Despite what you think of the current ownership–and marketing–I have been visiting De Loach for several decades and this is GREAT Zinfandel. It brings up all the perfect possibilities of the variety in a package streamlined and beautiful to drink. Smoky and rich in the nose, a glass-feel not bricking at 10 nor horrendously leggy, even at 15-oh it exudes all the kinds of things we NEED from zinfandel. RRV makes a distinctly different zin than DCV–though related–and these bottom lands bring forth such gorgeous things from the grape. In the mouth, it’s all bitter, acidic and still lush–as zin SHOULD be–redwood-lined rivers of easy vineyard lining the glass with blackberry, anise-trimmed fruit sharp and compelling while dank funk rules a cellar-floor patina. I feel these sort of Zinfandels are a dying breed, while Paso and the rest vie for absolute alcoholic domination and stupid concentration for the 99. But these are the real dealio and I am grateful someone still makes these.

2014 DE LOACH Zinfandel Russian River Valley Sonoma County 15.0