This may be the finest Zinfandel vintage that proprietor Jerry Seps has yet produced. He has been trying to build a multilayered texture into his wines, which have had a predilection to be structured and closed, yet ageworthy. Seps appears to have admirably accomplished that in 1997, producing wines with the potential to age yet having a certain accessibility. This offering is higher in alcohol than usual, with a softer texture and deep concentration. The 1997 Zinfandel Eastern Exposures contains 11% Viognier. It may be the most hedonistic wine Storybook Mountain has yet produced. The knock-out nose of black fruits, peaches, and apricots soars from the glass. Full-bodied and layered, with outstanding concentration and purity, plenty of the black cherry/spicy Zinfandel character, and a deep, layered finish, this opulently-styled effort will drink well for 8-10 years.
Robert Parker