2023 Pagani Ranch Zinfandel

Enticing nose of strawberry, guava, fennel and orange zest. Flavors of briary blackberry, vanilla, toasty oak. Bright acidity with well-coated tannins and a long finish. SR (6/25)

A late winter and cool spring set back the growing season, pushing bloom into June. The nineteenth-century zinfandel vines ripened by early October; the younger vines ten days later. The tannic petite sirah, red-fleshed alicante and savory mataro add an intriguing hint of rusticity. This elegant Pagani exemplifies the complexity that can be drawn from an old field blend. This complex wine will age beautifully over the next seven to eight years. SR (1/25)

Since 1991, Ridge has made zinfandel from the Pagani vineyard on the western side of Sonoma Valley. The majority of the vineyard was planted ninety to one hundred twenty years ago; portions of it were replanted between 2013—2018. The vineyard is meticulously tended by a quality-conscious family who has worked the land for four generations. An average site would have been abandoned during the thirteen years of Prohibition, or during the Depression. Its long survival is proof of its merit.

Rainfall: 64 inches (above average)
Bloom: Late June
Weather: Late and prolonged harvest due to consistently cool weather throughout the growing season.

Harvest Dates: 11 – 21 October
Grapes: Average Brix 24.9˚
TA: 7.99 g/L
pH: 3.51
Fermentation: Grapes destemmed and crushed. Natural primary and natural secondary (malolactic) fermentations; pumped over a floating cap.
Barrels: 100% air-dried American oak barrels (3% new, 10% one year old, 20% two years old, 50% three years old, and 17% neutral)
Aging: Fourteen months

Pagani Ranch grapes; hand-harvested; destemmed and crushed; fermented on the native yeasts, followed by full malolactic on the naturally occurring bacteria; oak from barrel aging; minimum effective sulfur for this wine (35 ppm at crush, 94 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.

JebDunnuck.com: 98 Points “The 2023 Zinfandel Pagani Ranch is from a simply gorgeous and truly historic site, made in an elegant, medium-bodied style and blending 79% Zinfandel, 10% Alicante Bouschet, 9% Petite Sirah and 2% Mataro, fermented separately until the final blend. Citrus, orange peel, and honeycomb highlight a complex framework of Old World dustiness and savory delight. Juicy red fruit, light spice, and a gorgeously silky texture continue the theme. This is one to age another 10-15 years.” -Virginie Boone (April 2025)

OwenBargreen.com: 96 Points “Ultra-dark in the glass, the seriously impressive 2023 Ridge ‘Pagani Ranch’ Zinfandel is sourced from this location in Sonoma County that dates all the way back to the 1890s. This edition has a fairly large amount of Alicante Bouchet and Petite Sirah blended in. This is sumptuous stuff and very nervy on the mouth, offering cocoa powder dusted dark cherry and black licorice notes that combine with shades of blackberry cobbler, iron and lighter beef brisket notes. Very complex and nuanced, with serious density coming from the Alicante and Petite Sirah, enjoy now and over the next fifteen years to come. Drink 2025-2040.” -Owen Bargreen (March 2025)

Decanter.com: 96 Points “The 2023 Pagani Ranch Zinfandel reflects the cooler vintage with striking energy. The fruit comes from a unique block in the historic site that naturally traps morning fog and receives limited sun exposure in any given year. In 2023 that effect of slow ripening was even greater and really pushed to a vibrant, bright fruit profile wine. In 2023, it was the last fruit harvested in Sonoma for Ridge – picked between late October and early November. The oak regimen adds a great deal of nuance: just 3% new barrels, with the majority aged in varying degrees of older wood – 10% one-year-old, 20% two-year-old, 50% three-year-old, and 17% neutral. Expect lifted red and blue fruit, high-toned spices, and dried citrus peel. The palate is softly textured, with a touch of nuttiness and a light sweetness from ripe berries and dried apricots, but nothing overwhelming. The acidity is a real standout, suggesting excellent aging potential.” -Ana Carolina Quintela (April 2025)

Wine Specator: 95 Points “A dynamic Zin that’s both potent and polished. Flavors of blackberry, dark chocolate, licorice and fruitcake spices build richness and tension toward broad-shouldered tannins. Drink now through 2035.” -Tim Fish (April 2025)

Vinous Media: 95 Points “The 2023 Zinfandel Pagani Ranch is potent and intense yet exceptionally cool-toned and collected. Bright, chalky blood orange, black pepper, underbrush and blue-toned fruit flow confidently across the palate. The acids drive with real gusto, carrying a salty core of fruit that saturates deeply but remains tightly hemmed in by firm tannins. There’s tremendous tension and shimmering vibrancy here, all channeled into a long, measured finish.” -Billy Norris (September 2025)

Zinfandel Chronicles: 94 Points “Crimson in color. Gorgeous nose of red fruits, cocoa, citrus and licorice. Medium body with tremendous acidity. Concentrated, dark fruits in spades. Cherry, strawberry, blood orange and earth on the palate. The finish is long and smooth. Super Zinfandel from the iconic Pagani Ranch. This will age well. Best over the next 6-8 years.” -Tom Lee (March 2025)

Wine Advocate: 94 Points “The 2023 Zinfandel Pagani Ranch is a blend of 79% Zinfandel, 10% Alicante Bouschet, 9% Petite Sirah and 2% Mataro that matured for 14 months in 3% new air-dried American oak. It has kaleidoscopic aromas of wild berry fruit, tobacco, aniseed, sage and lavender. The full-bodied palate is just as generous, flooding the mouth with concentrated, complex flavors. It’s structured by fine, chalky tannins and vibrant acidity and has a long, layered finish.” -Erin Brooks (September 2025)

Wine.com: 93 Points “The famed Pagani Ranch is one of Sonoma Valley’s greatest treasures. Made by several wineries, including Bedrock Wine Co., Carlisle, and Ridge Vineyards, among others. The 2023 Ridge Pagani Ranch Zinfandel shows gangbuster power on the palate. Yet, it stays elegant in the finish. This wine exhibits aromas and flavors of generous aromas of boysenberries, bright raspberries, and hints of chalk. Enjoy it with slow-cooked, smoky-rubbed brisket. (Best Served: 2025-2035)” -Wilfred Wong (March 2025)

JamesSuckling.com: 93 Points “Cranberry jam, raspberry coulis, violets, stewed red plums and baking spices on the nose. A full-bodied palate with a rich and textural mouthfeel, moderate tannins and a bright acidity that finishes slightly sharp. Will benefit from time in bottle. Drinkable now, but best from 2028.” (May 2025)

Vinography.com “Very dark garnet in the glass with purple highlights, this wine smells of blackberries, blueberries, and black cherries. In the mouth, juicy and rich flavors of black cherry, blackberry, and blueberry have a lovely citrus peel brightness and an inky, fine-grained tannic texture. Seamless and dark, but without heaviness or sweetness. Really lovely. A field blend of 79% Zinfandel, 10% Alicante Bouschet, 9% Petite Sirah, and 2% Mataro fermented with ambient yeasts. 14.4% alcohol. Score: around 9.” -Alder Yarrow (March 2025)

Average Rating: 91.3

No. of Tasting Notes: 12

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