Kirkland, Zinfandel, 2021, 14.5% abv.
Old vine zinfandel as it says, or I guess Vielles Vignes in other languages. Supposedly made by Kunde Winery and cellared and bottled by DC Flynt MW Selections in American Canyon, California. Back label says the fruit for this wine comes from vines that average 45 years of age. Heard there is no 2020 vintage? Full disclosure, i like jammy California zins.
Nose: light purple grape juice with more grape skins than flesh, light blackberries, light boysenberries, with air time the fruit aromas diminish out and a good amount of aluminum and ferric aromas are left… deeper inhalations remind me of visits to the molding division at the heavy industries plant (Doosan making nuclear reactor pressure vessels),
Palate: medium body, entry is initially chemical or synthetic grape juice but with air time it approaches savory grape juice, mid palate is rich and sweet, warm grape juice with support from black cherries, mature plums, some honey or at least simple syrup with that purple grape juice, like a medium boiled dark fruit preserves, toast, hints of vanilla which continue to grow, back palate shows wood, the more exotic cooking spices, integrated vanilla, interestingly viscosity increases, a sort of diluted caramel dressing. The texture and feel of this zinfandel is impressive, like buttery velvet, and with air time and perhaps lowering to a wee bit colder than room temperature, I could sense how integrated the vanilla and spices were to the juice.
Finish: medium, dry, coats the tongue, savory grape juice, scented wood, integrated vanilla and similar cooking spices, hints of spring flowers, light grape popsicle, but the tannins do become physically chewy even though palatially uninterested.
Vernacular: nose is dark fruit with strong ferric aromas. Medium bodied palate with good acidity, savory, fine-grained velvetty ripe tannins, medium to minor oak, minimal minerality, and light alcohol. Somewhat elegant. Finish is medium, dry, tannic minerals if such a thing exists.
In my humble opinion, this is great QPR as they say. Got this for KRW₩20K or USD$15 at the Costco in Busan, South Korea I think about 3-4 years ago? Late release for some reason. Heard this bottle is USD$10 in the States. That's a 50% duty my friends… and for what? Tom Capo from Wine Enthusiast gave this an 86. I will be conservative here.
Grade: C+
by starvinggigolo