Ridge Paso Robles Zinfandel 2021 (75cl, 14.5%)

A single-vineyard Zinfandel from century-old vines in Paso Robles, bottled at approximately 14.5% ABV in a 750ml bottle. The fruit comes exclusively from Benito Dusi's Ranch, where head-trained, untrelissed Zinfandel vines were planted in 1922 on rocky, gravelly soils. Ridge employs a minimal-intervention approach: hand-harvested grapes, fermentation with natural indigenous yeasts, and 100% natural primary and secondary fermentation. This is the only Zinfandel vineyard Ridge sources from within the Central Coast Viticultural Area. The nose opens with bright red and black plums, then spearmint, muddled mint leaf and Christmas baking spices, with deeper cigar smoke and peppery herbs. The palate is juicy and fruit-forward with boysenberry and bright cherry, then brown baking spices, orange peel and white pepper over a briary core. The finish is medium to long with leather, earth, sweet spice and dark berry.