Tried these two new ATP Zins last night:
1. Ridge Zin BuchagnaniRanch/AlexVlly/SonoamCnty (14.5%; 75% Zin/25% Carignane; 56 brls; bttld 2/19; Drk: 1/19-1/24-1/25: JO; tartaric acid) Healdsburg 2017: Very dark color; very strong blackberry/Zin/fairly spicy/raspberry some vanilla/Ridge oak fairly dusty/OV some complex fairly fragrant nose; lightly tart/tangy fairly rich blackberry/black cherry/Zin/rather spicy some Ridge/Am.oak some dusty/OV bit complex flavor w/ modest brisk tannins; very long bit tart/tangy fairly strong blackberry/raspberry/black cherry/Zin fairly spicy/dusty/OV rather structured finish w/ modest chewey tannins; another very good Buchagnani Zin; the Carignane shows thru. $37.00 (ATP)
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2. Ridge DemosteneRanch AlexVlly/SonomaCnty (14.6%; 64% Zin/36% Carignane; 24 brls; bttld March 2020; Plntd: > 100 yrs ago; Drk: 2/20-2/26-2/27: JO) 2018: Med.dark color; very strong blackberry/boysenberry/Zin/rather spicy rather dusty/OV fairly strong Am.oak/Ridge nose; soft fairly rich/lush strong blackberry/boysenberry/ripe Zin/quite spicy strong Am.oak/vanilla fairly dusty/OV flavor w/ modest tangy tannins; very long soft fairly spicy/blackberry/Zin strong Ridge oak somewhat dusty/OV finish w/ light soft tannins; shows the somewhat soft/mushy character you get from AlexVllyreds; a pleasant Ridge Zin but just that; not particularly distinctive. $37.00 (ATP)
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A wee BloodyPulpit:
1. Since Ridge is already releasing the 2020 Zins, I'm not quite sure why the release of these two are so late. The quality/structure of these two don't warrant it.
The DemosteneRanch Zin used to be a Zin released under the Sausal label. The Sausal wines were pleasant enough (and cheap) but nothing to write home about. Ridge has been taking grapes from this vnyd for a few yrs since Dave died. The vnyd was recently sold to SilverOak I recall and the old vines ripped out for Cab/Merlot. A shame I would say.
The last few Buchagnani Zins have been a real step above what they had been in the past. A real step above the Nervo/Ponzo level & getting close to the LS level in quality.
I have been a member of the Ridge ATP program from the very start. Sometimes I ask myself if they are worth it (usually they are not) but I nonetheless continue with the wines. The flagship Ridge Zins (Lytton/Geyserville/Pagani) are all distinctive one from the other, probably because of their varying cepages. But the others (Ponzo/Nervo/Boatman/Guadagni/etc) are just merely good Ridge Zins, but not particularly distinctive one from the other. The Jimsomare & HookerCreek I do tend to like a lot, though. Those Zin vnyds are beautiful OV vnyds. Ridge could/should be making better wines from them I think. They just don't stand out to me. Oh, well... I've hung with them for yrs...just as well continue. Others are not so forgiving and have been dropping the ATP program.
Of these two, I much preferred the Buchignani because of its intensity & structure. The Demostene?? Meh!!
Tom