2002 Sausal Alexander Valley Zinfandel "Old Vines"

An evil wine! A really good wine! Dense black ruby color. Fabulous nose of spicy, minerally raspberries and sweet brambleberries. Some toasty oak in the background too. Powerful, and full-bodied, with excellent concentration and fruit, with some well-integrated tannin in the finish. 89. Was $18.99 at Houston Wine Merchant.

I said evil at the beginning. After half a bottle the first night, I was totally zonked. As it was a Friday night, I chalked it up to a hard week. Two days later, finishing the remaining half of the bottle, I was zonked again! The label says only 14.3% alcohol, which is middlin' for good zin, so I don't know what's going on here, but, in any event, C. Everett Koop's warning about not operating heavy machinery applies to this one.