1996 Nervo Zinfandel

In 1896 the Nervo family bought thirty-five acres of hillside vines and a small winery from the two Swiss partners who had homesteaded the land in the early 1880s. In 1908 they built the square stone winery which remains a landmark on old Highway 101 between Healdsburg and Geyserville.Their last wine was made in 1974, and the winery sold to the Schlitz Brewing Company, which had just acquired Geyser Peak. The Nervos retained the hillside property. Of the original thirty-five acres, eight acres of 115-year-old vines remain-a field blend of zinfandel, petite sirah, and carignane. Exactly a century after the family’s purchase of the vineyard, Ridge made this gentle, beautifully balanced zinfandel as an Advance Tasting Program release. Aged in two- and five-year-old air-dried american oak, it will be at its best between now and the coming millennium. PD (1/98)

Since 1962, Ridge has championed single-vineyard winemaking, exploring California in search of great vineyards where climate, soil, and varietal are ideally matched. Fine wine, when made traditionally, is the result of a natural process. Using traditional methods and minimal handling, we strive to produce the highest quality wines from superior and distinctive fruit. We are proud that our three decades are an integral part of California’s winemaking history.

Average Rating: 88.3

No. of Tasting Notes: 5

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