WTN: 2005 Sanctuary Mariah Vineyard Zinfandel

Mendocino Ridge, CA

13.8% alcohol. Very dark color and opaque with the glass full; some transparency as the glass reached 1/3 full. Fruity aromas and flavors. Soft, fuzzy tannins. Rather lengthy finish. I perceived blackberries and black currants and maybe a suggestion of fig or prune. Will appeal to those who favor fruity Zins. Glad to see the alcohol level below 14%. Label states that these are mountain-grown grapes on heights that rise into the sunshine above the cooling fog layer. An easy quaffer with broiled strip steak and twice-baked potatoes.

I believe that Jed Steele also produces some wines from Mendocino Ridge.

[Jenise]

Wonder who this Sanctuary is. I've had some Bien Nacido pinots and a cabernet--all showed up at various web portals not long ago at $15ish which was hailed as half their supposed retail. Had all the markings of a winery gone T-U. And they were okay wines for the reduced price, especially the pinot: that is, slightly better than what we'd usually imply by quaffer but not worth their initial MSRP. Might be one of those labels by someone who's just buying/bottling surplus juice.

Jenise,
Address your question to Hoke. Sanctuary was one of the Brown-Forman brands mentioned in the article about the sale to a Chilean company. Meaning of T-U?

Here's more info on Mariah Vineyard and other Mendocino Ridge growers:
http://216.128.26.15/wine-review/693/Mendo-Ridge.html

[Jenise]

Meaning of T-U?

Tits-up.

Yep, only single vineyard, single variety wines made by one winemaker.

Mariah from Mendocino Ridge, PN from Bien Nacido, and CS from Usibelli in Napa.

All small production.

The CS was Napa? It wasn't a bad wine, but I didn't find any Napa typicity in it at all.