by Ethan Johnson
August 30, 2008
Ask, and ye shall receive. In this instance, I was looking for an excuse to try out a Ridge zinfandel, and the opportunity presented itself by way of Marlena's birthday dinner. Since the Chez Swanky offered half bottles under controlled conditions, I had my way with:
Producer (Vineyard): Ridge
Varietal (Grape type): 77% Zinfandel, 17% Petite Sirah, 6% Carignane
Vintage (Year): 2005
Country: USA (California)
Color: Red
Cost: Expensive ($35 USD)
Swirl and Sniff: The color was purple. Scent-wise, it took some doing, but I think the primary scent was nectarines (!), with wisps of vanilla in there somewhere.
Taste: Smooth, with watery edges. I had it pegged as blueberry-tasting, and lightly tannic.
Pairing: I drank this with swanky steak dinner. My steak had Bearnaise sauce on it, so the wine retaliated with a fiery hot finish (while eating), but with unadorned steak the wine and steak paired well. It seemed to stand best on its own, really. No alcohol mallet this time, which is always appreciated.
Rating: When it comes to this wine, I would (and you may):
- Buy three or more bottles for regular enjoyment
- Buy a bottle or two for occasional enjoyment
- Ask for when dining out or at a party
- Settle for if your preferred wine is not available
- Politely decline and never drink again, ever
I'm not rushing out to buy this for my very own, red wine backlog aside. I'm thinking once again that the Ravenswood County series is comparable and even outright better, compared to this offering. I'm interested to try a hoitier Ridge zin sometime and see how it compares. But, if the wine list does offer Ridge and not Ravenswood, order with confidence. Just pass on the Bearnaise sauce.
If you do give this a try, please let me know how your experience compared with mine. Thanks! <EM>
(The Totally Unpretentious Wine Reviews Index may be found here.)
