Bottle Notes, Zinfandel

New Releases from Ridge Vineyards (Part 2)

Ridge Vineyards was founded in 1959 when three Stanford Research Institute engineers bought an abandoned winery in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The vineyards had been planted in the late 19th century by a San Francisco physician who produced his first vintage in the original winery, called Monte Bello, in 1892. The first Ridge vintage was in 1962. John Olney is Head Winemaker at Ridge. Shauna Rosenblum is the Winemaker at Ridge Lytton Springs.

The winery recently sent me samples of some of their new releases.

2022 Ridge Vineyards Zinfandel East Bench – Bright crimson in color. 14.9% ABV. 100% Zinfandel from Funsten Ranch in the Dry Creek Valley. Stunning nose of red fruits, roasted herbs and flowers. Medium body with ample acidity. Loaded with bright fruits. Well balanced. Cherries, strawberry and white pepper on the palate. Nice length on the finish. One of the better Zins from Dry Creek. Best over the next 3-5 years. $46 at the winery and retail. My rating: 93 points.

2022 Ridge Vineyards Zinfandel Green & Red – Purple in color. 14% ABV. 98% Zinfandel and 2% Petite Sirah. Sublime nose of black fruits, plums and licorice. Full bodied with medium acidity. Rich, lush and well balanced. Blackberry, mulberry, blood orange and baking spices on the palate. The finish is long and supple. Delicious Zinfandel that has an appealing opulence and flair. Approachable now but this will drink well for another 3-5 years. $42 at the winery. My rating: 94 points.

2022 Ridge Vineyards Zinfandel Paso Robles – Bright red in color. 14.5% ABV. 95% Zinfandel and 5% Petite Sirah from Benito Dusi Ranch in Paso Robles. Brilliant nose of red fruits, licorice and peaches. Medium body with exquisite acidity. Bursting with bright, juicy fruits. Cherry preserves, raspberry liqueur, baking spices and pepper on the palate. Exceptional length on the finish. Incredibly delicious. Fast becoming one of top Zins in the Ridge lineup. Best over the next 3-5 years. $46 at the winery and retail. My rating: 96 points.

2022 Ridge Geyserville – Crimson in color. 14.5% ABV. 67% Zinfandel, 20% Carignane, 10% Petite Sirah and 3% Mataro. Breathtaking nose of red and black fruits, licorice and pepper. Medium to full body with perfect acidity. There is a concentration and structure here not often seen in field blends. Blackberry, raspberry compote, tobacco and pepper on the palate. Tremendous length on the finish with prominent silky tannins. The best Geyserville in recent memory. Drink over the next decade. $56 at the winery and retail. My rating: 97 points.

Ridge has been defined by their Zin program for as long as I can remember and in recent years these wines have soared to new heights.

The entire Ridge lineup is available at the winery and for the most part at retail as well. Exceptional wines that are fairly priced, well crafted and easy to find. Everyone is always looking for the latest and greatest when it comes to wine. Sometimes it pays to stick with the tried and true. There is so much to like here.

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