several tasters felt the nose here was a bit hot many had very positive things to say about it from Julie's comment that’ it smells like apple pie baked by Grandma Rose” to Natali’s comment on it’s dry, dark chocolate, almost like a mole” notes and Stephanie’s comment on the “waxy kind of blackberry fruit”.  On the palate it was liked though Karl felt I was “not a deep wine but jammy in a good way” Elizabeth found it “friendly and approachable, very jammy with obvious sweetness”.  Both Greg and Stephanie commented on its vanilla laced jammy fruit. My third place wine. 1st place - 2005 Howell Mountain Vineyards Beatty Vineyard Napa Valley 15.6%        $35-40 This was our winner by a fairly wide margin.  Everyone had something positive to say about the nose from Karl’s “ Leathery and strong, this smells delicious” to Julie’s “smells like complex, dark fruit cake”. Stephanie found “bark and soil tones” while Natali noticed a “smoky, cinnamon thing going on”.  In the mouth Clayton found this to be “ accessible with nice spice and earth, well balanced” while Greg commented on the “core of deep red cherry fruit” and Julie capped off the discussion with the succinct comment “ this warms you up!”.  My fifth place wine. And that was all we had to say. We brought the remainders with us to dinner and they went very well with our fine Cuban meal. Another successful, enlightening and, dare I say it, warm evening spent with the fine people that makes Snooth Possible. As we look forward to the Holiday season and beyong keep an eye out for our coming Panel tasting featuring California Syrah, Chianti Classico Riserva, and Wines from South Africa and Australia! If you are interested in participating in the next Snooth Panel Tasting please shoot me an email or check out the Events page on the Snooth forum. Until next time! Gregory Dal Piaz is the Community Manager at  Snooth, an avid Wine Geek with a passion for things Italian, and a long suffering Mets fan.    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic Snooth Panel Tasting Program... by Gregory Dal Piaz

  
  

• November 2008

  Snooth Panel Tasting Program explores Zinfandel Wine flights for this blind tasting. Flight 1- Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel 2006 Pedroncelli Mother Clone 2005 Quivira 2006 Holdredge Flight 2 – Dry Creek Valley Single Vineyards 2006 Dashe Cellars Florence Vineyard 2006 Dry Creek... Read moreSnooth Panel Tasting Program explores Zinfandel Wine flights for this blind tasting. Flight 1- Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel 2006 Pedroncelli Mother Clone 2005 Quivira 2006 Holdredge Flight 2 - Dry Creek Valley Single Vineyards 2006 Dashe Cellars Florence Vineyard 2006 Dry Creek Vineyard Somers Ranch 2005 Carol Shelton Rocky Reserve Florence Vineyard Flight 3 - 100 years and what do you get? 2006 Terra d'Oro Deaver Vineyard 100 year old - Amador County 2005 Kunde Century Vines Shaw Vineyard Reserve - Sonoma valley 2006 Sausal Century Vines- Alexander Valley Flight 4 - The big, the bold and the beautiful 2005 Howell Mountain Vineyards Beatty Vineyard Napa Valley 2005 Cakebread Red Hills Lake County 2005 Sky Vineyards Mt. Veeder Napa Valley Snooth's Panel Tasting Program met this past Sunday night, just in time for Thanksgiving, to do a blind tasting of that all-American wonder-grape, Zinfandel. We had a solid panel, which I lead and included: Karl - Professional chef and blogger Stephanie - Sales manager for Astor Wines & Spirits Greg - A representative for Frontier Wine Imports Natali - A wine enthusiast Clayton - A wine enthusiast Elizabeth - A wine salesperson with Astor Wines & Spirits Julie - A wine writer and blogger While technically not American, it is after all the Croatian grape Crljenak Kastelanski,  Zinfandel has certainly risen to fame on the merits of the wines produced in Northern California. A true chameleon of a grape, Zinfandel has been used to produce everything from the ubiquitous White Zinfandel, to  everything from nouveau styles through some of the biggest, meanest, monster fruit bombs ever to emerge from the west coast. Most Zinfandel however could historically have been characterized as falling within two categories: the restrained elegant Bordelaise style or the rich, jammy fruit driven style that is probably the most typical and representative expression of Zinfandel. A bit of a quirky grape, Zinfandel require a long, slow growing season due to it's unusual ripening, prone to having both raisins and green berries on the same bunch. While producing what undoubtedly seem like warm climate wines, Zinfandel actually prefers a bit of a cooler zone in order to limit this problem and promote more uniform ripening. In general regions where Zinfandel has enjoyed success have been viewed as areas less conducive to the production of more prestigious wines such as Cabernet Sauvignon. The Dry Creek Valley region of Sonoma county has long been one of the hot beds of Zinfandel production and is a source of some of the greatest old-vine vineyards in the state. The more northern areas such as Lake County and Mendocino County in addition to Amador County and some of the other areas of “gold rush” country have also proven to be ideal regions for the production of Zin. Napa valley in general is too viewed as too warm though some exceptional wines have come from the valley, in particular the cooler, mountain regions such as Howell Mountain and Atlas Peak. At its best Zinfandel is a richly fruited wine full of black berries and spice with subtle soil tones and finely integrated structure. These are not shy wines with alcohol rarely below 14%, and more frequently close to, if not above, 15%. They are wines that can be flamboyant, though many producers have pushed the limits of what this grape can do and produced wines that were terribly alcoholic, jammy and packed with so much oak that while impressive to taste, were virtually undrinkable. In an effort to discover wines suitable for the Thanksgiving Day feast I selected a dozen wines that I felt would range within the classic style of Zinfandel though give expression to the full scope that this range is capable of. All of the wines were opened around 2pm and tasted by me at that time. The Panel Tasting went from 6-8pm and thus the wines saw between 4 and 6 hours of air during that time. The wines performed well and while there were some absolute stars all the wines had their virtues.  Each flight had a theme and tasters were asked to contribute their opinions for each wine and then choose their favorites.  The following begins with the least favorite and ends with the wine crowned ‘Best of the Night”. 12th place - 2005 Sky Vineyards Mt. Veeder Napa Valley 13.5%            $30 This was a controversial wine and the lean style and slight volatility provoked pretty visceral reactions from Karl's “vinegar and pine-sol” to Greg's “acetic and latex” and Clayton's characterization of the wine as smelling like a “cheap hotel room”. No one was a particular fan of this wine though I would have to say that it was much better when I did my initial tastings. My ninth place wine. 11th place - 2006 Sausal Vineyard Century Vines - Alexander Valley 14.7%    $30 This wine didn't illicit much emotion with Clayton feeling it was “good for the mass market” and Julie considered it “ nice, easy and accessible” On the flip side Elizabeth noted that it's “not excessively aromatic” nnd Julie commented on it “easy, soft finish”. That pretty much summed this wine up for me. The mouthfeel was very appealing but there was much there there. My twelfth place wine. 10th place - 2006 Dry Creek Vineyard - Somers Ranch Dry Creek Valley 15.0%        $24-26 There was a marked difference of opinion with this wine. Natali liked the “strong berry and pepper notes” on the nose while Karl felt it was “intense, and not in a good way”. Greg disliked this wine feeling that it was “grassy and earthy and totally out of balance with alcoholic heat and bitter tannins”. Elizabeth also felt the wine showed it's alcohol but enjoyed the” jellied rather than jammy fruit and Christmas pudding spices”.  I think this was an intense wine that was a bit heavy and dark and that may have been off-putting to some. My sixth place wine. 9th place - 2005 Quivira Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley 14.9%        $15-20 While also provoking controversy this wine at least was fairly consistently viewed. The dark character of the wine was characterized by Stephanie as “ full of Christmas spice, coffee, and chocolate and even a little farty” Karl also found the fruit “dark and pruny” and Natali took the characterization one step further by noting the “nose lacked freshness”. Clayton enjoyed the “dark, oaky flavors” as did Greg who found the wine “a little funky but very cherried”. A solid middle of the road performance. My eleventh place wine. 8th place - 2006 Terra d'Oro Deaver Vineyard 100 Year Old - Amador 15.5%    $25 With this wine we move from wines that were mostly criticized to wines that garner more praise than complaints. While Greg felt this smelled “weird, like a coffee soufflé” Julie liked the “ bright puckery Jolly Rancher fruits” on the nose and Natali was also enthusiastic proclaiming this to be “quintessential Zin” though she did add it tasted “acidic almost to the point of saltiness” Both Elizabeth and Clayton noted the rather intense spiciness of the wine, Clayton even commented that he felt Like “ a big steak to pair with the spicy flavors” but went on to fault the wine for a short finish.   My seventh place wine. 7th place - 2005 Cakebread Red Hills Lake County 15.1%            $40-42 There were many points of agreement on this wine with both Greg and Julie finding a caramel element and Stephanie and Clayton both commented on the vanilla notes. The oak was noticeable to all and Julie saw it more through it's expression as star anise and spice. Beyond the sweet oakiness of this wine everyone was unanimous in noting the spicy, fruity though somewhat anonymous character of the wine though Karl felt this would be an ideal match for “Peking duck which would tame the wines acid and tannin”.  My eight place wine. 6th place - 2006 J. Pedroncelli Mother Clone Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley 14.4%   $12-15       This was a bit of a surprise being our value leader, it was an impressive showing.  People were all over the board in commenting on the nose from Stephanie's “soft violets and plums” to Natali's “ dark chocolate and light fruits” and Julie's “peppery black fruit”. The theme of black spice was echoed by Greg who felt the wine had “ a strong licorice bitterness and spiciness but it's finishing too short” a sentiment shared by Stephanie. None-the-less everyone found this to be perfectly decent if not distinguished. My tenth place wine. BEST BUY 5th place - 2006 Holdredge Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley 15.3%             $20 With this wine we really moved up a notch to wines that had more universal appeal though both Karl and Stephanie enjoyed the nose more than the palate with Stephanie commenting on the wines “great notes of earth, tar and smoke” which Greg characterized as “ the most complex of the flight, spicy, earthy, with pencil shavings and a bit of herbalness”. Clayton preferred the palate to the nose commenting on the “bitter cherry fruit”.  My fourth place wine. 4th place - 2005 Carol Shelton Rocky Reserve - Florence Vineyard - Rockpile Dry Creek Valley 14.8%         $30-35 This wine elicited some unusual descriptor though both Stephanie and Greg found black tea aromatics with everybody commenting on the “sharp”,” Acidic” or “citrussy” component of the nose. Natali enjoyed it and felt “ it was great but blunt, over quickly” While Julie liked it's “ funky, blackberry and pepper” qualities. Everyone also commented on the tannins with Stephanie summing it up as a “super-tannic Zin” My second place wine. 3rd place - 2005 Kunde Century Vines Shaw Vineyard Rsrv - Sonoma Valley 14.9%   $30                                                                                                                                                                                 Many felt this wine showed some obvious alcohol but everyone commented on the nose with Julie commenting on it's “interesting” nose and Elizabeth finding “jammy and menthol tones” while Stephanie noticed the “dried chile and dried blackberry fruit” qualities. Clayton also found the “aromas are strong and the wine has real staying power”. Natali liked the “creamy, low alcohol feel and vanilla and cinnamon flavors” while Greg felt the toasted marshmallow and sweet cherry fruit on the nose delivered more than the palate. My first place wine. 2nd place - 2006 Dashe Cellars Florence Vineyard - Dry Creek Valley 14.5% $30-35 While several tasters felt the nose here was a bit hot many had very positive things to say about it from Julie's comment that' it smells like apple pie baked by Grandma Rose” to Natali's comment on it's dry, dark chocolate, almost like a mole” notes and Stephanie's comment on the “waxy kind of blackberry fruit”.  On the palate it was liked though Karl felt I was “not a deep wine but jammy in a good way” Elizabeth found it “friendly and approachable, very jammy with obvious sweetness”.  Both Greg and Stephanie commented on its vanilla laced jammy fruit. My third place wine. 1st place - 2005 Howell Mountain Vineyards Beatty Vineyard Napa Valley 15.6%        $35-40 This was our winner by a fairly wide margin.  Everyone had something positive to say about the nose from Karl's “ Leathery and strong, this smells delicious” to Julie's “smells like complex, dark fruit cake”. Stephanie found “bark and soil tones” while Natali noticed a “smoky, cinnamon thing going on”.  In the mouth Clayton found this to be “ accessible with nice spice and earth, well balanced” while Greg commented on the “core of deep red cherry fruit” and Julie capped off the discussion with the succinct comment “ this warms you up!”.  My fifth place wine. And that was all we had to say. We brought the remainders with us to dinner and they went very well with our fine Cuban meal. Another successful, enlightening and, dare I say it, warm evening spent with the fine people that makes Snooth Possible. As we look forward to the Holiday season and beyong keep an eye out for our coming Panel tasting featuring California Syrah, Chianti Classico Riserva, and Wines from South Africa and Australia! If you are interested in participating in the next Snooth Panel Tasting please shoot me an email or check out the Events page on the Snooth forum. Until next time! Gregory Dal Piaz is the Community Manager at  Snooth, an avid Wine Geek with a passion for things Italian, and a long suffering Mets fan.    (hide)

  From the article Snooth Panel Tasting Program explores Zinfandel

  
  

• November 2008

  Wines tasted in this report Flight 1- Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel 2006 Pedroncelli Mother Clone 86pts 2005 Quivira 85pts 2006 Holdredge 93pts Flight 2 – Dry Creek Valley Single Vineyards 2006 Dashe Cellars Florence Vineyard 93pts 2006 Dry Creek Vineyard Somers Ranch 89pts 2005... Read moreWines tasted in this report Flight 1- Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel 2006 Pedroncelli Mother Clone 86pts 2005 Quivira 85pts 2006 Holdredge 93pts Flight 2 - Dry Creek Valley Single Vineyards 2006 Dashe Cellars Florence Vineyard 93pts 2006 Dry Creek Vineyard Somers Ranch 89pts 2005 Carol Shelton Rocky Reserve Florence Vineyard 94pts Flight 3 - 100 years and what do you get? 2006 Terra d'Oro Deaver Vineyard 100 year old - Amador County 88pts 2005 Kunde Century Vines Shaw Vineyard Reserve - Sonoma valley 94pts 2006 Sausal Century Vines- Alexander Valley 85pts Flight 4 - the big, the bold and the beautiful 2005 Howell Mountain Vineyards Beatty Vineyard Napa Valley 92pts 2005 Cakebread Red Hills Lake County 87pts 2005 Sky Vineyards Mt. Veeder Napa Valley 87pts At the recent Snooth Zinfandel Panel Tasting I was happy to have the opportunity to run through a great line-up of Zins from some of my favorite regions and producers. I have never been partial to the monster style Zins and always looked for wines that retained some of the innate complexity that is the trademark of these fine wines. Too often in the recent past winemakers have amped up alcohol, extract and toasty oak to the point where the wines were caricatures of themselves, grotesque mutations unfit for table or glass but awe inspiring to taste. Much like unset jello shots. Zinfandel has a long and storied history in both California and the entire country. Originally brought to the East Coast for planting as a table grape Zinfandel’s rise to prominence was spurred along by the great gold rush of 1849. The influx of workers that accompanied the search for riches brought along a thirst for wine that Zinfandel helped to quench. Some of the earliest plantings in the State of California were located in the Gold Rush counties of the Sierra Foothills. To this day Amador County in particular, and to a lesser extent Calaveras and El Dorado counties continue to be a source for fine Zins. These vineyards tend to be at moderately high elevations, benefitting from the cooler climes these meso-climates provide and are stressed by the poor soils here. The combination of long hang time brought about by the cool autumn temperatures at these altitudes and the struggle for nutrients gives these wines a powerful personality with a spicy, minerally character that recalls sassafras and licorice with leathery over-tones. Full rich and fruity they are classic Zinfandels. Many regions offer similar growing conditions to these foothills. Most of the Napa valley floor and bench land Zinfandel vineyards have been replaced by more profitable, better suited grapes but significant plantings remains in the mountain areas that provide a meso-climate similar to that found in the Sierra foothills. Howell Mountain, Atlas Peak and Mt. Veeder all are capable of producing powerfully rich wines with classic citrussy acidity and dark briary fruit. These are frequently among the most age worthy Zins produced in California. Sonoma is, of course, home to arguably the best Zinfandel vineyards in the state, and certainly the greatest concentration of old-vine vineyards in the country. These ancient vines thrive in particular spots and have survived wars, prohibition, and countless fads simply because they produce some of the finest wines in the country. The Dry Creek Valley is the heartland of Zinfandel country, with many vineyards dating back into the 19th century. These vines produce classic wines, brimming with deep blackberry fruit and touched with black pepper and baking spice notes. These are the quintessential Zinfandels. Big and wooly yet balanced and fine with elegance to their power. They go well with a broad range of foods due to their bright acids and fine balance and these qualities allow them to age well, developing earthy, tobacco and cedar nuances as the fruit fades. While Zinfandel is grown throughout the state these are the historic hot spots for the variety. Paso Robles, farther south, is a great source for fine Zin but I will have to wait for the next tasting to include some in the line-up. It seems to me that Zinfandel rarely gets the respect it deserves, though that is clearly changing. As these fantastic old-vine vineyards begin to get more recognition, and as winemakers return to a more balanced, natural style of winemaking people are beginning to understand what treasures these wines are. While the grape is not truly an indigenous American grape, having come from Croatia almost 2 centuries ago, nowhere else on earth has the vine found a spot that allows it to produce such rich, flamboyant and compelling wines. An argument can be made that Zinfandel is the USA’s greatest wine. It has no peer group for comparison. Simply put there are no better wines made on earth from this fickle grape. While it is generally made in style that is rich and decidedly new worldy, it is an adaptable grape and has been made in styles that have ranged from light, easy and fresh to powerful and completely over the top. While the best examples lay in the middle of this stylistic spectrum the simple fact that this variety is so adaptable speak volumes. Being a decidedly American wine, Zinfandel is frequently promoted as the ideal wine for that decidedly American holiday, Thanksgiving. I suppose one should argue that the other decidedly American holiday, July 4th, should be the perfect time for white Zinfandel but I will leave that discussion for another day. I am a wholehearted fan of drinking Zinfandel on Thanksgiving. Perhaps I am biased since I do love these wines but it’s big, bold fruit, impression of sweetness and generally vibrant acidity makes it a fine match for the sweeter flavors found on that holiday’s table. The following dozen wines represent a great selection of what is in the marketplace today. While 2005 is a decidedly stronger vintage, a great vintage for Zinfandel, the early release 2006’s that I have tried have proven that the possibility to make great wines was there in 2006 as well. I encourage you to try some of these wines; they are unique, affordable and delicious and represent something special in the history of American Viticulture! 2006 J. Pedroncelli Mother Clone Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley 14.4% $12-15 This value priced bottling has a low key nose that is very true to type with a fine blend of earth, cocoa, and mixed red and black raspberry fruit that has just a touch of smoky, toasty, vanilla scented oak influence. In the mouth this offers a restrained, easy drinking style with bright acidity and soft tannins. There is a lovely touch of funky earth right up front followed by fresh and friendly slightly spicy red berry fruit. This finishes with decent length with a touch of tar and spice and while I would like to see a bit more intensity both on the nose and the palate this is recognizable, typical Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel. 86pts http://www.snooth.com/wine/pedroncelli-winery-and-vineyards-mother-clone-dry-creek-valley-zinfandel-2006/ 2005 Quivira Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley 14.9% $15-20 This has a sweet, brambly/herbal nose that shows its alcohol a bit too much. The heat accentuates a minty, chalky character but there are nice notes of lingonberry jam. Sweet on entry with pure raspberry fruit that is backed up with grace notes of tree bark, orange peel, and backing spices. The texture is a bit thick and slick with integrated acidity and soft, ripe tannins. Clean and brisk on the finish with a core of woodsiness and raspberry jam that leads to a final touch of spicy heat. Simple but big. 85pts http://www.snooth.com/wine/quivira-zinfandel-dry-creek-2005/ 2006 Holdredge Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley 15.3% $20 This offers up a decidedly dark fruit profile on the nose with hints of sour plum, earth and deep brambly fruit. Very spicy and complex with notes of leather, gunflint, tar and spice all adding complexity. Rich and polished in the mouth with a fine, elegant feel. There is a real vibrancy to the deep, plush blackberry fruit that has great briar, earth, and black spice accents. Really fine intensity and balance though the tannins gain prominence on the finish. This retains admirable purity considering the weight and the power. 93pts http://www.snooth.com/wine/holdredge---zinfandel-dry-creek-valley-2006/ 2005 Carol Shelton Rocky Reserve - Florence Vineyard - Rockpile Dry Creek Valley 14.8% $30-35 Big and fruit bomb nose with intense orange peel and stewy raspberry fruit that is quite complex with tones of vanilla and game accenting the fruit. Gains in the glass adding toasted hazelnut, bitter cocoa and earth, clove tinged baked plum fruits. Surprisingly lean on entry with an intense attack of very spicy fruits and fine herbal top notes. The mid-palate reveals a core of sweet, earthy fruit rich with strawberry and raspberry tones. In a lighter style with lots of polished tannins and while it is a bit lean it really speaks with excellent soil tones. Lacks the chewy weight of many Zins but makes up for it with a fine, elegant feel and remarkably transparent red fruits. 94pts http://www.snooth.com/wine/carol-shelton-zinfandel-rocky-reserve-rockpile-vineyard-2005-3/ 2006 Dry Creek Vineyard - Somers Ranch Dry Creek Valley 15.0% $24-26 Effusively aromatic with baked earth and fruit tones baked plum, tobacco and smoky oak with a tarry edge. A bit heavy on the nose. Big and rick with a sleek sweetness to the wine. There is a distinct dried fruit tone to the intense cherry/cranberry fruit here and fine pepperiness and briar accentuates the mid-palate. The tannins a fairly substantial but ripe and well balanced. Good length and typicity 89pts http://www.snooth.com/wine/dry-creek-vineyards-somers-ranch-zinfandel-2006/ 2006 Dashe Cellars Florence Vineyard - Dry Creek Valley 14.5% $30-35 Smoky and with a hint of obvious oak on the nose this has a touch of obvious alcohol as well. The black raspberry fruit if incredibly intense with a jammy edge and layers of toast, butter, and allspice/cinnamon spice that makes this smell like breakfast. Richly fruited in the mouth with that same pure, jammy black raspberry/ black berry fruit that is accented with notes of honey, vanilla, and baking spices. Big and plush with a flannelly soft feel this is engaging and made in a style that should appeal to most palates. 93pts http://www.snooth.com/wine/dashe-cellars-zinfandel-florence-vineyard-rouge-2006/ 2006 Sausal Vineyard Century Vines - Alexander Valley 14.7% $30 Very slow to open with subtle vanilla and herb tinged dark, marmaladey fruits that recall date and fig. Fairly caramelly with faded baking spice tones. Big and plush on entry then turning more focused and elegant on the mid-palate. The boysenberry fruits in the mouth are orange tinged with the citrussy acids and the tannins offer a creamy mouthfeel but the wine feels diffuse and while there is a nice candied/medicinal edge to the finish it’s a bit to short. Appealing mouthfeel but lacking in intensity. 85pts http://www.snooth.com/wine/sausal-winery-zinfandel-century-vines-2006/ 2006 Terra d’Oro Deaver Vineyard 100 Year Old - Amador 15.5% $25 Soft and quite spicy on the nose with cracked pepper, dry baked earth, hot chalk and stone notes adding depth to the vanilla tinged red plum and sour cherry pie. A lurking floral tone gains in the glass. The sweetly fruited attack yields to a gentle mid-palate that features good yet unobtrusive structure for the very spicy red fruits in the strawberry/cranberry end of the spectrum. This is quite fresh with a touch of melon on the back end and there is a subtle custardy, vanilla vein that leads out to the very cherried finish with a touch of spicy red hots and spiced cranberry sauce on the final. Perhaps a touch too easy but with broad based appeal. 88pts. http://www.snooth.com/wine/montevina-vineyards-montevina-terra-doro-deaver-100-year-old-vine-zinfandel-2005/ 2005 Kunde Century Vines Shaw Vineyard Reserve - Sonoma Valley 14.9% $30 Very earthy on the nose with great briar tones, woodsy and even a touch feral with a whiff of mushroom adding complexity to the melon rind and pomegranate fruits. There is a lovely campfire note complete with toasted marshmallow. This is so rich in the mouth yet retains elegance due to the fine acidity and superb, ripe and polished tannins. This has the subtle power of old vines and while the red cherry fruit with it’s hint of watermelon may not have the spice or power of many other Zins the depth and jewel-like quality to the fruit is absolutely compelling. The finish offers up a bit spicier and allows the density of the tannins to build but this is just a fabulous bottle of Zinfandel. 94pts http://www.snooth.com/wine/kunde-estate-winery-and-vineyards-reserve-century-vines-zinfandel-rouge-2005/ 2005 Cakebread Red Hills Lake County 15.1% $40-42 Brambly on the nose with powder sugar and meaty, slightly gamy, leather tones that highlight the very ripe fruit. Bright appley acidity on the nose contrasts with the dark, figgy fruit tones. In the mouth this is fairly precise feeling with soft tannins that are well managed and a bit of bitter spice tones that recall licorice and star anise building on the back end. The relatively high acidity supports the cranberry and pomegranate fruits and while this if soft and plush on the mid-palate it turns earthy and crisp with drying tannins on the finish. A wine filled with contradictions and perhaps in need of some bottle age to sort itself out. 87pts http://www.snooth.com/wine/cakebread-zinfandel-2005/ 2005 Howell Mountain Vineyards Beatty Vineyard Napa Valley 15.6% $35-40 Intensely dark fruited aromatics greet the nose with a very powerful backdrop of earth, mineral, brambly, and oak tones. Really evolves in the glass revealing notes of dried herb, dried flowers and rocky, shale notes to the pomegranate and grenadine fruit. Shows surprising restraint in the mouth with excellent focus and precision. The acid is bright and the tannins are fine-grained allowing the deep core of dark yet fresh plummy fruit to come to the fore. There is a lurking touch of peach nectar and vanilla but the fruit is accented by expressive spice and soil tones. A well behaved monster of a Zin with the structure and balance to reward cellaring Finishes with good length if a touch clumsy due to the youthful tannins. A bit of buttery wood lingers on the finale. 92pts http://www.snooth.com/wine/howell-mountain-vineyards-zinfandel-beatty-ranch-2005/ 2005 Sky Vineyards Mt. Veeder Napa Valley 13.5% $30 Sweet and herbal on the nose with a pronounced mintiness and autumnal notes of cocoa and balsamic forest floor. There is a touch of peppery watercress and suggestions of candied red fruits. A touch of volatility mars the nose. Elegant and pure in the mouth with sappy berry fruit and classic notes of bramble that are more vegetal that usual. Soft tannins and juicy acidity support the bright red candied fruits with grace notes of blackberry leaves and dirt adding depth and complexity. A touch astringent and decidedly tart this is cleansing and refreshing in the mouth in an easy drinking style but suffers in the mouth from a touch of volatility as well. 87pts http://www.snooth.com/wine/sky-vineyards-zinfandel-mt-veeder-2005/    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic With Thanksgiving coming it's... by Gregory Dal Piaz

  
  

• October 2008

  Wines tasted during this visit; 2005 Bussiador Chardonnay 91pts 2005 Barbera d’Alba Conca Tre Pile 87pts 2004 Barolo 89pts 2005 Langhe Nebbiolo Il Favot 88pts 2004 Barolo Colonello 95pts 2004 Barolo Romirasco 95pts There are names in Piemonte that breed not only admiration... Read more Wines tasted during this visit; 2005 Bussiador Chardonnay 91pts 2005 Barbera d’Alba Conca Tre Pile 87pts 2004 Barolo 89pts 2005 Langhe Nebbiolo Il Favot 88pts 2004 Barolo Colonello 95pts 2004 Barolo Romirasco 95pts There are names in Piemonte that breed not only admiration but also confusion. Conterno is certainly one of them with Paolo, Giacomo, and Aldo all producing fine yet distinct wines. Of these producers I can comfortably say I knew most about Giacomo, least about Franco, and was simply under the wrong impression about Aldo. During an earlier visit to the region I marveled at the castle under construction that is both home to, and winery for Poderi Aldo Conterno. The fantasy construction just added to the misconceptions I had about this famous estate. With first class marketing, and a distinct image, I had been under the impression that Poderi Aldo Conterno was approaching mass-market status. Their wines had undergone several shifts over the past few years, beginning with a lighter style adopted early in the 90’s, which was followed by a flirtation in the late 90’s with a decidedly more modern style. In a philosophical shift it was decided in 1998 to change methods in both the vineyards and the cellars to produce a fresher, more fruit driven Barolo. With a few years under their belt and the wholesale shift to neutral botte for the Baroli almost complete, Aldo Conterno has returned to the top rank of Barolo Producers in what can only be called an enlightened traditional style. As part of this shift it was decided to use only Slavonian oak botte for the ageing of Barolo. Due to the fact that several new botte were purchased in recent years people had the wrong impression that the wines had gotten oakier. Ironically the move to less oak did in fact have the opposite effect for several years. While this oak was obvious, the fact that it was from botte and Slavonian in origin has meant that it took only a few short years to integrate into the wines in question. I came away from the meeting with young Giacomo Conterno surprised at the small scale of the operation. Not that it is small but rather that it all seems much more personal than their brand image would have one believe. The quality of the wines was also a somewhat pleasant surprise but truth be known I had tried a pair of Baroli blind earlier in the year and was so impressed with them I figured I owed it to myself to investigate further. Of course this is a very storied family. Giacomo Conterno is arguably the most famous producer of Barolo and the grandfather of both Roberto Conterno who now runs that estate and the young Giacomo Conterno I had the pleasure of tasting with. Their respective fathers, Brothers Aldo and Giovanni, split due to philosophical differences in 1967. Aldo had spent a few years in the US during the late 50’s when seeds were planted that would eventually lead to the creation of Poderi Aldo Conterno. In 1969 Aldo purchased the Favot farm in Monforte. He had been searching for property in Monforte since he always remembered his grandfather had said there were two great terroirs in the Langhe; Serralunga and Monforte. Since Giovanni was already working in Serralunga, Aldo opted to start anew in Monforte, and more specifically in the subzone of Bussia. As part of the agreement made during the split existing stocks of Giacomo Conterno wines were to be shared by the two brothers so all that pre 1968 Aldo Conterno wine is in fact from the Giacomo Conterno stocks. Great wines indeed. The expansive Southwest-facing vineyard of the Favot estate is home to 3 great Barolo Cru bottlings, each with their own distinctive character, as well as the base bottling. This was until recently known as Bussia Soprana but now includes some fruit that, while part of the same vineyard, is actually located in the adjoining village of Barolo, thus the designation has changed to simply Barolo. I did not get the chance to taste the Cicala Cru on this visit as the 2004 was mostly destroyed by hail, but this usually is the most structured bottling and fairly screams Nebbiolo. This parcel of vines is predominantly Lampia blended with Michet. The ageworthyness of these wines in indisputable as attested to by a bottle of the 1978 had just a few years ago that was simply brilliant and still youthful. The Colonello Cru on the other hand is a wine that screams of the terroir and as Giovanni says, has a Teutonic character, it is strict and focused, predominantly Michet clone. The crown jewel of the three crus is undoubtedly the Romirasco. Rarely bottled on it’s own this vineyard has historically been the heart and soul of the Granbussia Riserva bottling. Fortunately for us they are now bottling a bit of the Romirasco separately and it must be experienced for it’s exotic spice character is simply like no other Barolo. Giovanni says this speaks of Conterno with its Asian character, coy and spicy. While Barolo is the star here there is a full range of wines worth tasting but be forewarned a much more modern approach is taken with them as is illustrated in the following notes. Bussiador Chardonnay 2005 Both alcoholic and malolactic fermentations are done in 100% new barrique with a light+ toast level. The highest part of the Favot estate to the northeast of the property from 30 year old vines. Opened at cellar temperature this had fairly explosive and complex aromatics. Starting off slowly with a touch of banana and sandy soil notes this quickly adds a touch of incense, candle wax, some obvious toast notes and lightly candied pineapple. With air this gets progressively spicier with candied ginger notes and pie spice tones then top notes of apple blossoms/small yellow apples emerge. Very bright acids at first yield impressive concentration and while this is 14.9% alcohol it doesn’t feel hot and is well balanced. Richly flavored with complexity that matches the nose, layered with toasty notes accenting dried fruit tones followed by slatey, almost salty minerality. Giovanni comments that this is the terroir of Barolo after all. Finishes with good length and a touch of tannin. The wood is obvious but well integrated as is the mouth-watering acidity that leads to a finale of slightly salty butterscotch. Certainly an atypical Chardonnay but this is very interesting and well made. 91pts http://www.snooth.com/wine/poderi-aldo-conterno-langhe-chardonnay-bussiador-2005 Barbera d’Alba Conca Tre Pile 2005 Aged 12-15 months in 100% New Barriques The aromatics are intense here with immediate cigar box notes of feral, earthy tones. The fruit has a subtle foxy edge to the red plum/baked plum fruit but there is a spike of dark wood spice and ample tones of vanilla and baking spices. Bright acids right up front are refreshing and accentuate the red plum and bright wild berry fruit on the mid-palate. Elegant and balanced with a touch of minerality that balances the fruit and drives the cleansing acids of the finish. Just a touch of tannin becomes obvious on the finish with its jolly rancher cherry and watermelon tones ending on a touch of vanilla and cigar box. A nice Barbera with tons of ripe acids keeping everything lively and fresh but weighed down just a touch by the wood. 87pts http://www.snooth.com/wine/poderi-aldo-conterno-barbera-dalba-conca-tre-pile-2005-1 Barolo 2004 This replaces the old Bussia Soprana bottling as with this vintage the fruit is now 80% Bussia and 20% from the commune of Barolo though they are contiguous parts of the same vineyard. The Barolo fruit used to go into the Favot but the vines have matured and are now producing juice worthy of being called Barolo. This macerates for 2-3 weeks in stainless before ageing for 2 years in Botte of Slavonian oak. A bit heavy on the nose with syrupy fruit, driven by soil tones with a touch of oyster shell then a hint of caper berry, turning a bit spicy with a touch of white pepper, not very giving aromatically. In the mouth this enters a bit block with gritty tannins and a nice traditional if tough feel. The tannins certainly need more time to integrate but the balance is good and the wine puts on weight with air revealing dark, chewy cherry fruit with medicinal herb tones and a touch of fudgy caramellato. The midpalate gains a bit of spice with notes of coriander, beetroot, and strawberry seeds adding complexity and brightening the red fruits. The finish is cut short by the rather imposing tannins which are a touch drying and allows the finale to be dominated by slight menthol tones and emerging minerality. A very solid Barolo Normale that looks to be an excellent candidate for improvement in the cellar. 89pts http://www.snooth.com/wine/poderi-aldo-conterno-barolo-2004-1 Langhe Nebbiolo Il Favot 2005 Younger vines, up to 15-20 years of age, go into this 100% Nebbiolo wine that is aged for 18 months in 100% new barrique. This opens with intense and characteristic aromas of Nebbiolo, a touch of tamarind then floral top notes, slightly dried cherry fruit, and a hint of menthol but also has obvious wood tones of spice, toast and vanilla, which are balanced. The acidity pops out on entry followed by well managed tannins in a medium bodied package that offers up dark fruit with a touch of peachy overtones some herbal freshness and layers of medicinal spice and aromatic roots. With air the Nebbiolo tannins pop on the mid-palate offering more focus and mouthgrab that leads to a clean, fresh finish, which shows the fruit sweetening a bit. 88pts http://www.snooth.com/wine/poderi-aldo-conterno-langhe-nebbiolo-il-favot-2005 Barolo Colonello 2004 A 2 week maceration is followed by several months in stainless before being aged 28 to 30 months in Slavonian oak botte. A touch of drying grass greats the nose then is followed by very precise emerging notes of sea grass and menthol. The tight dark fruit emerge slowly and remain reticent in the glass but the menthol and mineral tones gain in impact. The mouth feel here is fantastic, cool and poised, power without much weight this feels facetted and chiseled and much like the nose remains tight though it does offer up glimpses of fresh fruit, earthy wild cherry and a touch of subtle pomegranate that is intriguing. The mineral cut on the long finish is refreshing and incipient vitamin/mineral notes are refreshing. While this is very tight a previous bottles was spectacular with classic fruit, sottobosco, and truffle notes that blew me away. Based on the two notes I suggest putting this away for years. 2014-2030 95pts. http://www.snooth.com/wine/poderi-aldo-conterno-barolo-colonnello-barolo-2004/ Barolo Romirasco 2004 A 2 week maceration is followed by several months in stainless before being aged 28 to 30 months in Slavonian oak botte. Unlike the stern Colonello this is flamboyant with intense floral tones, layered sappy fruits, sweet, gentle spice tones and a touch of espresso foam. In the mouth this is downright suave with very fine tannins and a broad mouth feel that remains remarkably delicate. Spicy red fruits are complimented my tones of maduro tobacco, iron driven earthy tones and intense top notes of aromatic grasses, minerals and exotic spice tones. The wild cherry fruit is intense on the palate and turns darker on the backend leading to the finish with it’s unfolding layers of subtle tea, middle eastern spice notes and almost a touch of curry. This really has lovely clarity and amazing transparency with wonderfully ripe tannins. A bit outside the norm for Barolo with it’s spicy exotic character but completely compelling. 2010-2024 95pts http://www.snooth.com/wine/poderi-aldo-conterno-barolo-romirasco-2004/    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic Poderi Aldo Conterno comes... by Gregory Dal Piaz

  
  
• 

  November 2007

  Dark Star Cellars Zinfandel 2002

  Snoothrank:

  No written review

  Wine review by tveez

  
  

• August 2007

  St. Helena Road Winery LangeTwins Wine Estates Callaway Vineyard and Winery Dark Star Cellars Lucas and Lewellen Vineyards Chiarello Family Vineyards Alisal Cellars Whitehall Lane Winery Thomas Fogarty Winery Adelsheim Vineyard Spencer Roloson Winery Sonoma Wine Shop... Read more St. Helena Road Winery LangeTwins Wine Estates Callaway Vineyard and Winery Dark Star Cellars Lucas and Lewellen Vineyards Chiarello Family Vineyards Alisal Cellars Whitehall Lane Winery Thomas Fogarty Winery Adelsheim Vineyard Spencer Roloson Winery Sonoma Wine Shop Gallo Family Vineyards Sunstone Vineyards and Winery St. Supry Vineyards and Winery D'Argenzio Winery California Wine Yangarra Estate Winery Burgess Cellars Northstar Winery Andretti Winery Bridlewood Winery DeSante Wines High View Vineyards Clos Pepe Estate Some other good stuff to announce this week, so stay tuned.    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic 25 new partners for the week by Philip

  
  
• 

  August 2007

  Dark Star Cellars Zinfandel 2002

  Snoothrank:

  No written review

  Wine review by currywm

  
  

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