Tried these as reds last night:
1. EdmundsStJohn Zin NapaVlly "Amaronese" (15 1/2%; www.EdmundsStJohn.com) Emeryville 1988: Med.light color w/ some browning; rather bretty/horsecollarsomewhat cedary/pencilly/oldRed slight ripe/overripe/raspberry complex old Zin nose; soft rather cedary/pencilly/oldZin bit raisened/pruney light raspberry/spicy some dried out/tired complex oldZin flavor w/ light drying tannins; long bit bretty/horsecollar slight raspberry/Zin/earthy fairly cedarry/pencilly/oldZin bit raisened/pruney some dried out/tannic/astringent some bretty/horsecollar finish w/ light drying tannins; rather on the tired side but still some interesting/old Zin character in there; of more intellectual interest than sensual.
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2. Tria Syrah DryCreekVlly (13.5%); V&B by Tria/Oakville 1994: Dark color w/ some bricking; very slight bretty some spicy/Syrah/raspberry/blackberry light toasty/Fr.oak more DCV Zin-like than Syrah bit peppery/complex nose; some tart/tangy slight bretty spicy/DCV raspberry/Zin-like ligh cedary/pencilly/oldZin some toasty/Fr.oak bit complex flavor w/ light tangy tannins; very long rather raspberry/Zin-like/Syrah/spicy some cedary/pencilly/oldZin slight bretty/horsecollar bit tired finish w/ light drying/astringent tannins; speaks more of old DCVlly Zin than Syrah; a bit on the tired side but still some interesting things therein.
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A wee BloodyPulpit:
1. Tria: This was a wnry founded in 1993 by BillKnuttel (and Phil Zorn). Bill was winemaker at Saintsbury/ChalkHill, and at DryCreekVnyd until 2011, which is where I met him. After Tria, he partnered w/ Brad Alper of Ottimino, then using vonWeidlich Zin fruit (which is now EricSussman). He also makes wine under the Knuttel Family Winery label (williamknuttel.com).
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2. EdStJ: This was a wine made down in the up-scale/high-rent part of Emeryville, out back of the OaksCardShop on SanPablo. The Zin grapes probably came from ChesterBrandlin's vnyd, one of Steve's favorite grape sources.
Trick question: What is the error on the material taken from the label above?
Tom