Agree with D Thomas's note on fruit profile and on alcohol being well-integrated. Plenty of fruit and acidity. Nose has some tertiary characteristics. Agree with the recent note indicating pruny finish; it works with this wine. Fun wine for a lighter mood. Drinking well but could easily hold a few years.
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Deep ruby colored; strawberry and blackberry nose; nice balance of acid and tannins; clean red fruit flavors. It is drinking nicely now. Despite the 14.4% alcohol it comes across as subtly refined.
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This one is in the sweet spot of 5-7 years for Ridge Zins. 100% Zinfandel. Bold and prominent dark fruits but very smooth and integrated tannins. Blackberry, plum, tobacco, licorice, and prune.
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Over the last two days: 2014 Ridge Zin Paso Robles Slightly better on day 2. Quite enjoyable. Upon pouring I expected a much heavier, oaky wine. Color is a nice medium/dark red. Oak and alcohol are present but very much in check. I would consider this wine slightly on the acidic side but it all blends together so well. Drink or hold.
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Served with homemade sausage pizza. Quite consistent with previous bottle. Dark crimson, almost opaque, consistent across the glass. Sediment showing on side of bottle. Fruity nose, touch of black pepper, raspberry, plum. Palate showing smooth fruit (if that is possible), a good deal of acid, very little tannin. Great finish (with a touch of chocolate lurking. Drink up.
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On the nose- Classic old school ridge zin, fresh ripe blueberry, bright red fruits, some dill, sage, violets, mountain herbs, earth, fig, cigar box spice, leather, dried meat
On the plate- Classic old school ridge zin with fresh ripe blueberry, bright red fruits and some dill, sage and violets and some mountain herbs earth and fig mixed with cigar box spice and a bit of leather and dried meat, this wine is drinking great now with a little air but could age another 10+ years easy with no problem, just another classic Ridge Zinfandel
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Color: dark plum hues with lighter tinge. No transparency. Nose: smoked, over ripe red fruits. Slight toasted oak. Flavor: on the forward,smoked, jammy red fruits - think strawberries, blueberries, purple plums - along with burnt wood, green pepper, and bitter dark chocolate. Excellent balance from the get-go. Middle opens with a nuanced tannin structure; lightly chalky tannins delicately coat the mouth, helping to really spread the flavors out over the palette. Finish is smooth and linger is a good minute plus. Dry. Medium to full bodied (leaning more towards full bodied).
This bottle is an excellent example of a producer going above and beyond the standard expectation - the Zin varietal is very common in CA, and oftentimes one will get a bottle that is very fruit forward and high alcohol content that oftentimes leads to a hot bottle. With Ridge, they expand on the standard and bring the wine to a whole other level. As such, this is just a better Zin overall; the flavors are reigned in and the balance between fruit, wood and earth is just great. The bottle drinks well right after opening and improves with some airing. Great QPR. This bottle can sit another year or so in the cellar, but given that we are working with a single varietal Zin here, would drink before 2020, otherwise the wine may begin to fall flat.
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With: homemade sausage pizza. Decanted and vinturi 25 minutes prior to quaffing. Look: Crimson/purple - close to opaque. Sniff: cinnamon and spices, plums. Taste: dry, acid, touch of tannin, dark fruit, good balance, some raspberry peaking out with the finish. Nice! Has time left.
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Decanted for about an hour - drank better and better as it continues to open up - strawberry and jam-- lighter side of the big zins these day which was nice.
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This is a nice, light, juicy number. Not as full or spicy as prior years, nor like a typical Paso Zin. However, it's impossible to fault this wine - it's extremely tasty and balanced - ripe raspberry, strawberry and a touch of vanilla. Great if you can get it on sale around $25.
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Really excellent. Bottle seemed to be resting, not much on the nose initially. After it got some air, opened to some beautiful stewed black fruit. Blackberry, blueberry, plum pie filling. Awesome.
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Pleasant enough with good balance and fruit- easy drinking on a weekend afternoon with pears and a light cheddar cheese - should hold for another couple of years, but not much longer
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Raspberries and cherries in the nose with black cherries and raspberries in the flavor with a touch of licorice. Pleasant zin, though a bit one dimensional
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Color - plum color, dark center, Nose - licorice, earth and soil, dark fruits, over ripe plum, black pepper Mouth - dark fruit, blackberry, plum, well balanced, Amazing wine at such a young vintage.
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Clear, deep garnet. Black plum, fig, date, cigar box. Low acids, medium to low tannins. Fennel, boysenberry. Medium to long balanced finish. Event at Lytton Springs.
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Some of the ropes blocks get pulled and out put into a club wine called dusi. Ripe cherry fruit with fresh balance considering the appellatio. Lots of volume in the mouth but pretty gentle soft tannins.
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Aroma: tobacco, hay and spicy blackberries. Palate: jammy blackberry with peppery finish. Notes of lavender, moss and leather. Moderate acidity and somewhat green, puckery tannin. Could use a few years in the cellar. A classic warm-climate Zin.
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4/1/2023 - SlapTheBag Likes this wine:
Lots of black pepper with black fruit.
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1/27/2022 - Stufonhead Likes this wine: 91 Points
Agree with D Thomas's note on fruit profile and on alcohol being well-integrated. Plenty of fruit and acidity. Nose has some tertiary characteristics. Agree with the recent note indicating pruny finish; it works with this wine. Fun wine for a lighter mood. Drinking well but could easily hold a few years.
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12/20/2021 - Agunner23 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Almost port like finish, great balance in acidity and fruit. Drink now if you have it in your cellar.
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6/13/2021 - Thomas D Likes this wine: 89 Points
See previous; same opinion
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3/28/2021 - Thomas D Likes this wine: 89 Points
Deep ruby colored; strawberry and blackberry nose; nice balance of acid and tannins; clean red fruit flavors. It is drinking nicely now. Despite the 14.4% alcohol it comes across as subtly refined.
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12/9/2020 - tedcholl wrote: 90 Points
This one is in the sweet spot of 5-7 years for Ridge Zins. 100% Zinfandel. Bold and prominent dark fruits but very smooth and integrated tannins. Blackberry, plum, tobacco, licorice, and prune.
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3/22/2020 - beerenauslese Likes this wine: 91 Points
Fruity with structure
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2/17/2020 - Cadby Likes this wine: 92 Points
luscious beast! Candied fruit and perfectly ripe fruit
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11/5/2019 - beerenauslese Likes this wine: 90 Points
Deep red cherry with a hint of tobacco, paired well with BBQ pulled chicken.
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6/16/2019 - LC17SMP Likes this wine: 91 Points
Over the last two days:
2014 Ridge Zin Paso Robles
Slightly better on day 2. Quite enjoyable. Upon pouring I expected a much heavier, oaky wine. Color is a nice medium/dark red. Oak and alcohol are present but very much in check. I would consider this wine slightly on the acidic side but it all blends together so well. Drink or hold.
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5/10/2019 - bjschmitt Likes this wine: 90 Points
Served with homemade sausage pizza.
Quite consistent with previous bottle.
Dark crimson, almost opaque, consistent across the glass. Sediment showing on side of bottle.
Fruity nose, touch of black pepper, raspberry, plum.
Palate showing smooth fruit (if that is possible), a good deal of acid, very little tannin. Great finish (with a touch of chocolate lurking.
Drink up.
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2/1/2019 - Bob23 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Blackberry liquor, but somehow not too jammy. A balance ridge strikes as well as anyone.
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9/29/2018 - WineGeek1989 Likes this wine: 91 Points
On the nose- Classic old school ridge zin, fresh ripe blueberry, bright red fruits, some dill, sage, violets, mountain herbs, earth, fig, cigar box spice, leather, dried meat
On the plate- Classic old school ridge zin with fresh ripe blueberry, bright red fruits and some dill, sage and violets and some mountain herbs earth and fig mixed with cigar box spice and a bit of leather and dried meat, this wine is drinking great now with a little air but could age another 10+ years easy with no problem, just another classic Ridge Zinfandel
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7/10/2018 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very drinkable. Gave it some air. Typical and better than average Ridge zin.
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5/29/2018 - CJM wrote: 82 Points
Clear, deep garnet with slight rim browning. Slight rotten egg, rubber, plum. Low acids, high tannins. Black pepper. Short balanced finish.
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5/29/2018 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very solid medium bodied wine with pleasant red and blue fruit. Decent finish. Somewhere in the middle for Ridge zins.
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5/6/2018 - IPT Likes this wine: 92 Points
Color: dark plum hues with lighter tinge. No transparency.
Nose: smoked, over ripe red fruits. Slight toasted oak.
Flavor: on the forward,smoked, jammy red fruits - think strawberries, blueberries, purple plums - along with burnt wood, green pepper, and bitter dark chocolate. Excellent balance from the get-go. Middle opens with a nuanced tannin structure; lightly chalky tannins delicately coat the mouth, helping to really spread the flavors out over the palette. Finish is smooth and linger is a good minute plus. Dry. Medium to full bodied (leaning more towards full bodied).
This bottle is an excellent example of a producer going above and beyond the standard expectation - the Zin varietal is very common in CA, and oftentimes one will get a bottle that is very fruit forward and high alcohol content that oftentimes leads to a hot bottle. With Ridge, they expand on the standard and bring the wine to a whole other level. As such, this is just a better Zin overall; the flavors are reigned in and the balance between fruit, wood and earth is just great. The bottle drinks well right after opening and improves with some airing. Great QPR. This bottle can sit another year or so in the cellar, but given that we are working with a single varietal Zin here, would drink before 2020, otherwise the wine may begin to fall flat.
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4/6/2018 - bjschmitt Likes this wine: 90 Points
With: homemade sausage pizza.
Decanted and vinturi 25 minutes prior to quaffing.
Look: Crimson/purple - close to opaque.
Sniff: cinnamon and spices, plums.
Taste: dry, acid, touch of tannin, dark fruit, good balance, some raspberry peaking out with the finish. Nice! Has time left.
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11/26/2017 - andrewlaurenwines wrote: 90 Points
Decanted for about an hour - drank better and better as it continues to open up - strawberry and jam-- lighter side of the big zins these day which was nice.
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6/27/2017 - marcellevi Likes this wine: 89 Points
This is a nice, light, juicy number. Not as full or spicy as prior years, nor like a typical Paso Zin. However, it's impossible to fault this wine - it's extremely tasty and balanced - ripe raspberry, strawberry and a touch of vanilla. Great if you can get it on sale around $25.
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5/13/2017 - j.rosenblatt wrote:
Really excellent. Bottle seemed to be resting, not much on the nose initially. After it got some air, opened to some beautiful stewed black fruit. Blackberry, blueberry, plum pie filling. Awesome.
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5/12/2017 - ptm Likes this wine: 88 Points
Pleasant enough with good balance and fruit- easy drinking on a weekend afternoon with pears and a light cheddar cheese - should hold for another couple of years, but not much longer
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4/27/2017 - cdebeau Likes this wine: 91 Points
Vibrant fruit, smooth finish
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2/26/2017 - Motz wrote: 88 Points
Solid overall, in fact, quite enjoyable...but lacking Ridge's signature quality. Somewhat muted and even a little thin. Balanced.
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2/15/2017 - twoamps wrote: 89 Points
not as robust as expected, still a nice paso zin
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11/26/2016 - buckeye76 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Raspberries and cherries in the nose with black cherries and raspberries in the flavor with a touch of licorice. Pleasant zin, though a bit one dimensional
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11/24/2016 - Opus2010 wrote: 89 Points
needed time to breathe, but after an hour it had good back of mouth feel. still not fabulous.
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11/2/2016 - danstrings Likes this wine: 88 Points
Solid fresh, round, balanced red.
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10/26/2016 - sdonahue wrote:
w doug and lewis
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10/7/2016 - kosinski wrote:
Considerably more closed since my tasting in February. More tannic, less fruity. Give it time.
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10/3/2016 - whits wrote: 88 Points
Dark colored, floral scented beauty, very soft, light acid, deep, blueberry, raspberry, fig, prune and licorice, ready to drink now, nice with BBQ smoked pork pizza
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10/2/2016 - Opus2010 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Started drinking a little cold, but showed it's flavor and after taste quickly.
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8/20/2016 - Ryanmeulemans wrote:
Color - plum color, dark center,
Nose - licorice, earth and soil, dark fruits, over ripe plum, black pepper
Mouth - dark fruit, blackberry, plum, well balanced,
Amazing wine at such a young vintage.
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6/10/2016 - dpolivy wrote:
Vindredi (Ridge Cellar Night) (Bellevue, WA): Dense, brambly, and sweet. Soft and pure fruit; blackberry and cherry. Soft tannins with balanced acid.
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4/2/2016 - CJM wrote: 88 Points
Clear, deep garnet. Black plum, fig, date, cigar box. Low acids, medium to low tannins. Fennel, boysenberry. Medium to long balanced finish. Event at Lytton Springs.
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3/22/2016 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Some of the ropes blocks get pulled and out put into a club wine called dusi. Ripe cherry fruit with fresh balance considering the appellatio. Lots of volume in the mouth but pretty gentle soft tannins.
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3/20/2016 - codysak wrote: 91 Points
Nice wine.
Very un-Zin like. Fresh ripe blue and red fruits, not jammy, but full fruit.
Light dill and coconut that nicely integrated.
This wine is fun, yet a mature Zin.
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2/5/2016 - kosinski wrote:
Aroma: tobacco, hay and spicy blackberries.
Palate: jammy blackberry with peppery finish. Notes of lavender, moss and leather. Moderate acidity and somewhat green, puckery tannin. Could use a few years in the cellar. A classic warm-climate Zin.
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