2007 Outpost Zinfandel
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Tasting notes
(16.2% alcohol) Ruby-red. Exotic, high-toned aromas of briary mountain berries, licorice and fruitcake. Juicy and dry, with very ripe, slightly roasted crushed berry flavors. Firm acids and substantial fruit tannins give lift to the back end. I'm not finding the spicy and floral treble notes that this wine displayed from barrel, but this appears to be shutting down now. Winemaker Thomas Brown notes that the Outpost zin typically shows more dark fruits and a creamier texture with a few years of bottle age. The pH here, he notes, is under 3.5 in spite of the high alcohol.
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Outpost’s 2007 Zinfandel is a reassuringly terrific, spicy, briary example offering notes of minerals intermixed with lots of blue and red fruits, incense, pepper, and herbs. This full, heady, flavorful Zin should be drunk over the next 4-5 years. This has always been an impressive source for good Zinfandel as this vineyard originally produced the Lamborn Family Zinfandels. Kudos to proprietors Kathy and Frank Dotzler and winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown. Tel. (707) 965-1718; Fax (707) 965-1761
Bright ruby-red. Knockout nose offers red and darker berries lifted by ginger, flowers and pepper. Juicy and intense; a real essence of zinfandel fruit, with superb clarity and spicy lift to the crushed berry flavors. This really coats the mouth without leaving any impression of weight. The very long, juicy, bright finish features a fine dusting of tannins and resounding fruit. Aged entirely in Burgundy barrels, 25% new. This sample was enough to restore my faith in zinfandel.