14.3% abv. 100% Chardonnay. Voluptuous and boozy with tropical fruit, but there is underlying acid and grit that keeps it engaging. Some lemon character, but unmistakably new world. Joint third with seven points — almost entirely from two people who made it their favorite. This was somewhat polarizing – if this style speaks to you, it really speaks to you.
14% abv. 84% Grenache Blanc, 14% Picpoul, 2% Roussanne. Exuberant tropical fruit that put me in mind of Um Bongo, a weird “fruit” juice from my childhood. More intense than the Chardonnay, white Châteauneuf du Pape comes to mind, with acid backbone and minerality providing lift. Fun, but if this were not Ridge I would not have sought it out. Better places to spend your money in their range.
13.8% abv. 59% Syrah, 27% Grenache, 14% Mataro (Mourvèdre). Ridge’s take on the Southern Rhône blend, and nearly impossible to find — Wine-Searcher shows no European availability. This is not just new world Châteauneuf. It has echoes of those restrained, sub-14% CdPs from years past, but it is very much its own thing. Real class and refinement. Even writing these notes the morning after, my mouth waters. The back label lists tartaric acid addition — the winemaking shows. Of all the ATP wines, this is the one I wish I had bought more of. My and the table’s favorite.
13.5% abv. 97% Petite Sirah, 3% Zinfandel. I own several bottles of this, and despite its violent tannins, I love it. But tasting it alongside these others—the tannins are almost perverse. There is also a greenness, something bitter that I do not normally enjoy in wine. Yet it has so much energy and zip. Think cru Beaujolais with serious grip and substance. The only person at the table who ranked this top three was our biggest beer nerd, which tells you something.
14.4% abv. 88% Zinfandel, 12% Petite Sirah. Big blackberry fruit reminiscent of Australian wines, with tannic, herbaceous character from the Petite Sirah. Tartaric acid on the back label — Ridge knows what they are doing. Joint third, but like the Chardonnay, the votes came from two people who loved it. Another polarizing wine.
15% abv. 98% Zinfandel, 2% Petite Sirah. The booziest wine of the night and the purest Zinfandel. Lighter color than the wines around it. Big attack but more structure and backbone on the finish than expected. The alcohol is nearly in balance — likely helped by the tartaric acid addition on the label.
14.2% abv. 56% Zinfandel, 42% Carignane, 2% Petite Sirah. My handwritten notes say “So fruit! Weak knees.” No acid added, but there is a sergeant-major structure to this — it does not ask, it commands. Stone fruits and parma violet at the core. The high Carignane proportion gives it structure and energy that pulls you in. I love the 2018 Lytton Springs and suspect it will age longer, but tonight this was outstanding. Table’s second favorite after the Syrah/Grenache/Mataro.
14.5% abv. 72% Zinfandel, 18% Petite Sirah, 8% Carignane. I ordered this at a restaurant in Cornwall last year and immediately bought a case. Second bottle from that case, drinking beautifully right now. Tightly coiled, with an almost confected core — marzipan and blueberries. Next to the Mazzoni, this shows more restraint. Everything you want from a Ridge Zinfandel. On this night, though, it underscored how strong the entire range is, and how unfortunate that ATP wines are not available in the UK.
2019 Ridge Chardonnay Estate
USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains
14.3% abv. 100% Chardonnay. Voluptuous and boozy with tropical fruit, but there is underlying acid and grit that keeps it engaging. Some lemon character, but unmistakably new world. Joint third with seven points — almost entirely from two people who made it their favorite. This was somewhat polarizing – if this style speaks to you, it really speaks to you.
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2023 Ridge Grenache Blanc
USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles
14% abv. 84% Grenache Blanc, 14% Picpoul, 2% Roussanne. Exuberant tropical fruit that put me in mind of Um Bongo, a weird “fruit” juice from my childhood. More intense than the Chardonnay, white Châteauneuf du Pape comes to mind, with acid backbone and minerality providing lift. Fun, but if this were not Ridge I would not have sought it out. Better places to spend your money in their range.
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2018 Ridge Syrah/Grenache/Mataro Lytton Estate
USA, California, Sonoma County, Dry Creek Valley
13.8% abv. 59% Syrah, 27% Grenache, 14% Mataro (Mourvèdre). Ridge’s take on the Southern Rhône blend, and nearly impossible to find — Wine-Searcher shows no European availability. This is not just new world Châteauneuf. It has echoes of those restrained, sub-14% CdPs from years past, but it is very much its own thing. Real class and refinement. Even writing these notes the morning after, my mouth waters. The back label lists tartaric acid addition — the winemaking shows. Of all the ATP wines, this is the one I wish I had bought more of. My and the table’s favorite.
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2018 Ridge Petite Sirah Lytton Estate
USA, California, Sonoma County, Dry Creek Valley
13.5% abv. 97% Petite Sirah, 3% Zinfandel. I own several bottles of this, and despite its violent tannins, I love it. But tasting it alongside these others—the tannins are almost perverse. There is also a greenness, something bitter that I do not normally enjoy in wine. Yet it has so much energy and zip. Think cru Beaujolais with serious grip and substance. The only person at the table who ranked this top three was our biggest beer nerd, which tells you something.
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2018 Ridge Botticelli Vineyard Rockpile
USA, California, Sonoma County, Rockpile
14.4% abv. 88% Zinfandel, 12% Petite Sirah. Big blackberry fruit reminiscent of Australian wines, with tannic, herbaceous character from the Petite Sirah. Tartaric acid on the back label — Ridge knows what they are doing. Joint third, but like the Chardonnay, the votes came from two people who loved it. Another polarizing wine.
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2018 Ridge Zinfandel Boatman
USA, California, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley
15% abv. 98% Zinfandel, 2% Petite Sirah. The booziest wine of the night and the purest Zinfandel. Lighter color than the wines around it. Big attack but more structure and backbone on the finish than expected. The alcohol is nearly in balance — likely helped by the tartaric acid addition on the label.
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2018 Ridge Mazzoni Home Ranch
USA, California, Sonoma County
14.2% abv. 56% Zinfandel, 42% Carignane, 2% Petite Sirah. My handwritten notes say “So fruit! Weak knees.” No acid added, but there is a sergeant-major structure to this — it does not ask, it commands. Stone fruits and parma violet at the core. The high Carignane proportion gives it structure and energy that pulls you in. I love the 2018 Lytton Springs and suspect it will age longer, but tonight this was outstanding. Table’s second favorite after the Syrah/Grenache/Mataro.
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2018 Ridge Lytton Springs
USA, California, Sonoma County, Dry Creek Valley
14.5% abv. 72% Zinfandel, 18% Petite Sirah, 8% Carignane. I ordered this at a restaurant in Cornwall last year and immediately bought a case. Second bottle from that case, drinking beautifully right now. Tightly coiled, with an almost confected core — marzipan and blueberries. Next to the Mazzoni, this shows more restraint. Everything you want from a Ridge Zinfandel. On this night, though, it underscored how strong the entire range is, and how unfortunate that ATP wines are not available in the UK.
Post a Comment / 3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No