Unfiltered Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel

Something quite magical often happens to Rafanelli Zinfandel after 10+ years of bottle age. I can’t explain it…but these wines begin to take on a more rustic, Old World feel. It’s as if they shift into an overdrive. The fruit is still big, beautiful and pure (no-doubt a testament to their rigorous selection) and yet they can often display a new energy about them which give them remarkable longevity. This bottle is perfectly representative.

Opened to celebrate my daughter’s 14th birthday, the 2009 Rafanelli Zinfandel pours a deep, practically opaque garnet that becomes more turbid the further we delved into the bottle (in typical fashion, this Rafanelli full of sediment). Medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, bright cherry and bramble-like fruits, Asian spices, espresso and some black pepper. I do sense a touch of VA. On the palate, the wine is dry and with medium tannin and medium+ acid. The notes from the nose are confirmed…with a bit of added emphasis, it should be noted. There’s almost a Pop Rocks experience too…with the slightest effervescence pricking the tongue. And again, this is something that I would more expect from a non-interventionalist wine from Italy…certainly not from Sonoma. Hot take here…but this bottle reminded me of something from Paolo Bea (San Valentino) more than anything from Sonoma, let alone California. It’s just so wonderful. The finish is long and delivers minutes of pleasure.

As far as I’m concerned, nobody is making Zinfandel with the soul that Rafanelli does and the proof is in the bottle each and every time. Of course, they are delicious when young but with age, these wines become something else. Drink now with a decant (for sediment only) and through 2034.

Birth year wine for my daughter and since we had some family over and I had a couple bottles of this, I figured it might be fun to check in on it. The cork pulled perfectly with a thick cake of sediment on the end but no sign of creep. The wine pours the deepest of ruby colors, bordering purple. The core is completely utterly opaque with moderate staining of the tears. Medium+ viscosity and there is quite a bit of fine sediment clinging to the side of the glass. High intensity on the nose with an enormous amount of ripe fruits: dark cherries, spices and the most charming kiss of Brett giving it a slightly rustic sort of sensibility while remaining unmistakably New World. This just has Rafanelli’s DNA all over it. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannin (which is fairly well integrated at this point) and medium+ acid. Drop dead gorgeous fruit, some of it desiccated, confirming the dark cherries with some dark brambles mixed in for good measure along with baking spice, leather, and pipe tobacco. A wonderfully long finish and the texture gorgeous, completely enthralling. This vintage is voluptuous, sexy and real. Ready to drink now however it should drink very well over the next 5-10 years. The last glass was full of fine sediment.

Pours Garnet in color. Aromas of menthol and herbs (sage?) Flavors of eucalyptus, black currant, with a hint of light milk chocolate that lingers on my tongue. Followed by an herb finish. There is no pepper in here at all. It is a medium body long finish wine.

Funky, usually loaded with fruit. This bottle had a unusual funk about it. Not appealing at all.. Every once in a while you get a bad bottle. PS we also had a Corked 2001 Caymus Ss, and a completely bad 95 Spottswoode Cab... Still overall 80+ Bottles poured at Eagles/Seattle Tailgate 4:30 Game.. Very cold day.

More pronounced oak than I remember in Rafanelli but still very good.

Wow! Fabulous Zin! Move over Everybody!! Awesome, with our Monday Night wine Group. Twenty two of us tonight!

Drinking one of the wines that got me into wine with the man who got me into wine, my 93 year old grandfather. What’s not to love. Rafanelli’s Zinfandel hold up so well. Will always be my favorite Zin.

Had my doubts at first. Loads of Brett out of the bottle. Totally funky. Recovered a bit with some time. Notes of menthol and dried herbs. Dark cherry and black currant fruit. Unless this was a “bad” bottle, this vintage is on the downside of the hill.

Dried cherries, freshly tanned leather, raspberry preserves on the nose. Hints of Tobacco, strawberries, bing cherries, with a super peppery finish. medium bodied with the perfect amount of acid. Super silky tannins. Graceful finish that hangs around for quite some time. Love all the wines out of Rafanelli.

Revisiting one of my favorite zins and Rafanelli vintages. Cigar box, intense red fruit on the nose. Prunes, Blueberries, little pepper, slightly herbal finish, velvety tannins. Wonderful long finish. I love this wine. Served with some 3lb cowboy ribeyes and gnocchi in a smoked leek cream sauce.