Clear bright garnet with clear edges. Pruny oak, concentrated and flabby, with overt cassis and mineral popping up late-breathing. Incredible weird-ass grimy sweaty funk at first so decanted hard. It’s not helping much, only turning it in the direction of mere dog-urine. A sour acrid alcoholic chemical note interrupts the rest-area shower stall like long-forgotten cleaner.
I knew it was Zinfandel, assumed it was Sonoma, and guessed 2008, and 15-1.
In the mouth whatever obese fruit was crammed into this thing has recently begun its transformation to oxidized muss. The prune is not complete, and it IS drinkable–I could convince myself to tolerate it if I were stupid. Bitter abrasive tannins do their best to fat-shame, but it is an awkward juxtaposition and not balanced in ANY shape or form. If it’s too good to be true… it probably is.
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2008 CHASE Zinfandel Hayne Vineyard St. Helena Napa Valley 15-0


