Garnet colored with a brownish rust hue and a bit of murkiness setting in - the predominant sign of diminution from aging, clearly nearing the end of its' drinking window, but still holding its fruit. There were accents of leather and tobacco leaf but no funkiness that one might expect from wine this age. Setting the clarity and color aside, one might not know how old this was.
A hint of bricking on the edges. Gorgeous nose of herbs, game, blood -- sort of like something from the N. Rhone. Soil, cocoa, and dark cherries on the palate -- plenty of fruit left here. Medium+ acid. Medium finish. Tannins silky smooth. Hopefully I can find more of this on the secondary market.
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Strong, brambly, ripe, fruit-laden, very mature Zin. Drink up. I'd say Paul's Zin's from the 80's exhibit a stronger ageworthiness. 90 pts.
Three days later - cork back in the bottle after one glass, no decant, just stood up in the bottom of my wine cabinet: Oops, wrong again. This has settled into a beautiful, ripe, baked red fruit, varnish, alcohol and spice nose, with a warm, ripe, balanced, elegant and food-friendly zin that drinks more like a claret. The master at work again! How could I doubt him? Is he the best winemaker in America? Along with Josh Jensen, he gets my vote. Shhhhhhhh! Now and for the next 7+ years, but wait until it really blows off the head of funky, seemingly overmature funk. Upgraded to 94 pts quality, 96 pts personal pleasure and humbling learning experience.
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A pleasant surprise, after being open a while. Initially the nose was very musty, not corky, just old. Let it sit for an hour in anticipation of pouring it out, glad I didn't. Poured a couple of ounces, and the taste was entirely different from the nose. It was quite youthful, still had plenty of fresh fruit, and bracing acidity, must have been a bruiser in its youth. Has all the reasons we hold them this long, light cocoa, caramel, licorice. Still a little oaky. Very tasty finish. Kept it open overnight, and it did not fall apart, instead, the fruit started to dominate the acid and oak, and became close to syrupy. Corked it and drove across town to share it with friends, and the movement smoothed it out more. A real treat
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A blend of 86% Zinfandel and 14% Petite Sirah that delivers ripe, sweet fruit at the same time it offers up the complexity of a claret. Just as with the Montelena Zin, and in fact on the same day I first opened that wine a few months back, it was irresponsibly popped and poured with other wines while watching a race. And just like the Montelena this wine is too old to take that abuse. This time, using the Audoulze method, I opened it about 10:00 a.m.; about the same time I put the pork butt on the smoker. The first sip was amazingly good. It remained that way until the second bottle was drained about 9:30 that night. The nose is expansive with ripe blackberries, zin berry funk, leather, red fruits and smoke. The silky mouthfeel is just like an old Bordeaux with a dusty finish. The depth of the wine and layers of flavors invite you back to the glass over and over again. Only a very fine grain of sediment is thrown by the wine. 13.6% alc. We fired these up with some apps followed by pulled pork while enjoying the company of Mark T, Karen F and Alan Garrison. Highly Recommended.
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Ruby color with a classy translucence. A little bricking around the edges. Nose of cherries, cedar, oak, and maybe a little soy sauce. Definite aged flavors, slightly sour at first but that backs off quickly. Still some tannin. A short burst of fruit and acidity at the end. Short finish. On its way downhill but has a surprising amount of flavor for a 19 year old Zin.
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13.6% ABV - 86% Zinfandel, 14% Petit Sirah - tasted on 03/19/09 at GWT #4 One of four wines tasted on this night and by far the clear consensus best of show. Lovely muted garnet color, this bottle was opened and decanted. At 1hr, still a bit tannic and surprisingly tasting young for a '90 grape and probably 16yrs+ in the botle. At 2hrs showing some eveness with the alcohol giving way to the typical Howell Mtn back-palate fruit. Even smoother at 3hrs but most of the gang has already quaffed down their allotment and are smiling in contentment. Bold Zin that will probably keep for several years but won't get much better. Comments at 2hrs were chocolate, tobacco, cloves and a distinct minerality. Started at a 92 but sentiment has it as high as 95; will settle on 92 but there's not much to complain about with this Ridge.
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DEEP BERRY FRUIT AND LEATHER IN THE NOSE WITH DEEP FRUIT AND LICORICE & BLACK CHERRIES IN THE FLAVOR. MEDIUM LENGTH FINISH. SCORES HAVE RANGED FROM 88-90.
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3/31/2017 - rmcnees wrote: 86 Points
Garnet colored with a brownish rust hue and a bit of murkiness setting in - the predominant sign of diminution from aging, clearly nearing the end of its' drinking window, but still holding its fruit. There were accents of leather and tobacco leaf but no funkiness that one might expect from wine this age. Setting the clarity and color aside, one might not know how old this was.
https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2017/03/zinfandel-flight-anchors-family-dinner.html
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8/1/2010 - TimF wrote:
A hint of bricking on the edges. Gorgeous nose of herbs, game, blood -- sort of like something from the N. Rhone. Soil, cocoa, and dark cherries on the palate -- plenty of fruit left here. Medium+ acid. Medium finish. Tannins silky smooth. Hopefully I can find more of this on the secondary market.
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7/12/2010 - sawira wrote: 94 Points
Strong, brambly, ripe, fruit-laden, very mature Zin. Drink up. I'd say Paul's Zin's from the 80's exhibit a stronger ageworthiness. 90 pts.
Three days later - cork back in the bottle after one glass, no decant, just stood up in the bottom of my wine cabinet: Oops, wrong again. This has settled into a beautiful, ripe, baked red fruit, varnish, alcohol and spice nose, with a warm, ripe, balanced, elegant and food-friendly zin that drinks more like a claret. The master at work again! How could I doubt him? Is he the best winemaker in America? Along with Josh Jensen, he gets my vote. Shhhhhhhh! Now and for the next 7+ years, but wait until it really blows off the head of funky, seemingly overmature funk. Upgraded to 94 pts quality, 96 pts personal pleasure and humbling learning experience.
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2/17/2010 - TexasBob wrote: 72 Points
A really poorly-made (or stored) wine. It was drinkable, but just barely.
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2/7/2010 - timewithwine wrote:
Slightly corked and what was behind the TCA was rasined claret. While watching the Saints whip the Colts 31 to 17 in the Super Bowl. Who dat!
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11/27/2009 - Mike Kopanski wrote: 92 Points
A pleasant surprise, after being open a while. Initially the nose was very musty, not corky, just old. Let it sit for an hour in anticipation of pouring it out, glad I didn't. Poured a couple of ounces, and the taste was entirely different from the nose. It was quite youthful, still had plenty of fresh fruit, and bracing acidity, must have been a bruiser in its youth. Has all the reasons we hold them this long, light cocoa, caramel, licorice. Still a little oaky. Very tasty finish. Kept it open overnight, and it did not fall apart, instead, the fruit started to dominate the acid and oak, and became close to syrupy. Corked it and drove across town to share it with friends, and the movement smoothed it out more. A real treat
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11/26/2009 - rmcnees wrote: 88 Points
Dark inly color - earthy leathery, black cherry and black berry fruits accented with black pepper and hint of black olive.
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8/22/2009 - timewithwine wrote:
A blend of 86% Zinfandel and 14% Petite Sirah that delivers ripe, sweet fruit at the same time it offers up the complexity of a claret. Just as with the Montelena Zin, and in fact on the same day I first opened that wine a few months back, it was irresponsibly popped and poured with other wines while watching a race. And just like the Montelena this wine is too old to take that abuse. This time, using the Audoulze method, I opened it about 10:00 a.m.; about the same time I put the pork butt on the smoker. The first sip was amazingly good. It remained that way until the second bottle was drained about 9:30 that night. The nose is expansive with ripe blackberries, zin berry funk, leather, red fruits and smoke. The silky mouthfeel is just like an old Bordeaux with a dusty finish. The depth of the wine and layers of flavors invite you back to the glass over and over again. Only a very fine grain of sediment is thrown by the wine. 13.6% alc. We fired these up with some apps followed by pulled pork while enjoying the company of Mark T, Karen F and Alan Garrison. Highly Recommended.
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8/2/2009 - jleg wrote:
Best bottle out of the lot. Still very rich. Almost a minty quality to nose and palate.
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6/23/2009 - jleg wrote:
Ok, but well on it's way downhill.
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6/18/2009 - jleg wrote:
Ruby color with a classy translucence. A little bricking around the edges. Nose of cherries, cedar, oak, and maybe a little soy sauce. Definite aged flavors, slightly sour at first but that backs off quickly. Still some tannin. A short burst of fruit and acidity at the end. Short finish. On its way downhill but has a surprising amount of flavor for a 19 year old Zin.
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3/19/2009 - Karmapa wrote: 92 Points
13.6% ABV - 86% Zinfandel, 14% Petit Sirah - tasted on 03/19/09 at GWT #4
One of four wines tasted on this night and by far the clear consensus best of show.
Lovely muted garnet color, this bottle was opened and decanted. At 1hr, still a bit tannic and surprisingly tasting young for a '90 grape and probably 16yrs+ in the botle. At 2hrs showing some eveness with the alcohol giving way to the typical Howell Mtn back-palate fruit. Even smoother at 3hrs but most of the gang has already quaffed down their allotment and are smiling in contentment. Bold Zin that will probably keep for several years but won't get much better.
Comments at 2hrs were chocolate, tobacco, cloves and a distinct minerality.
Started at a 92 but sentiment has it as high as 95; will settle on 92 but there's not much to complain about with this Ridge.
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3/14/2009 - Brad L wrote:
Hideously oaky, undrinkable. These older Ridges have been as a whole really disappointing.
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7/5/2000 - buckeye76 wrote: 89 Points
DEEP BERRY FRUIT AND LEATHER IN THE NOSE WITH DEEP FRUIT AND LICORICE & BLACK CHERRIES IN THE FLAVOR. MEDIUM LENGTH FINISH. SCORES HAVE RANGED FROM 88-90.
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