Stunning Value Zin -- Buy by the Case Loads -- You heard it here first.

[Drew]

Actually the wine seemed dumb. I mean it wasn't bad, corked or anything. Maybe I built myself up too much in anticipation from Bucko's post....I think it's his fault. I can see, though, that it'll be a good food friendly wine, it just didn't float my boat. CCK, your right, I do tend to lean towards any kind of BIG reds...although I married a small brunette. [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/biggrin.gif[/img]

Drew

[Drew]

Ok, day two. The Cline was much better! More briary aroma, fuller taste and longer finish....I still like my Zabaco better but I will purchase a bunch of the Cline.

Drew

[Bucko]

Too late, no Cline for you, one year.

Soup Nazi

[newsguy]

well, i finally tasted the 99 Cline Zinfandel. and i know i'm a rank amateur compared to you folks on the board, but here goes...

i liked the wine and thought it was a nice bottle of raspberry, nose and taste, for $10. it seemed to me to be a simple wine -- tasty, but simple. it reminds me of the ravenswood alexander valley zin (97 i think), which was a big mouthful of fruit, but i found that to be much more complex and refined. i'd definitely buy more of that but think i'd pass on the cline.

the real fun came the next night, though, when i broke out a bottle of the 97 rancho zabaco sonoma heritage vines zin to go with a nice homemade pizza. man, this wine just gets better every time i taste it! absolutely wonderful, and the best $9 bottle of wine i've ever had.

for me, it's tough to compare the 99 cline and the 97 rancho zabaco since they truly are apples and oranges. that said, i think the cline merely is a pretty good "apple" while the rancho zabaco is one of the best darn "oranges" i've had!

keith

[Drew]

You bad...Newsguy! Hey Bucko...no Rancho for you, Two years. Now if only Newsguy would sample the Burgess...I'd be king of Zin!

Drew Nazi

[Bucko]

Just shows the personal preferences that goes with wine. I've had both and give the nod to the Cline.

Bucko

[hotwine]

I also give the nod to the Cline. Have to admit that the fact that Gallo makes the Zabaco might influence my opinion a teentsy bit.... But the Cline has more subtle nuances of spice and fruit IMHO.

[Innkeeper]

Had the '99 plain ole Cline tonight with garlic hamburgers with chile sauce. Wine good. Match good.