Rochioli / Rafanelli

[MikeE]

Had a couple zins over the weekend:

'96 Rochioli Sodini - fruit driven wine; excellent extraction; almost sweet; smooth on the palate; decent acidity and little tannins; drink and enjoy now; i liked it, but it didn't knock me out.

'95 Rafanelli - now this is zin! great extraction; deep color; blackberrie and black cherries; great balance between fruit, acidity and tannins; slighlty peppery/tangy; this one did knock me out!

ME

[Bucko]

Mike, has Rafanelli toned down the wood in their wine. I liked their wines early on, but over the years they became too overoaked for my palate.

Bucko

[MikeE]

Hey Buck, well for my taste the '95 didn't seem overoaked. Maybe it seemed so because the Rochioli, which we consumed immediately beforehand, seemed a bit overoaked to me (too smooth). I am becoming more sensitive to oaky wines and I didn't think that the Rafanelli was anything out of bounds. Hope that helps.

ME

[Van The Man]

Bucko -

I too quit drinking Rafanelli Zins due to the oak level. Haven't had one in a while due to fear of getting splinters.

They've been guilty of "crimes against wines" too often of late. <sigh>

[Woodman]

I swore off Rafanelli before I started. Patty Rafanelli was so busy trying to impress me with how important she was (while I was trying to taste the wine) that she made me into a non-believer.

[Van The Man]

Woodman -

I've heard the same thing. I've also heard if you even THINK ABOUT going onto their property w/o an appointment, you are treated no better than yesterday's dead fish.

Kind of takes the pleasure out of the whole thing. <sigh>

[Woodman]

Van, I even had an appointment that she had begrudgingly granted me. I would truly hate to see how "drop-ins" are treated. I like to do business with people who treat me like I'm important (though nothing could be further from the truth -- and HUSH! Bucko). Needless to say, Rafanelli is not on my list.

[Bucko]

They are even curt to members of the trade. I do not understand this myself, but in their defense, they might be hounded to death by the tourists. I can see where that could get old in a hurry.

Bucko