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Aging wine is not without its risks. Strive to store your wine between 55-62 degrees. If you do so, the following notes are the most applicable. If your wine is stored in a rack on top of the refrigerator, good luck pardner. 2004The 2004 growing season was as textbook as 2003 was odd. Here is a sterling example of why Dry Creek Valley is known world- wide for Zinfandel: aromas of ripe blackberry and raspberry, lip smackin' juiciness, supple tannins and a depth of color not seen since 1999. A blend of seven vineyards from the appellation's four quadrants. DRINK / HOLD 2003 From bud break to harvest, the 2003 growing season in Dry Creek Valley was stress-city. Yields were 60% of normal. We culled like never before and sculpted a Zinfandel worthy of our 20 year reputation. While Nalle Zin never lacks for fruit, there is a touch more cinnamon and white-pepper spice in this vintage. DRINK / HOLD 2002 Loaded with zinberry character: Raspberry, blackberry, blueberry, cherry, strawberry. Very nice acidity carries through the finish. Nice touch of French oak without being overwhelming. Filling out nicely. Still a few years from peaking. DRINK / HOLD 2001 It's been ten years since we've had such a nonconforming Zin. Is that why Doug likes it so much? Super spicey. Rhone-like meatiness and memories of that cherry sarsaparilla (sasparilla) at Disneyland. You'll kick yourself if you don't hold a few until 2010. DRINK / KICK / HOLD 2000 Smooth and supple. The fruit of youth is cheek to cheek with the spice of middle age. Many say why wait. Hard to argue but even a precocious vintage like this can age well for 6-8 years with good cellaring conditions. DRINK / HOLD 1999 We're not sure why 1999 turned out to be such a stunning vintage. Maybe it was the slightly below average crop. Maybe it was the gentle weather at harvest. Maybe it was a flare-up on Betelgeuse. One of the six best vintages in twenty years. Superb Dry Creek "zinberry" aromas and flavors that meld seamlessly from front to back. More spice in the finish than normal. DRINK / HOLD 1998 Not every year gets to be "vintage of the decade" and '98 was not. However, it is respectable and better than some quick-to-damn critics say. In the mouth there is more impact from the acidity than tannin, similar to Chianti. Very charming at nine years. Similar structure to '96, '92 and '88. DRINK 1997 Fast track wine. Gorgeous, ripe strawberry nose with Zin spice for interest. Smooth, lush mouth. Tannins seem almost sweet. What are you waiting for? DRINK 1996 This vintage got panned (because of the lushness of '95 and '97) but don't believe it. It was even slower to evolve than '98, but if you have some left, your patience is rewarded. Brambly, dusty fruit with nice balance front to back. Reminds us of '75 and '88 with ten plus years of good drinking. DRINK / HOLD 1995 Higher than usual alcohol for us (13.9%) but with less tannin gives a warm, soft mouthfeel. Clove, nutmeg, allspice nose from elevated V.A. (If you don't know what V.A. is, don't sweat it.) Probably not improving, not disintegrating. DRINK 1994 An unqualified gem. This wine has been great from the get-go. Complex, earthy, saddle leather, jammy nose with superb balance. At thirteen years, going strong. Still tasty 24 hours after opening. DRINK / HOLD 1993 The little princess. We keep waiting for this wine to go belly up, but it won't. A less than stellar vintage, yet this wine continues to drink well with berry and sweet herbs in the nose and smooth mouthfeel. DRINK 1992 A small berry year which had tight tannins. At fifteen years, it's starting to dry out a bit. Nice brown sugar and buttermilk nose with a Chianti-like mouthfeel. DRINK 1991 Doug believes this and 1978 are the two best vintages in 35 years. Every time we taste this wine it excels. Complex nose of spice, leather, earth and cassis. Great entry and long finish from higher acidity. Still alive with 24 hours of air. DRINK / HOLD 1990 This always gives '91 a run for its money when we wine geeks gather to taste. Doug favors the '91, but others argue for '90 with its soft, warm and deeply complex flavors. Refined, sweet bouquet. Just a delicious glass of mature Zinfandel. DRINK 1989 We are spoiled in California with harvests that rarely get rained on heavily. 1989 was that rarity. Three inches of rain came with only 30% of the Zin picked. We can't deny it's our weakest vintage... BUT it actually still drinks OK. Lacks depth, but it's clean and balanced like a medium quality, mature Spanish Tempranillo. DRINK 1988 This is one of those "tight" vintages that gets panned on release when it follows a lush ripe vintage, which it usually does (see '87 below). We winemakers are just the jockeys. The track coach doesn't make a sprinter out of a cross-country champ. '88 took longer to evolve and now it's still drinking nicely. Rhone-like spice with some herbal notes. Not likely to improve but hey, it's 19 and in dog age that's 133. DRINK 1987 Oh, the critics loved this one early on, but it's seen better days. Never had the structure to get beyond ten years, peaked at about six. Not undrinkable, but the fruit is minimal. Some people's favorite vintage of the 80's but we prefer the '85. DRINK 1986 So, while critiquing vintage vagaries, why not say this one has disappointed us for years. It was supposed to be one of the best years of the 80's. Instead, it just became dull. We don't pour it down the drain because it's got balance, but there's not much complexity. DRINK 1985 If anyone out there has some of this in good condition, PLEASE contact us. We have none and we'd love to buy it back. The best vintage of the decade, it had everything one hopes for in a mature red: complexity, acid and a smooth, lengthy finish. We love it. DRINK 1984 Not great, but not bad. It was a very hot harvest with below-average acid, so it was not expected to last too long. This wine was pretty good for about eight years. There is no Petite Sirah in the blend, something that adds middle body and a smidge of tannin to help it age. It's geriatric but not dead. DRINK Back to top. |
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