Today’s wine was born of the Bugay Estate vineyard, high up on the steep southern slopes of the Mayacamas Mountains. Do you know who else produces Zinfandel in the Mayacamas? Bugay’s neighbor, Storybook Vineyards!

Today’s Bugay Vineyards 2010 Mayacamas Mountains Zinfandel is one of the best Zins we’ve tasted - from one of the best vintages in recent memory. In fact, According to Robert Parker, the 2010 Zin vintage was the highest in nearly the entire decade that preceded it.

Today’s Zin is an exemplary wine from one of our longstanding favorite wineries. This wine is beautifully balanced and ready to drink. It also has plenty of life left in it, so buy some for now and some for later.

On the nose, this wine exudes black currant, blackberry, plum, dried violet, black olive, cured meat, subtle molasses, dark spice and a hint of chocolate.

On the palate? This wine is every bit as expressive on the palate as the nose first indicates, with flavors of blackberry reduction, plum, dried violets, black currant, black licorice, grilled fig, spice box, chocolate and black pepper.

The finish is extra long, with dense fruit flavors that collect on the tongue, where they are locked in seemingly forever. Eventually, as fruits fade, spice and licorice flavors take over - and stick around for a very long time. Eventually, a soft dryness blankets the palate.

This wine is drinking beautifully now, and will cellar well for the next several years.