Bi!! wrote:

> 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.

Northern California had some of the hottest weather in years just before
harvest in 96. Sonoma County was particularly hard hit. Deloach was
making about 12 different Zins then and I think the alcohol range was
between 15.5 and 18. A lot of us had been conditioned to believe that
the yeast were killed by the alcohol at 15.5 and so it was a big
surprise to a lot of us. We the California vintners wrong to sell such
wine? Ask yourself if the Bordeaux vintners would sell wine in a bad
year.

I think Parker fell in love with Ms Turley's Napa Cabernets and just
decided he liked everything she made. High extraction has always been at
the top of his list of desirable traits. Of course the Martinelli
Jackass Hill Zin is also made by Ms Turley. Regardless of what you think
of the wine, she has done wonders for a small Italian family winery in
turning it into one that can command the prices they do for such as the
Jackass Hill.

1997 was a return to more normal climate and turned out to be the best
Zin year in California history to me.
Bill