We are selling mags of the 2002 Bonny Doon Cardinal Zin for a very reasonable price. I thought I'd buy one and give it a test run; if it were to show well I'd buy some more to have around for unexpected guests, or for times when the 'drink now' pile is lean and I don't want to dip into the cellar.
The wine is sound. A reasonable 13.5% alcohol was promising to see on the label. At first the wine was ok, with some tiny red berry fruits and decent acidity, but a very clipped finish, and not too much expansion on the palate. After an hour or so, though, the wine really improved - more expansive on the mid-palate in particular.
Randall Graham is one of America's more intelligent voices when it comes to the elaboration and enjoyment of wine. While I think that the overall quality of his wines is just ok these days (maybe that's not fair - the last time I tasted through most of his offerings was 2 years ago), he is an important person in the US wine world and has done a lot of good for the business. He has promoted competently made American expressions of classic Rhone style wines and riesling, and packaged them in cool Ralph Steadman designed labels which attract people to them and encourage a consumer to go for one instead of an Echelon Pinot Noir or some such other basura.
Anyhoo, at $8 per mag I think I better buy some more.
