In this forum, in 1998, M.S Brenton had this to say about your 1997 Estate Zin: “the wine was somewhat chilled when we popped the cork, and it initially offered only a reluctant bouquet. However this brilliant ruby beauty opened as it warmed, offering intensely sweet fruit, but obviously not because of residual sugar. Oak was well in the background and the full flavored fruit was well balanced with the fine integrated tannins, followed by a lingering finish. This fruit driven wine is ready to go, but given its youth one still wonders whether the best is yet to come.”
The best has come. My wife, Heidi, and I opened a bottle of this 1997
Zin with our grilled steaks and potatoes and, IMHO, it is has arrived.
Pouring this zin into a glass shows the “ruby “ gem that Brenton described…it
is not crimson, but darker than a claret, lighter than a cab (it’s not
black). The nose is like any typical zin. However, once tasted the wisdom
of the blend (75% zin, 11% carrignane, petite sirah, and 6% cab) creates
a very food-friendly zin (somewhat of a rarity in my experience)…as Brenton
tasted, it offers a non-sugar sweet fruit, but very light tannins (drink
it now or by 2005). It is no longer fruit-driven but there is complex
fruit taste that frankly I can’t describe. I didn’t detect the oak,
but the finish is just wonderful…a mouthful…cherries and the sun, the moon,
and the stars. Get your hands on some of this and enjoy. I know some feel
that 5 years is “old” for a zin…but not this one. Nice job Dave…this has
turned out to be a very nice bottle of wine.
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1997 Estate Zinfandel
Edward Groves, September 30, 2002