I had been waiting for the right occasion to open a Zinfandel from one of my favorite Pinot Noir producers and Independence Day seemed liked the perfect fit. When this wine was produced, it had been more than 30 years since Dehlinger last made a Zinfandel. The fruit for this wine was sourced from the century-old vines of Guadagni Vineyard in Dry Creek Valley.
The wine is just slightly jammy with raspberry, black cherry, pepper and licorice. Surprisingly there was no heat on the bottle despite an ABV of 15.5%. This will be a fun wine to follow over the next 3-5 years. Absolute perfection with brats and burgers off the grill.
I hope Tom Dehlinger doesn’t wait another 30 years before producing another Zinfandel!
My rating: 93 points
Received this as a gift from a friend in Silicon Valley. One of the smoothest Zins I can recall. Rich flavors as you mentioned and a beautiful nose. An easy 93.
Tracy in Dallas
Nice gift!