2007 Jeff Cohn Cellars The Impostor

Fortunately, there is enough of the 2007 The Impostor (a 659-case blend of 32% Petite Sirah, 31% Syrah, 30% Zinfandel, 5% Mourvedre, and 2% Viognier) that some readers may be able to latch on to a few bottles. Its inky/purple hue is followed by a wine with dense, full-bodied flavors, along with notes of graphite, creme de cassis, blackberries, pepper, and camphor. This beauty should drink well for 7-8 years. The problem with this winery is not the quality, which is impressively high across the board, but less than 200 cases each of more than ten of these offerings are available, making it virtually impossible for anyone to find the wines. I understand the concept of trying single vineyard offerings, but there is a point of availability. Why not just blend some of these cuvees together so there is decent distribution? Then again, I’m not a marketing expert, so I may not understand the logic behind them. In any event, I will keep my notes brief on those wines whose production is less than 200 cases. These are all very impressive as well as fairly priced efforts from Jeff Cohn, who unquestionably knows what he is doing. However, their limited availability is a downer, particularly at this level of quality. Tel. (510) 465-5900; fax (510) 465-5900