The guy from minnesota is unbelievable.

New Year’s greetings to you all from the reclusive Winosaurus – a long-time watcher and first-time poster.

QOTD #1: I’ve been drinking zinfandels for about 30 years, and I remember when Haywood, Seghesio, and Chateau Souverain zins were incredible bargains. A memorable zinfandel that I had recently, at a restaurant, was the 2003 Turley Dogtown Vineyard. It was elegant, yet bright with fruit and spice, and matched well with everything from veal to halibut. When I held the bottle up close to read the fine print, I was surprised to discover that the 16.5% alcohol was so well integrated. If the Lodi grape growers were wise, they would reserve all their fruit for Turley’s winemaker.

Yes I agree with Dominus – how about a review of Thos Jefferson’s contribution to wine in America?
Luckily, I had a bottle of the 2004 Ridge Paso Robles ready to go for the simulcam!! Awesome, but I only got black cherry and no Raisinettes! Sad, but cool.
QOTD1 – I guess my everyday go to zin is sort of burgeois, but I like it: Ravenswood. All time best zin: Lytton Springs 1991.
QOTD2 – How about Washington state wines?
Great shows. Great concept. Love Ridge.

Thanks for reviewing these — I was about to but the Lytton Springs, but will look for the Geyserville instead!

QOTD: So far, the Girard Old Vine Zinfandel has been my favorite, with Seghesio a close second.

I think perhaps heaven exists,…perhaps somewhere that you can have Ridge comparison tastings at will….. and where you can drink Dugat Py with Thomas Jefferson and Tom Waits. Ridge tasting-Gary-kudos. By the way the Ridge 2000 Santa Cruz Mtns Cab/Merlot is all over the place (sometimes great, sometimes dirty banana peel), I’d love to have your opinion.

QOTD: Tough, just plowed through some Ridge Independence School which was very nice, but Geyserville is a perennial favorite. But maybe the best is yet to come as recent vintages of Rosenblum Rockpile Road don’t seem ready to drink yet. As Mick said-Time is on my side.

QOTD2:How about a sample portfolio tasting, perhaps all Jorge Ordonez,or Kermit Lynch, or Eric Solomon, or Grateful Palate. Lets give RP a good video to have some alone time with.

QOD: Rosenblum Rockpile Road and Radio Coteau Von Weidlich Zin. The best examples of both are from 2003. Two totally different styles, the Rockpile Road, a favorite of WS, is a full bodied Zin in the style that is expected of California Zinfandel, but flawlessly executed. The Radio Coteau is an elegant, almost understated Zin. It shows unexpected finesse which is a rarity in Zinfandel.

I tried all of those Ridge Zins at the winery last year. I did not think the Lytton Springs was worth a 95, but an 88 is a bit stingy as well.

great episode today, I love the Ridge selections. The zin that really stands out in memory was a Seghesio siani(spelling?)zinfandel 2001. Also Coturri estate zin 2002, and Ridge york creek 1998.

How about an episode featuring library wines 10 year old wines… with pedigree and maybe some that you never could move off the shelves.

dude get some pourers the ridge dribble all over the front label was klling me.

QOD: Orin Swift’s the Prisoner and Rosenblum’s Rockpile Zin.

How about wines from the James bond Movies.
-Dom Perignon_3820- In a lot of Bond Movies
-Bollinger_27749- In a lot of bond movies
-Taittinger Blanc De Blancs_28938- In From Russia with love
-Chat Mouton Rothschild_23452- In Diamonds are Forever

Great episode, and congrats to Paul on the selection. Actually served the Ponzo on Thanksgivig Day this year. Very good.

QOTD: Taking just a little liberty with the definition of zin….. my favorite is the 2001 Feudi di San Marzano Primitivo di Manduria Sessantanni Old Vines. In fact, I think I’ll go open one.

Great episode, Gary!

QOD1- I’m relatively new to this obsession, but I’m quite a Zin fan. The best Zin I’ve had so far is Orin Swift’s The Prisoner 2003. Also had a lovely 2003 Elyse Marigoli Vineyard on Christmas.

QOD2- Episode them idea: 91 point Pinots!
Lange Reserve Pinot Noir 2005
Type: Oregon Pinot Noir
Size: 750ML | Vintage: 2005 | Library Code: 28647

J. Wilkes Block Q Pinot Noir 2003
Type: Napa Pinot Noir
Size: 750ML | Vintage: 2003 | Library Code: 27858

Mount Eden Pinot Noir Estate 2002
Type: Other California Pinot Noir
Size: 750ML | Vintage: 2002 | Library Code: 2896

Lemelson Pinot Noir Cuvee X 2003
Type: Oregon Pinot Noir
Size: 750ML | Vintage: 2003 | Library Code: 27784

Taz Pinot Noir Fiddlestix 2003
Type: Other California Pinot Noir
Size: 750ML | Vintage: 2003 | Library Code: 8128

I think you were way to harsh on the Lytton and probably should have drank it before the Geyserville based on the usual Fruit fullness of the Geyserville which could make the Lytton seem a little flat- but hey if you want to be the overscoring Robert Parker of Zins – you go right ahead brother- I am not buying your rheteric at all-and uh I bought a case of the Lytton Springs pre episode.

It really needs to be decanted for 4 hrs at this point minimum and mine going to be resting for a few years.

Gary –

I’m a lurker no more!!! I’ve been following Wine Library TV for several weeks now and I think it is awesome…a great concept…and a wonderful, educational show. I’ve been obsessed with wine for only about a year and can’t get enough information, or wine for that matter.

I would love to see you do an episode on wines from the Finger Lakes AVA of New York. Most people don’t know about New York wines, and if they do, they think of Long Island. The Finger Lakes area has about 100 wineries in a 30 mile radius, most in beautiful settings on the shores on one of the narrow, long lakes that characterize the region. While the region is still developing, it is making some wonderful world-class wines, notably reislings and gewurstraminers. I would love for you to get the word out on just how good these wines can be. Here are some suggestions: 1) Hermann J. Wiemer 2005 Dry Riesling, 2) Hermann J. Wiemer Reserve Gewurztraminer, 3) 2005 Sheldrake Point Dry Riesling (89 Wine Enthusiast), 4) 2004 Riesling Ice Wine, 5) Dr. Konstantin Frank (named greatest wine producer in the Atlantic Northeast for the last 3 years by Wine Report) either a riesling or a blanc de noir.

As you can tell I love NY wines! Please get the word out on Wine Library TV by doing an episode… Thanks…

QOD #2 – I’m not going to suggest which wines you taste, but today’s episode gave me the idea that it should be a blind tasting. It would be informative as well as extremely entertaining.

QOTD Best Zin was a 2001 Edgewood Estate Butala Vineyard.

Nice episode dude. QOD My favorite zin is an Italian Primitivo A Mano, why dont you taste the four Primitivos you have at WL? You could give a lesson on the grape too!

Woo hoo!!! Top 60!!!

QOTD: Top for me was a recent 2001 Williams Selyem Zin

CRAP! Lost out on top 60 by mere seconds.

Ohhhhhhh YES!!!!!!!!!!! My fav ZIN!!!! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!! ok I do not want everyone to know the very best Zin but because you guys are like my new Fam, I will let you in. It is Everett Ridge. They are out of Dry Creek Sonoma. The 2001 was the one that put me over from Reisling to Red wine. It was the best wine I have ever HAD, other then DR.Loosen. I hope you can find some, I know they ship to NY, Fl and CA. So track some down. Great price too!

Gary – hate the j-e-t-s, jets, jets, jets but love you dude. man love only if that is cool. Ridge Montebello has been my CA Meritage of choice for years now and if purchased as a future thru the Ridge website is quite reasonable when compared to Palmeyer, Opus, Insignia, Dominus etc.

keep on rockin’ man.

Go Giants…

CA fan – Glenn

QOD: Easy one……by far the best zin I hav had is was the 2002 Selby “bobcat” zin from sonoma. Huge fruit bomb, very complex, structured tannins. She is a small producer and sells only out of her tasting room in Healdsburg. If you ever are in the Sonoma area, drop by Selby, you will not be dissapointed in ANY of her wines!

sorry but i forgot my favorite zin answer. CG DiArie, Amador Co CA. Southern Exposure, any vintage is a wine you’ll find pleasing.

CA fan – Glenn

QOD1: the 2000 Ridge Buchignani I cracked open last summer. Elegant, fragrant, and delicious.
QOD2: Vuelta a Espana!
7021 – Itsas Mendi Txakoli
4944 – Abad Dom Bueno Bierzo Crianza
8250 – Finca Sandoval
6103 – Ercavio La Plazuela

Hey Doc Brown- I have those in my racks now- I got lit at her staing room in Healdsburg- Well i had a head start before I got there and only had to walk to the hotel

I am fairly new to wine drinking, but so far my favorite zin has been the 02 Ridge Geyserville I had a tasting some months back. I also enjoy many Paso Robles zins, though I am biased because there and Monterey, CA, is where I lived when I first got into wine.
For tomorrow….how about some dessert wines? Chambers Rosewood Muscat Library Code: 19430; Peller Estate Riesling Ice Wine 2004 Library Code: 3812; Bonny Doon Frambois Library Code: 19342; Kanu Kia Ora Noble Late Harves Library Code: 16312. All received 90-95 points from either Parker or Wine Spectator and I think it would be great to see how the different countries compare; Australia, Canada, US, and South African.