2019 Ridge Geyserville, USA, California, Sonoma, Alexander Valley, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$35.00USD

This is the 54th consecutive vintage of this wine.  It is a blend of 71% Zinfandel, 19% Carignane, 7% Petite Sirah, and 3% Alicante Bouschet.  Another job well done!  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose is great with raspberries, black raspberries, slight char, plum and spice.  Medium to full bodied.  Great texture.  On the palate, plums and black raspberries with some raspberries with underlying char and graphite.  Great liveliness.  Nice finish.  This wine is already drinking well and while it may change a bit, it should continue to do so for another 20 years.  This is pretty food

2017 Alquimista Cellars Zinfandel Jessie's Grove Ancient Vine, USA, California, Lodi, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
89
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$50.00USD

My first time getting the opportunity to try this winery.  Ruby in color, mostly opaque and bright.  This is a blend of Zinfandel, Carignan, Flame Tokay, Black Prince and Mission grapes from vines as old as 130 years.  Very interesting.  The nose is interesting with plums, cherries and baking spices.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, slight tannins.  Black cherry fruit.  This is not a big wine but it is quite concentrated.  It did get better with air and an hour in a decanter would likely improve it.  Drink over the next seven to ten years.  More in the claret style of Zin.  This would work w

2019 Prisoner Wine Company The Prisoner, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$49.00USD

Another consistent vintage for this wine.  It is one of those wines that wine snobs love to bash but wine drinkers enjoy very much.  It is big and fresh and exuberant and delicious.  Inky purple in color, magenta at the rim.  Opaque and bright.  The nose has black raspberries, black cherries, baking spices and slight bramble notes.  Full bodied with a juicy texture.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, the black raspberries come thru along with some char and anise on the finish.  Long finish that does have some warmth to it.  This drinks great on its own and will work well with big foods.  It s

2016 Downstream, USA, California, Paso Robles, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
96
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$200.00USD

This is a wine made by Rhone wine consultant Philippe Cambie and Saxum’s Justin Smith.  It is a blend of 76% Zinfandel, 8% Syrah, 6% Mataró, 6% Petite Sirah, and 4% Tempranillo.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has black raspberries, slight bramble, dust, black cherries and spice.  On the palate, this is full bodied.  Delicious.  Serious tannins.  Black raspberries, plums and spices over a gravelly bed.  Long finish.  Pop and pour, this was drinking great from the start.  It's hard to say how well this well age.  The label says 16.1% abv but there is no heat.  Still, at t

2018 Prisoner Wine Company Saldo, USA, California, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$30.00USD

What a great showing for this wine.  This might be the best vintage of it to date.  It is 85% Zinfandel and 15% Petite Sirah and Syrah.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has plums, black cherries, cedar and bramble.  The wine sees 25% new oak.  It has a soft and accessible texture.  Delicious.  It is a jammy styled Zinfandel with black cherry fruit and underlying minerality.  There is a bit of warmth (almost a burn) that is actually very nice on the finish.  Served with a wide variety of wines, this was the groups favorite for the night.  Like many of this wineries wines, price

2018 Prisoner Wine Company The Prisoner, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$45.00USD

This is a blend of Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Syrah, and Charbono.  It is made to be a fruit forward delicious blend that drinks well right away.  And it achieves that.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has black cherries, black pepper, slight black raspberries and roasted meats and herbs.  Very nice.  On the palate, this is big.  Tasty with a wall of fruit.  Medium tannins.  Long finish.  There is some complexity and depth to it.  It drinks great now on its own and will work with spicy barbecue.  It probably won't improve with cellaring, but should cellar wel

2017 Ridge Geyserville, USA, California, Sonoma, Alexander Valley, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$30.00USD

This was meeting an old friend.  I used to drink this wine quite a bit but had not had it for quite some time.  It just sort of fell out of the rotation for no particular reason and that is a shame.  It is still top notch.  A blend of 68% Zinfandel, 18% Carignan, 12% Petite Sirah and 2% Alicante Bouschet, this is a wine that drinks well young or old but the profile will change depending on which varietals are showing more at that time.  Purple in color with a ruby rim.  The nose is nice with black cherries, slight black raspberries herbal notes and pepper.  Medium to full bodied.  On the pa

2016 Fairway & Vines Ben Curtis Cuvee Red Wine Blend Mendocino, USA, California, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
89
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$20.00USD

This is the second vintage for a Red Wine Blend and I far prefer this to the 2015 version.  it is a blend of 42% Zinfandel, 21% Petite Sirah, 19% "Port Grapes, and 18% Syrah.  Yes, Port wine grapes can be a wide variety but I have no idea what they used and that the grapes are from Mendocino.  But, for $20 retail, no need to get hung up on that.  Right now it seems the Zinfandel and to a lesser extent the Syrah dominate the blend although that might change with time.  It is made by Rich Parducci.  This utilizes a cork (unlike the Chardonnay)  Ruby in color with purple swirls.  The nose has

2017 Once & Future Wine Zinfandel Frank's Block Teldeschi Vineyard, USA, California, Sonoma, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$50.00USD

This project of Joel Petterson has been at it for a while now and the wines are getting a certain style to them which is very nice.  That is, robust, but just barely (for Zin).  This wine is  80% Zinfandel with the rest Alicante and old-vine Carignan.   Purple in color with ruby swirls.  Mostly clear and bright.  The nose has black cherries, raspberries, roasted herbs (sage?), and dust.  Medium bodied with light tannins.  On the palate, this is delicious.  It drinks easy.  Raspberry fruit with some underlying black pepper and bramble.  Good energy.  Nice finish.  This should drink at this l

2017 Dry Creek Vineyard Zinfandel Heritage Vines, USA, California, Sonoma, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$15.00USD

This is a solid wine and a nice value in Sonoma Zinfandel.  A blend of 77% Zinfandel, 21% Petit Verdot & 2% Carignane.   Ruby in color with purple swirls.  The nose has raspberries, spice and dust.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, this is slightly brawny with red fruits.  Easy drinking.  Light tannins.  Best to drink now or in the next few years.  Works well with pizza or burgers.  A nice wine for a party.  Shop around as its MSRP is $26 but its widely available ranging from $15 and up.  

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