2016 Ridge Zinfandel Paso Robles
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Tasting notes
Quiet classic with aromas of spiced red-plum compote and brown tea, baking spices and plum cake, as well as red flowers. The palate has a very smooth and plush array of nutty, ripe tannins that carry bright red fruit into the finish. Pure zinfandel. Drink or hold.
Critic scores
Average Score
James Suckling
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
The 2016 Zinfandel Paso Robles comes all from the Benito Dusi Ranch Vineyard and has textbook notes of red and black currants, cedarwood, dried flowers, and herbes de Provence. It's medium-bodied, charming, and elegant on the palate, and opens up nicely with time in the glass. It offers plenty of pleasure and should drink nicely for 4-6 years.
The 2016 Zinfandel Benito Dusi Ranch is gorgeous in the way it melds together the richness of Paso Robles with the freshness and energy that are such Ridge signatures. Ripe dark cherry, plum, leather, licorice and spice notes infuse this succulent, inviting Zinfandel. The 2016 was done with submerged cap maceration, which gives the wine a super-classic feel.
The 2016 Zinfandel Paso Robles is lovely, wafting from the glass with aromas of ripe blackberries, plum preserves and rich spices. On the palate, it's full-bodied, lavish and velvety, with an ample core of ripe, sun-kissed fruit, lovely purity and a sweet, lingering finish. As ever, this is one of the very finest Zinfandels produced in the region, and its naked, effortless style should be a beacon for other producers to follow. It derives from the Benito Dusi Ranch, which is visible from Route 101 as you drive through Paso Robles. Ridge produced their first vintage from this site in 1967.
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.