2008 Ridge Zinfandel Pagani Ranch
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Tasting notes
The largest scaled in the lineup, the 2008 Ridge Zinfandel Pagani Ranch is a blend of 85% Zinfandel, 10% Alicante Bouschet, 3% Petite Sirah, and 2% Carignane that spent 16 months in a combination of new and old American oak. The wine sports full bore aromatics of black fruits, licorice, vanilla, spice, and earth on the nose, and while there’s lots of ripe, rich fruit, there’s also good clarity and freshness as well. The wine oozes fruit and extract on the palate and presents a full bodied, decadent profile, with good acidity, a fantastic mid-palate, and a long, mineral-laced finish. There’s plenty of structure hiding under all of the fruit, and this should age gracefully for up to a decade or more.
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
(includes 10% alicante bouschet, 3% petite sirah and 2% carignane): Inky ruby. Exotically perfumed, oak-spiced of cherry compote, blackberry, cola and vanilla bean, with smoke and black cardamom notes adding complexity. Sappy, broad and densely packed dark fruit flavors show very good intensity and pick up a spicy character with air. Really clings on the finish, which leaves notes of cherry, licorice and candied violet behind.
The 2008 Zinfandel Pagani Ranch is a blend 85% Zinfandel, 10% Alicante Bouschet, and the rest Petite Sirah that tips the scales at a lofty 15% alcohol. Possessing ripe black cherry and blackberry fruit intermixed with some wood spice, earth, and subtle herbs, this wine cuts a broad, rich, full-bodied swath across the palate. More exuberant and richer than the more elegant Lytton Springs, this is full-throttle Zinfandel at its best, but beautifully pure, textured, and long. It should drink well for 7-8 years. Tel. (408) 867-3233; Fax (408) 868-1350
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.