pavane wrote:
> > wrote in message
> oups.com...
>
> > I attended a retailer sponsored sit down Zinfandel wine tasting. I
was
> > very disappointed. Almost all the wines were overripe and extremely
> > alcoholic. I didn't rate most of them, because I just don't like
> > this style of Zin.
> > .......
> > When exactly did California wine makers decide this was the style
of
> > Zin that consumers want?
> > .......
>
> (To the tune of The Mickey Mouse Club...
> P-A R K-E R That's the stuff that sells!)
>
> pavane

My first recollection of Zin's becoming ultra-ripe and over the top was
when I first tasted a 1996 Turley Hayne Vineyard Zin that was quite
saturated and sweet with a very Port like structure. I just checked
and Parker gave that wine 97 points with most of Turley's Zin's
recieving scores in the mid to high 90's so I agree with Pavane's
comments. Since that time I've tasted scores of over the top zinfandel
with the 1998 Martinelli Jackass Hill Zin (Parker 97 points) being at
the top of the monstrosity scale at a whopping 17% alcohol and the
consistancy of cough syrup. FWIW, Parker raves about Martinelli
zinfandel's placing them at the top of all producers. I have seen a
shift back towards more reasonable zinfandel in the last few years with
a more traditional style.