93 2013 Carlisle DuPratt Zinfandel (Mendocino Ridge) 7/3/16 ($40)
100% Zinfandel 455cases 15.6% alc
Color: Deep cherry garnet. (3.0) Bouquet: Intense herbal spice of oregano, briar, anise and menthol complement cherry and blackberry syrup fruit. (3.5) Body: Heavyweight with excellent fruit, acidity and smooth tannins underneath. Big, rich mouthfeel that coats beautifully. (3.5) Flavor: Parallels bouquet, but shows youthful ripeness that makes it less distinctive. (3.0) Finish: Wonderful spice lingers here. Long and intense. (3.5)
Overall: Very intense spices (oregano, briar, anise and menthol) complement concentrrated red and black cherry/berry fruit. There's a lot going on here and it's too young and unformed to really get a clear picture of what this will become, but it's interesting and delicious already. Very compelling stuff. Can be drunk now after decanting for an hour or two, but should become even more distinctive with 3-6 years bottle age as the young, ripe fruit calms down a bit. (16.5)
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