March 11, 2024 - I had made a private note to myself that this would peak at about 2022. I was wrong. This still has some legs, another couple of years. For those 1200 bottles that are still out there on CT, you are in luck. This is a very clean, restrained red fruit taste that the former winemaker Eric Baugher nailed on his release tasting notes in Jan 2020: "Dark garnet-red color. Aromas of ripe plum and cherry fruits, sweet oak, and complex gravel earth. Enters with sweet bramble fruit, rich tannins, toasted oak, and complex minerality. Refreshing acidity supports a long finish. EB (1/20)"
May 16, 2023 - Typical Ridge Zin. Spicy and brambly. A little fruit forward on day one but really good day two. Restrained black and red berries. Fine and balanced tannins.
On a Ridge kick. Paso Robles, Pagani the last few days of and a 2014 York Creek next up.
May 7, 2023 - A very nice Paso Zin from Ridge. Had along with the Frog's Leap with a traditional tri tip dinner. This had an expressive profile with the warmth of Paso but restrained, showing off the quality of the Benito Dusi vineyard. So enjoyable and easy to drink. Very "clean", too, transparency and vibrancy.
14.8% abv
March 13, 2023 - Very tasty. Classic Zin with lots of fruit but also depth.
February 11, 2023 - Double decant an hour prior. This is a nice balanced zin typical of the Ridge profile. Fairly fruit forward as expected with Paso, but there’s some nice complexity here as well and it’s not overwhelmingly dense or alcoholic. Red fruits, cedar, thyme. Medium-long finish. Worth the roughly $32 paid.
September 17, 2022 - Delicious, refreshing & solid Zinfandel, 100% fruit from historic vines of Benito Dusi ranch in Paso Robles. From the historic vineyard society:
"Sylvester and Catarina Dusi purchased this homestead in 1924, when the vines were one year old. Their son Benito still lives on the ranch. He was able to keep his vines during the 1950’s and 60’s (when zin prices were very poor) by selling wine made from the grapes (he gave that up by the end of the 60?s) and by selling grapes to home winemakers (which he still does today). This zinfandel selection is preserved as a Heritage Zinfandel Clone."
September 3, 2022 - Defined by a taut core of lively tannins and acidity, this draws in raspberry, smoky dill and green peppercorn flavors. Paired really well with pecan smoked beef tenderloin.
July 6, 2022 - Independence Day wines with TWS crew (Crouch End Cellars): I didn't really like this for the first 15 or so minutes, finding that the bright, tart nose was belied by a thick, syrupy palate that lacked energy. Somehow the wine pulled itself together after that, with some really pretty floral notes on the nose and the palate becoming, in effect, a deep, purely flavoured liquid raspberry jam. Would have been better still with a burger rather than charcuterie.
July 6, 2022 - Nearly the 4th July - North America (Crouch End Cellars): Very herbal on the nose, and good aromas of dark berry fruit. Not excessively tannic at all, a smooth wine that leads to an extremely drinkable glass. Ready now I would say, which surprised me.
June 19, 2022 - Color - Medium Garnet with some redness in the edges
Nose - Raspberry, Blackberries, Red Cherry.
Palate - Controlled tannins, Raspberry, hint of spice Cinnamon maybe, Chocolate deep in background. Good middle of the road Zin.