Ridge 2011 Paso Robles Zinfandel
2011 Zinfandel, Paso Robles, bottled December 2012
100% zinfandel
14.5% alcohol by volume
Winemaker Eric Baugher's Notes (Back Label) -
Despite a small crop on the ninety-year-old Dusi vineyard, another cool growing season
delayed harvest by a month. To enhance extraction of color and tannin, skins were held
submerged during fermentation. The press was included for additional structure and
complexity. Malolactic finished early, and the wine was in barrel by mid-November. For
clarity, it was racked off its lees quarterly. This fruit-forward, approachable zinfandel
will be at its best over the next four to six years. EB (10/12)
Tasting Notes - Garnet color; cherry, strawberry-rhubarb, oak spice; sweet
bramble entry, medium body, soft tannins, balanced acid, attractive oak, approachable,
medium-length to finish. EB (1/13)
History
The Benito Dusi Ranch is the only vineyard in the Central Coast Viticultural Area from
which we source grapes. Our Monte Bello vineyards are in the Santa Cruz Mountains
Viticultural Area which is not in the Central Coast. The 1967 vintage was our first
wine from this vineyard. It was planted to zinfandel in 1922 which is unusual because
Prohibition had started two years earlier. Purchased by Sylvester and Catarina Dusi in
1924, the property has been farmed since the 1940s by their son Benito, the owner.
Vineyard
First RIDGE Paso Robles: 1967
Location: Benito Dusi’s Vineyard is located three miles
south of Paso Robles on the east side of Highway 101.
Elevation: 760'
Soils: Rocky and gravelly with areas of light soil
Age of vines: Zinfandel, 40 acres, planted 1922
Training: Head trained (no trellis), spur pruned
Climate: Hot days, cool nights.
Exposure: Full exposure in all directions
Owner: Benito Dusi
Yields: 1.5 to 2.0 tons/acre
Farming: Sustainably farmed
Growing Season
Rainfall: 18 inches (average)
Bloom: Mid May
Weather: Spring frost reduced crop, dry summer and fall.
Vintage
Harvest Dates: 17 - 23 September
Grapes: Average Brix 25.4°
Fermentation: 100% natural primary and secondary fermentation.
62% submerged cap; pressed at eight days.
Barrels: 100% air-dried american oak barrels (19% new, 32%
two years old, 35% three and four years old, and 14% five years old)
Aging: Twelve months in barrel
Winemaking
Benito Dusi Vineyard grapes, hand harvested. Destemmed and crushed.
Fermented on the native yeasts, followed by full malolactic on the
naturally occurring bacteria. A total of 1.4 percent rehydration (added
to one fermentor during fermentation). Minimum effective sulfur (35ppm
at crush, 90 ppm over the course of aging). Pad filtered at bottling.
In keeping with our philosophy of minimal intervention, this is the
sum of our actions.