WTN: 2005 Ridge Three Valleys

Dark purple, with moderate oak, alcohol, and rasins / stewed fruit on the nose. Noticeably sweet on the palate, straightforward Zinfandel flavors. Balanced, but nothing particularly interesting going on.

I quite like the balance and (relative) complexity of Ridge's regionally-labeled zins, but this IMO this blend is farily nondescript and I think you can get comparable quality for less.

It's a shame really, because the previous Ridge offering at this price point, "Coast Range," was a QPR favorite of mine. Anyone know what happened to those grapes? Did Draper lose access to them, or did they graduate to some of the more expensive Ridge releases?

William, the Ridge zins that I love have all passed over the $30 mark, and as such have passed me by as to multiple bottle purchases. I found a great replacement though in the 2001 Peay vineyard zin from Edmunds St. Johns. Of course it is now sold out all across America. Still, I recommend that you try the Nalle Dry Creek Valley zin. Different in style from Ridge, but I forecast it would soon become a favorite.