A.Mano 2007 Primitivo: Review

13.5% abv
A Mano SRL
Italy

Bought this bottle while out to dinner last night. In a retail store I believe it still sells for around $11.00 a bottle. Not a bad price for a grape that is grown on 100 year old plus vines.

This bottle has the twist off cap. The aroma is of light red berries. The taste is pretty simple – red berries (raspberry stands out and red currant). Interesting, for this wine usually has some good Zinfandel qualities. I’ll save half the bottle and take it home and try it tomorrow. Mild-medium in body. I’ll give it a 3.5 on my strength scale tonight.

Let’s give it another try today. Nice medium to dark ruby color with lighter ruby highlights. A nice delicate spice on the nose with a little toasty note mingled in with the light red berry note that was present last night.

The nose has picked up a little bit so, let’s see how the flavor is doing. A bit more structure today. To me this is much better than last night. The raspberry note is still there with a good tart cherry profile today mixed with a sweet cedar like taste.

I am going to go with a 4 on my strength scale today.

This 07 is not bad. It is much better than the 02. I am going to search around for some other vintages and if I find them I’ll be posting them.

Don’t run to the store to find this one but, if you come across it and it is $10 or under it’s worth a try. Remember, decant it for a good half hour.

Chronic Cellars 2009 Purple Paradise: Review

14.5% abv
Chronic Cellars
Paso Robles, California, USA
95% Zinfandel, 5% Petite Sirah
Chroniccellars.com
My Strength Rating: 4

This wine pours an attractive ruby color, deep ruby with big lighter ruby highlights.

As the wine smoothly glides across the tongue I detect sweet summertime red berries with a twist of vanilla. Right now I am thinking of a big bowl of vanilla ice cream with big ripe strawberries for some reason.

As I pour myself a second glass of this tasty little treat the wine starts to open. The strawberry presence is still tasty with that nice vanilla twist. But, now I start to notice a bit of a spice note. I continue my research with a few more sips of the wine and I think I am going to call it a mild pink peppercorn taste and this taste is on the back of the palate.

Seven Deadly Zins: Review

15% abv
$11.00 Costco
Lodi Appellation
Vinted and Bottled by Michael and David Phillips
Graton, California, USA

A nice thick, almost creamy, mouthfeel gives way to a good spice taste and firm earthy tones. Cinnamon is one spice that stands out. The alcohol peppery spice adds some zip to the palate. Some tasty dark berries swirl around a note of red currant.

I found this to be okay. There are much better zins out there.

Renwood 2006 Grandpere
Ravenswood 2006
Chronic Cellears 2009 Purple Paradise
Ancient Vines 2008 by Cline
A.Mano 2007

Renwood 2006 Zinfandel Grandpere: Wine Review

15% abv

Renwood Winery

Plymouth, California, USA

Renwood.com

$22.00

My Strength Rating: 7

After the fermentation period the wine was aged for 19 months in French and European oak barrels.

Wine Enthusiast 91 rating.

Blackberry, spice, and pepper on the nose.  The body has a deep ruby color with lighter ruby highlights on the edges.

Flavorful spice profile and green peppercorn greet the palate with each sip.  Dark berry notes dance around with some dark cherry, 80% dark chocolate like dryness and bite, along with a splash of oak.  

Overall, one tasty Zin. 

This Zin has a thick texture, dry aftertaste, with a lingering spice and blackberry jam on the tongue.

This wine has nice complexity on the taste and aftertaste. 

I would buy this again.

Linking you UP - check out the other zins reviewed this month
Ravenswood 2006 Teldsechi
Chronic Cellears 2009 Purple Paradise
Ancient Vines 2008 by Cline
Seven Deadly Zins 2008
A.Mano 2007

Ravenswood 2006 Teldeschi Zinfandel: Review

Dry Creek Valley
15.5% abv
Ravenswood
Sonoma, California, USA
My Strength Rating: 7.5/8

Color: deep purple body with ruby highlights

First Glass – poured the glass before decanting

Aroma: dark berry, light spice, nice smoky note
Flavors: blackberry, cherry, touch of sweet spice and mint
Mouthfeel: on the full side of medium-full bodied, coating of dark berries on the palate, very dry

Second Glass - decanted

Aroma: dark berry, light spice, oak, hint of vanilla, nice smoky note

Flavors: the flavor start to open, blackberry, currant, cherry, still that touch of sweet spice, seems like a touch of mint, just a dusting of green peppercorn to make things interesting, oak starts to show in this second glass, a 90% dark chocolate style develops, and a soil earthiness brings things together. I guess I would say this is complex.

Mouthfeel: the dark berries continue to coat the palate with some earthy notes, the texture is a bit chewier, that high percentage dark chocolate dryness is there, the aftertaste is thick and lingering, still dry but not like the first glass (the wine got a chance to breath and the alcohol got a chance to settle).

Here is my suggestion, decant this baby for at least 45 minutes.

This is my kind of Zin, big, bold, and full of flavors.

Linking you UP - check out the other zins reviewed this month
Renwood 2006 Grandpere
Chronic Cellears 2009 Purple Paradise
Ancient Vines 2008 by Cline
Seven Deadly Zins 2008

CEV Reserve Cabernet Franc 2007: Review

The Wine

CEV Reserve Cabernet Franc 2007

Niagara Peninsula

13% abv

$20.75 Canadian

Colio Estate Wines

Harrow, Ontario, Canada

Coliowines.com

My Strength Rating: 4.5/5

If you live in the Detroit Metro area this makes a nice day trip to visit the winery.  You can get there in less than an hour.  I will be at the winery next weekend for their Ice Wine Festival.  I’ll be posting the pictures then.

This wine has a deep ruby color with some ruby highlights.  The nose is dark berries and spice.

The flavors are pleasing.  Tart cherries, a blackberry bite, touch of oak and vanilla, a nice sweet cedar and spice to make things interesting, a mushroom earthiness, and I am going to have to say a plum note on the edges. 

The mouthfeel seems a bit thin at times.  The plum and mushroom like qualities gives the wine some softness.  The tart cherry and blackberry bite gives some structure. 

 

A Port Wine Review: Thurston Wolfe 2007 JTW’s Port

Washington State Premium Dessert Wine
19% abv
Thurston Wolfe
Prosser, Washington, USA

This port is a blend of Touriga Nacional, Petite Sirah, and Cab Sauvignon

Deep purple body; Smoky nose

Nutty, mocha, cherry, some astringency from the high alcohol content, a musty white peppercorn on the taste.

The white peppercorn notes dance on the tongue for the aftertaste. The nutty notes and alcohol spice also linger on the palate. All this and it still has a smooth finish.

This is a sipper. A nice full bodied port. JTW’s Port would make a good dessert wine after a big meal.

Cline Ancient Vines Zinfandel 2008: Review

Cline Cellars
Sonoma, California, USA
$11.50 a bottle
Clinecellars.com
My Strength Rating: 5

Upon opening the bottle the aroma just fills the air with fresh berries and a touch of chocolate. The palate is greeted with wonderful strawberry and raspberry like goodness. There is a mix of black current, oak, a touch of caramel, along with some mocha on the back of the tongue. As the wine opens up the vanilla oak profile builds on the aftertaste. The texture is velvety smooth. I would not guess this to be a Zinfandel. I do like this wine.

Linking you UP - check out the other zins reviewed this month
Renwood 2006 Grandpere
Ravenswood 2006 Teldsechi
Chronic Cellears 2009 Purple Paradise
Seven Deadly Zins 2008
A.Mano 2007

Zinfandel Month

Back in the 90’s I had a thing for Zins and then I lost it. I didn’t buy too many Zinfandels’ over the years and last year one day I said, ‘let’s give it a try again.’

So, here I am reviewing five different Zins this month.
They are:
We will have the battle of the birds
Renwood 2006 Grandpere
Ravenswood 2006
Chronic Cellears 2009 Purple Paradise
Ancient Vines 2008 by Cline
Seven Deadly Zins 2008
Went out to dinner so I am adding one more
A.Mano 2007