16.5% alcohol behemoth.  Popped and allowed this monster to breathe for close to 90 minutes.  Dark purple.  Big nose of plums, blackberry, cassis, cocoa powder, graham cracker, and vanilla bean.  Full bodied.  Huge flavors on the palate, cassis and black fruits iniitally dominating.  Well balanced for such a huge wine.  Really developed over the next 2 hours into something special with complex flavors of clove, spices and even a hint of peach developing.  Great tannin structure, would match wonderfully with a steak.  I highly recommend this Gamba, so far it is the best '05 Zin I've tasted and perhaps the finest example of this cuvee I've tasted.  Can't wait to try again in 5-6 months. 

Decanting this wine is recommended, already has a significant amount of sediment.  

Interesting, I had the 2004 Old vine back in 2006 (brought it to buckhorn steakhouse)  and I thought it was fantastic.  I put it at a 93 i think.

 

I had the 2005 Old vine at the ZAP festivel - I had high hopes, but was dissapointed.  The 05 Old vine along with one other blend they had, both tasted like fruit bombs.  Overly jammy and syrupy.

 

It is quite possible that these have small drinking windows and hence you drank the 04 way to late, and I drank the 05 way too early.