LOVE the blind Mondays Gary…i think it’s great to see you taste without knowing the brand because that’s just something that will always play a role in ratings, no matter how little bias you have!

qotd – haven’t had any, was hoping to pick up a couple of recommendations by watching the show…needless to say, i won’t be dropping any bones on any of those vinos…

QOTD – best zin ive had recently was my very own 2007

QOTD: Klinker Brick Zin, The Pines “1852” Washington State–similar to the Neyers. I also enjoy Brown and Chiarello Zin. There was a Coturri Zin that was very port-like that I enjoyed, but the next vintage was horrible. It tasted cooked and disjointed. Unfortunately I bought 3 or 4 bottles, not realizing the vintage substitution. They were all terrible.

You really don?t need to be apologetic most Zinfandels under $20 usually are not worth the effort. Overall, it is hard to find any that rate over 90 and don?t cost an arm and a leg. Good quality Zins are hard to find. Maybe winemakers think if people will drink white Zinfandel they will drink anything.

Qoth: Carlisle is tasty and reasonable, while Ridge always has a good selection of blends. My biggest disappointment is the over priced Martinelli and Turley Zins.

Brother Gary: You definitely have your Mo-Jo working again! I’m glad the Jets knocked off TN; however, I feel that will also help them to focus. The question is, can Favre maintain His focus, or will he fall apart down the stretch. Good luck, and smell it first!

My favorite zin is The Prisoner from Orin Swift. Limited production, hard to get.

QOTD: The last really good Zin/Zin blend I had was a Zaca Mesa Cuvee Z.

Nice show, too bad nothing really showed well.

QOTD: Sineann Old Vine from Oregon/Washington really did it for me at a tasting recently. Haven’t really been turned off by many here lately, but then again I haven’t really been trying that many other than ones from my cellar.

QOTD: Best Zin I have had would have to be either the Preston of Dry Creek Old Vine or the Viansa Zin. Both were fantastic. If you can find the Preston in particular, you should find good value. Laura Zahtila’s Napa Zin is excellent as well. And the Scott Harvey InZinerator; expected it to be gimmicky, but it was exceptional; a terrific Zin/Barbera blend.

Speaking of gimmicky, avoid any other Zin with a pun in the name – 7 Deadly Zins, Zinfatuation, etc. These kitschy wines are the reason I almost skipped on the Scott Harvey; glad I didn’t.

QOTD: Best Zin I have had would have to be either the Preston of Dry Creek Old Vine or the Viansa Zin. Both were fantastic. If you can find the Preston in particular, you should find good value. Laura Zahtila’s Napa Zin is excellent as well. And the Scott Harvey InZinerator; expected it to be gimmicky, but it was exceptional; a terrific Zin/Barbera blend.

Speaking of gimmicky, avoid any other Zin with a pun in the name – 7 Deadly Zins, Zinfatuation, etc. These kitschy wines are the reason I almost skipped on the Scott Harvey; glad I didn’t.

I had the 7 Deadly Zins, a Cali blend that was actually pretty interesting. Would Recomend.

qotd: I had the 2007 Seghesio zin that got top 10 in the spectator. They were dead on! It was spectacular. Best zin i’ve had in a very long time. Worst zin I ever had was Woodbridge zin that someone brought to a party. WOW was that bad!

Better luck next time on the blind. Love the format. How about a Spanish blind with you guessing the regions. Or do the same with Italian or French.

gary,

nice show. blind tasting tells the true story…zins are hit or miss most of the time anyway.
best regards,
ncwt.

GV, enjoyed the show but was disappointed like yourself with the quality. I was given a bottle of the inaugural release Maples Vineyard 2006 Zinfandel. I am told that it is the only Zinfandel Tom & Tina Maples will do as the subsequent vintages will be a Zinfandel, Petite Sirah and Carignane blend . . . a BIG wine.

The 2005 Zahltila Dry Creek Zinfandel is also a nice wine for the money.

QOTD:
Best- http://corkd.com/wine/view/57192-Sin_Zin_2006_Zinfandel
Worst- http://corkd.com/wine/view/58225-Camelot_2002_Zinfandel

This is what I am drinking now-
http://corkd.com/wine/view/64458-Ventisquero_Reserva_2006_Carm_n_re

I love this wine, especially for $10.

QOTD: Love Love Love ZIN!!!

Best Zin to date? Turley 05′ Cedarman Or Rosenblum 01′ Rustridge

Worst Zin to date? Black mountain Zin 05 ( Got it at Trader Joe’s)$5.80 Should have expected that.

GARY!!
Still so luvn that facial hair!!
🙂

QOTD: Rocked the boat!! TURLEY
QOTD: Sunk the boat!! Bogle

worst zin to date: 7 Deadly zins. I know a lot of people love it, but i have no idea what the hype is about.

best recent zin: Robert Biale Black Chicken Ranch, small production but try to get your hands on some Biale stuff.

Great episode with the blind tasting.

QOTD: I don’t remember, I haven’t had a zinfandel in a really long time.

Gary,

Nice show today – too bad the results were not better. Keep calling them like you see them.

QOTD – Rombauer and Ridge Lytton Springs are two Zins I enjoy.

Blind tastings rock as a great playing-field leveler!
QOTD: My favorite zin recently was a Steele 2005 Catfish Vinyard Zinfandel that I had with a fabulous meal at The Burning Tree in Bar Harbor. PLEASE try and get some of this wine!!!

Good Zin–Renwood makes some good Zins. have liked their 02 Grandmere, Ravenswood Lodi and Sonoma old vines are decent too
Bad Zin–Cellar 8 (I think it was called)…not good

Gary–Any wagers on Jets/Broncos next weekend??

-Jon from Colorado

Good Zin–Renwood makes some good Zins. have liked their 02 Grandmere, Ravenswood Lodi and Sonoma old vines are decent too
Bad Zin–Cellar 8 (I think it was called)…not good

Gary–Any wagers on Jets/Broncos next weekend??

-Jon from Colorado

Zin’s just too much fruit for me anymore. Note that Robt’ Parker’s, and I’ll bet others’ vintage charts rate the vintages ’05 and ’06 BELOW 80 points for Zin. That’s in the blue, and not good, friends(pertinent to North Coast appelations, only, so you can keep on lapping up the central valley rubbish they bottle on the CHEAP end with no more adverse affects than you already suffer.). Maybe Paso’s ok, but I haven’t kept up , as of late. Tobin James was just one of many goodies down that way, once upon a time. Yes, Scott Harvey had impressed me w/ vg quality, and under $20 as I recall. Sorry for Ravenswood, but I’m sure they won’t lose any shelf pull, even if they failed on several bottlings. Happy for Sebastiani – they’d been pretty good across the varietal line, and top releases like the Domenici Zin were killer. Very Happy for Mr. Rosenblum, as well.

I think Michael and David Phillips got it down in their Earthquake, but, again, it’s been a couple of years. And finally, Mr. Peter Franus, Brandlin Vineyard (Mt. Veeder) somehow intensifies the fruit, but subdues the annoying sweetness aspect, sort of taking it in a Cab direction.

Sucked? Is that a bit of a loaded question? And there are many who will slug the stuff down, almost expressly for the stupid levels of alcohol they can get without breaking the $9.99 barrier. I seen it, week in, and week out. But the real vile offenders are the major campaigns that wish to speak for quality through their sheer voluminous displays and signage boasting to be something great that they are not.. Like Gnarly Head ( and many others in that realm).

Booooo.

I had the Edmeades Mendocino Zinfandel 06 which was not bad. it needed some air time to open up where the nose changed from black pepper to cassis. A bit of oak but integrated with nice fruit.