2015 Tin Barn Vineyards Zinfandel, Russian River Valley, Gilsson Vineyard
Tasting Notes
Consistent with previous vintages, this Zinfandel displays a deep garnet color, lush velvety mouthfeel, and long seductive finish.
On the eastern edge of the Russian River Valley lies a stretch of sandy loam soil, which was planted with Zinfandel (St. George rootstock) back in 1950. This well-established site exposes our fruit to a cool morning fog that slows its ripening and concentrates its flavors. Since 2000, wine maker Michael Lancaster has worked with this vineyard to make Zinfandel.
Specs
Varietal: 100% Zinfandel
Appellation: Russian River Valley
Vineyard Designation: Gilsson Vineyard
Harvested: September 19th, 2015
Barrels: 20% new American oak
Aging: 19 months
Bottled: June 29th, 2017
Alcohol: 15.7%
pH: 3.45
Total Acidity: 8.7 g/L
Production: 521 cases
What’s Included
6-bottles:
6x 2015 Tin Barn Vineyards Zinfandel, Russian River Valley, Gilsson Vineyard
Case:
12x 2015 Tin Barn Vineyards Zinfandel, Russian River Valley, Gilsson Vineyard
Tin Barn Vineyards celebrates those hidden treasures that lie off map. Our wines highlight the true character of Sonoma County. High atop the ridges of the Sonoma Coast, just off Tin Barn Road, lies a remote plot of Syrah vines. From this fog enshrouded slope, we sourced grapes for our very first wine and derived inspiration for our name.
In the years since, winemaker Michael Lancaster and his business partners have made a fitting home in our own “tin barn”—a warehouse in rural Sonoma that serves as both cellar space and tasting room. Here, we’ve joined with fellow artisan winemakers to form the collective known as Eighth Street Wineries.
Come visit sometime! Remember, though, that a map will only get you so far.
Tin Barn Vineyards Russian River Valley Zinfandel
6 bottles for $84.99 $14.16/bottle + $1.33/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $144.99 $12.08/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
2015 Tin Barn Vineyards Russian River Valley Zinfandel - $25 = 14.70%
@rjquillin Some of the Turleys are running close to that high. I’ve pulled back on buying much of them because of it. It also irks me that they don’t publish the ABV with the tasting notes.
@klezman tbh, I didn’t look at the bottle for the alc% but I would have never guessed it being that high. It doesn’t drink “hot” like I’d think for something that high
@rmm989 It’s more that by the time the alcohol gets that high, without offsetting sugar in a fortified wine, it starts to taste bitter to me. Even if it’s not “hot”, which can happen even at much lower alcohol content.
Labrat here! This was a very smooth Zin. Opened the bottle over the weekend - thank you Casemates! I’m not great at flavors but this was very balanced to me - some fruit, some coffee, some nut (basically a balance of fruit and earth flavors). Color was a very nice garnet. Finish was very long and smooth. I tend to like the big Zins that are peppery and fruity while my sister likes the smoother Zins. This was more to her palate. I’ll probably pick up a few (who am I kidding, a case) for her.
To preface all this, caveat time. We were members of the Tin Barn wine club for a pretty long time. Our last time there was in the warehouse right next to the airport, across the street from Macrostie. Loved the tasting room and had one of the most interesting conversations with the winemaker there. Generally, I think they’re good people that make good wine. That being said, we ended up dropping it because we just don’t like zinfandel very much, even good ones. So keep in mind, these thoughts are coming from someone that likes the producer, but doesn’t really care much for the wine.
We got the rat shipment nice and early and I was surprised to see Tin Barn – been a long time since I’ve had their wine. The Gilsson Zin we got is single vineyard 100% zinfandel, which I remember their specialty. The wine had a couple days over the weekend to rest, and then we popped it last night to enjoy.
The wine is lighter than I expected, garnet color. First hit of the nose is berries and cedar for me. One thing I do like about their wines is this background anchor of earthiness in their wines. It’s not the funk you’ll get in a pinot, but some approximation of that.
Initial sips of the wine are very fruit forward – berries but balanced well with the oak of the wine. When people say jammy to describe a wine it would be an instant pass for me, but I mean it as a compliment in this case. Usually a jammy wine to me is a high sugar fruit bomb, and this is more jammy in a way that you might get homemade jam from your grandmother. The fruit is concentrated, but not overly sugary. Vanilla and more cedar on the back end of the finish.
Let the wine sit for a while and open up while we got the kids to bed. Came back to another glass and the fruit had eased up a bit, and the earthy quality comes out a bit more, but still very fruit forward. I think the wine balances better after opening up for that 30 minutes or so. The cedar softens a bit as well.
I think for people that like zin this is a very good buy, not sure what it will be priced at. It’s balanced and layered, and a good example of what the grapes can be, not some cough drop tasting fruit bomb. It will be a pass for me just not being that into zin, but I’m glad to see Tin Barn here in general.
I opened yesterday a 2013 Tin Barn Zin offered here probably a year or so ago (maybe even more) and it was excellent.
Risking this, then!
/giphy obscene-priceless-learning
I remember thoroughly enjoying the last offer…so much so that it’s long gone! I split the last case with a neighbor and upon inquiring, apparently his portion is long gone as well. I’m in for some more!
2015 Tin Barn Vineyards Zinfandel, Russian River Valley, Gilsson Vineyard
Tasting Notes
Specs
What’s Included
6-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
$406.50/Case at Tin Barn Vineyards for 12x 2015 Tin Barn Vineyards Zinfandel, Russian River Valley, Gilsson Vineyard
About The Winery
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IN, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Friday, Jun 4 - Tuesday, Jun 8
Tin Barn Vineyards Russian River Valley Zinfandel
6 bottles for $84.99 $14.16/bottle + $1.33/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $144.99 $12.08/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2015 Tin Barn Zinfandel
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
2015 Tin Barn Vineyards Russian River Valley Zinfandel - $25 = 14.70%
15.7% alcohol?! Yikes!
@klezman
the earlier offer from 2018-10-20 of 2013 Tin Barn Vineyards Zinfandel Los Chamizal clocked in at 15.8% AbV and has CT ratings in the low 90s.
What are some of the Turley bottlings running?
@rjquillin Some of the Turleys are running close to that high. I’ve pulled back on buying much of them because of it. It also irks me that they don’t publish the ABV with the tasting notes.
@klezman
Or much anything else for that matter.
Guess you can pretty much do as you please if you have a name.
@klezman tbh, I didn’t look at the bottle for the alc% but I would have never guessed it being that high. It doesn’t drink “hot” like I’d think for something that high
@rmm989 It’s more that by the time the alcohol gets that high, without offsetting sugar in a fortified wine, it starts to taste bitter to me. Even if it’s not “hot”, which can happen even at much lower alcohol content.
Labrat here! This was a very smooth Zin. Opened the bottle over the weekend - thank you Casemates! I’m not great at flavors but this was very balanced to me - some fruit, some coffee, some nut (basically a balance of fruit and earth flavors). Color was a very nice garnet. Finish was very long and smooth. I tend to like the big Zins that are peppery and fruity while my sister likes the smoother Zins. This was more to her palate. I’ll probably pick up a few (who am I kidding, a case) for her.
@reesai thank you for the review.
Rear label courtesy of Reverse Wine Snob.
/giphy knotty-holistic-oven
To preface all this, caveat time. We were members of the Tin Barn wine club for a pretty long time. Our last time there was in the warehouse right next to the airport, across the street from Macrostie. Loved the tasting room and had one of the most interesting conversations with the winemaker there. Generally, I think they’re good people that make good wine. That being said, we ended up dropping it because we just don’t like zinfandel very much, even good ones. So keep in mind, these thoughts are coming from someone that likes the producer, but doesn’t really care much for the wine.
We got the rat shipment nice and early and I was surprised to see Tin Barn – been a long time since I’ve had their wine. The Gilsson Zin we got is single vineyard 100% zinfandel, which I remember their specialty. The wine had a couple days over the weekend to rest, and then we popped it last night to enjoy.
The wine is lighter than I expected, garnet color. First hit of the nose is berries and cedar for me. One thing I do like about their wines is this background anchor of earthiness in their wines. It’s not the funk you’ll get in a pinot, but some approximation of that.
Initial sips of the wine are very fruit forward – berries but balanced well with the oak of the wine. When people say jammy to describe a wine it would be an instant pass for me, but I mean it as a compliment in this case. Usually a jammy wine to me is a high sugar fruit bomb, and this is more jammy in a way that you might get homemade jam from your grandmother. The fruit is concentrated, but not overly sugary. Vanilla and more cedar on the back end of the finish.
Let the wine sit for a while and open up while we got the kids to bed. Came back to another glass and the fruit had eased up a bit, and the earthy quality comes out a bit more, but still very fruit forward. I think the wine balances better after opening up for that 30 minutes or so. The cedar softens a bit as well.
I think for people that like zin this is a very good buy, not sure what it will be priced at. It’s balanced and layered, and a good example of what the grapes can be, not some cough drop tasting fruit bomb. It will be a pass for me just not being that into zin, but I’m glad to see Tin Barn here in general.
@rmm989 Thank you for reviewing.
@rmm989 Your review tipped me over the fence. So, thank you!
/giphy prosperous-astute-barium
The Tin Barn Zin I got back in January was meh…
I believe I ratted an earlier offering of this here on Casemates and it was not a fave. Maybe this vintage is better.
I opened yesterday a 2013 Tin Barn Zin offered here probably a year or so ago (maybe even more) and it was excellent.
Risking this, then!
/giphy obscene-priceless-learning
@salpo I swear I didn’t mean for the gif to be this provocative!
@salpo And yet you did decide to leave it like that, hmm!
@salpo omg hysterical lol
@InFrom I didn’t choose it, soooooo
@salpo Lol, no worries. Granted you didn’t choose it, but you did choose to leave it there and not edit your post. Sooooo…
@InFrom @salpo
I think I recall seeing this in an earlier post as well.
Random reruns aren’t all always bad.
Why do I have to see this type of crap on your site. I think some zinsership is in order.
@Dougtoow the wine or the giphys?
/giphy obscene-priceless-learning
Hmmm…perhaps some grabernet this evening.
I remember thoroughly enjoying the last offer…so much so that it’s long gone! I split the last case with a neighbor and upon inquiring, apparently his portion is long gone as well. I’m in for some more!
Last offer was August 2020: 2013 Tin Barn Vineyards Zinfandel, Los Chamizal Vineyards, Sonoma Valley. https://casemates.com/forum/topics/tin-barn-vineyards-sonoma-valley-zinfandel-1
pale-helpless-committee
The rats convinced me. It sounds like this is the type of zin SWMBO prefers.
/giphy fluent-ancient-cattle