This is still a beautiful zin. I thought it might have been over the hill gauging from the predicted drinkability dates but it was great. Unfortunately, it’s my last bottle.
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Decanted off its sediment and followed over an hour or so with grilled strip steaks. Raspberry and cherry fruit in the bouquet give way to a lovely floral perfume quality. Flavors of raspberry, pepper and red berry fruit. Full-integrated and at peak, perhaps just maybe over the apex or soon will be. Drink now to perhaps 2018...a bit longer in colder cellars. 90 for me, 91 for Domino, and a very nice match for the steaks.
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opened by R&C on rib night, this had been decanted before we arrived so it was at least a couple of hours by the time we got to it. Aromas of plum and prunes dominate the bouquet and palate. Pepper and spice notes come in on the finish but the fruit remains overly ripe- unusual for Ridge in my experience.
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Aromas of dried, candied cherries, pencil lead, herbs and tobacco. Flavors of blackberry, leather, wet stones & dried herbs. Still has a firm backbone, drinking very nicely right now.
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After another 2 years since the last time we opened a bottle this is still amazing. The nose is full of dark black cherry and the palate is all fresh dark fruit. This is much rounder now with the acidity giving way to a more supple mouth feel although the overall balance is still there. None of the overly jammy flavors, just alot of up front cherries some subtle spice, and a bit of earthiness. Definitely one of the best zins we've had, unfortunately this is our last bottle.
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With grilled Porterhouse, roast carrots, baked potato. Opened shortly before drinking, ran through Vinturi. Crimson, no longer opaque - lightning a bit at the rim. Dark fruit nose, raspberry, maybe a reminiscence of vanilla. Dry, some tannin left, mid-weight to mid-full body, fruit balanced nicely by some acid, nice finish moving from cherry to blueberry.
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Medium-dark red color; limited transparency. Aromas of roasted cherry, cherry, raspberry, and vanilla. Palate shows lush cherry, blackberry, blueberry, raspberry, vanilla, and a hint of earth on a medium finish with slightly chalky tannins. This is drinking beautifully now to my tastes. Drink.
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Decanted 1 hr. very closed on 1st glass, lacked aroma, smooth. Waited 2 hrs more. Aromas opened up a little. Still smooth, some fruit notes but was expecting more. Medium finish.
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Dark red color. Aromas of dark chocolate, dried cherry, blackberry, and a hint of raisin. Palate is full of berry compote, chocolate, cherry, and red earth elements. This finishes with some tobacco notes. The finish is medium length. This didn't particularly inspire on this occasion, but is a solid Ridge ATP Zin-based selection. Drink or hold.
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Mixed feelings on this one. Sort of a fruit bomb and not really my style, but besides the candied fruit, there was a distinct medicinal aftertaste to the wine on night 1 that I just couldn't get behind. This burned off by night two and the wine was more enjoyable. Soft tannins and a medium finish. A pleasant wine, but nothing to write home about.
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Soft and smooth drinking zin. Dark purple violet notes on the nose. Cherry cola notes on the tongue with a tea-like finish. On the sweet side for a Ridge.
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This is a dried dark fruit bomb. With medium tannins, and a long finish. Eating with salami and mushroom pizza that has slightly burnt crust and and sprinkled with chili flakes- and the wines manages to easily push through the salty and bitter tones of the pizza. Hadn't drank the previous bottles since 2010 and it has matured well over the past 2 years. Fig jam and raisin toast on the nose
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With Pork Tenderloin/Sweet Potato-Apple Mash. Lovely clear Ruby/Garnet, no longer opaque, but lively nonethess. Nice nose, some pepper, but undertone almost sweet. Smooth, dry medium weight, rasberry and fruit, but somehow all the elements didn't quite come together. May be getting a touch long in the tooth.
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Good single vineyard zinfandel from Ridge. Nice red fruit on the nose and palate with good tannins and balanced acidity. Pretty simple finish, but it was a crowd pleaser. Great story about the vineyard too.
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Lovely cherry, black cherry, and raspberry on the nose with secondary scents of cola, cedar, and leather. Taste is cherry cola, forest floor, and wet gravel with a long, long finish. Light, soft tannins. Probably near / at peak.
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P&P. Got that hard candy thing going on here. Really raspberry'ish. The palate is like pure Jolly Rancher Raspberry candy. Bit of the oak and leather on the dryish finish. It is the afternoon the wine is cool and it's kinda working for me. The fact that only 25% new barrels were used and the 4% ps make this a more interesting Zin, but that is the whole Ridge program idea. 90 Points.
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Dark fruit, oak, earth, tar and shoe polish, initially tight, with considerable opening over a couple days. Held up through the 4th day open, but started losing the jammy fruit.
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(14.9%) 96% Zinfandel, 4% Petite Sirah – This wine is fruit driven from the get go showing loads of dark, jammy fruit (plums) on the nose. On the palate this one is super juicy with a heavy wood/oak component and a bit of smokiness on a slightly heated finish. A simpler offering by Ridge standards but enjoyable none the less…
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Dark, obscure and a bit hot, this has muddled flavors of toffee, briar and black fruit. Not particularly friendly, but could stand up well to smoked baby-back ribs.
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Rich nose with black cherry, blackberries, licorice, and some heat. Nice concentrated wine with that typical briar fruit. Good balance - very smooth with some heat on the finish.
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Deep ruby color. Scent of cranberry and late harvest fruit. Black cherry, raspberry, charcoal, gravel, a bit of liquid smoke. Warm and tingly tannins at the back of the tongue. Drinks a bit young - will revisit in 5-7 years.
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My notes from TasteLive session from Ridge Vineyards: # [in response to @enobytes] Completely agree - the color on the Caboose is very dark # Nose on the Caboose is ripe, plummy, jammy, sweet, like a train ran over a box of ripe fruit & splattered it all over the station walls # Caboose was extremely tight for me when I first opened it, but has opened up considerably - let this one sit a while before drinking
NOTE: this wine was sent to me as a sample from Ridge
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5/30/2020 - HolyBejeesus Likes this wine: 93 Points
Love it. Leather, brown sugar and in its prime.
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3/26/2020 - Kman5624 Likes this wine:
Just opened today. Delicious!
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8/17/2018 - Samadhi Likes this wine: 91 Points
Lots of life left in this baby!
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6/17/2018 - casjf Likes this wine: 89 Points
black pepper and cinnamon flavors along w blackberry
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2/10/2018 - millerarner wrote: 90 Points
Still just fine, and has aged well, but a bit past its peak.
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12/4/2017 - doggman Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is still a beautiful zin. I thought it might have been over the hill gauging from the predicted drinkability dates but it was great. Unfortunately, it’s my last bottle.
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8/13/2016 - AllRed wrote: 90 Points
Decanted off its sediment and followed over an hour or so with grilled strip steaks. Raspberry and cherry fruit in the bouquet give way to a lovely floral perfume quality. Flavors of raspberry, pepper and red berry fruit. Full-integrated and at peak, perhaps just maybe over the apex or soon will be. Drink now to perhaps 2018...a bit longer in colder cellars. 90 for me, 91 for Domino, and a very nice match for the steaks.
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8/23/2014 - AllRed wrote: 86 Points
opened by R&C on rib night, this had been decanted before we arrived so it was at least a couple of hours by the time we got to it. Aromas of plum and prunes dominate the bouquet and palate. Pepper and spice notes come in on the finish but the fruit remains overly ripe- unusual for Ridge in my experience.
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6/8/2014 - mlwhitfi wrote: 90 Points
Aromas of dried, candied cherries, pencil lead, herbs and tobacco. Flavors of blackberry, leather, wet stones & dried herbs. Still has a firm backbone, drinking very nicely right now.
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6/1/2014 - vin0vin0 Likes this wine: 92 Points
After another 2 years since the last time we opened a bottle this is still amazing. The nose is full of dark black cherry and the palate is all fresh dark fruit. This is much rounder now with the acidity giving way to a more supple mouth feel although the overall balance is still there. None of the overly jammy flavors, just alot of up front cherries some subtle spice, and a bit of earthiness. Definitely one of the best zins we've had, unfortunately this is our last bottle.
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11/30/2013 - bjschmitt wrote: 88 Points
With grilled Porterhouse, roast carrots, baked potato.
Opened shortly before drinking, ran through Vinturi.
Crimson, no longer opaque - lightning a bit at the rim.
Dark fruit nose, raspberry, maybe a reminiscence of vanilla.
Dry, some tannin left, mid-weight to mid-full body, fruit balanced nicely by some acid, nice finish moving from cherry to blueberry.
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6/12/2013 - fredb Likes this wine:
Medium-dark red color; limited transparency. Aromas of roasted cherry, cherry, raspberry, and vanilla. Palate shows lush cherry, blackberry, blueberry, raspberry, vanilla, and a hint of earth on a medium finish with slightly chalky tannins. This is drinking beautifully now to my tastes. Drink.
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5/1/2013 - johnny1206 Likes this wine: 87 Points
Decanted 1 hr. very closed on 1st glass, lacked aroma, smooth. Waited 2 hrs more. Aromas opened up a little. Still smooth, some fruit notes but was expecting more. Medium finish.
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4/5/2013 - ajfret01 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Blackberry bramble on the nose. The petit Sarah is prominent on the nose and palate. Very nice tannins from the petit.
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3/23/2013 - fredb wrote:
Dark red color. Aromas of dark chocolate, dried cherry, blackberry, and a hint of raisin. Palate is full of berry compote, chocolate, cherry, and red earth elements. This finishes with some tobacco notes. The finish is medium length. This didn't particularly inspire on this occasion, but is a solid Ridge ATP Zin-based selection. Drink or hold.
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2/24/2013 - storysworld wrote: 87 Points
Mixed feelings on this one. Sort of a fruit bomb and not really my style, but besides the candied fruit, there was a distinct medicinal aftertaste to the wine on night 1 that I just couldn't get behind. This burned off by night two and the wine was more enjoyable. Soft tannins and a medium finish. A pleasant wine, but nothing to write home about.
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10/30/2012 - ucsbmullet wrote: 90 Points
Soft and smooth drinking zin. Dark purple violet notes on the nose. Cherry cola notes on the tongue with a tea-like finish. On the sweet side for a Ridge.
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7/16/2012 - kosinski wrote:
Puckery green tannins follow a big jammy fruit explosion. I'd give it until 2013-14 to mellow out.
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6/20/2012 - Shawncho wrote:
This is a dried dark fruit bomb. With medium tannins, and a long finish. Eating with salami and mushroom pizza that has slightly burnt crust and and sprinkled with chili flakes- and the wines manages to easily push through the salty and bitter tones of the pizza. Hadn't drank the previous bottles since 2010 and it has matured well over the past 2 years. Fig jam and raisin toast on the nose
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6/2/2012 - ajfret01 wrote: 91 Points
Drinking fantastic right now!
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5/3/2012 - boogeyone Likes this wine: 89 Points
I liked the second bottle better. It seemed smoother and richer.
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4/28/2012 - boogeyone wrote: 87 Points
Dark cherry and burnt wood on the nose. Definitely get the raspberry candy references. Medium finish. Somewhat disappointing for the price.
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4/21/2012 - vin0vin0 wrote: 91 Points
Simply great zin.
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2/25/2012 - bjschmitt wrote: 87 Points
With Pork Tenderloin/Sweet Potato-Apple Mash.
Lovely clear Ruby/Garnet, no longer opaque, but lively nonethess.
Nice nose, some pepper, but undertone almost sweet.
Smooth, dry medium weight, rasberry and fruit, but somehow all the elements didn't quite come together. May be getting a touch long in the tooth.
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12/25/2011 - mattyboy76 wrote: 89 Points
Good single vineyard zinfandel from Ridge. Nice red fruit on the nose and palate with good tannins and balanced acidity. Pretty simple finish, but it was a crowd pleaser. Great story about the vineyard too.
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12/19/2011 - marksfamily wrote: 90 Points
Lovely cherry, black cherry, and raspberry on the nose with secondary scents of cola, cedar, and leather. Taste is cherry cola, forest floor, and wet gravel with a long, long finish. Light, soft tannins. Probably near / at peak.
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7/30/2011 - moxielady wrote: 89 Points
lots of fruit, almost hard candy. tasty though!
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5/10/2011 - tplskylrk wrote: 90 Points
P&P. Got that hard candy thing going on here. Really raspberry'ish. The palate is like pure Jolly Rancher Raspberry candy. Bit of the oak and leather on the dryish finish. It is the afternoon the wine is cool and it's kinda working for me. The fact that only 25% new barrels were used and the 4% ps make this a more interesting Zin, but that is the whole Ridge program idea. 90 Points.
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3/15/2011 - winemaker wrote: 83 Points
Just ok. This wine has a hot alcoholic sherry note in it. More like a late picked wine. I am not a big fan of the sur maturite approach to winemaking.
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12/5/2010 - ogres3 wrote:
Standard CA Ridge zin, perhaps a little less complex.
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11/18/2010 - jrlamia wrote: 89 Points
Raspberry jam nose. Well balanced. Medium finish. Berry flavors. Holds well in glass
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10/26/2010 - ogres3 wrote:
Another solid effort by Ridge.
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9/14/2010 - tbailey540 wrote: 89 Points
Full dark fruits, licorice, nicely balanced but not strong finish
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9/1/2010 - tplskylrk wrote: 89 Points
Nice fruit nose. Sweet, like a red twissler candy, great finish. Better than the 06 York.
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5/11/2010 - JDRFoster wrote: 89 Points
Similar characteristics to last bottle. A little more fruit.
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4/26/2010 - JDRFoster wrote: 88 Points
Dark fruit, oak, earth, tar and shoe polish, initially tight, with considerable opening over a couple days. Held up through the 4th day open, but started losing the jammy fruit.
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4/17/2010 - Jason Rzutkiewicz Likes this wine: 86 Points
(14.9%) 96% Zinfandel, 4% Petite Sirah – This wine is fruit driven from the get go showing loads of dark, jammy fruit (plums) on the nose. On the palate this one is super juicy with a heavy wood/oak component and a bit of smokiness on a slightly heated finish. A simpler offering by Ridge standards but enjoyable none the less…
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3/29/2010 - will2wine wrote: 86 Points
Dark, obscure and a bit hot, this has muddled flavors of toffee, briar and black fruit. Not particularly friendly, but could stand up well to smoked baby-back ribs.
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3/7/2010 - cbkamp wrote: 88 Points
Rich nose with black cherry, blackberries, licorice, and some heat. Nice concentrated wine with that typical briar fruit. Good balance - very smooth with some heat on the finish.
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3/2/2010 - marksfamily wrote: 85 Points
Deep ruby color. Scent of cranberry and late harvest fruit. Black cherry, raspberry, charcoal, gravel, a bit of liquid smoke. Warm and tingly tannins at the back of the tongue. Drinks a bit young - will revisit in 5-7 years.
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1/9/2010 - rjhilgers@gmail.com wrote: 88 Points
My notes from TasteLive session from Ridge Vineyards:
# [in response to @enobytes] Completely agree - the color on the Caboose is very dark
# Nose on the Caboose is ripe, plummy, jammy, sweet, like a train ran over a box of ripe fruit & splattered it all over the station walls
# Caboose was extremely tight for me when I first opened it, but has opened up considerably - let this one sit a while before drinking
NOTE: this wine was sent to me as a sample from Ridge
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