A big wine, slightly blowsy, like a dry vintage Port. Ripe blackberry fruit, relatively juicy acid, a bit of Armagnac soaked prunes, and sweetish on the finish. Despite all this, there’s a certain elegance to this, especially after a few hours of air - the gnarly Nervo tannins have melted into a sophisticated melange of leather, baking spice and wet cedar sauna. Long, savory finish, a bit of sweetness and heat yes, and not my usual preferred style of zin, but it all sort of works.
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Aging gracefully. Still lots of blackberry fruit but it’s draped with a velvety tannin glove, perfume and spice. Still sweetish fruit on the finish, it clocks in at 15.2 but you wouldn’t know it if you didn’t look at the label. Still a lot of chalk, not sure if it will fully resolve. Very tasty right now.
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Another great bottle of aged Zin from Ridge. Whiffs of cherry Coke, black pepper, and blackberry vines. Resin-infused cherries and red/black fruit jam in the mouth. Still a bit chewy but in very nice harmony. Just love where these wines get to at the 10 year mark. Nice pairing with grilled chicken breast with ancho chile powder and tomato and corn saute. Drink now.
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A nice mature Zin. Its lost is juicy, jammy, flabby fruit and replaced it with a silky, smooth feel of integrated tannins, character and some little finesse. It is still very balanced and the 15.1%+ alcohol isn't really noticeable except at perhaps the end of the finish, (and only fleeting at that). Some savory/leathery elements on the palate with a touch of the old vine sweetness that old vine Zin is known for. Very nice. 88+ but drink up - this is at the top and will only slide from here.
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Lovely bottle. Better than expected. Classic Zin nose with sweet leather, some white pepper and cherry. Solid core of dark red fruit in the mouth with a nice long, mouth-coating finish. Fruit and acid in wonderful balance. Terrific bottle of Ridge. Paired beautifully with lamb burgers with porcini mushrooms.
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Some good zin brambly flavors. Nice balance and finishing with some prominent tannins. Probably a year or so away from showing its best, but still quite good.
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With some age & right off trans Atlantic. Light reddish purple. Oakish, Acid, alcoholic, purple fruit nose. Spicy, pepper, got the mushroom, but more more Shiraz like. Tight cheap black licorice, not the expensive oily Euro version. Short front finish, burnt toast on the nose and palate, yeah that is it. Not integrating, will only fall apart. Acid & oak will outlast fruit, drink now.
Saved a glass for after P&P, 4 hours. The notes above reflect slight improvment. Caparone Merlot shined at 30% less, like a 3x Pomerel. Ugh. Another reason I have quit the ATP.
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Not to bad but nothing special either. I feel like this is moving towards the end of its life. Nose of plums and cherry, hints of eucalyptus. Dirt, cherries, moderate weight mouthfeel. Dries up quickly on the palate. Not much in the finish.
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Deep red in the glass with hints of purple. Nose of dusty blueberry, cherry, raspberry, and blackberry pie filling. Initial palate impression is of big chewy fruit tannins, dust, and heat, but time in the glass rounds off some of these out-of-balance characteristics to show more red and black berry fruited characteristics, in line with expectations. For my tastes, needs another 3-5 years to integrate and mature.
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Good nose, with mushrooms truffles and dark fruit. Quite a bit of alcohol, that lasts, redcurrants and blackberries. Transitions into a long reducrrent dominated finished.
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Much better 16 mos after last bottle. Darker fruit with blackberry and some blueberry and some raisiny tastes. Very rich, nicely balanced. No longer highly tannic - just right.
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Still young and quite tannic. Full flavor profile of red cherry buttressed by depth of black fruit. Some earthiness and a nice spicy finish. Should improve in 2-3 years.
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10/11/2021 - ohne_musik wrote: 89 Points
A big wine, slightly blowsy, like a dry vintage Port. Ripe blackberry fruit, relatively juicy acid, a bit of Armagnac soaked prunes, and sweetish on the finish. Despite all this, there’s a certain elegance to this, especially after a few hours of air - the gnarly Nervo tannins have melted into a sophisticated melange of leather, baking spice and wet cedar sauna. Long, savory finish, a bit of sweetness and heat yes, and not my usual preferred style of zin, but it all sort of works.
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12/17/2020 - River Rat Likes this wine:
Aging gracefully. Still lots of blackberry fruit but it’s draped with a velvety tannin glove, perfume and spice. Still sweetish fruit on the finish, it clocks in at 15.2 but you wouldn’t know it if you didn’t look at the label. Still a lot of chalk, not sure if it will fully resolve. Very tasty right now.
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9/17/2015 - drmarclevine Likes this wine: 92 Points
Another great bottle of aged Zin from Ridge. Whiffs of cherry Coke, black pepper, and blackberry vines. Resin-infused cherries and red/black fruit jam in the mouth. Still a bit chewy but in very nice harmony. Just love where these wines get to at the 10 year mark. Nice pairing with grilled chicken breast with ancho chile powder and tomato and corn saute. Drink now.
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11/28/2014 - indiscriminate palate wrote:
Very pretty nose of blackberry liquor and bramble. Low tannin and med-low acid. Nice finish of sour blackberries. Yummy, solid zin drinking well now.
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3/11/2013 - UpfromtheCellar wrote: 88 Points
A nice mature Zin. Its lost is juicy, jammy, flabby fruit and replaced it with a silky, smooth feel of integrated tannins, character and some little finesse. It is still very balanced and the 15.1%+ alcohol isn't really noticeable except at perhaps the end of the finish, (and only fleeting at that). Some savory/leathery elements on the palate with a touch of the old vine sweetness that old vine Zin is known for. Very nice. 88+ but drink up - this is at the top and will only slide from here.
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1/3/2013 - tbone wrote:
Like it.......a lot. Took about 45 minutes to really sing.
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9/15/2012 - drmarclevine wrote: 92 Points
Lovely bottle. Better than expected. Classic Zin nose with sweet leather, some white pepper and cherry. Solid core of dark red fruit in the mouth with a nice long, mouth-coating finish. Fruit and acid in wonderful balance. Terrific bottle of Ridge. Paired beautifully with lamb burgers with porcini mushrooms.
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9/9/2012 - lolo66 wrote: 91 Points
juivy, balanced, sweet, but not cloying, really good sutff.
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2/6/2012 - casjf wrote:
Classic Ridge zin: big and spicy. Served at Superbowl with spicy red beans, rice collard greens and sausage. Delicious!
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2/6/2012 - casjf wrote: 92 Points
- Garnet color with slow forming legs. It's balanced and has flavours of black pepper with a full body. Juicy texture with a long finish.
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2/5/2012 - casjf wrote:
Classic Ridge zin: big & spicy. Drank during Superbowl with spicy red beans, rice, collard greens, & sausage. Delicious.
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9/13/2011 - winemaker wrote: 89 Points
Pretty tasty zin. Brambly zin fruit, spice, tannins are still fairly firm.
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3/24/2011 - karpos wrote: 88 Points
Mellowed a bit, but still big. Paired with strong food to give it an adequate foil. I t would overwhelm something mild.
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10/3/2010 - PIntag wrote: 88 Points
Some good zin brambly flavors. Nice balance and finishing with some prominent tannins. Probably a year or so away from showing its best, but still quite good.
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4/17/2010 - tplskylrk wrote: 86 Points
With some age & right off trans Atlantic. Light reddish purple. Oakish, Acid, alcoholic, purple fruit nose. Spicy, pepper, got the mushroom, but more more Shiraz like. Tight cheap black licorice, not the expensive oily Euro version. Short front finish, burnt toast on the nose and palate, yeah that is it. Not integrating, will only fall apart. Acid & oak will outlast fruit, drink now.
Saved a glass for after P&P, 4 hours. The notes above reflect slight improvment. Caparone Merlot shined at 30% less, like a 3x Pomerel. Ugh. Another reason I have quit the ATP.
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3/15/2010 - guitarguy wrote: 87 Points
Floral and ripe berry nose. Blueberry, chocolate, cracked pepper, wet dishrag flavors. Good.
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1/14/2010 - guitarguy wrote: 88 Points
Not to bad but nothing special either. I feel like this is moving towards the end of its life. Nose of plums and cherry, hints of eucalyptus. Dirt, cherries, moderate weight mouthfeel. Dries up quickly on the palate. Not much in the finish.
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11/29/2009 - tplskylrk wrote: 89 Points
Theses are fun, if not a bit predictable and boring? Anyway, Draper Zin with pruny plums, spice for the Fall. Just good stuff.
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8/28/2009 - fredb wrote:
Deep red in the glass with hints of purple. Nose of dusty blueberry, cherry, raspberry, and blackberry pie filling. Initial palate impression is of big chewy fruit tannins, dust, and heat, but time in the glass rounds off some of these out-of-balance characteristics to show more red and black berry fruited characteristics, in line with expectations. For my tastes, needs another 3-5 years to integrate and mature.
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8/21/2009 - dnjones wrote: 88 Points
Good nose, with mushrooms truffles and dark fruit.
Quite a bit of alcohol, that lasts, redcurrants and blackberries. Transitions into a long reducrrent dominated finished.
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3/28/2009 - ogres3 wrote:
"OK, nothing extraordinary"
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3/21/2009 - dougie wrote: 89 Points
Very good. Has flavors that are unique. Didn't change throughout the 4 hours drinking it.
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2/1/2009 - ogres3 wrote:
Drinkable Ridge zin - not over the top, enjoyable but not spectacular.
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10/2/2008 - karpos wrote: 88 Points
Big thick fruit, with raisin and tobacco. You can feel the alcohol at 15.2%.
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8/31/2008 - dbarco wrote: 92 Points
Much better 16 mos after last bottle. Darker fruit with blackberry and some blueberry and some raisiny tastes. Very rich, nicely balanced. No longer highly tannic - just right.
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7/23/2008 - jrlamia wrote: 88 Points
Long, rich finish. Ripe fruit, raisin, soime spice. Should drink now.
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1/30/2008 - JDRFoster wrote: 89 Points
Dark fruit nose, with oak and earth. Initial impression is pencil lead infused dark fruit. Rich and robust, this is drinking beautifully now.
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5/14/2007 - Spencer wrote: 88 Points
Solid, enjoyable Zin.
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4/23/2007 - CO CHRIS wrote:
Drink 'em if you got 'em. Just ok. Won't be great.
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4/8/2007 - dbarco wrote: 88 Points
Still young and quite tannic. Full flavor profile of red cherry buttressed by depth of black fruit. Some earthiness and a nice spicy finish. Should improve in 2-3 years.
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2/24/2007 - CO CHRIS wrote: 86 Points
Nothing to get crazy excited about...1 for 2 this year on ATP wines. Fairly pedestrian at this point.
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