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Golf&Pinot Nut
Member
Posted
For many of the long-time posters here, you first knew me as Golf & Zin Nut because, like so many of you, I broke into serious wine by drinking high alcohol, fruit forward zinfandels. These were my favorite wines for a really long time.

As I have chronicled on these boards before, I bought lots of zins between 1999 & 2002. Then in roughly 2003, my tastes changed a bit, and I started drinking pinot noir and shiraz. As a result, I've got lots and lots of zinfandel from substandard vintages (1998 & 2000).

Don't be misled, though. I've been wonderfully surprised by some of these wines. The 1998 Ridge Geyserville is wonderful as is the 2000 Ridge Lytton Springs. Every now and then, I pull one of these bottles and remember that flavor profile that plunged me into serious wine collecting.

But, then there's the case of 1999 Ridge Zinfandel Napa Valley Late Picked York Creek. I don't know what I was thinking to be honest with you when I bought this. I like late harvest wines, but I prefer late harvest whites. Usually I find the late harvest zins to be too much like drinking prune juice.

Well, let me tell you, this bottle of wine could be a candidate for the worst wine I've every had. The prune juice was there, but it was more like prunes stewed with dirty toilet water. I looked up this wine with a ratings search, and for once I agree wholeheartedly with Jim Laube who said, "Earthy, dirty and curiously flawed." - 68 points. Ugh.

So, having said that, anyone in the market for 11 bottles of 1999 Ridge Zinfandel Napa Valley Late Picked York Creek? Let me know. I'll let you have it cheap.


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Le vin français est inférieur
Du vin français est surestimé
Le vin français suce
 
Posts: 2990 | Location: ATL, GA | Registered: Jan 10, 2004Reply With QuoteEdit or Delete MessageReport This Post
Zingirl
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With a review like that, who could pass it up? Big Grin
 
Posts: 25 | Location: Denver, Co | Registered: Aug 29, 2007Reply With QuoteEdit or Delete MessageReport This Post
latour67
Member
Posted Hide Post
quote:
The prune juice was there, but it was more like prunes stewed with dirty toilet water. I looked up this wine with a ratings search, and for once I agree wholeheartedly with Jim Laube who said, "Earthy, dirty and curiously flawed." - 68 points. Ugh.


GPN----I've never had the "dirty toilet water", but I'll take your word for it! Thanks, Smile
 
Posts: 6167 | Location: Germantown, Tennessee | Registered: Oct 25, 2001Reply With QuoteEdit or Delete MessageReport This Post
indybob
Member
Posted Hide Post
Just curious, what do the notes say on the back of the label, and what are the cellaring instructions given? Sounds like awful wine, and I wonder how they spin this stuff.


-IB

PSA: Please report gratuitous trolling/flaming immediately (little triangle at bottom right).
 
Posts: 4293 | Location: Naptown | Registered: Nov 24, 2006Reply With QuoteEdit or Delete MessageReport This Post
Golf&Pinot Nut
Member
Posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by indybob:
Just curious, what do the notes say on the back of the label, and what are the cellaring instructions given? Sounds like awful wine, and I wonder how they spin this stuff.


Here's what the label says:
We completely forgot to pick about two acres of zinfandel grapes from our renowned York Creek Vineyard. As a result, when we went back, most of the grapes had turned to raisins. We picked them anyway, thinking, "hey, what the hell." Brix was about 98 at harvest. We introduced this into New American oak and added a bit of cow manure to assist in fining. After thirteen months, this wine was bottled and we couldn't get the bottles out of the place fast enough. This wine will show dreafully when enjoyed young, but will be really bad after 4-6 years of cellaring. 2/01 - PD


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Le vin français est inférieur
Du vin français est surestimé
Le vin français suce
 
Posts: 2990 | Location: ATL, GA | Registered: Jan 10, 2004Reply With QuoteEdit or Delete MessageReport This Post
AZVinoVeritas
Member
Posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by Golf&Pinot Nut:
quote:
Originally posted by indybob:
Just curious, what do the notes say on the back of the label, and what are the cellaring instructions given? Sounds like awful wine, and I wonder how they spin this stuff.


Here's what the label says:
We completely forgot to pick about two acres of zinfandel grapes from our renowned York Creek Vineyard. As a result, when we went back, most of the grapes had turned to raisins. We picked them anyway, thinking, "hey, what the hell." Brix was about 98 at harvest. We introduced this into New American oak and added a bit of cow manure to assist in fining. After thirteen months, this wine was bottled and we couldn't get the bottles out of the place fast enough. This wine will show dreafully when enjoyed young, but will be really bad after 4-6 years of cellaring. 2/01 - PD


Big Grin


Wine is sure proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy - Benjamin Franklin
 
Posts: 132 | Location: Phoenix, AZ | Registered: May 25, 2007Reply With QuoteEdit or Delete MessageReport This Post
pape du neuf
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Even funnier than the odd wine experience at a restaurant!! You guys keep me coming back for more!
 
Posts: 1118 | Registered: Jul 12, 2005Reply With QuoteEdit or Delete MessageReport This Post
indybob
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Big Grin Politics aside, you're a funny dude G&PN.


-IB

PSA: Please report gratuitous trolling/flaming immediately (little triangle at bottom right).
 
Posts: 4293 | Location: Naptown | Registered: Nov 24, 2006Reply With QuoteEdit or Delete MessageReport This Post
Spiral
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G&PN, Will you throw in a free opener?
 
Posts: 650 | Location: Chicago Western Burb | Registered: Oct 05, 2006Reply With QuoteEdit or Delete MessageReport This Post
notawinebrat
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GPN
Is the "dirty toilet water" a description of smell or taste? If it's taste, dont you have to have a point of reference to be able to identify it???
 
Posts: 156 | Registered: Feb 08, 2004Reply With QuoteEdit or Delete MessageReport This Post
Golf&Pinot Nut
Member
Posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by notawinebrat:
GPN
Is the "dirty toilet water" a description of smell or taste? If it's taste, dont you have to have a point of reference to be able to identify it???


I thought it was more polite than "turd floating in brown water," but there you go.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Golf&Pinot Nut,


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Le vin français est inférieur
Du vin français est surestimé
Le vin français suce
 
Posts: 2990 | Location: ATL, GA | Registered: Jan 10, 2004Reply With QuoteEdit or Delete MessageReport This Post
notawinebrat
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Smile

The funny thing is...even though (I hope) none of us have actually ever tasted "dirty toilet water", I'll bet every one of us has a good idea how bad the stuff must have been.

Nothing personal, of course. Anyone who likes golf AND Pinot is ok by me.
 
Posts: 156 | Registered: Feb 08, 2004Reply With QuoteEdit or Delete MessageReport This Post
mpls wine guy
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I had a BV and Jed Steele late harvest zinfandel once and both tasted like cough syrup, I don't know why either Jed Or Joel tried to make these wines. Big Grin
 
Posts: 3668 | Location: minneapolis minnesota usa | Registered: Dec 17, 2003Reply With QuoteEdit or Delete MessageReport This Post
Juicy
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Pay the shipping to the Bay Area and I will have some fertilizer for my garden next year, at least from your tasting notes.
 
Posts: 641 | Registered: Sep 19, 2006Reply With QuoteEdit or Delete MessageReport This Post
vintage
Member
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quote:
Well, let me tell you, this bottle of wine could be a candidate for the worst wine I've every had. The prune juice was there, but it was more like prunes stewed with dirty toilet water. I looked up this wine with a ratings search, and for once I agree wholeheartedly with Jim Laube who said, "Earthy, dirty and curiously flawed." - 68 points. Ugh.


Not much of a sales pitch!
 
Posts: 316 | Location: Dallas, Texas, USA | Registered: Mar 30, 2003Reply With QuoteEdit or Delete MessageReport This Post
steve8
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quote:
Originally posted by Golf&Pinot Nut:
For many of the long-time posters here, you first knew me as Golf & Zin Nut

Some of us also know you as Golf & Grape of the Day Nut Big Grin

The prune juice was there, but it was more like prunes stewed with dirty toilet water.

You lost me there. In the subject you said camel piss. What a gip.
 
Posts: 4846 | Location: Montreal, Quebec, Canada | Registered: Dec 25, 2003Reply With QuoteEdit or Delete MessageReport This Post
LostInLosOlivos
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Love Story...where do I begin, to tell, G&PN ...

Now I am overly excited to taste the lone bottle of 2001 York Creek late harvest Zin sitting in the off-site.

Oh yeah...

Thankfully a question I rarely get to ask myself, "Why did I pay to cellar this wine?"

A candidate for next delivery and a gift to my incompetent mailman?


"Hey Man, I'm drinking wine, eating cheese and catching some rays."
-Oddball
 
Posts: 59 | Registered: Jan 17, 2006Reply With QuoteEdit or Delete MessageReport This Post
EagleGrafix
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quote:
Originally posted by indybob:
Big Grin Politics aside, you're a funny dude G&PN.

What's wrong with G&PN's politics? Big Grin

I agree with Steve8 - It was the Camel Piss that pulled me into the post. Wink


- Paul
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"Screws fall out all the time, the world is an imperfect place." - John Bender
 
Posts: 976 | Location: Longview, Texas | Registered: Aug 06, 2006Reply With QuoteEdit or Delete MessageReport This Post
Eric White
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It is interesting that this wine is so bad. I happen to still be cellaring one last bottle of the 1999 Ridge Lytton Estate Late Harvest, wich is 50/50 Zin & Petite, and it is an absolutely wonderful wine that has only improved with age.


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2008 - the end of an error
 
Posts: 4315 | Location: San Ramon, California | Registered: May 07, 2002Reply With QuoteEdit or Delete MessageReport This Post
mpls wine guy
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Eric, Razz
 
Posts: 3668 | Location: minneapolis minnesota usa | Registered: Dec 17, 2003Reply With QuoteEdit or Delete MessageReport This Post
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