Alexandre Pagliano

9.2

Very dark purple ink robe, nose of cedar wood, top soil, flowers and cherries, with a touch of spices. Its high octane but light on its feet, less complex than the usual as it has no cabernet franc. Frankly long and very complex, an excellent Evangile, that is very drinkable now but has a lot of potential. A few pros noted the marked wood tannins during the futures tastings, here its well integrated and will probably be better in a few years. — 5 months ago

with Jose, veronique and 1 other

Jay Kline

8.9

Popped and poured. This was a selection from a friend’s cellar and since I just enjoyed a couple bottles of Merlot the other night, I figure we might as well check in on this 2015 from Kenefick Ranch. Popped and poured, the wine pours a deep purple color with an opaque core; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, this smells like a big wine. Developing, with powerful notes of plums, blackberries, purple flowers, vanilla and baking spices. On the palate, this tastes like a big wine. Dry with medium tannins and medium(+?) acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+. This is a high alcohol, high octane version of Merlot. Drink now and through 2030. — 2 years ago

Brendan Devine

9.5

High octane Zin, not messing around. — 4 years ago

Carter White

9.5

A high octane flavor bomb. Lush dark fruit, earth, dusty, scorched minerality, clove, coffee. Powerful, concentrated, lively, and long. Nice grip, tempered by age, probably a beast in its youth. — 4 years ago

Aaron Tan

8.9

Once again, I would say this was a less than ideal showing of Kai's 16' Marion's Vineyard - be it storage or for some unknown reason, I felt the fruit should have been more vibrant especially in such a young wine. Anyhow, assessing it as it was, the wine was ripe, spicy, woody, and earthy. It sort of veered towards a Syrah, and finishes with a lick of old-world savoriness. Safe to say I wasn't a fan of the flavours this pino carried (in particular, that marmalade character I find in a lot of warmer climate pino), but the texture's a different story. Mouth-filling (probably courtesy of the high octane value too - 14) and plush, with fine tannins and crisp acidity. Definitely does bring about a sort of elegance. Likely a good pino in most cases, but just not for me. — 7 years ago

Shay A

9.4

BBQ & Zin night!

The most decadent of the zins tonight. It was high octane without being overboard. It was full bodied without being flabby. Ripe black and blue fruits in the nose with sandalwood and a baked cherry pie & toasted oak finish. Light on the pepper/spice. Drinking great now with plenty of life ahead. — 7 years ago

with Dan, Clare and 1 other

Freddy R. Troya

9.4

Outpost – Zinfandel – 2023
Howell Mountain, Napa Valley, California, USA 🇺🇸

Overview
A powerhouse Zinfandel from the rugged slopes of Howell Mountain. At 16.1% ABV, this wine blurs the line between classic Zin and fortified intensity, bold, muscular, and unapologetically impactful. Rare to find Zinfandel from Howell Mountain, and it shows the terroir’s distinctive stamp.

Aromas & Flavors
Jammy blackberry, black plum, and spiced cherry compote, layered with peppercorn, tobacco leaf, and cocoa nibs. Notes of fig and raisin round out the darker, concentrated fruit profile.

Mouthfeel
Full-throttle and mouth-coating. Explosive fruit upfront followed by fiery spice and dense tannins. Despite its muscle, the wine pulls through with a surprisingly hearty and lasting finish.

Food Pairings
Best with equally bold cuisine: barbecue brisket, lamb shanks, wild boar stew, or intensely spiced dishes. Could also shine next to aged blue cheese.

Verdict
A monster Zin, unapologetic, high-octane, and unforgettable. Not for the faint of heart, but for those who embrace big wines, it delivers a rare and compelling experience.

Did You Know?
Howell Mountain’s volcanic soils and high elevation are usually Cabernet Sauvignon country. Outpost’s decision to plant Zinfandel here makes this bottling one of Napa’s rare mountain Zins, combining Zin’s natural exuberance with Howell’s signature intensity. — 8 months ago

Vanessa

9.1

This is a medium ruby wine with medium(+) intensity of ripe plum, prune, red currant, black cherry, violet, anise seed, nutmeg, cardamom, clove, leather, and forest floor notes.

Tannins are ripe, fine-grained, and well-integrated. Alcohol is high!!! 16% ABV.

This is a ripe, full-bodied, and high octane wine that has great potential for further aging. I’m excited to revisit down the road.

Clos Saint Jean Vieilles Vignes Châteauneuf-du-Pape Rouge (2019) — 3 years ago

with Deked1

Carter White

9.1

Fruit forward, cherries and strawberries, high octane tannins and acid, but all in balance and paired wonderfully with rich wagyu and seafood stew. — 4 years ago

Matt Duncan

9.3

Impressed by the showing for the 03. Expected it to be high octane and lacking finesse. The aroma proved me wrong, as measured herbal notes came through. Attack is certainly ripe but oak seems to meet it quite well. — 5 years ago

ESF

9.3

Just wowza: recall drinking this stuff back in mid-90s and it seems like they are one of the few classic Zins still cranking out outstandingly priced vino... this stuff was dense & fairly hi octane - shy nose until well over hour of decant, then strutted sublime full spectrum red fruit culminating in a sweet spiced raspberry / rhubarb pie w/vanillin accents. Suave viscous saturated extracted but never cloying, absolute stunning execution w/very long life ahead. — 7 years ago

Bill Bender

9.4

Silky smooth high octane beast. — 7 years ago

Shay A

9.4

Wow! High octane, but at the same time, balanced. Red, blue and black fruit on the nose. Violet too. Nutmeg and some cocoa dusted bay leaf. Palate is young. Licorice and cassis. Blueberry driven finish that is both powerful and refined at the same time. Plenty of time ahead for this. — 8 years ago

with Dan

Erica Gamble

9.1

Dry leaves, nutmeg on the nose. Not overly fruit forward, really nicely balanced when it opened up. Also appreciate the lower octane at 13%. We can drink a second bottle. 😉 — a year ago

Ron R

9.3

The past just washed into the present. This is totally whole-grain. Sexy and pure high-octane fuel, even though it was born during a lousy vintage. — 2 years ago

with Anne-marie

Vanessa

9.0

La Cabotte, Massif d’Uchaux, Cuvée Gabriel 15% ABV (2020).

Robust notes of black cherry, plum, fresh fig, kirsch, also vegetal, stone, fennel, peat moss, forest floor, and meat notes.

Biodynamic and Organic. A southern Rhône, Grenache blend - a Côtes du Rhône Villages.

Very delish!! The high octane/alcohol nature is well-integrated with the powerful aromas and flavors and soft tannins.
— 4 years ago

with Deked1

Carter White

9.2

Complex and high octane. Juicy red fruit, fresh hot tar, leather, menthol, hints of floral and orange peel on the finish. Ripping, aromatic, and long with grippy, rustic tannins. — 4 years ago

Martin Bergo

9.2

Take a typical good-quality PN and amplify everything from color, nose, mouthfeel, structure, and length - and you get to this wine from Rocky Point, a steep hill above a lake in central Otago. Color is deep violet; nose is high-octane black fruits (mulberry) and ripe cran- and strawberries, and minerality and a sweet herbaciousness; taste is full bodied with round tannins, dense fruit, medium-high aclohol, rubber and spice. And all well balanced. Would love to try in 3-5y. — 6 years ago

Chip Hughes

9.3

Tastes great; less filling. Once again, it’s the confident, relaxed and precise benchmark for what all Catalan reds should be, combining an almost ferrous minerality with a pure expression of Grenache and Carignan that walks the line between reductive and oxidative. And once again, far too many of us will fall for the high-octane, vaguely-Rhônish, Prisonerized, nondescript slop that seems to be all the rage. — 7 years ago

Rudi Sanchez-Colberg

9.2

High octane! But very good. Still has room to go... — 8 years ago