2014 Ponzo Zinfandel

2104 Ponzo Zinfandel – Vibrant fresh cherry, raspberry, and tropical nose. Medium-bodied on the palate, with elegant, well-integrated tannins. Lively acidity. Notes of mineral and vanilla leading into a nice, lingering finish.

Warm weather hastened ripening on our one Russian River vineyard for a September harvest. Aggressive thinning in the cordon pruned Back Block concentrated flavors; combined with Old Vines, it was racked to barrel. Oak aging lends spice to the wine’s plentiful red fruit, and firm acid maintains balance. Soft and elegant, this fine zinfandel is accessible as a young wine, and will be at its best over the next five to six years. JO (8/15)

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.

Rainfall: Twenty-four inches (below average)
Bloom: Mid-May
Weather: Very dry and cold December, dry January; most of the rain fell in February through April. Cool spring followed by an early, warm summer.

Harvest Dates: 22 September
Grapes: Average Brix 24.7˚
Fermentation: Grapes destemmed and crushed, pumped over a floating cap and pressed at seven days.
Barrels: 100% air-dried american oak barrels (15% new, 30% one and two years old, 55% three and four years old)
Aging: Twelve months in barrel

Hand harvested, Bob Ponzo vineyard grapes; destemmed and crushed; fermented on the native yeasts, followed by full malolactic on the naturally occurring bacteria; 0.5g/L calcium carbonate; oak from barrel aging; minimum effective sulfur for this wine (35 ppm at crush, 65 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.

The Wine Advocate (October 2016): 90 Points – “Coming from the Russian River Valley, the 2014 Zinfandel Ponzo Vineyards (96% Zinfandel and 4% Petite Sirah) is another sexy, seamless release from the team at Ridge that offers classic aromatics (bramble, plums, spice and dried flowers), medium-bodied richness and a clean, lengthy finish. Drink it over the coming 5-7 years.” -Jeb Dunnuck

California Grapevine (September 2016): 91 Points – Medium to medium-dark purplish ruby; attractive, forward, briary, toasty, boysenberry and blackberry jam aroma with spicy and peppery notes; full body; rich, ripe, fleshy, red and black fruit flavors with good depth and balance; full tannin; lingering aftertaste. Shows very accessible fruit and even some elegance making it very enjoyable to drink in it youth, and also worth of another three to five years of bottle aging. Very highly recommended. 14.6% alcohol; 1,600 cases; blended with 4% PS; released September 2016. (Group Score: 16.5, 1/1/0; My Score: 17 [91/100], sixth place)

Average Rating: 90.1

No. of Tasting Notes: 45

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