TN: Two 17-year olds for our Chanukah Party

[zin1953]

1991 Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard Merlot (California): This wine was produced from a blend of 91 percent Merlot from the JanKris Vineyard in Paso Robles, with eight percent Cabernet Sauvignon and one percent Cabernet Franc from Bates Ranch in the Santa Cruz Mtns.; again, decanted off the sediment immediately upon opening. Garnet shading to some bricking at the rim; here, too, the bouquet was somewhat more vinous that specifically Merlot, but there were soft plums, cherries, leather, oak, and more; on the palate, the wine was fully mature yet not tired, with good flavors and a moderately long finish. Very good. (12.5% abv)

1991 Storrs Zinfandel, Beauregard Ranch (Ben Lomond Mountain AVA, Santa Cruz Mountains, California): Dark ruby-garnet color, clean and clear after decanting; at 17 years of age, this wine still shouts Zinfandel in both the bouquet and palate, filled with ollalieberries, boysenberries, black raspberries, spice, and more, accented with moderate oak, sweet cream and vanilla; on the palate, this wine is medium-full bodied, packed with generous, ripe fruits, spice and oak, layered and complex, with a mouth-filling richness that remains balanced and focused, with good acidity, fine tannins and a long, lingering finish. Excellent! (13.7% abv.)

Cheers,
Jason

[whiner]

Thanks for the TNs!

[ibstatguy]

not familiar with either of these but I sure took note of the 12.5 %! Curious though about it being "Santa Cruz Mtn" while 91% of the wine is from Paso grapes.

[zin1953]

Huh???

Vintage: 1991
Winery: Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard
Varietal: Merlot
Vineyard Designation: <none>
Appellation: California

Now, it just so happens that the back label indicates the wine is produced from 91 percent Merlot from the JanKris Vineyard in Paso Robles; and 8 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, along with 1 percent Cab Franc -- both from the Bates Ranch vineyard in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

* * * * *

Vintage: 1991
Winery: Storrs Winery
Varietal: Zinfandel
Vineyard Designation: Beauregard Ranch
Appellation: Ben Lomond Mountain AVA

This wine happens to be 100 percent Zinfandel, 100 percent from the Beauregard Ranch vineyard, located in the Ben Lomond Mountain AVA -- which is completely located within the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA (in the same way that, for example, the Stag's Leap District AVA is completely within the Napa Valley AVA).

[ibstatguy]

shoulda had a handy dandy AVA map; just couldn't picture Paso in Santa Cruz!

[zin1953]

It's not, obviously, but it also doesn't matter: the appellation of the wine is "California."

[vickib]

Jason,
I must say, sounds like you had quite a wonderful Chanukah party! Much more "structured," it sounds, than our rowdy latke cookoff! (J. Laurens Limoux for the fried stuff)

Vicki

[zin1953]

Well, on the food side, there was lots of brisket and latkes, French cheeses, a variety of salads, and lots of desserts . . . yum! ;^)