Owen Bargreen Reviews our New Releases
OwenBargreen.com
August 2021
We are delighted to share the news that Owen Bargreen has published excellent reviews for thirteen of our newest releases. Bargreen is the founder of OwenBargreen.com and has been writing about wine for more than ten years, having reviewed thousands of wines from around the world. He also writes part-time for Decanter Magazine and recently joined the Vinous Media team.
“I have long admired the wines of Ridge Vineyards, fondly revisiting some wines in my personal collection back to the 1970s. One of the great historic wineries in California, Ridge Vineyards is perched atop the Santa Cruz Mountains in a stunning spot with views that sweep across Silicon Valley.”
— Owen Bargreen, OwenBargreen.com
Featured Wines:
2018 Monte Bello | 96 points
The nose exudes class with toasty oak that wraps around the core of blackberry compote, dark currants, cigar box and garrigue undertones. The palate is deeply concentrated with a brilliant veil of tension and a light dusting of salinity that falls over the core of dark fruits. Full-bodied and voluptuous to consume in its youth, I have little doubt this will be a 20-30 year old wine.
2019 Evangelho | 96 points
The 2019 ‘Evangelho’ combines 47% Carignane, 29% Zinfandel and the remainder Mataro. Inky and intense once in the glass, the brilliant core of huckleberry, smoke and creme de violette all come together beautifully on the palate. With a generous texture and good length, this outstanding, one of a kind blend, will cellar well for another fifteen years.
2019 Pagani Ranch Zinfandel | 95 points
A blend of 90% Zinfandel with small parts Petite Sirah, and Alicante Bouchet, this beautiful wine shows off a core of ripe red plum, soy sauce, white pepper and a touch of blueberry compote on the palate. Full-bodided, with bright lip-smacking acidity, this outstanding new Zinfandel will be drinking well over the next fifteen years.
2019 Buchignani Carignane | 95 points
The 2019 ‘Buchignani Ranch’ Carignane is sourced from very old vines. The heady aromatics impress with Earl Grey tea, black currant jelly and smoky undertones that all take shape in the glass. The palate is intense and well-balanced with heady dark and red fruits that collide with minerals and scorched earthy tones. This wine is truly in its own category.
2019 Guadagni Zinfandel | 95 points
A blend of 76% Zinfandel with the remainder Petite Sirah, the ‘Guadagni’ is exceedingly polished with firm tannins that mingle with red cherry candy, leather, black tea and exotic spices. Full-bodied with plenty of structure and bright acidity, this is a sumptuous bottling that has a long life ahead of it.
2019 Rockpile | 95 points
The 2019 ‘Rockpile’ blends 71% Zinfandel with the remainder Petite Sirah. Despite the high percentage of Petite Sirah, this wine screams balance rather than weight or intensity. Silky tannins frame the beautiful core of wild blackberry compote, menthol, Mandarin orange zest and ripe Yakima cherry on the palate. This is exceedingly delicious to consume now, as this has another fifteen years to go.
2018 Mazzoni Home Ranch | 95 points
A highly unique and impeccable blend of 56% Zinfandel, 42% Carignane and a touch of Petite Sirah, this shows beautiful balance with ripe red raspberry and red cherry flavors alongside dill and pipe tobacco undertones. Medium to full-bodied with gobs of mouth-watering acidity, this is a sensational bottling that has another fifteen years of life ahead of it.
2018 Hooker Creek Zinfandel | 94 points
The 2018 ‘Hooker Creek’ blends in a touch of Petite Sirah (4%) and Alicante Bouchet (2%). The palate is exceedingly silky with light tannins that frame a generous core of red and dark fruits with tobacco and bay leaf and orange rind undertones with red floral accents. This is exceedingly good even to consume at the three year mark.
2019 Benito Dusi Zinfandel | 94 points
This 100% Zinfandel wine weighs in a touch higher than the other Zins (15.1%) yet the freshness is wonderfully intact here. Rich red fruits parade with stony minerals, smoke and shades of Hoisin sauce on the palate. Completely delicious to consume now, enjoy this beautiful wine over the next ten years.
2016 Lytton Estate Syrah | 93 points
The 2016 ‘Lytton Estate’ Syrah is blended with 7% Viognier. The beautiful floral tones from the Viognier really work wonders, as rich black tea and blackberry tones fill the nose. The palate is generous and bright with a silky texture. With beautiful length, this has some really nice aging potential.
2018 Syrah Grenache Mataro | 93 points
A truly unique blend, this beautiful wine shows off really nice smoky tones with white pepper and a touch of dark cherry with tobacco leaf undertones aromatically. The palate shows a silky texture with gobs of mouth-watering acidity and plenty of finesse, as this effortlessly glides throughout the drinking experience. Gorgeous in its youth, enjoy this beauty over the next decade.
2020 Grenache Blanc | 92 points
Fresh, vibrant and beautifully textured, the 2020 Grenache Blanc by Ridge exudes class with its gooseberry, green papaya, white peach and stony mineral flavors. Medium to full-bodied, with plenty of finesse and salted Macadamia nut undercurrents, this beautiful wine has another seven plus years to go.
2019 Lytton Springs | 91 points
Mostly Zinfandel (73%) this forward wine shows red plum, red cherry and dill flavors with good richness. Enjoy this good value over the next seven years.
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