2012 Valdez Family Winery Zinfandel St. Peter's Church Vineyard, USA, California, Sonoma, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2012
Score: 
91
Grade: 

Ulises Valvez was one of the great American success stories in the wine world.  An immigrant to this country, he built his vineyard and winery into a top notch winery.  Sadly, he passed away a couple of years ago at far too young of an age.  His winery carries on.  This is a Zinfandel blend that also has 17% Peite Sirah and 5% Grenache.  The vineyard was originally planted in 1888 and hand farmed by Ulises Valdez since 1988.  There are some very old vines.  Purple in color.  The nose has black cherries, some raspberries, a bit of spice and bramble.  Nice texture.  Juicy acidity.  There is s

2013 Alexander Valley Vineyards Cyrus, USA, California, Sonoma, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2013
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$46.00USD

Purple in color.  The nose has nice cassis, dust, cherries and slight green bell pepper.  On the palate, this has medium tannins.  Good cassis fruit over a dry earthiness.  Light tannins.  The bell pepper is only on the nose.  This has some complexity at this point.  Good finish.  Not uber ripe but certainly not under ripe either.  Drinking well, it may possibly still improve with further cellaring.  Will work better with bigger or spicy foods but is ok on its own.  64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc, 7% Merlot, 5% Malbec, 4% Petit Verdot

2012 Alexander Valley Vineyards Cyrus, USA, California, Sonoma, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2012
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A

76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 3% Petite Verdot, 2% Malbec.  Purple in color, slight ruby at the rim.  The nose is dusty and warm with cassis and spice.  Soft texture.  Good acidity.  Nice cassis fruit with an underlying earthiness.  Some plums on the finish.  Nicely layered, it unwinds in the glass.  It seems open but then keeps on opening more.  Still some upside here.  

2013 Treasure Hunter Wines Petite Sirah The Lion Tamer, USA, California, Sonoma, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2013
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-

This is really drinking well right now.  Purple in color.  The nose has black raspberries, underlying graphite and slight black pepper.  On the palate, there is nice black raspberry fruit.  Good texture.  Plenty of depth.  Still drinking on the young side of maturity.  Medium tannins.  Good acidity.  Worked well with food.  Not a monster wine but plenty of fruit and delicious.  Still some development to go and possible upside.  

2015 Simi Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley, USA, California, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2015
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-

Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose has cassis, cedar and char.  On the palate, cassis and tarragon which is nice.  Medium bodied.  Some tannins.  This has some depth and complexity.  This drinks very well right now and would work with a wide variety of foods.  This retails for around $20 and sometimes less making this a great value in California Cabernet.  I would drink in the next few years but it should last five more if well stored.  

2015 Ravenswood Zinfandel Big River, USA, California, Sonoma, Alexander Valley

Vintage: 
2015
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A

This is 100% Zinfandel from a vineyard first planted in 1893!  The vineyard is above the fog line and planted on volcanic and red clay soils.  15% Alcohol but not noticeable.  Beautiful color; a sort of magenta and ruby, clear and bright.  The nose is great.  Earthy and deep with black raspberries, black cherries, a bit of cinnamon and spice.  On the palate this is sweet black cherry fruit.  Some might call this jammy, but to me that implies a lack of precision which this wine has.  Earth and deep.  It has a complexity that is intriguing even at this young age.  Certainly the most complex o

2013 Jordan Vineyard & Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley, USA, California, Sonoma, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2013
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-

Ruby/purple in color.  The nose has cassis, cherries, cedar and spice.  Medium to full bodied.  On the palate, this has nice fruit in a more restrained mode.  Cherries and cassis with cedar.  Medium tannins.  Decent balance. Slightly clipped finish.  This is a more restrained style of Cab but drinks well right now.  Not sure if it will make older bones so I would drink in the next five years.  

2010 Marietta Cellars Angeli Cuvée, USA, California, Alexander Valley, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2010
Score: 
88
Grade: 
B+

This is a Zinfandel blend.  It seems to be a bit past prime at this point but still hanging in there.  Not as energetic as it was a few years prior.  No sin in that for this wine, it just means to drink the newer vintages in the first five years or so.  Purple in color.  The nose has cherries, black cherries, some spice and a bit of alcohol.  On the palate, mostly red fruits; cherries and raspberries.  Not deep but tasty.  There is some heat on it, more warming than hot.  

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