2022 Hendry Primitivo 75cl 15% ABV
Blocks 10 & 24
USA, California, Napa Valley AVA
Aged 15 months in French oak barrels (approximately one-third of which were new)
Varietal: Primitivo
833 cases



Color: ruby.
Nose: tomato greenhouse, cherries, cloves, mandarins, bay leaves, leather, pencil shavings, vanilla, red pepper flakes, wet stone.
Taste: raspberries, cherries, plums, chocolate, barberry tang, mint. Moderate tannins and very good acidity (T.A.: 6.6 g/L).
Finish: barberry tang, raspberries, cherries, blueberries, apricots, tannins, cocoa.
Score: 9. Between good and excellent. +2+2+2.

Conclusion: a lovely wine! 91/100, somewhere between their two previous harvests (2020 and 2021).

2010 Château Musar Red 75cl 13.5% ABV
Lebanon, Bekaa valley
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan, Cinsault
Aged for 12 months in French Nevers oak barrels



Color: dark cherry.
Nose: stable, leather, nail polish, lots of cherry, overripe plums and figs, cedar, dried blueberries, baked apples, pencil lead, tomato greenhouse, tobacco, cloves, cinnamon, and allspice.
Taste: sour cherries, plums, strawberries, blackberries, chocolate, pepper, tea, olives, a hint of lingonberries, and dogwood cherries. Beautifully ripe tannins and excellent acidity!
Finish: cherries, plums, pepper, chocolate, blackberries, apples, a touch of salt, and lime zest.
Score: 9 ½. Excellent. +3+3+2.

Conclusion: wow, a fantastic red Musar! 2010 was a year to remember in Lebanese wine-making history. Despite significant losses in the grape harvest, the remaining juice matured into something exceptional, as is clearly evident 15 years later. Decanted for 4 hours. 96/100.

2020 Hendry "Block 15" Petit Verdot 75cl 14.2% ABV
USA, California, Napa Valley AVA
Aged 15 months in French oak barrels (approximately 55% of which were new)
Varietal: Petit Verdot
400 cases

Color: dark purple.
Nose: blueberries, plums, lilac, prunes, cocoa, almond, apricots, vanilla, pepper, leather, resin, cedar, and a hint of oregano. Delicately fruity.
Taste: chocolate, coffee, cherries, plums, powerful chalky tannins, lemon zest, and green olives. Velvety, with plush texture, decent acidity and impressive astringency.
Finish: dark chocolate, cocoa, plums, cherries, tannins, lemon zest, and redcurrants.
Score: 9. Between good and excellent. +2+2+2.

Conclusion: a great wine. I'd love a bit more acidity, even though the T.A. is 6.1 here, which is actually quite good, and the astringency, combined with the chocolate and coffee notes, makes it wonderfully chewy. Petit Verdot grapes have very thick skins, which explains the high tannins and deep color in the wines made from them.

My 10th Hendry wine described. This southern Napa winery is a gem!

2019 Turley "Ueberroth Vineyard" Zinfandel 75cl 15.9% ABV
USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles AVA
Varietal: Zinfandel
Aging: 15 months in oak barrels (80% French, 20% American; 80% used, 20% new)



Color: garnet ruby.
Nose: raspberries, mint, raisins, plums, wet stone, tobacco, mandarins, cedar nuts, black currants, ground pink pepper, and a hint of butter.
Taste: raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, plums, tannins, mandarins, licorice, and pepper. Rounded, with excellent acidity balanced by sweetness.
Finish: raspberries, blueberries, mandarins, plums, pepper, tannins, licorice, and lingonberries.
Score: 9. Between good and excellent. +2+2+2.

Conclusion: this vintage is also very good — kind of a plum-mandarin-berry profile. It seems to me that, compared to the 2018 harvest, the aroma here is a bit weaker, but the sweetness on the palate is slightly higher. Still, I'm giving a bonus point for the aroma. 91/100.

2021 Malm Cellars "Harris Kratka Vineyard" Zinfandel 75cl 14.9% ABV
USA, California, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley AVA
Varietal: Zinfandel

Color: deep ruby.
Nose: black currants, cedar nuts, mint, eucalyptus, vanilla, freshly ground pepper, hibiscus tea, nail polish remover, raspberries, leather, cloves, melon, apricots, and a hint of fried bacon. Quite vibrant.
Taste: chocolate, pronounced tannins, tart cherries, blueberries, black chokeberries, pepper, orange zest, and licorice.
Finish: cranberries, strawberries, cocoa, noticeable pepper, tannins, sweet cherry cola, tea, red currants, and licorice. Somewhat inconsistent, lacking balance between sweetness and acidity.
Score: 8 ¾. Better than good. +2+2+1.

Conclusion: a recognizable and highly enjoyable Zin from Malm Cellars, though this time with a somewhat disappointing finish that could potentially improve with time. 88/100. Recently had the 2019 vintage, which was a bit better. Haven’t come across Malm’s 2020 Zinfandel yet; that year, wildfires raged particularly fiercely in Northern California, rendering many wines smoke-tainted and unsellable. Not sure if their vineyards were affected.

2019 Williams Selyem "Bacigalupi Vineyard" Zinfandel 75cl 15.1% ABV
USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley AVA
Varietal: Zinfandel
Barrel aged for 14 months (26% new oak, 26% one year old, 26% two years old, 22% three plus years old)

Color: purple.
Nose: cedar nuts, hazelnuts, anise, vanilla, blueberries, leather, pepper, plums, blackberries, lemon zest, tomato leaf. Over time, lacquer appears.
Taste: plums, strawberries, chocolate, cherries, red currants, pepper, mint. Ripe tannins, bright acidity (pH: 3.47, T.A.: 6.1 g/L), excellent balance.
Finish: chocolate, cherries, raspberries, tannins, cranberries, a hint of salt, pepper.
Score: 9 ¼. Nearly excellent. +2+3+2.

Conclusion: gorgeous Zinfandel with extra nuttiness on the nose and an amazing taste. This wine is close to its peak — drink now or hold for a couple more years. 93/100.

2019 Malm Cellars "Harris Kratka Vineyard" Zinfandel 75cl 14.9% ABV
USA, California, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley AVA
Varietal: Zinfandel

Color: deep ruby.
Nose: eucalyptus, vanilla, cedar nuts, a hint of nail polish remover, raspberries, blueberries, chocolate, cherry cola, black currants, cloves, apricot compote, figs, leather, and black peppercorns. Bold and expressive, with a touch of funk adding an intriguing edge.
Taste: ripe tannins, mint chocolate, cherries, black chokeberries, pepper, licorice, black tea, and plums of varying ripeness. The acidity is subtle, yet the delicate sweetness feels perfectly integrated. And the tannins are nothing short of exceptional.
Finish: cocoa, pepper, cranberries, orange zest, dark chocolate, licorice, tannins, and oak.
Score: 9. Between good and excellent. +2+2+2.

Conclusion: without a doubt, my favorite Zinfandel under $20. I discovered it three years ago, and it continues to impress. While I usually lean toward wines with brighter acidity, this one shines in its own way. Always ready to stock up on this Zin!

2023 Seghesio Family Vineyards Zinfandel Blend 75cl 15% ABV
USA, California (82% Sonoma County, 10% San Joaquin County, 8% Contra Costa County)
Varietal: 91% Zinfandel, 5% Petite Sirah, 1% Syrah, and 3% Mixed Reds

Color: dark cherry.
Nose: cedar nuts, raspberries, wild strawberries, plums, resin, pepper, vanilla, blueberries, wet stone, and creamy undertones.
Taste: plums, cherries, pepper, red currants, licorice, and firm tannins.
Finish: plums, strawberries, pepper, tannins, red currants, and chocolate.
Score: 8 ¾. Better than good. +2+2+1.

Conclusion: a well-known, budget-friendly entry-level Zinfandel, available at Costco for $18.39 per bottle before fees and taxes. A straightforward, youthful wine, ideal for everyday enjoyment with food. It has decent acidity (pH: 3.78, T.A.: 6.1 g/L) and offers solid value for the price. 87/100.

P.S. In wholesale distribution, this Zinfandel is sold under the Angela's Table label and occasionally appears on restaurant menus.

P.P.S. I don’t recall Seghesio ever sourcing their "blue cap" Zinfandel from outside Sonoma County before. The 2023 vintage is no longer a true Sonoma Zin — a surprising development.

2022 Ridge "Lytton Springs 50th Anniversary" Zinfandel Blend 75cl 14.4% ABV
USA, California, Sonoma County, Dry Creek Valley AVA
Виноград: Zinfandel (67%), Petite Sirah (19%), Carignane (11%), Alicante Bouschet (3%)
Aged 16 months in American oak barrels (17% new, 3% one year old, 10% two years old, 10% three years old, and 60% five-plus years old)



Цвет: вишнёвый.
Аромат: ежевика, кожа, стойло, вишня, чёрный перец, лакрица, табак, укроп, шалфей, эвкалипт, лавровый лист, ваниль, какао.
Вкус: вишня, сливы, красная смородина, черника, перец, шоколад, выразительные танины, цедра лайма. Классная кислотность!
Послевкусие: черника, сливы, перец, лакрица, красная смородина, танины, брусничный морс.
Оценка: 9. Между хорошо и отлично. +2+2+2.

Вывод: яркое, сбалансированное вино с отменной кислотностью (pH: 3.63, T.A.: 6.60 g/L). Ну вот оно уже по $40 за бутылку, то есть не "на каждый день", а скорее "по выходным". Зин доминирует, хотя купаж на треть состоит из других сортов. 91/100. Зинфандели Ridge продолжают радовать, впрочем, в моём персональном рейтинге они уступают винам Carlisle и Turley (про Martinelli не забыл, но там совсем мала выборка).

2019 Handley "Kazmet Vineyard" Zinfandel Blend 75cl 15.2% ABV
USA, California, North Coast, Redwood Valley AVA
Виноград: Zinfandel (90%), Petite Sirah (10%)

Цвет: тёмно-фиолетовый.
Аромат: малина, вишня, сушёная черника, чёрная смородина, душистый чёрный перец, розовые лепестки, эвкалипт, кожа, горелая спичка, ветчина прошутто.
Вкус: вишня, джем из чёрной смородины, спелые сливы, ежевика, не слишком выразительные танины, кофе, брусничный морс. Весьма округлый, но при этом очень концентрированно-ягодный, не хватает кислотности, при этом ещё и немного горчащий.
Послевкусие: вишня, кофе, шоколад, сливы, ежевика, танины.
Оценка: 8 ½. Хорошо. +2+1+1.

Вывод: не по душе мне такой вкус, предпочитаю зины с более яркой кислотностью. Аромат несколько выправляет общую оценку. Не смог найти в сети технических характеристик вина, предположу, что total acidity тут не на высоте. Этого урожая вообще нет нигде, кроме Костко, где его продают по скидочной цене в $12 за бутылку, что очень здорово, конечно. Состав вина не раскрывается, про пару других розливов сообщают, что это были купажи зина и пти сира, будем пока считать, что и в 2019-м случилось так же.