Part of a Burger and Zin night in NYC with my wine group. I threw this in unannounced as a bonus wine. I was curious to see what it had left. We all agreed it had a terrible, oxidized nose, and we were expecting the wine to be shot. But somehow it has survived all these years! The fruit was leaning more towards the stewed fruit, instead of fresh fruit, but it was a very enjoyable wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This was such a stunningly balanced fruit forward wine back in 2006 that I was concerned it would be hot and flabby now. While not as lip-smackingly bright as 8 years ago, the fruit is more of a stewed variety but the structure is still there. Drinking well right now, but probably not going to get better.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Typically solid Ridge Pagani. Initially a little grippy but actually opened up and softened nicely. In fact, was better on the second day. Apparently a testament to having plenty of life left.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
We had the 05 a few weeks back and decided to see how a few more years would treat this. As always with Ridge, although the back label said it would be best before 2010, the winery consistently understates the drinkablility of its wines and this was no exception - fabulous stuff, great nose, mature zin flavors on the palate and decent finish. Definitely mature but by no means over the hill. Very nice.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
With leftover barbeque on day 4 following OSB’s death. With DDB, OSB. the pairing is very nice. The tannins resolved. A beautiful wine. Highly Recommended.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Awesome Zin! Self-styled by its label as "opulent & exotic," which is a good summation. A little light on acidity, but appreciable tannis give the finish some nice grip. All told, it's an unctuous, spicy, hedonistic explosion of peppery/brambly fruit. Worth every penny. [15.3% abv.; $34.00].
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Still some life in this yet. A bit on the slender side as opposed to lush and thick. I definitely got some mint/menthol on the nose. Will see what happens w/ the other half of the bottle tomorrow.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Upon opening, feels like older, thinner fruit. Later, more body, plenty of fruit, a bit of sweetness, like candy. More juicy/lively than thick. Elegant is probably the right word, as everything still seems to be in balance, tannins vanished in the weave. Seems like this still has lots of life left, beyond the 5-6 years after release Mr. Draper estimated. Day two, fruit, but a little green/tannic around the edges. Day three, still has a core of fruit, but hot/alcoholic on the edges.....
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Nose: Lavender, vanilla, blackberry, menthol. Palate features plum, raisin, almost port-like. Full mouth-feel and wmooth tannins. Big, head-banging alcohol content at 15.3.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Nose of raspberry, brambly, bit of underbrush. Sweet blueberry, dark chocolate, hints of oak and vanilla. Very nice and not overripe or green. One of the good examples from Ridge in recent years. No reason to keep this, it is well integrated and fully mature but it will probably hang in there for 2-3 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Bold and complex with loads of dark/red fruit and very zinfandel like. Ripe plums and black cherry coat the palate on the medium aftertaste. Very enjoyable and ready to drink over the next 5 years. Drink now-2014.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
An inky black core; perhaps due to the 6% Alicante Bouchet and 4% Petite Sirah. A dynamite wine with loads of Zin funk, coffee and mocha. Full, ripe and not going any where anytime soon. Juicy, fresh, lively, balanced and simply a load of fun. Of the one remaining bottle that I have, I hope not to pull another for at least 4 years (2012). 15.3% alc., but not a bit hot. With homemade (rubbed and smoked) pulled pork and Emeril’s cold slaw. The pig paired perfectly with the Zin. Highly Recommended.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Integrated and harmonious upon opening . . . elegant black fruit on the nose with hints of anise and clove. Opulent mouthfeel but not terribly complex; lighter on acidity and tannin than expected. So the long, velvety finish was a bit of a surprise. Very interesting wine. Drinking incredibly well right now!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
15.3% alcohol - surprising for most of my recent Ridge experiences - though this isnt detrimental, maybe just a vintage thing? 90% Zinfandel, 6% Alicante, 4$ Petite Sirah...
I accidentally pulled this instead of '04, but this is a wine that is tasting exceptional right now...the nose is seriously expressive, as much as it was last September '06, big black berries, wet earth, cocoa, as I said before, this wine is singing on the nose...medium-full in body, gorgeous pure fruit, interesting that my notes indicate a year ago this wine was resembling a dry port - no longer, this has rich and viscous fruit, tremendous length, and for all that, this wine is very young still. Plenty of stuffing, this wine will last a while. Enjoy for the exuberance now, or cellar for 3+ more years...
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Beautiful color...no decanting...really expressive - right out of the box...fresh and ripe on the nose, big zinberries, alongside this nutty/port like sensation...medium in body, the ripeness of the wine plays out on the palate, with really ripe fruit, verging on port-like, without the alcohol, a dry port I suppose, long and delicious on the finish. Fun to drink, never complex or something to contemplate. Ready now, no need to wait - can't see much occuring in the way of evolution.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Loaded with fruit and spice (maybe cinnamon??????). Plum and dark cherry were prevalent throughout and jammy. All in all really good and was very open right after opening. Didn't improve much over time (maybe 2 hours open).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
What an interesting nose. Pie, dark cherries, plum, and something like a fruity worchestshire, very perfumy. Balanced and unique, luscious dark ripe cherries, damp root of a chocolate tree, with some structure and tannins that should let this age gracefully. This really grew on me.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Saturday, September 03, 2005 While Mr. Draper recommends a drinking window of 5 to 6 years, this was burning a hole in my cellar’s pocket. The unmistakable rhubarb on the nose announces that Zin is in this bottle. Plenty of Zin funk and sweet black fruits as well. A very pretty nose. The flavor profile follows the bouquet, but with added notes of brown sugar, purple basil and rosemary and a looong finish of black cherry. Unfortunately, that long finish is also punctuated with an alcoholic hotness. This is surprisingly deep and rich to be so young; and while full bodied, there is nothing subtle about it. It’s a big, brash wine. 90% Zin, 6% Alicante Bourschet, 4% Petite Sirah. 15.3% Alc. With homemade pulled pork after a day of yard work. Sunday, December 25, 2005 Gift for the Tinsleys
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
fruit firecracker. not quite a fruit bomb, but that nice jammy plum and grape jam taste, with lots and lots of fresh american oak. Sort of turley like. Really like this; one of best recent Ridges. better the second night after vacu vin; that’s unusual!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
11/25/2019 - SMHalps wrote: 90 Points
Part of a Burger and Zin night in NYC with my wine group. I threw this in unannounced as a bonus wine. I was curious to see what it had left. We all agreed it had a terrible, oxidized nose, and we were expecting the wine to be shot. But somehow it has survived all these years! The fruit was leaning more towards the stewed fruit, instead of fresh fruit, but it was a very enjoyable wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/22/2015 - corkcork wrote:
Iconic
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/4/2014 - corkcork wrote: 90 Points
Still standing tall, lovely no sign of fading, loved it,
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/27/2014 - Gparker Likes this wine:
This was such a stunningly balanced fruit forward wine back in 2006 that I was concerned it would be hot and flabby now. While not as lip-smackingly bright as 8 years ago, the fruit is more of a stewed variety but the structure is still there. Drinking well right now, but probably not going to get better.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/18/2011 - mcubed wrote: 90 Points
Typically solid Ridge Pagani. Initially a little grippy but actually opened up and softened nicely. In fact, was better on the second day. Apparently a testament to having plenty of life left.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/12/2011 - UpfromtheCellar wrote: 90 Points
We had the 05 a few weeks back and decided to see how a few more years would treat this. As always with Ridge, although the back label said it would be best before 2010, the winery consistently understates the drinkablility of its wines and this was no exception - fabulous stuff, great nose, mature zin flavors on the palate and decent finish. Definitely mature but by no means over the hill. Very nice.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/1/2011 - Erik R. wrote: 91 Points
Still a great zin. My last bottle and timed well. Dusty cherry pie, soft and spicy plum.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/14/2011 - timewithwine wrote:
With leftover barbeque on day 4 following OSB’s death. With DDB, OSB. the pairing is very nice. The tannins resolved. A beautiful wine. Highly Recommended.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/2/2010 - Bacchant wrote: 93 Points
Awesome Zin! Self-styled by its label as "opulent & exotic," which is a good summation. A little light on acidity, but appreciable tannis give the finish some nice grip. All told, it's an unctuous, spicy, hedonistic explosion of peppery/brambly fruit. Worth every penny. [15.3% abv.; $34.00].
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/31/2010 - NuTricks wrote: 89 Points
Still some life in this yet. A bit on the slender side as opposed to lush and thick. I definitely got some mint/menthol on the nose. Will see what happens w/ the other half of the bottle tomorrow.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/11/2010 - twoamps wrote: 90 Points
still a great ridge zin. I can’t imagine what WS was tasting. Fruity, layered zin with some backbone left, albeit a very mellow backbone.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/31/2009 - davesdream wrote:
Upon opening, feels like older, thinner fruit. Later, more body, plenty of fruit, a bit of sweetness, like candy. More juicy/lively than thick. Elegant is probably the right word, as everything still seems to be in balance, tannins vanished in the weave. Seems like this still has lots of life left, beyond the 5-6 years after release Mr. Draper estimated. Day two, fruit, but a little green/tannic around the edges. Day three, still has a core of fruit, but hot/alcoholic on the edges.....
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/26/2009 - Texas Jerky wrote: 91 Points
Nose: Lavender, vanilla, blackberry, menthol. Palate features plum, raisin, almost port-like. Full mouth-feel and wmooth tannins. Big, head-banging alcohol content at 15.3.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/13/2009 - guitarguy wrote: 90 Points
Nose of raspberry, brambly, bit of underbrush. Sweet blueberry, dark chocolate, hints of oak and vanilla. Very nice and not overripe or green. One of the good examples from Ridge in recent years. No reason to keep this, it is well integrated and fully mature but it will probably hang in there for 2-3 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/23/2009 - jakob.krummenacher@gmail.com wrote: 91 Points
Bold and complex with loads of dark/red fruit and very zinfandel like. Ripe plums and black cherry coat the palate on the medium aftertaste. Very enjoyable and ready to drink over the next 5 years. Drink now-2014.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/20/2009 - Gnome wrote: 91 Points
Sigh, last bottle. As always very jammy.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/26/2008 - timewithwine wrote:
An inky black core; perhaps due to the 6% Alicante Bouchet and 4% Petite Sirah. A dynamite wine with loads of Zin funk, coffee and mocha. Full, ripe and not going any where anytime soon. Juicy, fresh, lively, balanced and simply a load of fun. Of the one remaining bottle that I have, I hope not to pull another for at least 4 years (2012). 15.3% alc., but not a bit hot. With homemade (rubbed and smoked) pulled pork and Emeril’s cold slaw. The pig paired perfectly with the Zin. Highly Recommended.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/24/2008 - ogres3 wrote: 87 Points
Somewhat typical ridge zin, but probably below the median.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/30/2007 - aclapp wrote: 90 Points
Integrated and harmonious upon opening . . . elegant black fruit on the nose with hints of anise and clove. Opulent mouthfeel but not terribly complex; lighter on acidity and tannin than expected. So the long, velvety finish was a bit of a surprise. Very interesting wine. Drinking incredibly well right now!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/30/2007 - CO CHRIS wrote: 92 Points
15.3% alcohol - surprising for most of my recent Ridge experiences - though this isnt detrimental, maybe just a vintage thing? 90% Zinfandel, 6% Alicante, 4$ Petite Sirah...
I accidentally pulled this instead of '04, but this is a wine that is tasting exceptional right now...the nose is seriously expressive, as much as it was last September '06, big black berries, wet earth, cocoa, as I said before, this wine is singing on the nose...medium-full in body, gorgeous pure fruit, interesting that my notes indicate a year ago this wine was resembling a dry port - no longer, this has rich and viscous fruit, tremendous length, and for all that, this wine is very young still. Plenty of stuffing, this wine will last a while. Enjoy for the exuberance now, or cellar for 3+ more years...
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/24/2007 - JoshuaG wrote: 92 Points
Very smooth. Has many late harvest qualities Drinking nicely now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/9/2007 - dbarco wrote: 90 Points
Blackberry and blueberry with a spicy and somewhat leathery accent. Very enjoyable.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/15/2006 - CO CHRIS wrote: 89 Points
Beautiful color...no decanting...really expressive - right out of the box...fresh and ripe on the nose, big zinberries, alongside this nutty/port like sensation...medium in body, the ripeness of the wine plays out on the palate, with really ripe fruit, verging on port-like, without the alcohol, a dry port I suppose, long and delicious on the finish. Fun to drink, never complex or something to contemplate. Ready now, no need to wait - can't see much occuring in the way of evolution.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/6/2006 - fhmesq wrote: 91 Points
Loaded with fruit and spice (maybe cinnamon??????). Plum and dark cherry were prevalent throughout and jammy. All in all really good and was very open right after opening. Didn't improve much over time (maybe 2 hours open).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/9/2006 - Erik R. wrote: 91 Points
Consistent notes. Jammy dark plum, graphite, worchestshire, baking spice. A great zin.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/23/2006 - Rob MacKay wrote: 89 Points
A fine example of a California Zinfandel. Young and fruity with a jammy, spicy mouthfeel.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/23/2005 - Erik R. wrote: 91 Points
What an interesting nose. Pie, dark cherries, plum, and something like a fruity worchestshire, very perfumy. Balanced and unique, luscious dark ripe cherries, damp root of a chocolate tree, with some structure and tannins that should let this age gracefully. This really grew on me.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/14/2005 - AlexHop wrote: 89 Points
Nice
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/3/2005 - timewithwine wrote:
Saturday, September 03, 2005 While Mr. Draper recommends a drinking window of 5 to 6 years, this was burning a hole in my cellar’s pocket. The unmistakable rhubarb on the nose announces that Zin is in this bottle. Plenty of Zin funk and sweet black fruits as well. A very pretty nose. The flavor profile follows the bouquet, but with added notes of brown sugar, purple basil and rosemary and a looong finish of black cherry. Unfortunately, that long finish is also punctuated with an alcoholic hotness. This is surprisingly deep and rich to be so young; and while full bodied, there is nothing subtle about it. It’s a big, brash wine. 90% Zin, 6% Alicante Bourschet, 4% Petite Sirah. 15.3% Alc. With homemade pulled pork after a day of yard work.
Sunday, December 25, 2005 Gift for the Tinsleys
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/30/2005 - twoamps wrote: 93 Points
fruit firecracker. not quite a fruit bomb, but that nice jammy plum and grape jam taste, with lots and lots of fresh american oak. Sort of turley like. Really like this; one of best recent Ridges.
better the second night after vacu vin; that’s unusual!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment