1996 Ravenswood Zinfandel Cooke - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley (2/5/2021)
The cork was loose on this one, so I did not have high hopes. It turns out it was good that I opened it, and good that I opened it. The wine was sound, if fading. That said it was in a spot where rather than showing decay, it was just a bit of a shadow of what it might have been. All the parts were there, but slightly faded rather than notably altered. It was as if a thin gauze had been laid upon the wine, preventing its full presence from coming through. All the elements were slightly muted, but in exact proportion. The dried cherry fruit was just not quite as bright, the herbs a touch wilted, and the leather worn past its best. I expect a better cork would have seen this wine through, but as it was I enjoyed accompanying the spirit on its final journey.