Had these two orphans last night:
1. Carlisle Zin Pietro'sRanch/RRV (16.1%; Plntd: 1905; +PetiteSirah/AlicanteBouschet/GrandNoir/Carignane/Grenache; Last Vintage; 195 cs) 2006: Very dark color w/ some bricking; very strong blackberry/boysenberry/Zin/spicy slight RRV/peppery some toasty/pencilly/oak some ripe/chocolaty fairly dusty/OV bit alcoholic/fumey fairly complex nose; soft bit hot/alcoholic some toasty/oak strong boysenberry/Zin/very ripe some dusty/OV some complex flavor w/ light smooth tannins; very long rather ripe/overripe some hot/alcoholic strong boysenberry/Zin/spicy/peppery fairly complex finish w/ light smooth tannins; no signs of oldZin or drying out; still loads of ripe fruit but the alcohol is starting to dominate; not at all raisened or pruney; still in very good condition & a great Zin but on the downside.
____________________
2. Carlisle Zin MontafiRanch/RRV (15.4%; TomFeenyRanch; Plntd: 1926; +PetiteSirah/AlicanteBouschet/GrandNoir; 240 cs) 2006: Very dark color w/ some bricking; slight cedary/pencilly/oldZin strong blackberry/Zin/very spicy quite peppery/RRV Zin light toasty/oak rather dusty/OV rather complex nose; soft bit hot/alcoholic slight cedary/pencilly/oldZin some dusty/OV fairly spicy/blackberry/Zin/RRV peppery some toasty/oak slightly hot flavor w/ light smooth tannins; very long/lingering bit hot/alcoholic strong blackberry/Zin/spicy/peppery finish w/ smooth tannins; showing a bit more age but not at all tired or dried out; a bit further along than the Pietro's but still in amazingly good condition though on the downhill side.
_____________________________
A wee BloodyPulpit:
1. I was not expecting much of these two Zins but they both overdelivered, though both on the downhill side. They should both be drunk up & not going to get any better.
Tom