Sunday, January 08, 2006

Cline Ancient Vine Zinfandel 2003 wine review by (PB)

This is a bad news/good news story. The bad news is this is my last bottle of this wine; the good news is, the 2004, which I have in my cellar, is even a mite better! This multiply reviewed wine is really nice Zinfandel and a bargain price (at Sam’s Club where it is $12.50) as compared to $18 or so everywhere else.

It has a bright cherry sparkle to it, with jammy berry aromas.

In the mouth it is definitely jammy, with ripe currants and prunes though there is an odd bitter flavor at the rear palate that has not been there in previous bottles. The wine has not breathed and the flavors are rather subdued plus this was not in my temperature regulated cellar but in my open air cellar where ambient temperature is around 50 degrees these days. The wine is too cold.

With breathing and a little warming up, the flavors release, the bitter something is gone and this is just berry juice, with wonderful balance of everything this uncomplicated wine has to offer. It is delicious and well made and at it’s peak; what wine is all about. Raise a glass!

1 comment:

  1. Anonymous7:02 PM

    Is it too cold for BBQ ribs?

    ReplyDelete