1994 Cakebread Zinfandel “Howell Mountain”

Having to walk all the way back to the cellar to get something to drink just puts an edge on my grumpiness. Perhaps I can sooth myself with a ’94 Cakebread Zinfandel “Howell Mountain”. Perhaps not. The alcohol verges on the napalm level, but the fruit is holding on fine. Obtrusive wooding manages to add to the coarse tannins on the finish. Even the cheese of the pizza can’t smooth that out. With air, it becomes increasingly mentholated. But it wasn’t actually toxic, so it manages to reach the Shemp level of “quality.”

SY (10/01)