Nail

Storrs 1999 Zinfandel Rusty Ridge (Santa Clara County) – Singing. Full-throated but domesticated berries – a mélange – with layers of toast and old pepper, antique wooden furniture, and the lovely blended aromas of sprightly green trees sprouting amidst the charred husks of a burned-out old-growth forest. While the fruit’s not fully developed and “mature,” the wine is, and despite the lack of a hurry to uncork it, I can’t imagine it being much better than it is right now. It’s not wood-free, but it’s really quite lovely. (4/09)

Iron oxide

Storrs 2005 Zinfandel Rusty Ridge (Santa Clara County) – 15.2%. Plum, heather, lavender, plus the twists and tangles of wild vines. Chewy, with good acidity. Balanced. The finish is supple. Quite good. (9/08)

Up the Creek

Storrs 2005 Two Creek (Santa Clara County) – Grenache, syrah, and grand noir, 14.4%. Smoke liqueur and red licorice with apple rind and a significant haze of heat. Eh. (9/08)

If the Storrs are all closed

Storrs 1998 Zinfandel Lion Oaks (Santa Clara County) – Absolutely gorgeous, with gentle, earthen maturity and richly complex fruit buoyed by bright acidity and no lack of still-intense – and ripe – red berries. In perfect balance now, but a few more years certainly won’t hurt. (2/08)