'96 Martinelli Jackass Vineyard Zin

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A new wine store opened in town last week and they had several bottles of this. Having never had it and having read some raves I jumped on a bottle. Unfortunately, it was completely dominated by a cedary minty kind of flavor which would have been good and interesting as a background note but as the entire wine it was unpleasant, to be charitable. I would never in a million years have picked this as a zin. On the walk back home with the bottle, the dog managed to knock it out of my hand onto a concrete sidewalk--and it survived, so I can recommend the bottle highly, but the wine not at all.

The wine which followed, '98 Janasse Cote du Rhone "Les Garrigues" was twice as good at half the price. Dark color, thick, meaty texture, ripe dark fruit with enough garrigues flavor to justify the cuvee name. Expensive for a Cote du Rhone, but definitely the best I've had so far, though I haven't tried the Coudelet de Beaucatel yet.

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