Funky red fruit and rhubarb nose. Dry red fruit palate with dill and dried thyme. Interesting funky sour notes on the finish. Old and on the downhill side, but still nice to drink. Paired well with an Easter dinner of chicken and seafood paella done on charcoal grill, but the notes are a bit light on detail.
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2 small glasses tasted from my last bottle taken to a friend’s house. Rich dark red and black fruit, chocolate and tobacco. Nicely balanced and drinking very well. Enjoyed by everyone I spoke to who drank it. This seemed like it was the best of the bottles I have had.
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A large coravin pour in a large glass for 2 hours before drinking. The wine ia opaque dark garnet all the way to the meniscus. Nose has mostly dark rich berries, a slight herbal undertone, chocolate and vanilla. There is a little alcohol noticable on tghe palate but otherwise it has big dark fruit like blackberry, boysenberry, black plum and cassis withj a certain wild briary character and some raisins and prunes on the finish which is moderately long. The chocolate carries through the finish as well. Good texture and mouth feel. Solid and delicious big red for a Wednesday night with anything from red meat through BBQ, pasta or pizza. Solid QPR
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From a century old vineyard, blended 59% Zin, 39% Carignane, 2% Petite Sarah. 14.2% Labeled ABV. Aged in 2,3 and 4 year old used American oak barrels. Medium to dark nearly opaque garnet. Love the nose, especially the the earthy barnyard from the Carignane in the blend (not Brett but a similar smell I get in Carignane from all over the world) and bright cherry, menthol, eucalyptus and spice. Good mouth feel with bright, juicy acidity. Oak on the nose is very subtle and the earthiness is absent on the palate where I get bright red berries, pomegranate, blackberry and minty chocolate. Seems a bit better than the previous bottle nearly 2 years ago and a real pleasure to drink on an unassuming Monday evening. Plenty of life left and better with some air but not closed down when first opened either. Very elegant, complex but straightforward and easy to drink.
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Decanted at 5 pm and tasted from 6-9pm. Medium to dark garnet yet still slightly translucent. Fragrant nose of black fruit, spice, lavender and violets. Definitely better with some air. 2-3 hours in, it blossomed. Palate showed boysenberry jam, spices, vanilla, blackberry, black plum and the herbal/floral notes in the nose. Very pleasant and balanced (14.2% ABV). certainly ready to drink and not likely to improve much with time though not ready to fall apart either. Very good with my wife's chicken Paprika and homemade Spaetzel. Solid QPR.
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It sure seems like the other reviews are drinking a different wine or maybe storing it too warm. It is very balanaced and drinkable as soon as the cork was removed. Very jammy with hints of raspberry. Better than I was expecting. I opened it to use making elk goulash. It isn't one of the best Ridges, but that doesnt stop it from being a great Zin.
I opened a Brainless Belgian Golden Ale which went better with the slightly spicy elk goulash, but surprised myself by preferring the Zin while cooking.
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Inky, opaque color in glass. Slightly muted nose. Good body on palate but a little tight. Needs an hour to open up. Rather middle of the road for Ridge but should drink nicely over the next few years. A few particles of sediment.
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A bit interesting on first opening, with some aged notes mixed with the classic Ridge oak. It's not necessarily balanced, but it is still interesting and fun. With air, the acidity seems to disappear and the wine becomes much less appealing.
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Medium-dark red color. Aromas of blackberry, cherry, vanilla, and a bit of plum. Palate has sweet olive, blackberry, cherry, vanilla, and some blueberry that carry into a medium finish. Drink.
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With grilled Porterhouse Steak and roasted mixed vegetables. Nice brilliant ruby. Good nose, a touch of cinnamon with the fruit. Very smooth, dry, medium weight and length. Yummy.
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Dark red color with limited transparency. Aromas of blackberry, plum, raspberry, and blueberry. Palate has a spicy thyme character with some earth elements joining the blackberry and blueberry character. The finish is medium. This is drinking well now. Drink.
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Briary Zinfandel fruit that reminds me more of Mendocino than Anderson valley / Geyserville area. Significant structure from the Petite Sirah. Beautiful field blend example. Plums, prunes & currants on the nose. Smooth well integrated tannins. Lingering licorice finish. Pallate has a distinct earthiness with dark fruit, mushrooms & hints of cloves. Took a while to open up but really drinking beautifully.
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Aired out 1 hour. Cranberry, cinnamon, and clove on the nose. Cranberry and spice on the palate. Smooth. Not much of a finish to speak of. Still vibrant with plenty of fruit left. Drink over next 2-3 years.
88 points; purchased from winebid.com for $24 on 12/1/2012.
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Very interesting flavor profile. While it has some of the fruit of Zinfandel, it is balanced by the high percentages of Carignane and Petite Sirah. Medium bodied. Solid food wine. Drinking well now after a brief decant.
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Would place this in the category of a spicy Pinot. No body and pepper overtones. Definite smack of tannin would be good with pheasant me thinks if that's your fancy.. Anyhow, you get what I mean, not a hearty red, not a warm red but has depth and Pinot complexity.
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Somewhat subdued aromas of cherry cola. Cherry flavors persist on the palate with good acidity and a touch of spice. Still some tannins on the back end but the lightness of body and brightness of the fruit suggest drinking soon. Agree with my precious comment that it is somewhat reminiscent of a Chianti.
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Deep red color, lots of alcohol on nose, tart, spicy sharp on tongue, cooling finish. Alcohol made it difficult to tell what I was tasting. However, it was enjoyable and the finish was pleasant.
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Very nice initial fruit flavor, lacking in the acidity and finish. The caringene definitely helps give the wine a softer more rounded feel, and a touch of spice. Well worth the buy if you like smooth zins
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Ridge Fall Release Party (Monte Bello Vineyard): Field blend with zin and carignane. Lots of dark berry and bitter chocolate (in a good way), good balance, almost Southern Rhone in its disposition. Some dried plum/raisin notes...
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Ridge Fall Release Celebration (Ridge Monte Bello Vineyard): Tart cherry fruit over some spicy woody notes. Tannins suggest waiting a couple of years. Somewhat reminiscent of a light Italian red like Chianti. Should be a good food wine.
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4/4/2021 - VAGenius Likes this wine: 91 Points
Funky red fruit and rhubarb nose. Dry red fruit palate with dill and dried thyme. Interesting funky sour notes on the finish. Old and on the downhill side, but still nice to drink. Paired well with an Easter dinner of chicken and seafood paella done on charcoal grill, but the notes are a bit light on detail.
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11/7/2020 - oldwines Likes this wine: 92 Points
2 small glasses tasted from my last bottle taken to a friend’s house. Rich dark red and black fruit, chocolate and tobacco. Nicely balanced and drinking very well. Enjoyed by everyone I spoke to who drank it. This seemed like it was the best of the bottles I have had.
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2/26/2020 - oldwines Likes this wine: 91 Points
A large coravin pour in a large glass for 2 hours before drinking. The wine ia opaque dark garnet all the way to the meniscus. Nose has mostly dark rich berries, a slight herbal undertone, chocolate and vanilla. There is a little alcohol noticable on tghe palate but otherwise it has big dark fruit like blackberry, boysenberry, black plum and cassis withj a certain wild briary character and some raisins and prunes on the finish which is moderately long. The chocolate carries through the finish as well. Good texture and mouth feel. Solid and delicious big red for a Wednesday night with anything from red meat through BBQ, pasta or pizza. Solid QPR
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11/25/2019 - oldwines Likes this wine: 91 Points
From a century old vineyard, blended 59% Zin, 39% Carignane, 2% Petite Sarah. 14.2% Labeled ABV. Aged in 2,3 and 4 year old used American oak barrels. Medium to dark nearly opaque garnet. Love the nose, especially the the earthy barnyard from the Carignane in the blend (not Brett but a similar smell I get in Carignane from all over the world) and bright cherry, menthol, eucalyptus and spice. Good mouth feel with bright, juicy acidity. Oak on the nose is very subtle and the earthiness is absent on the palate where I get bright red berries, pomegranate, blackberry and minty chocolate. Seems a bit better than the previous bottle nearly 2 years ago and a real pleasure to drink on an unassuming Monday evening. Plenty of life left and better with some air but not closed down when first opened either. Very elegant, complex but straightforward and easy to drink.
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8/18/2019 - brasstab Likes this wine: 91 Points
Exquisite. Elegant and bright. Entering the twilight of its life.
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7/1/2018 - Jscalia Likes this wine:
kind'a fading but a nice wine.
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1/28/2018 - oldwines Likes this wine: 90 Points
Decanted at 5 pm and tasted from 6-9pm. Medium to dark garnet yet still slightly translucent. Fragrant nose of black fruit, spice, lavender and violets. Definitely better with some air. 2-3 hours in, it blossomed. Palate showed boysenberry jam, spices, vanilla, blackberry, black plum and the herbal/floral notes in the nose. Very pleasant and balanced (14.2% ABV). certainly ready to drink and not likely to improve much with time though not ready to fall apart either. Very good with my wife's chicken Paprika and homemade Spaetzel. Solid QPR.
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9/2/2016 - rossta0825 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Love the spice with a big body behind it. Holding up really well and for a few to come.
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2/21/2016 - wagging_tail wrote: 89 Points
blackberry, briar, tobacco - nose is big and full - tannins mellow - medium finish - loved it - drinks well over 2-3 days
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2/20/2016 - fuzzy Phil wrote:
It sure seems like the other reviews are drinking a different wine or maybe storing it too warm. It is very balanaced and drinkable as soon as the cork was removed. Very jammy with hints of raspberry. Better than I was expecting. I opened it to use making elk goulash. It isn't one of the best Ridges, but that doesnt stop it from being a great Zin.
I opened a Brainless Belgian Golden Ale which went better with the slightly spicy elk goulash, but surprised myself by preferring the Zin while cooking.
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1/8/2016 - Tmorton27410 wrote:
Enjoyed.... smooth..
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10/6/2015 - Cragg Likes this wine: 92 Points
I was afraid this was getting past it's treating window, but still holding up well.
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11/23/2014 - 41hijinx Likes this wine: 88 Points
Inky, opaque color in glass. Slightly muted nose. Good body on palate but a little tight. Needs an hour to open up. Rather middle of the road for Ridge but should drink nicely over the next few years. A few particles of sediment.
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8/23/2014 - missionpk wrote: 87 Points
A bit interesting on first opening, with some aged notes mixed with the classic Ridge oak. It's not necessarily balanced, but it is still interesting and fun. With air, the acidity seems to disappear and the wine becomes much less appealing.
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4/4/2014 - plonkee wrote: 84 Points
If you like overpowering oak overtones- then this is for you. I couldn't get past this.
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2/25/2014 - BcDuncan wrote: 90 Points
lots of flavour still
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2/3/2014 - Lmconlin wrote:
Lost A LOT of it's flavor, I'm afraid we waited too long. Drink quickly!
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12/31/2013 - jshearer wrote:
Warm, ripe, round. Dark purple fruits. With some baking spice and herbal notes. Not quite enough acidity, but some spice on the finish.
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11/25/2013 - desler Likes this wine: 90 Points
Big dark red mild tannin and well balanced
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10/12/2013 - fredb Likes this wine:
Medium-dark red color. Aromas of blackberry, cherry, vanilla, and a bit of plum. Palate has sweet olive, blackberry, cherry, vanilla, and some blueberry that carry into a medium finish. Drink.
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9/21/2013 - bjschmitt wrote: 89 Points
With grilled Porterhouse Steak and roasted mixed vegetables.
Nice brilliant ruby. Good nose, a touch of cinnamon with the fruit. Very smooth, dry, medium weight and length. Yummy.
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8/28/2013 - fredb Likes this wine:
Dark red color with limited transparency. Aromas of blackberry, plum, raspberry, and blueberry. Palate has a spicy thyme character with some earth elements joining the blackberry and blueberry character. The finish is medium. This is drinking well now. Drink.
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7/28/2013 - mlwhitfi wrote: 90 Points
Briary Zinfandel fruit that reminds me more of Mendocino than Anderson valley / Geyserville area. Significant structure from the Petite Sirah. Beautiful field blend example. Plums, prunes & currants on the nose. Smooth well integrated tannins. Lingering licorice finish. Pallate has a distinct earthiness with dark fruit, mushrooms & hints of cloves. Took a while to open up but really drinking beautifully.
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6/9/2013 - smcilhen Likes this wine: 88 Points
Aired out 1 hour. Cranberry, cinnamon, and clove on the nose. Cranberry and spice on the palate. Smooth. Not much of a finish to speak of. Still vibrant with plenty of fruit left. Drink over next 2-3 years.
88 points; purchased from winebid.com for $24 on 12/1/2012.
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5/28/2013 - millerarner Likes this wine: 89 Points
What it lacks in complexity it makes up for in smoothness.
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1/9/2013 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 88 Points
A bit of a lightweight for a Ridge wine. Smooth, nice finish, integrated fruit.
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11/14/2012 - MusignyBlanc wrote:
Nice and sweet red berry fruit with some complexity from the PS and Carignane. Tannins are nicely soften and lush. Good drinking now.
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11/4/2012 - jakearoe wrote:
Lovely cherry and medium-red sweet fruits. Soft palate is very pleasing, nice bottle.
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10/19/2012 - petermpls Likes this wine: 89 Points
Very interesting flavor profile. While it has some of the fruit of Zinfandel, it is balanced by the high percentages of Carignane and Petite Sirah. Medium bodied. Solid food wine. Drinking well now after a brief decant.
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10/15/2012 - sbfern wrote: 89 Points
Medium body with Lots of jams flavors. The carignane softens the zin
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10/7/2012 - Guyc wrote: 84 Points
Would place this in the category of a spicy Pinot. No body and pepper overtones. Definite smack of tannin would be good with pheasant me thinks if that's your fancy.. Anyhow, you get what I mean, not a hearty red, not a warm red but has depth and Pinot complexity.
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10/2/2012 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
This is absolutely rockin' on day two.
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9/12/2012 - ajfret01 wrote: 89 Points
Great easy drinking wine.
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9/5/2012 - boogeyone Likes this wine: 88 Points
Interesting blend. Medium tannins. Burst of fruit that dissipates quickly. First reaction was lush but the finish is less interesting.
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8/7/2012 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Better on day two. Maybe this is the Ridge AV Cairgnane?
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8/6/2012 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Lots of carignane. Smells great. Sweet dark fruit. Character, guts, its all there.
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5/4/2012 - kosinski wrote:
Somewhat subdued aromas of cherry cola. Cherry flavors persist on the palate with good acidity and a touch of spice. Still some tannins on the back end but the lightness of body and brightness of the fruit suggest drinking soon. Agree with my precious comment that it is somewhat reminiscent of a Chianti.
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3/10/2012 - markydecker wrote: 91 Points
Another solid Mazzoni. Nice fruit, balance, acidity, everything you want in a Zin. Sorry it's my last!
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2/7/2012 - rhanke wrote: 89 Points
Deep red, nice finish, good
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1/8/2012 - jrlamia wrote: 88 Points
Deep red color, lots of alcohol on nose, tart, spicy sharp on tongue, cooling finish. Alcohol made it difficult to tell what I was tasting. However, it was enjoyable and the finish was pleasant.
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12/12/2011 - Joshua Smith Likes this wine: 89 Points
Very nice initial fruit flavor, lacking in the acidity and finish. The caringene definitely helps give the wine a softer more rounded feel, and a touch of spice. Well worth the buy if you like smooth zins
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10/28/2011 - danski wrote: 91 Points
Could benefit from some air. Another nice Mazzoni from Ridge.
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10/26/2011 - AlexHop wrote: 90 Points
Very solid. Fresh, ripe berries, great nose and nice balance.
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10/3/2011 - rhanke wrote:
dark red, currents, touch of blackberry, good
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9/3/2011 - danstrings wrote: 87 Points
Ridge Fall Release Party (Monte Bello Vineyard): Field blend with zin and carignane. Lots of dark berry and bitter chocolate (in a good way), good balance, almost Southern Rhone in its disposition. Some dried plum/raisin notes...
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9/3/2011 - kosinski wrote:
Ridge Fall Release Celebration (Ridge Monte Bello Vineyard): Tart cherry fruit over some spicy woody notes. Tannins suggest waiting a couple of years. Somewhat reminiscent of a light Italian red like Chianti. Should be a good food wine.
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8/10/2011 - ogres3 wrote:
Drank after being open 24 hours. Fairly standard Ridge zin.
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