Hitting way above its pay grade. 70% Zinfandel, 15% Carignane, 10% Petite Sirah, 3% Grenache, and 2% Mataro. Loads of clove, menthol, turned earth, new leather, dried garden herbs, ripe plums, and blackberries.
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Perhaps the bottle I had spent too long in a retail shop, stored poorly. I did select it from a display that had the wine on its side, but when pulling the cork I noticed it was brittle, and in fact it broke in half. That said:
I used to be a Ridge Zin fan 40 years ago. At that time the winery was still a great experiment. And I have stories of visiting it then, which (thankfully) I won't repeat here. Today it is a commercial enterprise owned by a Japanese gentleman who apparently enjoys the profits while the Ridge workers soldier on.
While the Ridge Montebello wines (I assume) still deserve their accolades and prices, I'm not so sure about the winery's other products. Indeed, the Zins and other wines from their Sonoma County estates 50 years ago probably went into Italian Swiss Colony jug wines at $3 per gallon. My, how times have changed.
What is the problem here? Primarily structure. This wine suffers from too much alcohol and too little acid. It's fat and flabby and, at 8 years of age, exudes a bit of wet cardboard character. So maybe this is cork taint, but given that this characteristic is showing up in so many low acid, high alcohol wines, perhaps it's something else.
Anyway, I was looking forward to a fun experience pouring this bottle for friends, but I'm glad I sampled it "solo" myself first.
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Had this on Mother's Day, alongside a 2007 Don Melchor. Believe it or not, most of the guests preferred this. Has a very pretty and expressive Sonoma nose of crushed red berries, earth, bramble and spice. Full-bodied, but not at all heavy or jammy. Probably drank this one right at its peak. Bursting with delicious raspberry, cherry and boysenberry fruit. Slightly sweet on the long finish, but not cloying. There's not a rough edge to be found anywhere on this. Very elegant in style for a Sonoma Zinfandel blend. The tannins are perfectly integrated, making this smooth as silk. Wonderfully balanced and a real crowd-pleaser. Wish I had more than just this one bottle. 50+5+12+17+7=91
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Very good indeed. Tobacco and spice and all things nice. Deep ruby with a peppery finish Decanted for three hours. Paired lovely with a stuffed pork loin and root vegetables Triple yum. Really solid
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Jammy, peppery, medium to light body, tannins have receded to leave a smooth and balanced wine, nose offers a bit more than the taste delivers, but this is a good sipping wine on its own. Seemed like it might get overpowered by well seasoned foods.
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red, violet, in color. floral, dark red fruit, earth, spice, on the nose. bing cherry, raspberry, coffee, spice, roses, on the palate. medium acid, medium tannins, on the finish.
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Dusty blue and dark fruits along with underbaked pie crust on the nose. A bit of high-toned blueberry pie with a half-twist of black pepper in the mouth. Decent acidity and some drying tannins that come in and (gently) attack the tongue through the finish. It's not blowing my mind, but it's undeniably delicious.
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Wow, a lot of diversity in the tasting notes. Many reviewers have compared it to Ridge's pricier, single-vineyard offerings. This wine is like the University of Florida Gators football team: better than most everything else in its class, but no match for the Baltimore Ravens. It doesn't have to be. For the price, it's tasty stuff with a moderate finish and good if not great value for a sub-$20 bottle made with care (crop thinning to manage yield, fermentation with natural yeasts). No, it's not Lytton. Who cares?
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This wine smells of dark fruit muted by earth, but there's nothing subtle here. Coarse texture and a huge bloom of alcohol in the mouth expose an overly extracted, heavily oaked mess. Too sweet and and heavy to be enjoyed by itself, and not enough acid to drink with food. No idea how people score this so high. Just a big name $20 zin with no identity.
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Rather disappointed with this effort from Ridge, second bottle of two of it for us, with us having had other great wines from them. We let it breathe and even decanted some, but it was a little "harsh" (I say that while noting we like balanced robust reds) and I can't really describe this otherwise, as it didn't taste like anything but a sub-par red blend, especially given the near $20 price. Can not recommend. Maybe this will be better in year, but we are not impressed enough to buy another bottle and find out.
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Perfectly fine, perfectly regular. Everyday big, deep red. I was pulling for more distinct flavors but the result is a little muddied. Good spice and a decent finish.
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Very good, not excellent. A bit ho-hum, with the candied note most prominently problematic for me. Give it ten years though, maybe even fiteen, based on Paul's past performances and then we'll see... Note to self - drink Ridge wines with plenty of age. 87+ pts.
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Based on some of the press on this, and it's being sold for less than $20, we bought several bottles of both 2009 and 2010. We are Zin lovers, nearly all styles resonate with us. I served this with a multi-day marinated, grilled flank steak for a fajitas and much more meal (guac, salsa, etc), and unfortunately the wine fell just short of standing up to the dish. What I could tell was that it was an elegant and complex wine, and although the 70% Zin content predominated, the other 30% made it a little less robust. I am thinking this may be a GREAT red sipping wine, pre-dinner or something to have with a less robust dish than I fixed. I am not dissuaded from this wine or from Ridge. Will try again and I think it has some aging potential.
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It's funny because some of these grapes I've never heard of in the context of Cali. I liked the fresh round fruit of the Zin. Not too ripe, and with a nice nose to it. I searched and searched for the other grapes, and just when I thought I might have found them, the bottle was finished. Good for the price. A nice spin on Zin.
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Drank over a couple hours. Great balance with subtle fruit flavors. Nothing like the fruit forward zins I have been tasting of late. I really enjoyed this style. Would buy again.
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This is a really nice, balanced Zinfandel, maybe not the style that is in vogue, but a throwback to the old California version. The nose of this wine explodes with candy, red fruit, raspberry, cherry, the color of this wine gives the personality of this wine away... this is no fruit bomb. 70% Zinfandel and several other varietals that complement this wine including petite syrah and a little grenache.
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Stone Balloon Luxury Brand Tasting (Stone Balloon Winehouse, Newark DE): Terrific zin nose, medium to light weight in body, medium finish. Nice standard zin flavors, while it does not live up to the expectations driven by the nose, it is a fine food zin, would pair well with grilled foods.
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Jammy with wood and spice. very smooth and fruity with medium tannins. a little one dimensional but that's okay. a zin that will easily work as a sipper or with food - specifically grilled fare.
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Consistent with my previous note. More elegance, complexity, and sheer drinkability than one would/should expect from a sub-$20 zinfandel. Paired wonderfully with my wife's delicious burgers.
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The brambly berries and spice were there, but the dark fruit seemed quite muddled and lacked the freshness and lightness that I've enjoyed in past vintages of the Three Valleys. By no means is this a big, plush fruit bomb of a zin, but it did come off as too big for its britches, showing some alcohol at times. Still made a nice pairing with spicy baked BBQ pork ribs.
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Not decanted, consumed over 1 hour with dinner. While not tasted analytically, I can still say that this wasn't quite what I expected. Brambly black and red fruit stayed in the background, with a sense of earthy spice being more prominent on the palate. Well-balanced and easy to drink, but lacking the concentration, complexity, or personality to be much more than that.
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By the glass. Would have never guessed California, let alone zin blind. This is an earthy, old world wine. Black fruits along with lots of black pepper and spice dominate the palate. Could be mistaken for a northern Rhone syrah. Very clean, balanced and easy going. A solid A- wine. This is a good value at the price point.
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I really enjoyed this wine. A well balanced drink, very clean, bright fruit with plenty of varietal character exemplified by the briary fruit and spicy dry finish. This certainly on the lighter side for a California zinfandel, and presence of the petite syrah, grenache and carignane provide underpinning complexity, acidity and structure that makes the wine all the more interesting. Food friendly and relatively versatile for zin I would recommend this wine to those looking for an alternative to bigger plusher zins such as the Maverick from Four Vines. This wine is drinking well right now, and I don't see much that there's much to be gained by laying it down. Worth considering at less than $20.
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Deep crimson color. Notes of raspberry, pomegranate and pepper. Balanced, with abundant fruit on the palate. Flavors of raspberry, cherry, spice and white pepper.
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Deep amber color. Dark fruits and black pepper spice on the nose and palate. Enjoyable, but not terribly complex or thought inspiring. Medium acidity and body.
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A decent wine but not up to their more expensive bottlings like Lytton Springs. Fresh ripe fruit, a bit sweet but also had a vegetal component that I disliked.
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First time trying a Zin from Ridge. Picked up the least expensive bottle for $18 to have at home with grilled blue cheese burgers. Pop & pour - I found the wine to pair quite nicely with the flavors of the hamburgers. It was juicy like a zin should be, but not too overpowering. Not too exciting either. A good buy for the price. Not sure I'd buy it again however.
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Not the bramble and jam, I recall in previous years. A baking spice pronouncement on the nose, depth, earth, soft spice. Palate opens with a quite pepper and this is head and shoulders over the 07 or 08 Three Valleys. If you ask me. By reading this far you have consented to asking the question, to which two sentences prior was the answer.
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yoshi's house wine while watching dr john (with many distractions); however still memorable; dense and perfectly ripe raspberry; some earth, wood and tannins are there but the fruit stands up to and outlasts all of this; some coarseness and menthol detract.
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This is an awesome wine that is well worth the price. The Zin blend creates an interesting dimension and is somewhat softer than a straight zinfandel. Big black cherry flavors, hidden wooden overtones, a very pleasurable wine at $20. Ridge always produces great wines.
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Popped and poured. Nose we found a little bit off putting - sweaty socks or rotting vegetation - might be better with air. Smooth, rounded, slightly spicy with a refreshing minerality on the finish. Not fruit forward. By no means a bad wine and could be great with the right food pairing, but if you're used to the monster Lytton estate Ridge wines this is definitely a step down.
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nice nose, medium body with cherry flavors that become a bit vegetal...decent finish that ends with a tannic bite. Went well with pork tenderloin but not as nice on its own. Decent wine but not what I expect from Ridge.
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Decanted about 2 hours. Deep garnet color. Licorice, brambly berries, vanilla, cherries, pepper, and a bit of earthiness on the nose. Medium body with solid, ripe tannins and good acidity. Not a big flashy style zin, more like a claret. Spicy berries dominate the palate. A faint herbal note creeps in on the finish which should integrate with a little more cellar time. A nice, slightly reserved zin.
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Ridge Tasting: I have always found this to be an over priced wine for the quality. Blackberries, spice, brush and some heat. Too much jammy fruit for me.
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Ridge Tasting: Current Releases (Wine Co., St. Paul, MN): Reddish purple color. Blend of 70% Zin, 15% Carignane, 10% Petite Sirah, 3% Granache, and 2% Mataro. Very herbal, fruity, cherry, on the nose. Palate is herbal, greenish, with cherry, short finish. Fair.
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Dark garnet purple, almost black. Very open knit bouquet of youthfully bright red and dark berry candied aromas with smoke and wood notes in the background. Slightly tangy, dark berry liquer like flavors on the palate, ending with a moderate tannic finish.
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2011 Philadelphia Wine Festival (Marriott, Philadelphia PA): i love ridge zins, but found this to be a fairly pedestrian effort. simple and a touch of green notes. that said, it is a great value and a wine that consistently impresses even if i didnt enjoy this one as much.
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Enjoyable wine that definitely needs some time to open up. Once there it had bright red fruit with almost a tangyness to it, and some classic Zin spice. This wasn't up to par with most Ridge bottlings I've had, though it is lesser priced than many as well.
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For $18, it doesn't get much better. Big nose of ripe cherries, flowers, and cocoa carry over into a velvety dark fruit on the palate, which smooth and light on the alcohol (for a zinfandel), with just a nice kick of pepper and herbs on the finish. Went perfectly with a spicy beef stew.
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At first I thought I wasn't going to be able to drink this. Very saccharine sweet, not a lot of backbone. But then after it was open for an hour or two it firmed up. Still not sure I would buy again, but the sweetness dissipated, the tannins started to assert themselves, and a nice herbal acidity began to shine through. Fruit was almost under ripe, which was a positive. In the end Ridge never lets you down, but this was the closest call yet.
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Deep purple-red colour. Nose showed some brambleberries with a slight herbal note. Very well structured, med-big bodied zin blend showing bramble/blackberry, little bit of black cherry, some typical zin spice of pepper, and a some earthy, herbal notes towards the finish. A lot of tannins, no doubt from the petite syrah though I could taste some of the Carignagne were well integrated but showed this wine needed some air and really would be at optimal drinking in a couple of years time. Fairly acidic but well balanced as well, this is a complex wine and a very good value at this price point. This would probably be a few points higher in 2+ years.
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This wine is a blend of 70% Zinfandel, 10% Petite Sirah, 15% Carignane, 3% Grenache and 2% Mataro. It was splash-decanted and serially tasted over 2-3 hours. Opaque purple ruby, with a moderately intense nose of assorted black fruits, licorice, tar and cocoa. Full-bodied on the palate, with low acidity and generous, well-integrated tannins. The flavors are black fruit and mineral driven. The middle palate is solid and the smooth finish is medium-to-long. Very nice! Drink now-12/14.
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6/2/2018 - Ryan.Vento Likes this wine: 93 Points
Hitting way above its pay grade. 70% Zinfandel, 15% Carignane, 10% Petite Sirah, 3% Grenache, and 2% Mataro. Loads of clove, menthol, turned earth, new leather, dried garden herbs, ripe plums, and blackberries.
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4/20/2018 - oakville72 wrote: 86 Points
Perhaps the bottle I had spent too long in a retail shop, stored poorly. I did select it from a display that had the wine on its side, but when pulling the cork I noticed it was brittle, and in fact it broke in half. That said:
I used to be a Ridge Zin fan 40 years ago. At that time the winery was still a great experiment. And I have stories of visiting it then, which (thankfully) I won't repeat here. Today it is a commercial enterprise owned by a Japanese gentleman who apparently enjoys the profits while the Ridge workers soldier on.
While the Ridge Montebello wines (I assume) still deserve their accolades and prices, I'm not so sure about the winery's other products. Indeed, the Zins and other wines from their Sonoma County estates 50 years ago probably went into Italian Swiss Colony jug wines at $3 per gallon. My, how times have changed.
What is the problem here? Primarily structure. This wine suffers from too much alcohol and too little acid. It's fat and flabby and, at 8 years of age, exudes a bit of wet cardboard character. So maybe this is cork taint, but given that this characteristic is showing up in so many low acid, high alcohol wines, perhaps it's something else.
Anyway, I was looking forward to a fun experience pouring this bottle for friends, but I'm glad I sampled it "solo" myself first.
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5/10/2015 - Bam_Man Likes this wine: 91 Points
Had this on Mother's Day, alongside a 2007 Don Melchor. Believe it or not, most of the guests preferred this. Has a very pretty and expressive Sonoma nose of crushed red berries, earth, bramble and spice. Full-bodied, but not at all heavy or jammy. Probably drank this one right at its peak. Bursting with delicious raspberry, cherry and boysenberry fruit. Slightly sweet on the long finish, but not cloying. There's not a rough edge to be found anywhere on this. Very elegant in style for a Sonoma Zinfandel blend. The tannins are perfectly integrated, making this smooth as silk. Wonderfully balanced and a real crowd-pleaser. Wish I had more than just this one bottle.
50+5+12+17+7=91
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10/12/2014 - windinthewillows1 wrote: 90 Points
excellent with grass-fed rib eye and new york strip steaks
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9/14/2014 - Martnmac wrote: 90 Points
Very good indeed. Tobacco and spice and all things nice. Deep ruby with a peppery finish Decanted for three hours. Paired lovely with a stuffed pork loin and root vegetables
Triple yum. Really solid
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9/2/2014 - toontune wrote: 89 Points
Interesting and spicy
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6/24/2014 - mark.gularte@gmail.com wrote: 88 Points
Jammy, peppery, medium to light body, tannins have receded to leave a smooth and balanced wine, nose offers a bit more than the taste delivers, but this is a good sipping wine on its own. Seemed like it might get overpowered by well seasoned foods.
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4/5/2014 - smiley57 wrote: 91 Points
91.0 vs webwine.com
http://www.webwine.com/r/Red%20Wine/ridge-vineyards-three-valleys-2011
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3/9/2014 - snarfglk wrote: 89 Points
OK, nothing spectacular.
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2/16/2014 - danboedeker wrote: 90 Points
Solid wine, consistently good each vintage.
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1/25/2014 - apham789 wrote: 89 Points
Solid QPR. Tasty zin day one, but turned a little jammy the second day. Would buy again for ~$20.
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1/24/2014 - Zuperdaave wrote: 95 Points
Delicious! Pepper on the nose. Soft pepper flavor. Smooth and silky.
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1/6/2014 - affordableCollector wrote: 88 Points
red, violet, in color. floral, dark red fruit, earth, spice, on the nose. bing cherry, raspberry, coffee, spice, roses, on the palate. medium acid, medium tannins, on the finish.
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12/30/2013 - snarfglk wrote: 89 Points
Good solid (mostly) zinfandel, got a little pruney day 2.
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11/29/2013 - K is for Kate wrote:
Much too big for Thanksgiving. Structured but juicy. Not sure what context this would work well in.
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10/24/2013 - jshearer Likes this wine: 89 Points
Dusty blue and dark fruits along with underbaked pie crust on the nose. A bit of high-toned blueberry pie with a half-twist of black pepper in the mouth. Decent acidity and some drying tannins that come in and (gently) attack the tongue through the finish. It's not blowing my mind, but it's undeniably delicious.
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7/24/2013 - tenor12bucks Likes this wine: 89 Points
Wow, a lot of diversity in the tasting notes. Many reviewers have compared it to Ridge's pricier, single-vineyard offerings. This wine is like the University of Florida Gators football team: better than most everything else in its class, but no match for the Baltimore Ravens. It doesn't have to be. For the price, it's tasty stuff with a moderate finish and good if not great value for a sub-$20 bottle made with care (crop thinning to manage yield, fermentation with natural yeasts). No, it's not Lytton. Who cares?
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7/5/2013 - JBee wrote: 84 Points
This wine smells of dark fruit muted by earth, but there's nothing subtle here. Coarse texture and a huge bloom of alcohol in the mouth expose an overly extracted, heavily oaked mess. Too sweet and and heavy to be enjoyed by itself, and not enough acid to drink with food. No idea how people score this so high. Just a big name $20 zin with no identity.
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5/18/2013 - Krrabalais wrote: 92 Points
$55/bottle, great wine
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5/18/2013 - Z1nnfull wrote: 85 Points
Rather disappointed with this effort from Ridge, second bottle of two of it for us, with us having had other great wines from them. We let it breathe and even decanted some, but it was a little "harsh" (I say that while noting we like balanced robust reds) and I can't really describe this otherwise, as it didn't taste like anything but a sub-par red blend, especially given the near $20 price. Can not recommend. Maybe this will be better in year, but we are not impressed enough to buy another bottle and find out.
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4/22/2013 - Kevdog wrote: 88 Points
Better after breathing for an hour, better with food.
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2/15/2013 - RobbieC wrote: 88 Points
Needed more fruit. Most other reviews here get it right.
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1/15/2013 - Dodger blue wrote: 90 Points
Nice light zin with red fruit up front and some wood and minerals. Long finish, went great with some pork tacos.
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1/7/2013 - FLI Likes this wine: 89 Points
Great showing for a reasonably priced zin. Balanced, not too hot, nice fruit. Food friendly. Very happy with this bottle.
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12/31/2012 - soyhead Likes this wine: 91 Points
limited notes but very juicy pleasant fruit forward yummy wine.
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12/25/2012 - rhanke wrote: 90 Points
Nice Zin blend, not hot, touch of PS adds firm tannins, black and blue fruit
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12/1/2012 - moega wrote: 86 Points
Little bit of spice and heat. Decent, not spectacular. Just OK for > $20 QPR.
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11/25/2012 - Zuperdaave wrote: 90 Points
Delicious. Peppery, yet light for a zin (as others have notes). Worked well with appetizers.
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11/3/2012 - The Porch wrote: 85 Points
Very soft, almost shy. Pleasant on its own, but gets lost when served with a meal/food
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10/29/2012 - OttawaB wrote: 87 Points
Nice wine , good balance, medium bodied .... lighter bodied then I was hoping for.
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10/26/2012 - jeffal66 wrote: 86 Points
Perfectly fine, perfectly regular. Everyday big, deep red. I was pulling for more distinct flavors but the result is a little muddied. Good spice and a decent finish.
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9/24/2012 - BlancdeBlanc Likes this wine: 91 Points
Aroma: plums, tobacco Palate: tannic, alcohol, rasperry, red licorice, sweet finish
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9/3/2012 - salkowski wrote: 85 Points
Restrained for a Zin, and never seemed to open up. Not quite up to the BBQ we served it with.
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8/15/2012 - sawira wrote: 87 Points
Very good, not excellent. A bit ho-hum, with the candied note most prominently problematic for me. Give it ten years though, maybe even fiteen, based on Paul's past performances and then we'll see... Note to self - drink Ridge wines with plenty of age. 87+ pts.
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8/14/2012 - dchisholm Likes this wine: 90 Points
Great as usual. Served with BBQ ribs.
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8/10/2012 - Z1nnfull wrote: 87 Points
Based on some of the press on this, and it's being sold for less than $20, we bought several bottles of both 2009 and 2010. We are Zin lovers, nearly all styles resonate with us. I served this with a multi-day marinated, grilled flank steak for a fajitas and much more meal (guac, salsa, etc), and unfortunately the wine fell just short of standing up to the dish. What I could tell was that it was an elegant and complex wine, and although the 70% Zin content predominated, the other 30% made it a little less robust. I am thinking this may be a GREAT red sipping wine, pre-dinner or something to have with a less robust dish than I fixed. I am not dissuaded from this wine or from Ridge. Will try again and I think it has some aging potential.
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8/3/2012 - lepetitchateau wrote: 89 Points
Nice, serviceable +
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7/23/2012 - macker100 wrote: 88 Points
Nice aromas of red fruit, spice, earth. Medium bodied palate, with blackberries, oak, pepper. Solid value wine.
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7/10/2012 - lepetitchateau wrote: 90 Points
classic young zin - super wine.
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6/26/2012 - S_stas wrote: 88 Points
It's funny because some of these grapes I've never heard of in the context of Cali. I liked the fresh round fruit of the Zin. Not too ripe, and with a nice nose to it. I searched and searched for the other grapes, and just when I thought I might have found them, the bottle was finished. Good for the price. A nice spin on Zin.
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6/5/2012 - cmcclane wrote: 91 Points
Drank over a couple hours. Great balance with subtle fruit flavors. Nothing like the fruit forward zins I have been tasting of late. I really enjoyed this style. Would buy again.
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5/20/2012 - abilene Likes this wine: 92 Points
This is a really nice, balanced Zinfandel, maybe not the style that is in vogue, but a throwback to the old California version. The nose of this wine explodes with candy, red fruit, raspberry, cherry, the color of this wine gives the personality of this wine away... this is no fruit bomb. 70% Zinfandel and several other varietals that complement this wine including petite syrah and a little grenache.
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5/18/2012 - VinumDiligo wrote: 88 Points
Best food friendly Zin...worked with both Antelope and Lobster!
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5/12/2012 - lockestep Likes this wine: 87 Points
Stone Balloon Luxury Brand Tasting (Stone Balloon Winehouse, Newark DE): Terrific zin nose, medium to light weight in body, medium finish. Nice standard zin flavors, while it does not live up to the expectations driven by the nose, it is a fine food zin, would pair well with grilled foods.
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4/20/2012 - Billigan wrote: 90 Points
Consistent with previous notes. My favorite food-accompanying zinfandel by a country mile.
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2/26/2012 - Nutty08 wrote: 88 Points
Zin typicity. Moderate concentration. Soft mouthfeel. Nice red briary fruit but not a complex wine. Very good for what it is.
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2/24/2012 - Mezz wrote: 89 Points
Well-integrated and subliminal. Fruit and oak are In symphonic harmony. Red berries all over with striking toasty vanilla in the finish.
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1/23/2012 - mattyboy_ Likes this wine: 88 Points
Jammy with wood and spice. very smooth and fruity with medium tannins. a little one dimensional but that's okay. a zin that will easily work as a sipper or with food - specifically grilled fare.
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1/15/2012 - Amerique wrote: 87 Points
Very mediocre, lacked distinctive varietal character
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1/13/2012 - kbosch74 Likes this wine: 87 Points
I really enjoy Ridge Zins. This is a good wine, but just left me wanting more of a finish.
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1/6/2012 - DRmechano wrote:
Ok. Always reliable and lovely to drink. Great everyday or weekender.
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12/27/2011 - Billigan wrote: 90 Points
Consistent with my previous note. More elegance, complexity, and sheer drinkability than one would/should expect from a sub-$20 zinfandel. Paired wonderfully with my wife's delicious burgers.
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12/24/2011 - wineaux2 wrote: 87 Points
The brambly berries and spice were there, but the dark fruit seemed quite muddled and lacked the freshness and lightness that I've enjoyed in past vintages of the Three Valleys. By no means is this a big, plush fruit bomb of a zin, but it did come off as too big for its britches, showing some alcohol at times. Still made a nice pairing with spicy baked BBQ pork ribs.
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12/22/2011 - bretrooks wrote: 88 Points
Not decanted, consumed over 1 hour with dinner. While not tasted analytically, I can still say that this wasn't quite what I expected. Brambly black and red fruit stayed in the background, with a sense of earthy spice being more prominent on the palate. Well-balanced and easy to drink, but lacking the concentration, complexity, or personality to be much more than that.
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12/16/2011 - pifcho wrote:
By the glass. Would have never guessed California, let alone zin blind. This is an earthy, old world wine. Black fruits along with lots of black pepper and spice dominate the palate. Could be mistaken for a northern Rhone syrah. Very clean, balanced and easy going. A solid A- wine. This is a good value at the price point.
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11/5/2011 - DoubleMagnum wrote:
Awesome. Great blend.
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11/1/2011 - bergkamp10 wrote: 89 Points
I really enjoyed this wine. A well balanced drink, very clean, bright fruit with plenty of varietal character exemplified by the briary fruit and spicy dry finish. This certainly on the lighter side for a California zinfandel, and presence of the petite syrah, grenache and carignane provide underpinning complexity, acidity and structure that makes the wine all the more interesting. Food friendly and relatively versatile for zin I would recommend this wine to those looking for an alternative to bigger plusher zins such as the Maverick from Four Vines. This wine is drinking well right now, and I don't see much that there's much to be gained by laying it down. Worth considering at less than $20.
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10/29/2011 - AllRed wrote: 89 Points
Deep crimson color. Notes of raspberry, pomegranate and pepper. Balanced, with abundant fruit on the palate. Flavors of raspberry, cherry, spice and white pepper.
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10/21/2011 - miller3324 wrote:
Nice, easy drinking wine. Lacks the depth of other Ridge bottlings. Good for near term consumption
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10/9/2011 - studleytrey wrote: 88 Points
Deep amber color. Dark fruits and black pepper spice on the nose and palate. Enjoyable, but not terribly complex or thought inspiring. Medium acidity and body.
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10/8/2011 - Arch57 wrote: 86 Points
A decent wine but not up to their more expensive bottlings like Lytton Springs. Fresh ripe fruit, a bit sweet but also had a vegetal component that I disliked.
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10/7/2011 - Monaco Likes this wine: 88 Points
First time trying a Zin from Ridge. Picked up the least expensive bottle for $18 to have at home with grilled blue cheese burgers. Pop & pour - I found the wine to pair quite nicely with the flavors of the hamburgers. It was juicy like a zin should be, but not too overpowering. Not too exciting either. A good buy for the price. Not sure I'd buy it again however.
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9/26/2011 - nzinkgraf wrote:
Not the bramble and jam, I recall in previous years. A baking spice pronouncement on the nose, depth, earth, soft spice. Palate opens with a quite pepper and this is head and shoulders over the 07 or 08 Three Valleys. If you ask me. By reading this far you have consented to asking the question, to which two sentences prior was the answer.
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9/10/2011 - wabi47 wrote: 89 Points
yoshi's house wine while watching dr john (with many distractions); however still memorable; dense and perfectly ripe raspberry; some earth, wood and tannins are there but the fruit stands up to and outlasts all of this; some coarseness and menthol detract.
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9/1/2011 - sirwine wrote: 90 Points
This is an awesome wine that is well worth the price. The Zin blend creates an interesting dimension and is somewhat softer than a straight zinfandel. Big black cherry flavors, hidden wooden overtones, a very pleasurable wine at $20. Ridge always produces great wines.
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8/20/2011 - soychick wrote: 87 Points
Popped and poured. Nose we found a little bit off putting - sweaty socks or rotting vegetation - might be better with air. Smooth, rounded, slightly spicy with a refreshing minerality on the finish. Not fruit forward. By no means a bad wine and could be great with the right food pairing, but if you're used to the monster Lytton estate Ridge wines this is definitely a step down.
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8/7/2011 - alohaboydean wrote: 87 Points
nice nose, medium body with cherry flavors that become a bit vegetal...decent finish that ends with a tannic bite. Went well with pork tenderloin but not as nice on its own. Decent wine but not what I expect from Ridge.
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8/1/2011 - raydawgone wrote: 86 Points
Watery, fruit closed down. The most disappointing Ridge I've had to date.
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7/22/2011 - cbbrown3 wrote: 89 Points
Decanted about 2 hours. Deep garnet color. Licorice, brambly berries, vanilla, cherries, pepper, and a bit of earthiness on the nose. Medium body with solid, ripe tannins and good acidity. Not a big flashy style zin, more like a claret. Spicy berries dominate the palate. A faint herbal note creeps in on the finish which should integrate with a little more cellar time. A nice, slightly reserved zin.
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7/14/2011 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 86 Points
Ridge Tasting: I have always found this to be an over priced wine for the quality. Blackberries, spice, brush and some heat. Too much jammy fruit for me.
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7/12/2011 - rocknroller wrote: 87 Points
Ridge Tasting: Current Releases (Wine Co., St. Paul, MN): Reddish purple color. Blend of 70% Zin, 15% Carignane, 10% Petite Sirah, 3% Granache, and 2% Mataro. Very herbal, fruity, cherry, on the nose. Palate is herbal, greenish, with cherry, short finish. Fair.
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6/27/2011 - CWilliam wrote:
Delicious. Baking spice, blackberry jam. medium body, balanced acids. Good with food or on its own. 90+
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6/10/2011 - Gravedigga wrote: 88 Points
Enjoyed this bottle. Compared it with the 2008 Lytton Spring and I liked this better. Softer mouthfeel was the main difference and also less oak.
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5/25/2011 - flyinburrito wrote: 87 Points
Dark garnet purple, almost black. Very open knit bouquet of youthfully bright red and dark berry candied aromas with smoke and wood notes in the background. Slightly tangy, dark berry liquer like flavors on the palate, ending with a moderate tannic finish.
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5/7/2011 - ews3 wrote: 87 Points
2011 Philadelphia Wine Festival (Marriott, Philadelphia PA): i love ridge zins, but found this to be a fairly pedestrian effort. simple and a touch of green notes. that said, it is a great value and a wine that consistently impresses even if i didnt enjoy this one as much.
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4/30/2011 - OTTnMIA wrote: 88 Points
Enjoyable wine that definitely needs some time to open up. Once there it had bright red fruit with almost a tangyness to it, and some classic Zin spice. This wasn't up to par with most Ridge bottlings I've had, though it is lesser priced than many as well.
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4/22/2011 - Billigan wrote: 90 Points
For $18, it doesn't get much better. Big nose of ripe cherries, flowers, and cocoa carry over into a velvety dark fruit on the palate, which smooth and light on the alcohol (for a zinfandel), with just a nice kick of pepper and herbs on the finish. Went perfectly with a spicy beef stew.
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3/20/2011 - cab wrote:
At first I thought I wasn't going to be able to drink this. Very saccharine sweet, not a lot of backbone. But then after it was open for an hour or two it firmed up. Still not sure I would buy again, but the sweetness dissipated, the tannins started to assert themselves, and a nice herbal acidity began to shine through. Fruit was almost under ripe, which was a positive. In the end Ridge never lets you down, but this was the closest call yet.
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3/9/2011 - cpsmith33 wrote: 88 Points
Nice solid fruity zin...pleasant and easy to drink
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2/4/2011 - kultcha wrote: 88 Points
Deep purple-red colour. Nose showed some brambleberries with a slight herbal note. Very well structured, med-big bodied zin blend showing bramble/blackberry, little bit of black cherry, some typical zin spice of pepper, and a some earthy, herbal notes towards the finish. A lot of tannins, no doubt from the petite syrah though I could taste some of the Carignagne were well integrated but showed this wine needed some air and really would be at optimal drinking in a couple of years time. Fairly acidic but well balanced as well, this is a complex wine and a very good value at this price point. This would probably be a few points higher in 2+ years.
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1/30/2011 - La Cave d'Argent wrote: 90 Points
This wine is a blend of 70% Zinfandel, 10% Petite Sirah, 15% Carignane, 3% Grenache and 2% Mataro. It was splash-decanted and serially tasted over 2-3 hours. Opaque purple ruby, with a moderately intense nose of assorted black fruits, licorice, tar and cocoa. Full-bodied on the palate, with low acidity and generous, well-integrated tannins. The flavors are black fruit and mineral driven. The middle palate is solid and the smooth finish is medium-to-long. Very nice! Drink now-12/14.
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1/13/2011 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Fairly claret in style. A big autere for a Zinfandel, which I guess I like quite a bit.
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12/25/2010 - Sundesertcactus wrote: 89 Points
Very nice fruit forward light Zin. Paired very well with the ham. Medium finish.
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