Wines

Read and enjoy the character of each of our wines or search through our database of notes, label text, notes recorded. The Archive Search link on the left enables you to retrieve the various notes and descriptions of our wines.

Ridge Vineyards Video

View a video of Ridge's winegrowers . Requires Quicktime and at least a 56K connection.
( Japanese | German )

TO AGE OR NOT TO AGE

In today's world, the most popular wines are the most immediately appealing wines. And it's certain that zinfandel, with its intense berry fruit, full body, and round tannins is immediately appealing. Most consumers have no interest in aging wine, let alone a place to store it properly. So why not drink up?

To put the question in perspective: Do red Burgundies and pinots merit long aging? A few go beyond eight or ten years — but very few. Vintage conditions come into question. Will first-growth Bordeaux from 1991, 1992, and 1993 actually improve if held for more than ten years? What gives any good red wine the ability to age?

First and foremost, I believe it is site-distinctiveness, and the suitability of the varietal to the particular site. Second: vine age, and the tonnage the vines are asked to carry. Here, the intention and ability of the vintner came into play. Depending on the approach taken, low-yield fruit from the finest site can make a fine, long-lasting wine — or lose its potential in the winemaking process. Vintage conditions are also a consideration.

Should zinfandel be aged? The best zins are so inviting in their first five or six years that laying them down seems almost silly. Should Ridge zinfandel be aged? In some cases, yes. Our labels usually recommend drinking them within the five-to-seven-year time frame, though clearly certain vintages will go longer. Properly stored Geyserville zinfandels from 1970, 1973, and 1977 are lovely — incredibly complex — even now. From Lytton Springs, the 1974 stands out. Is this typical of zinfandels being made today? Not really. Even at Ridge the eighties produced only one or two potentially long-lived wines. But the increased tannins, full ripeness, and particularly firm acidity of several recent vintages suggests that some of these wines will "go the distance." Notable among them: the 1999 Lytton Springs and the 2001 Lytton Springs and Geyserville.

Most zinfandels today are at their best over the first five years, and most Ridge zins can continue to develop for eight or ten. About one thing, however, there's no doubt. No red wine in its youth is as delicious or satisfying as a quality zinfandel.

Paul Draper
Spring 2002 re: Zinfandel