WTN: Ridge PasoRobles Zin '07..(short/boring)

My Z-List shipment arrived last week & I could resist no longer, so cracked last night:
1. Ridge Calif Zin PasoRobles (100% Zin; 85 yr old BenitoDusiRanch/SLOCnty; 14.5%; Bttld: Aug'08; Drk: 6/08-6/12-6/13: EB) 2007: Very dark color; intense very spicy/blackberry/bit jammy/boysenberry/Zin light oak beautiful/aromatic PasoZin nose; soft rich/full/lush very spicy/blackberry/brambly/Zin/slight jammy light vanilla/oak flavor; very long lush/rich blackberry/very spicy/Zin/briary finish w/ light tannins; loads of Paso blackberry Zin fruit w/ a ton of spiciness; terrific Zin at a fair price. $30.00
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A wee BloodyPulpit:
1. Several months ago I labeled the Ridge DusiRanch Zin ATP '06 one of the best Paso Zins they have made in yrs, maybe ever. This '07 ranks right up with that DusiRanch. Maybe not quite as intense or structured, but it has that same intense blackberry spiciness that made me fall for the '06. It's like drinking Smuckers Blackberry jam.
This is the 2'nd '07 Ridge Zin I've had that really impressed me, the other being the ThreeVllys. Looks like Ridge must be on a roll w/ their '07's.
Tom

Wow I am finally getting to where I can talk like some of the old guys. Obviously not as old as Tom but still. The 1986 Ridge Paso Robles Zin was my first ephiany wine. Until that wine I thought that Zin did not deserve to be considered as a serious wine. Hard to imagine that was over 20 vintages ago. I need to secure me some of this '07 of which you speak so highly.

Wow I am finally getting to where I can talk like some of the old guys. Obviously not as old as Tom but still. The 1986 Ridge Paso Robles Zin was my first ephiany wine. Until that wine I thought that Zin did not deserve to be considered as a serious wine. Hard to imagine that was over 20 vintages ago. I need to secure me some of this '07 of which you speak so highly.

Sure sounds like good/old geezer wine talk to me, Brian!!! Welcome to the Club.

Ridge started making Zin from BeniDusi's grapes back around '73 or '74 (by crackey). They were harvested fairly early as to give a 12%-13% wine. I did not like therm at all...they had a lean & chalky character. Then from late-'70's until the '84 vintage, Ridge was fighting a serious brett infection and discarded all their old cooperage and got back on track w/ the '84 vintage. Their wines since then have been amazingly consistent and good since then, w/ very few slip-ups. They harvest later now and btl earlier and their style makes one of the best Paso Zins being made from that area. They seem to be able to capture the ripe jammy character Paso Zin can give, yet w/o being over the top and high alcohol.
The '07 will go into National release tomorrow, so should not be difficult to find in a month or two. Eric (Baugher, MonteBello wnry winemaker) tells me the '08 is another notch up in quality yet.
Just think, Brian.....in 20 yrs you can wax eloquently about the '07 Ridge Paso Zin and all the young kids on the board will be in awe and cling to your every word. I'll still be posting then, too. But have my doubts about that ole StevEdmunds guy...he might not make it out that far!!!
Tom

From what I hear only Ridge and one other winery is getting the BeniDusi grapes these days, so Ridge must be using a bunch (pun) of them. The '03 Tobin James I recently posted on was made from them, but since then they get them from the "other" Dusi. So, if we want the real thing, will have to go with Ridge!

From what I hear only Ridge and one other winery is getting the BeniDusi grapes these days, so Ridge must be using a bunch (pun) of them. The '03 Tobin James I recently posted on was made from them, but since then they get them from the "other" Dusi. So, if we want the real thing, will have to go with Ridge!

Nearly all the BeniDusi grapes go to Ridge, w/ a small amount going to Dan at DoverCanyon. All the other "Dusi" Zins come
DanteDusi's vnyd. They were all one vnyd until 101 came thru there and divided it into half. Beni kept the parcel on EastSide
of Hwy 101, Dante on the WestSide. My feeling is that Beni's vnyd is the better of the two.
Tom

Looks like Ridge must be on a roll w/ their '07's.
Tom

I hope so. I just bought my '07 Geyserville today.

Tom, have you seen any Ridge Zin Essence lately?

Tom T.

Tom, have you seen any Ridge Zin Essence lately?
Tom T.

Tom,
Not seen a new Essence in a number of yrs...3-4 yrs maybe. The last ones I recall were a Zin and a PS from LyttonWest grapes.
Tom

Tom,

Thanks for the tasting note and background info.

I'm part of the ATP program but not part of the Z program. I do not even recall ever having a Z wine unless it was slipped to me in the tasting room. What is the difference between ATP and Z?

I'm part of the ATP program but not part of the Z program. I do not even recall ever having a Z wine unless it was slipped to me in the tasting room. What is the difference between ATP and Z?

Dave,
The ATP list gets you shipped 2 (or 2 x n) near every month of their limited release ATP wines, made in quantities of around 40 brls or so (1,000 cs). The Z-List gets you shipped in Spring and Fall their 3 Spring/Fall releases a month ahead of general release so you can try them an reorder afore the common folks. This Spring release was Geyserville '07, EastBench '07, and PasoRobles '07 (this one). Today's the release date on those three.
And the MonteBelloCollectors list allows you to order each March 0.5-2 cs of the MonteBello release at the $80 futures price, for delivery 2 yrs down the road.
And then the WZ list gets you the opportunity to order their rare White Zin!!!
Just joking...but....Ridge and David Bruce were the first to make a VinGris/WhiteZin back in '68 (by crackey), 5 yrs afore SutterHome, who likes to take credit for WhiteZin. And...I must say... they Ridge White Zin (and White Carignane) that they've made a few times back in the '70's was pretty good. Even aged pretty good.
Tom

Tom, what is your take on the 05, and 06 vintages of the Lytton Springs zin from Ridge? I have found it well under priced at less than $20 per. (I brought it up that it was mis-marked and was met with a frown, so I have just been buying and buying) Geo T was not proud of the 2005, but liked the 06 much more. Me, I like them both, but think the 06 has a tad more stuffing than the 05,howevert the 05 is coming around as it sits in the cellar. Funny I just found a bottle of the 04 too...imagine that. I am pretty sure that I have a bottle of 9 Pagani in the cellar, wonder how that puppy is. Hey, I have an idea, you come to Mo'Cool in August, and I'll bring a few Ridge wines, plus an ESJ zinfandel! Heck, I was already planning on a vertical and perhaps a horizontal too of Stone Wolf pinots.Tempted?

Tom, what is your take on the 05, and 06 vintages of the Lytton Springs zin from Ridge? I have found it well under priced at less than $20 per. (I brought it up that it was mis-marked and was met with a frown, so I have just been buying and buying) Geo T was not proud of the 2005, but liked the 06 much more. Me, I like them both, but think the 06 has a tad more stuffing than the 05,howevert the 05 is coming around as it sits in the cellar. Funny I just found a bottle of the 04 too...imagine that. I am pretty sure that I have a bottle of 9 Pagani in the cellar, wonder how that puppy is. Hey, I have an idea, you come to Mo'Cool in August, and I'll bring a few Ridge wines, plus an ESJ zinfandel! Heck, I was already planning on a vertical and perhaps a horizontal too of Stone Wolf pinots.Tempted?

Bob,
Not had the '05 & '06 LS recently together, so don't have any particular insights. I thought they were both pretty solid/classic LS Zins.
Had Steve's first Zin ('86, from ChesterBrandlin's grapes) last week and it was still very much alive.
Mo'Cool sounds tempting. That's up in Detroit...right?? But if you're there, and I came....wouldn't that tip the average age up into the 60's and into it being a geezer's event?? Maybe we could get SteveEdmunds to come and push it way over the edge!!
Tom

Bob, Not had the '05 & '06 LS recently together, so don't have any particular insights. I thought they were both pretty solid/classic LS Zins.
Had Steve's first Zin ('86, from ChesterBrandlin's grapes) last week and it was still very much alive.
Mo'Cool sounds tempting. That's up in Detroit...right?? But if you're there, and I came....wouldn't that tip the average age up into the 60's and into it being a geezer's event?? Maybe we could get SteveEdmunds to come and push it way over the edge!!
Tom

Tom, it ain't about the years, it's about the miles. Heck, geezers are good people too! Joel Goldberg (Papa Mo'Cool) told me that if we could get Steve to come to Mo'Cool (Ann Arbor) for the event, he would do a feature of some kind around Steve's wines. So, I guess it's not too early to start wheedling on him to find a way somehow. It sure would be a heck of an event if we could get you both!

Bob,
Not had the '05 & '06 LS recently together, so don't have any particular insights. I thought they were both pretty solid/classic LS Zins.
Had Steve's first Zin ('86, from ChesterBrandlin's grapes) last week and it was still very much alive.
Mo'Cool sounds tempting. That's up in Detroit...right?? But if you're there, and I came....wouldn't that tip the average age up into the 60's and into it being a geezer's event?? Maybe we could get SteveEdmunds to come and push it way over the edge!!
Tom

Tom,

With Bob Henrick, Alan Gardner and myself (and I'm sure there's others), there's already a sizeable over-60 contingent at Mo'Cool (My wife of course is only 29 . And speaking of Ridge Zin's, I could bring a bunch of LS & Geyservilles going back to '96.