Mezcolanza Zinfandel Blend

This winery’s Zins age beautifully. Color is still youthful. Complex nose shows earthy dark berry fruit, spice, sandalwood. Almost Bordeaux-like in the mouth. Dry, savory, some spicy blackberry fruit, and a minerally finish. Dry, with nice acids.

Still fresh and great with Osso Buco.

As far as I’m concerned, these School House Mescolanzas are like, the anti-Napa Zinfandel. They are just so different from anything else out there. Until they get close to 10 years from vintage, they are backward; lean, green and mean. But if one has the patience, they eventually become quite charming. For this bottle, I did not follow my own advice.

Popped and poured, consumed over four days. On Day 1, this was completely coiled and the oak seemed a bit out of balance. I finished my glass and placed the cork back in the neck of the bottle. I checked in for a small taste on Day 2 and 3. By Day 4, it had opened enough to really enjoy. The 2016 School House “Mescolanza” Zinfandel Blend pours a deep ruby color with a near opaque core. Medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. There appears too be some very faint signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is developing. Expressive of dark bramble fruits, stone minerals, and baking spices. On the palate the wine is dry with medium(+?) tannins and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes on the nose. The finish is medium(+). This has all of the trappings for very nice expression of this wine but it’s a little young to my taste. Best after 2025 and these will drink well through 2037…and possibly longer.

Drinking well - still fruit driven, but with a pleasant stewy quality. Kalamata olives, dark Cherry cola and and herbaceous leaves. A treat!

Truncated family party notes. Absolutely delicious. Still got the ripe Zin fruit but savory and crushed stone notes abound. Everything in balance. Only 13.6%.

07 vintage. It’s in its peak so drink now. Delicious. Leathery tannins, forest floor, wet logs, black pepper.

A most beautiful ethereal Zinfandel that hearkens back to the old Napa Zins back in the 60s and 70s. A mixed black field blend of Zinfandel, Carignan, Petit Sirah. Vines were first planted in 1895, 1995 was the first vineyard (as John O didn’t care for any grapes other than Pinot Noir…) Barrels passed from from the Pinot Noir program. Aged for 18 months. Medium concentration. Pale bright ruby. Red crunchy cherry, white pepper, bread dough, blueberry pie, cedar, pencil shaving, hints of stony characters. Elevated acidity and medium-grained tannins. Med++ finish. I love how light it is on its feet and I would have never called it a Zinfandel if given in a blind tasting.

Brought to Tasting Group from my cellar and presented to the group double-blind. The wine presents a deep ruby color with moderate staining of the tears. Medium viscosity. On the nose, notes of strawberry, cherry candy, watermelon juice, menthol, green herbs oregano thyme, and cedar. On the palate, the wine is dry and structure is medium+ across the board. The finish is long, tart, mineral and woody but not in a new oak sort of way. Everyone was in the Old World with guesses ranging from Burgundy to Rioja. To be fair, not many in Napa makes Zinfandel like this anymore…if any at all. Lovely stuff.

I had this recently so I won’t do the full Monty on the notes, but damn this old school Zin is good!

Watchin’ the Celts and drinking a decidedly old school Zin. Only 13.2%, the grapes originate from rocky mountain terroir. Classic Zin nose of brambly, inky blackberry, and cracked rock minerality. In the mouth is where it diverges from most current-day fruit bomb Zins. It’s relatively lean, with noticeable dynamic structure and great acids. The fruit is there, but it doesn’t smother other aspects of the wine. Retro in the best way. This would absolutely strut with tagliatelle in bolognese or papardelle with duck sauce.