92+ 2002 Ravenswood Monte Rosso Zin 4/23/05 ($27)
Color: Deep purple garnet. (3.0) Bouquet: Forward Zinberry fruit, after an hour or two of air, with a balanced oak component, along with spice and black pepper. (3.0) Body: Rich fruit strongly backed by oak and acidity with complementing tannins. A light heavyweight. Flavor: Delicious blackberry and zingy cherry fruit, should I say Zinberry, propelled by excellent acidity. Youthfully forward, but ageworthy with good tannins at the same time. (3.5) Finish: Parallels flavor and then some, with delicious cedar and terroir complementing intense fruit. Long and delicious. (3.5)
Overall: What a delicious wine. Classic Zinberry fruit that is balanced, with alcohol not being a factor. With an hour or two of air, it is a joy even now, although it will benefit from 1-3 years of bottle age. A wonderful counterpoint to a wine like the 2001 Ridge York Creek, tasted recently. The latter being a more atypical expression of Zin, whereas this is classic Zin. (16.0)