Community Tasting Note

ProfBainbridge Likes this wine:

Friday, October 2, 2015 - One of the fun things about belonging to Ridge Vineyards wine clubs is getting their small batch wines that are unavailable in stores. Often, these wines come from heritage vineyards with obscure varieties, as is the case with the Carignane we drank (with grilled steaks) tonight.

Usually, Carignane is a modest wine with much to be modest about (to paraphrase Churchill). But Ridge has long used it as a blending wine in its Zinfandels, where it adds complexity and interest.

Sourced from a ranch in the Alexander Valley, this 100% old vine Carignane is a deep ruby. The bouquet is modest and did not expand much with time to breathe. On the palate, it is not very tannic, which makes it easy to drink now but suggests that it has limited aging potential. I pick up notes of pomegranate, dried figs, with vanilla (American oak) and pepper on the finish.

Nice match for steak but not a vin de grade.

Grade: 87

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