TN: '96 Fritz Zin

[Van The Man]

1996 J. Fritz Winery Zinfandel, Eighty Year Old Vines; Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma (CA, US) - $28.00

Bright ruby color, deep and rich looking, medium-full bodied. Enticing nose with sweet cherry, raspberry and some vanilla. On the palate, big blast up front with GOBS of sweet, juicy cherry and raspberry. Enveloped in lots of sweet vanillin oak, maybe too much. There was enough fruit to stand up to the heavy oak, but one wonders what this wine would have been with a bit more of an expression of fruit. The wine seemed to fade a bit as the night progressed. Good wine if you like the style, I find it to be overdone. I’d drink it for the doughnut if offered to me, but at $28 I think I’ll pass.