Received last week my '07 ATP Buchagnani, so thought I crack an older one as well:
1. Ridge Calif BuchagnaniRanch Zin (4% Carignane; 15.1%; 44 brls; Bttld:Dec'06; Drk: 10/6-10/12-10.13: JO) 2005: Med.dark color w/ slight bricking; somewhat alcoholic/fumey spicy/briary/raspberry/Zin some Draper perfume/oak bit complex nose; soft some alcoholic/hot/fumey very spicy/briary/raspberry/Zin kight earthy bit pungent/oak/smokey/vanilla light tannic flavor; med.long rather hot/fumey/alcoholic vanilla/oak/pungent some raspberry/briary/Zin/spicy finish w/ light tannins; lots of spicy/briary Zin fruit but rather hot/alcoholic/fumey; some nice things in there under the alcohol; time has not been kind to this wine. $26.00
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2. Ridge Calif BuchagnaniRanch Zin (7% Carignane; 13.8%; 48 brls; Bttld:Dec'08; Drk: 8/08-8/13: JO) 2007: Very dark color; strong lush/briary/blackberry/Zin/very spicy big fruit slight Draper perfume/oak very fragrant nose; tart bit tannic/hard lush very spicy/briary/blackberry/Zin light pungent/smokey/oak/vanilla flavor; med.long tart bit hard/tannic very spicy/briary/raspberry/Zin light vanilla/oak/smokey finish; rather tightly wound and needs a yr or so to smooth out; lots of big fruit but good underlying structure; one of the better young Buchagnani Zins. $28.00
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A wee BloodyPulpit:
1. 2007 seems to be a real turning point in the Ridge Zins; a subtle change in style. Draper claims that they're making their Zins the same way they always have. But, to my view, the '07 Zins show a lot more fruit, more terroir, and less oak. I've been impressed by the Ridge '07 Zins across the board; even the ATP wines, which I sometimes think undeliver. And this trend seems to be carrying over into the '08 vintage as well. Some of my favorite Zins in all Calif.
Tom