2023 Three Valleys
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Tasting notes
71% Zinfandel, 16% Carignane, 9% Petite Sirah, 2% Alicante Bouschet, 2% Mataro. All estate fruit. Made at Lytton Springs, way to the north of the fruit source. Needed 1% water addition – spelled out, as usual, on the back label. So round, fresh and simple in the most attractive way! Positively gulpable. Polished tannins. VVGV in the US. (JR)
Critic scores
Average Score
Jancis Robinson MW
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
The 2023 Three Valleys is a serious edition of this bottling from Ridge. Firm and structured, it delivers brambly blue fruit, graphite, vanilla, licorice and tons of spice, all wrapped up in a voluptuous, curvy frame. The Ridge house style is on full display. Best of all, the 2023 punches way above its modest price point. Though this is the ultimate by-the-glass pour or house red, it's complex enough to stand with the big boys in this portfolio.
The 2023 Three Valleys is a blend of 71% Zinfandel, 16% Carignane, 9% Petite Sirah, 2% Mataro and 2% Alicante Bouschet that matured for 12 months in 19% new air-dried American oak. It has layered aromas of wild berries, Italian plums, chargrilled meats, resinous herbs and lavender. The full-bodied palate offers highly concentrated flavors, though it’s light on its feet, with chalky tannins and vibrant acidity. It has a long, spicy finish. Expressive and elegant, it overdelivers this vintage!
Full bottle 1,231 g. 71% Zinfandel, 16% Carignane, 9% Petite Sirah, 2% Alicante Bouschet, 2% Mataro. Full crush. Both primary and secondary (malolactic) fermentations are completed by ambient yeasts and bacteria. Aged 12 months in 100% air-dried American oak barrels (19% new, 8% one-year-old, 50% four-year-old and 23% five-plus-year-old barrels). Minimum effective SO 2 for this wine (35 ppm at crush, 86 ppm over the course of ageing); pad-filtered at bottling. pH 3.82, TA 5.69 g/l. Medium purple with a fuchsia rim. Beautifully floral with red and black plum and an almost cumin-like savoury spice. Lightly sandy building tannin with fresh acid that drives the floral-tinged finish. (SCJ)
About the producer
Best known for its iconic Monte Bello, Ridge Vineyards makes some of California’s finest wines – particularly Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel. Long a pioneer of sustainable farming and minimal-intervention winemaking, Ridge makes an extensive range from Sonoma County and the Santa Cruz Mountains.
Product details
Zinfandel/Primitivo, Petit Syrah, Carignan, Grenache/ Garnacha
Red
Dry