Tasted these two last night:
1. Zutina Superstitions Bibich (12%; 100% Debit grape; 20 days maceration; Aged: 6 mo. in American oak) Bibich/Croatia 2024:
Deep golden/orange color; strong very resiny/phenolic/VM very slight floral rather unattractive nose; soft very resinous/VM/phenolic very little fruit bit earthy/chalky flavor w/ some tannic bite; med.short very resinous/phenolic funattractive that tracks flavor; a rather unattractive orange dominated by the VM/phenolic character; may age into something attractive in 10yrs but its a gamble.
$30.00 (SFW&S)
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2. Scar of the Sea Zin LopezVnyd/CucamongaVlly (12.8%; Plntd: 1918, dry farmed; www.ScarOfTheSeaWines.com) 2023: Med.light color; strong earthy/loamy/mushroomy hot-climate Zin that lacks any high-toned Zin character; classic Cucamonga hot-climate nose; bit dusty/OV soft/mushy/soupy very earthy/loamy little Zin fruit rather coarse/hot-climate Zin flavor w/ very light/soft tannins; a pretty classic hot-climate Cucamonga Zin; not very interesting & would like more high-toned Zin fruit; way overpriced. $36.00 (SFW&S)
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More scarfle from TheBloodyPulpit:
1. Zutina is the Croatian word for orange wine. Debit is a grape grown primarily on the Dalmatian coast of Croatia. This wine was totally dominated by the phenolic/VM character but has it warmed up in the glass the nose started to develop some pleasant (but just that) floral character but still dominated by the phenolic character on the palate. The next morning, again at room temperature, the floral character became stronger. But it still remained a rather ugly orange wine.
Scar of the Sea is a SLO Coast winery operated by Mikey & Gina Giugni. They own the Bassi Vnyd from which a number of Syrahs have come that I liked. Their wines are all natural wines. This Zin did not show a lot of natty character, but just suffered from very hot-climate grapes. A number of folks have made Zin from the very old Lopez Vnyd. I've never had on I much cared for. Dominated by the hot-climate Cucamonga growing conditions. It's a beautiful Old-Vine vnyd but people continue to seem to think that they can make a silk-purse out of a sow's ear.
Tom