Tried this weekend:
1. Ridge Calif Zin OldSchool/AlexVlly/SonomaCnty (6% PS; 15.3%; 42 brls; Drk: 12/06-12/14-12/16) 2005: Dark color; rather strong blackberry/spicy/Zin light oak/DraperPerfume loads of fruit nose; soft rich/lush big/ripe/blackberry/Zin/very spicy light vanilla/oak/slight toasty some tannic structured/balanced flavor; fairly long lush/blackberry/Zin/very spicy light toasty/oak finish w/ some tannins; good drinking now but needs several yrs. A very good AlexVlly Zin. Fairly priced at $30.00
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And a wee BloodyPulpit:
1. I usually try my Ridge ATPs right off the boat in hopes that they've hit another home run and I can glom onto another like the StoneRanch Zin '02, one of the best ATps I've had in some yrs. They frequently seem underwhelming. Then when I finally get them folded into a tasting a month or two later, I find I like them a whole lot better. And then I often find they have this way of putting on weight and evolve into very interesting wines a few yrs down the road. Friggin' Zins...I don't have this problem with my YellowTail Zin!!
I actually cracked this btl w/ dinner w/ company Sun night and thought the wine was pleasant enough....but just that. Pleasant/simple raspberry fruit w/ lots of the DraperPerfume. Best red we had, but still underwhelming. So stuck the cork back in it & carted it home, to sit on the counter for two days, about 3/4'th the btl remaining.
Decided to blow it off w/ my leftover Coffee-braised short ribs last night (Tues) after a tough night on the fencing strip. Whatta a surprise it was. It had lost a lot of that DraperPerfume and oak and developed into this wonderful fairly intense blackberry Zin that spoke less of Ridge and more of good...very good...AlexVlly Zin. Travel shock Sun night?? Breathing effect Tues night? Beats heck out of me..clueless as usual. Friggin' Zins!!
I'm not a very big fan of AlexanderVlly reds, Zins in particular, in general. I find them often a bit soft/squishy on the palate and sorta Oakland wines...there's no there there. They seem to lack the bright Zinberry fruit of DryCreekVlly Zins and the deeper/peppery bass notes of RussRvr Zins. This OldSchool was one of the best AlexVlly Zins I've had in probably over a yr. A very good ATP Zin.
Tom