1997 Zabaco Rancho Zin!!!!

[Drew]

Very dark garnet color, darker than most, a ripe and plush zin with very ripe upfront fruit. Most enjoyable for $9.99 a bottle with 14.5% alcohol. Get some now!!!!

Drew

[mrdutton]

Sounds like a nice, big Zin to me......

I'll add that to my list of wanna try's.

[Bucko]

Here is my note on the wine. The price and alcohol do not match, maybe a different appellation?:

1997 Rancho Zabaco, Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley, $16, 14,622 cases. Bright, jammy red and black fruits help to support the whopping 15.5% alcohol. American oak flavors blend harmoniously. Drink sooner than later before the wine becomes hot as the fruit drops out. Tasty.

[Randy Caparoso]

I think of the Zabaco and plump and juicy -- a Jack Horner delight. Ya'll realize this wine is made by the Gallo family? Bet your sweet bippy!

[Drew]

I'm sorry Bucko, I forgot the following:
Rancho Zabaco, Sonoma Heritage Vines, 1997 Zinfandel,Sonoma County. For those of you who like an over ripe style of zin...this is for you.

Drew

[Scoop]

Hard to keep a good wine down! This is the second time the 1997 Rancho Zabaco Sonoma Heritage has popped up on the site, and it's well worth repeating. It's my "house" Zin, and it has been a consistent delight (and obviously made in good quantity). A true bargain.

Buy up all the 1997s you can; 1998 wasn't a great vintage for Cali Zins, at least in general.

Cheers,

Scoop

[mrdutton]

Another visit to my friendly Navy Exchange Package store and lo-and-behold what do they have on the shelves:

1997 Zabaco Rancho Sonoma Heritage Vines at $8.99 a bottle. Attached to the shelf where it was displayed was tag saying that Wine Spectator had given it an 89.

I bought a bottle. It is resting after the arduous 3 mile trip from the store to my home. I will drink it tomorrow night for dinner.

[This message has been edited by mrdutton (edited 06-01-2000).]

[Thomas]

Resting? Whaddayu a trubblemayka? Wanna start anudder tread?

[Innkeeper]

Heh! Heh!

[mrdutton]

Oh, sorry.........

I forgot to mention that I didn't want to drink the Zin anyway, since I was chilling a bottle of Chateau de Lachaize.........

[mrdutton]

Tonight was the night.

After meticulously measuring 12 ounces of chuck and 12 ounces of sirloin along with 3/4 of a teaspoon of salt, the hamburgers were formed using exactly 5 ounces per patty.

They were cooked 4 minutes per side and flipped only once. Attention to detail is a must!

Mine was placed on a buttered bun with a bit of garlic, goat cheese, leaf lettuce and a couple of tomato slices (1/4 inch thick, thank-you).

The 1997 Zabaco Rancho Sonoma Heritage Vines was opened and poured. Nice big Zin, that is for sure. My favorite fruit - raspberries and blackberries - with a really nice spicy (pepper) finish. The beef and the wine just kinda merged together. A wonderful meld, a perfect pinochle hand, and a really big drink that "knocked the enamel right off my teeth". This one has made my list of hits!

[Bucko]

Sounds like a double run or triple nuts night.

Bucko

[Randy Caparoso]

Okay, I'll throw in another two great Zin buys: Robert Sinskey's "The Adventures of Zinskey" (the current release is their last, by the way), and Lolonis "Redwood Valley." Both under $12, and both bright, snappy, and full of soft, easy, peppery, jammy fruit.

[mrdutton]

Here I am stuck in a Navy town and I can't find anyone who knows pinochle.....

And up pops this person from half-a-world away who speaks the language.......

Drats.................

[This message has been edited by mrdutton (edited 06-02-2000).]

[Innkeeper]

Ho, ho, ho! We did something Foodie can't do; found it a supermarket! It was $8.99 plus tax and bottle deposit.

[mrdutton]

Innkeeper wait until you pop the cork and try it. For $8.99, even if you did have to pay some tax (and a bottle deposit!?! - only in New England, PA, MD and DE too I suppose) that's a nice price for a decent wine!

I am going back to the Navy Exchange tomorrow and I am going to empty the shelf of their stock.

[Innkeeper]

Well, last night we made up too much barbequed country ribs. Since we have commitments for the next three nights, we decided to have them last night and tonight. Last night we had them with Peachy Canyon, Incredible Red, Zinfandel. Tonight we had it with the Rancho Zabaco. Besides about $4.00 here is the difference. The Peachy was OK up front, lots of fruit, and very smooth on the finish. The RZ was super up front, also with lots of fruit, and sharp on the finish. Go Figa!

[winoweenie]

Just had my fav wine store bring in this cute lil` bugger. Gone thru three bottles since last nite and am takin` the rest of the case up to Lake Powell for the next few days. I`ll see Jim Wallace in Prescott tomorrow and lay a bottle or so on him. Super juice for under the magic 10-beanies. Good goin`, whomever. Winoweenie

[Scoop]

What's this? Unanimity? And this is a tough crowd.

Cheers,

Scoop