k

8.9

Lush mouth feel. Softness paired with decent acidity. Notes of blueberry mid-palate. Bottle says red fruits, cherry and black raspberry. — 2 months ago

Jay Kline

9.4

Something quite magical often happens to Rafanelli Zinfandel after 10+ years of bottle age. I can’t explain it…but these wines begin to take on a more rustic, Old World feel. It’s as if they shift into an overdrive. The fruit is still big, beautiful and pure (no-doubt a testament to their rigorous selection) and yet they can often display a new energy about them which give them remarkable longevity. This bottle is perfectly representative.

Opened to celebrate my daughter’s 14th birthday, the 2009 Rafanelli Zinfandel pours a deep, practically opaque garnet that becomes more turbid the further we delved into the bottle (in typical fashion, this Rafanelli full of sediment). Medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, bright cherry and bramble-like fruits, Asian spices, espresso and some black pepper. I do sense a touch of VA. On the palate, the wine is dry and with medium tannin and medium+ acid. The notes from the nose are confirmed…with a bit of added emphasis, it should be noted. There’s almost a Pop Rocks experience too…with the slightest effervescence pricking the tongue. And again, this is something that I would more expect from a non-interventionalist wine from Italy…certainly not from Sonoma. Hot take here…but this bottle reminded me of something from Paolo Bea (San Valentino) more than anything from Sonoma, let alone California. It’s just so wonderful. The finish is long and delivers minutes of pleasure.

As far as I’m concerned, nobody is making Zinfandel with the soul that Rafanelli does and the proof is in the bottle each and every time. Of course, they are delicious when young but with age, these wines become something else. Drink now with a decant (for sediment only) and through 2034. — 3 years ago

Denise Espinoza

9.0

#Wine Beautiful floral delicate aroma. A breath of spring with a lovely taste of raspberries and grapefruit. Lightly acidic and just perfectly crisp for these hot summer days.

#Pairing Pizza! Though, I think this would be a great match for roasted chicken.

— 5 years ago

Weijie Shi (Jay)

9.1

Hot vintage. Overripe red tree berries, smoked meat and a hint of Provencal herbs. A bit lack of structure. — 7 years ago

Brian S

9.0

Opened up as it started to get cooler, a slight funk from the ribbola. Very nice for a hot day and pizza. — 8 years ago

Geoff Troup

Sales Eder Brothers, Cellar Fine Wines

9.0

The most generously fruity of Ridge Zins. Black berry and stewed fruit in the front, young and opulent at first compared to their other wines. More resolved and firm in the back with a near perfect juxtaposition of acidity and tannin. White pepper in the finish. A bit hot and jumpy at this time. Great potential but needs some softening time still. — 8 years ago

mike cust

9.4

Crisp delicious, drink on a hot day chilled. Buy more — 2 months ago

Paco Suro

9.0

A bit hot but still really good. Didn’t last to day 2. — a year ago

Jonathan Wall

9.1

2003. Last bottle was 3 years ago, and this one I liked better. Starts out austere with evidence of a difficult hot year. But after hours in the decanter it cycled thru some almost port like caramelized tapenades and ended the evening with a somewhat strange but delicious red crème brûlée thing. So if you have one… I suggest patience thru the awkward opening hours to get to the awkward good part. Cheers. — 5 years ago

Brett Francis

9.0

This was really excellent, smooth, light delicate with hints of strawberry and citrus on an incredibly hot day. Enjoyed by all. — 5 years ago

B

10

1990 Chateau Rayas Syrah. Decanted 1 hr before serving and it needed every minute of it. Light in color, but rich in flavor. Continued to open up throughout dinner. Initial taste upon opening bottle was iffy: we thought it tasted “hot” and might have been improperly stored at some point. However, as the wine evolved in the decanted, this unpleasant thin and hot feel at the end went away. Roses, black plum, strawberry, licorice, black olives. K picked up more of the fruit. I picked up more of the salty notes. Delicious! — 6 years ago

Will Patterson

9.2

Still youthful, rich but with some nuance of age. A bit hot but has structure and some bitterness that adds complexity. — 8 years ago

E & K G

9.1

Really enjoyed this bottle and it showed its versatility with various soups/sauces at our favorite hot pot BYOB place in Hawaii. Lamb, beef, sesame sauce, miso sauce, spicy soups. It works with everything. #wheninamerica #drinknapa — 9 years ago

Carter White

8.9

Opulent fruit, a little hot — 7 months ago

Conrad Green

9.4

Violets and hot dark cherry. High in alcohol but balanced and delicious. Long and intense. — a year ago

Devin Bostick

9.1

Leather plum cherry etc, body hung but not jarring and not hot but acids there, berries — 5 years ago

Brandon Boesch

9.4

This is the rainbow Syrah. Outstanding carbonic Syrah. I think it shows that SB Syrah has way more to offer than some of the Pinot. Blueberry, cranberry, forest, rocks, a bit of herbs/spice, but the acidity really shines. Loving this new winery inside a winery. Definitely better than standard stolpman wines. — 5 years ago

Denise Witman

9.5

Lite with slight fizz, perfect with spicy dishes and for a hot summer day. — 6 years ago

Diego Flores

9.4

Very good, though wish I’d opened this sooner—not fruit forward as I’d prefer. Still, great fleshy red and black fruit, a real beauty. Fair warning: this one’s fairly hot (15.8%) but doesn’t taste it at all. — 8 years ago

Amanda Ott

9.5

Wonderfully crisp green apple and grapefruit with delicate floral notes. Perfect chilled on a hot summer day. Easy drinkin. — 8 years ago