Elyse
Napa Valley, California
Rutherford
Morisoli Vineyard
Zinfandel
2010
$23.99
14.5%
Not much purple in the core, mostly black, very wide brick red to rust red rims, despite the nice clarity the hues suggest a wine even older than it is. Deeply layered nose of raisin, date to blackberry, cherry jam, extremely sugary, the menthol notes manage to lift before the buttered bread and butterscotch oak notes glue things to your nostrils, spicy and can at times reach peppery. Full-bodied without seeming fat, has sufficient structure and pacing to move steadily through the palate. No doubt this is a concentrated and fruity wine in the old school vernacular. Prune/plum, cherry compote, blackberry jam and a swipe of green apple mixed with milk chocolate, caramel and buttery toast. Any eucalyptus, menthol or floral shades get swallowed up quickly. Can only imagine how full throttle it was in its infancy.
88 points