2006 Rosenblum "Richard Sauret" Paso Robles Zinfandel

90 points and one star from the Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine: "14% Petite Sirah. The ripe blackberry and plum-like fruit scents associated with this vineyard in its best vintages are here delivered with both intensity and vitality. The wine is full on the palate without losing itself to the heaviness that sometimes can be part of its character and, instead, is balanced and comes with tannin for a few years of age." (09/08) The grapes for this Rosenblum Zinfandel come from acclaimed winegrower Richard Sauret's vineyard in the northern portion of Paso Robles. The older vines were planted back in 1985 in limestone, shale and clay soils, while a newer section, planted in clay and calcareous outcroppings, went into the ground in 2000. Both sites are very low-yielding and blended together create this fruit-forward, exotic zin. Aged for 15 months in a combination of French and American oak, the wine's bouquet mingles black fruit with cherry vanilla aromas. In the mouth it's all briar fruit, earth and peppery spice.