Gary Farrell Zinfandel Maffei Vineyard

Retail $50. Under cork. 100% Zinfandel. It has been a whopping *decade* since I last tried this wine and I have to say it is even better than I remember it (although my "memory" is 100% based on my CT tasting note). Dark in the glass with oodles of fruit, still, nearly a dozen years after harvest. Mostly blackberry and plum but also cassis and black cherry. Plenty of spice along with all of that fruit, too: black pepper, clove, …

Rather ordinary. Smooth easy drinking Zin but lacking the fruit and spice that would distinguish the wine.

Blackberry notes, very good fruit. Would definitely recommend. Tried at winery and brought some back.

Nice body, not terribly rich or brambly flavored, but good. Went well with lamb chops. Needs a little more time in bottle, but will be fine in a year or so.

A very smooth tasting Zinfandel.

Really happy with this wine. Rich ripe fruit balanced with tannins. Great with rich food, but very drinkable on its own. Not a lot of spice, but rich cherry and dark fruit comes through.

Clear, deep garnet. Cinnamon, clove, red cherry. Medium low acids, medium tannins. Dates, figs. Medium balanced finish

I have been a fan of Gary Farrell for a while now, but I have been limited almost exclusively to their Pinot (and an occasional Chard), so I was excited to see these Zins show up. The first we tried was the 2011 Gary Farrell Maffei Vineyard Zinfandel Russian River Valley (Retail $48). This is a new bottling for Gary Farrell and I certainly hope it is not the last! The Maffei is dark and viscous., with just a bit …