Ridge 2010 Ponzo Zinfandel
2010 Ponzo Vineyard, bottled December 2011
96% zinfandel, 4% petite sirah
14.5% alcohol by volume
Winemaker John Olney's notes (back label text) -
This year, Bob Ponzo's zinfandel vines benefited
from the cooler temperatures typical of the Russian
River Valley. Despite late-August heat, morning
fog extended ripening, adding complexity to
the grapes' aromas and flavors. We harvested
the Old Vines and Triangle blocks on October 4,
followed by the younger Back Block a week later.
After malolactic, we blind-tasted the three, choosing
the older two for their exotic fruit. Twenty-five
percent new oak adds finesse, complementing
the tannins and natural acidity. This elegant zinfandel
will be most enjoyable over the next five to
seven years. JO (9/11)
Tasting Notes - Nose of raspberries, rose petal
and pepper. Medium-full bodied, soft and elegant on the
palate, fine tannic structure, finishes with cherry fruit
and firm acidity. JO (7/12)
History
Bob Ponzo has farmed these grapes for us in the Russian River Valley since 1999. Bob's
vineyard, on deep gravely loam soils four and a half miles south of Lytton Springs provides
all the fruit for this zinfandel. The Russian River Valley's cooler microclimate ripens
the grapes shortly after Lytton Springs and Geyserville. Small amounts of petite sirah are
interplanted with zinfandel in the oldest block.
Vineyard
First RIDGE Ponzo: 2002
Location: Russian River Valley, south of Healdsburg on
Old Redwood Highway
Soils: Deep, gravelly loam.
Vines: Mixed zinfandel, petite sirah, planted c. 1952,
4.0 acres (old vines).
Zinfandel planted 1992, 3.0 acres. (Triangle)
Zinfandel planted 1999, 5.0 acres. (Back Block)
Training: Majority head trained (no trellis), spur
pruned; Back Block cordon trained.
Yields: Two to three tons per acre
Farming: Sustainably farmed
Growing Season
Rainfall: 42 inches (above normal)
Bloom: Late May
Weather: Cool, late spring; cold summer; two very hot days in August (24 & 25) caused
fruit damage cutting yields by 50%.
Vintage
Harvest Dates: 4-12 October
Grapes: Average Brix 24.2°
Fermentation: No inoculation — natural primary and secondary;
rapid color and tannin extraction. Pressed at eight days.
Barrels: 100% air-dried american oak barrels (25% new, 30% one and two years old,
30% three and four years old, and 15% five year old)
Aging: Twelve months in barrel
Winemaking
All grapes hand harvested. Destemmed and crushed. Fermented on the native yeasts,
followed by full malolactic on the naturally occurring bacteria. Minimum effective sulfur
(35 ppm at crush, 151 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.