2021 Outpost Zinfandel
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Tasting notes
100% Wente clone Zin from the estate at 2,200 ft, 13 months in French oak barrels (30% new). Re alcohol: if it were 14% it would be too tart, we were told. 662 cases. Bright crimson. Very direct flavours of mountain fruit. Very sweet and bright. More delicate and a little drier than many Zins. Really opens out on the end. (JR)
Critic scores
Average Score
Jancis Robinson MW
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
Lots of cedarwood, cigar tobacco, and exotic red and blue fruits emerge from the 2021 Zinfandel, a medium-bodied, supple, beautifully textured Zinfandel. It's certainly not holding anything back and is terrific today, yet it will no doubt evolve for a solid decade.
From vines planted in 1999 and 2010, Outpost's 2021 Zinfandel delivers classic briary, blackberry notes but also those blueberry nuances that seem somehow connected with Howell Mountain. Hints of dried spices, including a dash of cracked pepper, bring added complexity. This is full-bodied, ripe, rich and nicely textured, with a long, velvety finish.
The 2021 Zinfandel (Howell Mountain) is a very pretty, nuanced wine that shows how compelling Zinfandel can be on Howell Mountain. Silky tannins and lifted floral aromatics make an immediate impression. All the elements are so well balanced. Crushed red flowers, mint, spice, white pepper and cedar linger on the bright, saline finish.