WTN: Four DeLoach Zins '94...(short/boring)

Started work on a case of DeLoach Zins '94 last night. Went a miserable 1 for 4:
1. DeLoach Zin PellettiRanch/RRV (EB; 14.1%; 10 acres planted by AlcidePelletti in 1928) 1994: Med.light color w/ some browning; tired cedary/pencilly wet wool/wet dog fur no fruit nose; tart/metallic/tangy some cedary/pencilly/oldZin tired flavor w/ dreadful wet dog fur finish; pretty much dead & gone.
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2. DeLoach Zin GambogiRanch/RRV (EB; 15.2%; 10 acres plntd by AnnchiseGambogi in 1909) 1994: Med.color w/ some browning; slight raspberry/Zin/fruit rather cedary/pencilly/oldZin fairly tired nose; very tangy/metallic bit cedary/pencilly/oldZin rather tired flavor w/ no fruit; pretty much dead & gone.
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3. DeLoach Zin BarbieriRanch/RRV (EB; 13.5%; 22 acres plntd by ItaloBarbieri in 1905) 1994: Pale red/washed out fairly bricked color; dreadful wet dog fur/oxidized slight raspberry/cranberry slight cedary/pencilly/oldZin nose; very tangy/metallic/grapefruity slight cedary/pencilly/oldZin flavor w/ dreadful/oxidized/wet dog fur finish; DNPIP; totally dead & gone.
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4. DeLoach Zin PaperaRanch/RRV (EB; 13.5%; 18 acres plntd by CharleyPapera in 1934) 1994: Med.dark color w/ slight bricking; some ripe/raspberry/blackberry/Zin fruit bit dudty/OV some smokey/cedary/pencilly/oldZin some spicy/cinammon/cardamon fairly fragrant pleasant/mature complex nose; soft light metallic/tangy some raspberry/blackberry/spicy Zin rather oldZin/cedary/pencilly bit complex flavor w/ light metallic/drying tannins; med.long some tangy/metallic/grapefruity light oldZin/pencilly/cedary slight raspberry/Zin finish w/ light astringent/drying tannins; a rather interesting oldZin nose but drying out somewhat on the palate; still some fruit and clinging on for dear life.
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A wee BloodyPulpit:
1. These were not from my famous orphan stash in the garage. They were, however, all stored standing upright for almost 20 yrs. The corks were all sound and came out w/ some effort w/ my Ah-So.
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2. Not sure how many of these legendary vnyds still exist. Pelletti went on to fame & fortune as the CarlisleVnyd. Mike still makes great Zin from Papera. Don't know about Gambogi or Barbieri. Anyone? For some reason I didn't find the SaitoneVnyd in this box. Still have the OFS and the Estate to crack.
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3. I, of course, followed Cecil & Christine DeLoach from the very start. Cecil was late to the wine biz when he retired from the Oakland Fire Dept and started making wine from his property in the late '70's. He went, big time, after Ridge, in making these four vnyd-designate Zins in the early '80's. He raised a lot of hackles because he came along and trademarked these vnyd names so no one else could label their Zins w/ that vnyd designation. Hence Pelletti was renamed the CarlisleVnyd and went on to achieve much more fame & fortune (it is a cash-cow isn't it, Mike??) than it would have as Pelletti.
This was pretty much my last hurrah for buying DeLoach Zins. It was clear to me from visiting w/ Cecil that he was bored by the wine biz and the quality of his wines were declining. Not sure how his Hook&Ladder wines are doing. Under BrianMaloney, I think the DeLoach wines are pretty solid these days, though I don't follow them very closely. Believe they are now part of the Boisset Collection.
Tom

I was a big De Loach fan about 15 yrs ago but moved on after some sad efforts.

I remember tasting some of the Deloach wines with Cecil in the 80's and him commenting about Napa "why would anyone name a valley after an auto parts store?

I remember tasting some of the Deloach wines with Cecil in the 80's and him commenting about Napa "why would anyone name a valley after an auto parts store?

Yup, Lou...that would be Cecil. He had a rather earthy sense of humor. Witness his OFS for his top wines....which stands, of course, for "Our Finest Selection" Not the salty Navy term.
Tom

[David M. Bueker]

Thanks for taking one (several) for the team!

Cecil's son told me that the Barbieri Vineyard Zin was uprooted to be replaced by Pinot Noir vines I believe. That had been my favorite DeLoach Zinfandel.