2003 Jimsomare Zinfandel

Bud break came early, but a cool, wet spring delayed bloom and fruit formation. The grapes developed full flavor at more moderate sugar levels than usual, and we harvested on October 7. The nineteenth-century vines provided sixty percent of total tonnage, the young vines forty percent; yields were a modest one-and-a-half tons per acre. The grapes fermented spontaneously on their natural yeasts, and were pressed ateight days. A natural malolactic finished by January, and the wine was racked to air-dried American oak one-third new, and two-thirds six years old. This fine claret-style table wine will continue to develop over the next five to seven years.

Since 1962, Ridge has championed single-vineyard winemaking, searching California for those rare sites where climate, soil, and varietal are ideally matched. Using traditional methods and minimal handling, we strive to produce exceptional wines from superior and distinctive fruit. For information on the wines, or visiting our Monte Bello and Lytton Springs wineries, please contact us.

Average Rating: 89.5

No. of Tasting Notes: 12

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