Blackberry on nose and palate. Good acidity and medium tannins. Short finish. A hint of allspice and earthy flavors which paired well with the jerk chicken we had. Good QPR.
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So I set up a blind tasting of the 5 main reds from Ridge. The entry level Three Valleys, the Lytton Springs, the Geyserville, the Estate Cab and the legendary Monte Bello! I knew what I brought but I had everyone including me drink the wines blind and in no particular order. The order that ended up coming out was: 1:Geyserville 2:Monte Bello 3:Estate Cab 4:Three Valleys 5:Lytton Springs.
Here are the notes for the Three Valleys: on the nose this was instantly blueberry pie, really fun to smell and everyone enjoyed this a lot. On the palate, blue fruits, blackberry, some leather and herbs. I thought this was gonna be the Geyserville because of how high quality it was. I was really impressed when it revealed to be the 3valleys! My 2nd favorite after the Monte Bello 92+
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Pretty good red blend, ruby color, good intensity. Had around 1 hr of air before drinking. Black pepper, menthol, cherries, and plum. Stewed fruits dried herbs, black tea, and clove. Smooth and gentle grip with decent structure. I thought the wine was a bit custardy and stewed. Lacked a bit of freshness to balance it out. Good but not great!
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Opened, decanted for 30-45 minutes, drank over the next hour.
On open, nose was a strong burst of mixed blackberry and raspberry bramble, surprisingly fruity at first and then quickly fading to more subtle cherry.
Taste was acidic and dry at first, but as it opened up I got notes of dark cherry, charred oak, pepper, tar. The berries from the nose are there, but much more subdued, more wild and less sweet. Almost detected a hint of tart citrus fruit.
Paired with barbeque chicken, and matched decently well with the smoky, charred flavors. Enjoyed this one more than expected, may have to spend a little more time on Zinfandel... Rating between 89 and 90, gave the bump to 90 as I think the QPR here warrants it ($20/bottle).
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Nice nose with notes of sage, eucalyptus and mixed berries. Very balanced mouthfeel with good acidity. Unique for a California Zinfandel. Much better after taking on air for 90 minutes. Good value at $23.
Revisiting after two days sealed via vaccuvin. Still vibrant and delicious. I can taste a bit of coconut on the palette from the American Oak. Quite appealing.
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Aromas of bright bing cherry, red plum, caramelized sugar, garrigue, cedar, leather, and clay / dried earth.
Light to medium bodied, pronounced acidity and tannin. Really deft balance and execution! This is the first majority zin based wine I enjoy. Reads really similar to a cotes du rhone / gam blend. Will likely grow more complex with additional age.
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Deep, dark reddish-purple in color; essentially opaque. Full, fragrant, & attractive nose of dark fruit aromas of cherries, blueberries & plums with overtones of spice notes, briary/bramble, earthy, a hint of cocoa & coffee, minerals, & a slight hint of vanilla in the background. Medium-full bodied with a very good concentration of well balanced & smooth textured, ripe fruit flavors of cherries, boysenberries & plums with spices, earthy, minerals & a hint of vanilla. Lingering finish. Drinks quite well at present with decanting & extended airing but will develop & benefit from several more years of further aging. Much more accessible than previous vintages. A blend of 74% Zinfandel, 12% Petite Sirah, 9% Carignane & 5% Alicante Bouschet.
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I'm not a big Zin fan, but I like Ridge.Big wine. This is 74% Zin and cut with Syrah, Carignane and Alicante Bouschet. American oak is front and center. Big fruit can handle it. Not a great wine, but a pleasant quaff. Drink early for it's fruity exuberance. Great with pizza.
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Deep ruby/purple color to the rim, intense nose with cooked cherries (jammy) and vanilla toast, high acid and alcohol, long finish and good body. Great QPV with Costco prices.
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Medium purple. Nse: cherry; blackberry. Body medium+. Tannin med+. Acidity medium+. Dry. Decent finish...needs a tad more acid or something to make it zing...a little too simple for me...
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Ripe plums, Brambly fruit, black pepper. Palate: Gritty oak, overripe plum with a hint of oxidation. Too heavy-handed withe the oak for my taste. Rounded light tannins. Some prickle that feels like a combination of mild black pepper, oak tannin, and ethanol; souring effect on the finish.
Kind of a waste of money, not much there even after an hour in decanter. Surprising for Ridge, they are usually a dependable Zin producer. Save your money on this one.
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La robe est rubis foncé. Un nez de framboise se combine avec de la fumée, du bois et un peu de VA. La bouche est sur le fruit. Les tanins sont rugueux et sec.
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Edit: Bumped up my score after another bottle. Original review follows. A good food pairing and decant made a big difference. Served with a some beautiful chocolates shared with friends during a little Christmas celebration. The chocolates were mixed, with blueberry and raspberry among the flavours. Great pairing. Original review: Hmmm. I love Ridge wines generally and was at the Lytton Springs winery just last spring. This was a little disappointing, though. It's a good wine, but it's a notch below other vintages of the same wine. In fairness, it's young and wasn't decanted. Also, I brought this as a pairing with roast turkey and all the trimmings for our in-laws early Christmas dinner. Not what I would usually pair, but I wanted to see how well it worked relative to my usual Chard/PN pairing. Nothing like experimenting a little with the relatives! Not a great pairing, though, especially compared with the PN on offer, and I suspect this would work better with the smokiness of grilled rather than roasted turkey.
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Not as good as the 2019 vintage which I scored at a hefty 94. Lacking in body and complexity compared to the excellent 2019, but still a pleasant Zinfandel based red blend. The tannins are a bit rough so another year in the bottle may improve it.
2nd bottle tasted on 4/20/23. Much better -- not sure if the previous bottle had enough time to breathe or if the 6 months of additional bottle age made a difference. This was a much more satisfying wine and closer to the exceptional 2019 vintage. Raised the score from 88 to 91.
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Had it at au pied de cochon in Montréal. Really good with the hearty food served. Bouquet of some fresh plums, smoky bacon and dusted stone. Full bodied but balanced at the same time. Should easily develop for a decade.
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Pretty sure the first bottle I had open was off. This one has a simple bramble and floral nose. Medium bodied, medium high acid, and a zin forward palate. Spot on zin forward palate with bramble, raspberry, cranberry, a bit of blueberries and a kiss of American oak. Light chewy tannins bring in a bit of cinnamon. Long floral, blueberry, graphite and oaky finish.
This bottle went quick. It still seems a bit too simple from what I expect out of a Ridge Three Valleys, but I will take this bottle's palate over the tar heavy palate on the first 2020 I tried.
Given the extent of the fires in 2020 and the scale of production for Three Valleys, I am not going to be too shocked if there's bottle variation this vintage.
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Medium dark purple. A heavy nose that is unlike previous vintages – smoky bramble, cocoa, and a strong dose of woodiness and herbalness from the American oak. Thin on the palate, yet somehow just heavy. Palate of tar, bramble, and blueberries. Ticklish chewy tannins that just seem to persist. Light but long finish of tar, graphite, and a bit thyme and dill. A light but persisting smoke and tar finish.
This is just off for what I expect from a Three Valleys bottling. I am trying not to let the fact that I know this is a 2020 automatically jump to the thought that I am tasting smoke taint. Going to follow over the next few days and see what happens.
Day 2: Smoother, but no development with a little less tar notes. Might let the rest stay in the bottle to see how it evolves on Day 3. I have a second bottle to try out, will give it some time and re-evaluate on the next one.
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Surprising for Ridge, this shows some over ripeness on the nose. Rich and plummy, this has ripe black cherries and prunes. The palate is medium-bodied and silky. This is easy to drink right now and quite delicious. This is still Ridge and show good underlying acidity and it’s getting more tannic with air . 91
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12/2/2023 - daghaug Likes this wine:
Varm, fyldig, god, men litt endimensjonal. Blåbær på duft. Bløte tanniner, rik og fyldig.
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11/21/2023 - patrickknowles Likes this wine: 89 Points
Blackberry on nose and palate. Good acidity and medium tannins. Short finish. A hint of allspice and earthy flavors which paired well with the jerk chicken we had. Good QPR.
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9/10/2023 - Nakariokov Likes this wine: 92 Points
Ridge Blind Tasting; 9/9/2023-9/10/2023: Ridge blind tasting!
So I set up a blind tasting of the 5 main reds from Ridge. The entry level Three Valleys, the Lytton Springs, the Geyserville, the Estate Cab and the legendary Monte Bello! I knew what I brought but I had everyone including me drink the wines blind and in no particular order. The order that ended up coming out was:
1:Geyserville
2:Monte Bello
3:Estate Cab
4:Three Valleys
5:Lytton Springs.
Here are the notes for the Three Valleys: on the nose this was instantly blueberry pie, really fun to smell and everyone enjoyed this a lot. On the palate, blue fruits, blackberry, some leather and herbs. I thought this was gonna be the Geyserville because of how high quality it was. I was really impressed when it revealed to be the 3valleys! My 2nd favorite after the Monte Bello 92+
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8/26/2023 - crumblemore wrote: 89 Points
Pretty good red blend, ruby color, good intensity. Had around 1 hr of air before drinking. Black pepper, menthol, cherries, and plum. Stewed fruits dried herbs, black tea, and clove. Smooth and gentle grip with decent structure. I thought the wine was a bit custardy and stewed. Lacked a bit of freshness to balance it out. Good but not great!
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7/30/2023 - Necowine wrote: 88 Points
Not an impressive first day, but much better on the second - thicker, herbier, spicier, jammier.
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5/15/2023 - DizzyOneCheck Likes this wine: 90 Points
Opened, decanted for 30-45 minutes, drank over the next hour.
On open, nose was a strong burst of mixed blackberry and raspberry bramble, surprisingly fruity at first and then quickly fading to more subtle cherry.
Taste was acidic and dry at first, but as it opened up I got notes of dark cherry, charred oak, pepper, tar. The berries from the nose are there, but much more subdued, more wild and less sweet. Almost detected a hint of tart citrus fruit.
Paired with barbeque chicken, and matched decently well with the smoky, charred flavors. Enjoyed this one more than expected, may have to spend a little more time on Zinfandel... Rating between 89 and 90, gave the bump to 90 as I think the QPR here warrants it ($20/bottle).
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5/8/2023 - bluehorseshoe Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nice nose with notes of sage, eucalyptus and mixed berries. Very balanced mouthfeel with good acidity. Unique for a California Zinfandel. Much better after taking on air for 90 minutes. Good value at $23.
Revisiting after two days sealed via vaccuvin. Still vibrant and delicious. I can taste a bit of coconut on the palette from the American Oak. Quite appealing.
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4/23/2023 - snamnoum@gmail.com wrote: 90 Points
Light ruby red color with a transparent core.
Aromas of bright bing cherry, red plum, caramelized sugar, garrigue, cedar, leather, and clay / dried earth.
Light to medium bodied, pronounced acidity and tannin. Really deft balance and execution! This is the first majority zin based wine I enjoy. Reads really similar to a cotes du rhone / gam blend. Will likely grow more complex with additional age.
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4/17/2023 - Vinnut Likes this wine: 90 Points
Deep, dark reddish-purple in color; essentially opaque. Full, fragrant, & attractive nose of dark fruit aromas of cherries, blueberries & plums with overtones of spice notes, briary/bramble, earthy, a hint of cocoa & coffee, minerals, & a slight hint of vanilla in the background. Medium-full bodied with a very good concentration of well balanced & smooth textured, ripe fruit flavors of cherries, boysenberries & plums with spices, earthy, minerals & a hint of vanilla. Lingering finish. Drinks quite well at present with decanting & extended airing but will develop & benefit from several more years of further aging. Much more accessible than previous vintages. A blend of 74% Zinfandel, 12% Petite Sirah, 9% Carignane & 5% Alicante Bouschet.
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4/13/2023 - melzar wrote: 90 Points
I'm not a big Zin fan, but I like Ridge.Big wine. This is 74% Zin and cut with Syrah, Carignane and Alicante Bouschet. American oak is front and center. Big fruit can handle it. Not a great wine, but a pleasant quaff. Drink early for it's fruity exuberance. Great with pizza.
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4/7/2023 - P4V Likes this wine: 92 Points
Deep ruby/purple color to the rim, intense nose with cooked cherries (jammy) and vanilla toast, high acid and alcohol, long finish and good body. Great QPV with Costco prices.
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4/6/2023 - imbroglio wrote: 87 Points
tasty but not good qpr
V:
N: brambly fruit, savory, floral
P: brambly fruit
F:
3/5 body, 3/5 tannin, 3/5 acid, 2/5 sweet
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4/1/2023 - EshwarS Likes this wine:
Very fragrant and layered. Flowery lint finish. Woodsy and oak on a fresh palate. Light and easy drinking. Too subtle to pair with food.
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3/31/2023 - jsa44406 wrote: 85 Points
Medium purple. Nse: cherry; blackberry. Body medium+. Tannin med+. Acidity medium+. Dry. Decent finish...needs a tad more acid or something to make it zing...a little too simple for me...
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3/11/2023 - mayakacz Likes this wine:
Cherry, raspberry, blueberry. Designed.
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3/10/2023 - Kcornett Likes this wine: 89 Points
An ok bottle from Ridge. Nothing bad but nothing special.
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2/13/2023 - stamperb wrote: 83 Points
Ripe plums, Brambly fruit, black pepper. Palate: Gritty oak, overripe plum with a hint of oxidation. Too heavy-handed withe the oak for my taste. Rounded light tannins. Some prickle that feels like a combination of mild black pepper, oak tannin, and ethanol; souring effect on the finish.
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1/29/2023 - seijaro wrote: 87 Points
Kind of a waste of money, not much there even after an hour in decanter. Surprising for Ridge, they are usually a dependable Zin producer. Save your money on this one.
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1/22/2023 - ppassera Likes this wine:
Great wine!
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1/22/2023 - Rodenbach99 wrote: 85 Points
La robe est rubis foncé. Un nez de framboise se combine avec de la fumée, du bois et un peu de VA. La bouche est sur le fruit. Les tanins sont rugueux et sec.
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12/17/2022 - winespine Likes this wine: 91 Points
Edit: Bumped up my score after another bottle. Original review follows. A good food pairing and decant made a big difference. Served with a some beautiful chocolates shared with friends during a little Christmas celebration. The chocolates were mixed, with blueberry and raspberry among the flavours. Great pairing. Original review: Hmmm. I love Ridge wines generally and was at the Lytton Springs winery just last spring. This was a little disappointing, though. It's a good wine, but it's a notch below other vintages of the same wine. In fairness, it's young and wasn't decanted. Also, I brought this as a pairing with roast turkey and all the trimmings for our in-laws early Christmas dinner. Not what I would usually pair, but I wanted to see how well it worked relative to my usual Chard/PN pairing. Nothing like experimenting a little with the relatives! Not a great pairing, though, especially compared with the PN on offer, and I suspect this would work better with the smokiness of grilled rather than roasted turkey.
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11/3/2022 - Sid G Likes this wine: 91 Points
Not as good as the 2019 vintage which I scored at a hefty 94. Lacking in body and complexity compared to the excellent 2019, but still a pleasant Zinfandel based red blend. The tannins are a bit rough so another year in the bottle may improve it.
2nd bottle tasted on 4/20/23. Much better -- not sure if the previous bottle had enough time to breathe or if the 6 months of additional bottle age made a difference. This was a much more satisfying wine and closer to the exceptional 2019 vintage. Raised the score from 88 to 91.
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9/30/2022 - Oberhau wrote: 87 Points
Very tight, thin and flat on PnP. Opens up a bit over time, with more fruit on nose and palate. Finish is very dry.
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9/4/2022 - Klugi Wine wrote: 90 Points
Had it at au pied de cochon in Montréal. Really good with the hearty food served.
Bouquet of some fresh plums, smoky bacon and dusted stone.
Full bodied but balanced at the same time. Should easily develop for a decade.
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7/20/2022 - ChateauShiny wrote: 88 Points
Pretty sure the first bottle I had open was off. This one has a simple bramble and floral nose. Medium bodied, medium high acid, and a zin forward palate. Spot on zin forward palate with bramble, raspberry, cranberry, a bit of blueberries and a kiss of American oak. Light chewy tannins bring in a bit of cinnamon. Long floral, blueberry, graphite and oaky finish.
This bottle went quick. It still seems a bit too simple from what I expect out of a Ridge Three Valleys, but I will take this bottle's palate over the tar heavy palate on the first 2020 I tried.
Given the extent of the fires in 2020 and the scale of production for Three Valleys, I am not going to be too shocked if there's bottle variation this vintage.
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7/9/2022 - ChateauShiny wrote:
Medium dark purple. A heavy nose that is unlike previous vintages – smoky bramble, cocoa, and a strong dose of woodiness and herbalness from the American oak. Thin on the palate, yet somehow just heavy. Palate of tar, bramble, and blueberries. Ticklish chewy tannins that just seem to persist. Light but long finish of tar, graphite, and a bit thyme and dill. A light but persisting smoke and tar finish.
This is just off for what I expect from a Three Valleys bottling. I am trying not to let the fact that I know this is a 2020 automatically jump to the thought that I am tasting smoke taint. Going to follow over the next few days and see what happens.
Day 2: Smoother, but no development with a little less tar notes. Might let the rest stay in the bottle to see how it evolves on Day 3. I have a second bottle to try out, will give it some time and re-evaluate on the next one.
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5/12/2022 - crcarlson Likes this wine: 90 Points
good red for lamb with nice acidity and tannin, good qpr
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4/22/2022 - WineGuyX Likes this wine: 91 Points
Surprising for Ridge, this shows some over ripeness on the nose. Rich and plummy, this has ripe black cherries and prunes. The palate is medium-bodied and silky. This is easy to drink right now and quite delicious. This is still Ridge and show good underlying acidity and it’s getting more tannic with air . 91
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