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TN: Cline 1987 Late Harvest Zin

A friend of mine gave me this several years ago, and it was old then. I put it away for a special occasion and forgot about it, but tonight my wife asked me to open a sticky, and rooting around in the cellar I found it, so we decided to open it.

The cork crumbled immediately, and my first thought was " Bummer - vinegar!", but I managed to get the pieces out and poured two glasses. In the glass, deep brown-maroon, almost opaque. Huge legs. Nose of raisins, prunes and sour cherry. Decidedly porty. Amazing palate: huge jammy dried fruit - raisins, prunes, cherries, perhaps some fig over a nice acidic backbone. No noticeable oak. Long sweet finish, with still-unresolved tannins!

Label says 14% alcohol, 10% sugar. I'm amazed by this wine - it's 19 years old, and properly stored could have lasted another 10-20. Who says Zins don't age! I don't think they make 'em like this anymore.

Regards, Dean

Reply to
DPM
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I have a '97 Ridge Paso Robles late picked in the cellar, but I don't think it will be in the same league; although the alcohol is at 15.6%(!), RS is only 0.5%, so I'm not expecting a porty, sweet wine like the Cline.

I associate herbal notes with unripeness, although this is probably a generalization; there may be numerous conditions that cause it. But I still have a soft spot in my heart for Cline's big Zins; one of the first big Zins I ever had was the 1994 Cline Big Break. It was absolutely eye-opening, and it became my reference point for what single-vineyard Zin could/should be for several years. I still pick up a bottle of the Big Break or Bridgehead when I can find it. Another one of Cline's that I like is the Ancient Vines (same as your old vine?). It's consistently good, although some years are better than others. I don't recall the '02, but I've got a '04 sleeping in the cellar.

Regards, Dean

Reply to
DPM

serving with food. (July '03)

Syruppy with long legs in the glass. Dark plum color. Big rich mouthful of blueberry, plum, cassis and maybe some leather and spice. Wonderful sipping wine. (Sept '03)

long finish. Great sipper. Hated to see the last bottle gone. (Feb '04)

Ed, thanks for the tasting notes. I bought the Ridge shortly after release, and although my cellar is a little warm, my bottle has probably evolved along the same track as your notes. I'll not be in a rush to open it, but I've only got one, so it's nice to see how it's developing.

Thanks again, Dean

Reply to
DPM

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