2022 Green & Red Zinfandel

A combination of power and elegance. Nose of black cherry, raspberry and garrigue. Full bodied with an excellent balance of tannins and acidity plus hints of bramble and dark chocolate. SR (12/23)

Another year of drought resulted in tiny berries and deep concentration. At 1,700 feet the Tip Top vineyard on red chert and greenstone soils was picked August 24th. Eleven days later Chiles Mill vineyard and a small block of petite sirah lower down on the property came in and were fermented together. In tasting we decided to combine them for this powerful yet elegant fine wine. SR (9/23)

In 1968, founder Jay Heminway was living in Berkeley, teaching sculpture at U.C. Berkeley. Jay purchased the property in the hills of the Vaca Mountain range in 1969. Inspired by the remains of century-old vines on the property, soon Jay was planting gorgeous zinfandel and other varieties at his vineyard, now named Green & Red after the oceanic red chert-based soils and veins of green serpentine running through the property. First planted was The Chiles Mill Vineyard, situated at 800-1000 feet above sea level and named after the historic Chiles Grist Mill — the first flour mill in Northern California, which had been built by Joseph B. Chiles in 1845. Finally, Jay reached high up into the sky and planted Tip Top Vineyard, sitting at 1800-2000ft, at the very top of this mountainside property, with views all around, out into central Napa Valley and up to Saint Helena in the west, with Chiles Valley extending into the distance below in the east.

Rainfall: 26 inches (below normal)
Bloom: Mid May
Weather: A warm summer followed by a cold, wet spring. Hot days and cool nights helped retain acidity and hastened ripening.

Harvest Dates: 24 August – 5 September
Grapes: Average Brix 25.2˚
TA: 6.89 g/L
pH: 3.75
Fermentation: 100% whole cluster pressed; natural primary and secondary.
Barrels: 100% air-dried American oak barrels (12% new, 33% one year old, and 55% five plus years old).
Aging: Fourteen months in barrel

Sustainably farmed, hand-harvested, grapes; whole-cluster pressed; fermented on the native yeasts, followed by a full malolactic on the naturally occurring bacteria; minimum effective sulfur for this wine (35 ppm at crush, 57 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.

JamesSuckling.com: 94 Points “It’s Ridge’s first wine from this long-established zinfandel property in the Chiles Valley section of Napa, and it’s a great one. Full of just-ripe red and black fruit, hints of cinnamon, black pepper and sage give complexity and layers. Full-bodied. Drink or hold.” -Jim Gordon (May 2024)

Zinfandel Chronicles: 94 Points “Sublime nose of black fruits, plums and licorice. Full bodied with medium acidity. Rich, lush and well balanced. Blackberry, mulberry, blood orange and baking spices on the palate. The finish is long and supple. Delicious Zinfandel that has an appealing opulence and flair. Approachable now but this will drink well for another 3-5 years.” -Tom Lee (March 2024)

Wine Enthusiast: 92 Points “Juicy, abundant and palate filling flavors of fig, cherries, and chocolate bring a mouthwatering, and silken Zinfandel of satin tannins with incredible length. A classic.” -Elaine Chukan Brown (October 2024)

Vinous Media: 92 Points “Sourced from Napa Valley, the 2022 Zinfandel Green & Red also includes a tiny splash (2%) of Petite Sirah, which you can discern in the wine’s opaque purple hue. The 2022 is deeply spiced—sweet and savory, exotic and esoteric. But, what I admire most is the plushness, which is truly Napa Valley in style. Soft curves wrap around inky blue fruit and crushed stone, motivated by just enough juiciness to make sure this doesn’t sink into heaviness. This is opulently textured but not overdone. Lovely. ” -Billy Norris (October 2024)

JancisRobinson.com: 16.5 Points (out of 20) “Medium verging on deep purple in colour. Like sticking your nose into a fresh rose – none of the usual spice or bramble – just floral. Fresh, clean acidity and moderate tannin and weight. The floral element is the most striking character. Drink 2024 – 2030.” -Samantha Cole-Johnson (December 2024)

Average Rating: 90.7

No. of Tasting Notes: 15

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