Is there a more consistently excellent estate in California than Ridge Vineyards? You'd be hard-pressed to make an argument otherwise. Decades of category-defining class and substance have resulted in untold numbers of awards and accolades, so it's no surprise to see them once again at the head of the class in this year's Wine Spectator Top 100 with the 2023 Lytton Springs Estate Red. The 2023 marks a high-water mark for this California original, not only with the Spectator accolades but also a towering 98 points from Jeb Dunnuck's new California critic, Virginie Boone. Most incredibly, the Lytton Springs remains one of the great QPR stars in California wine, and that continues with this sub-$50 parcel of the "stunning" 2023.
You could fairly call pretty much any Zinfandel in Ridge's line-up an icon of the category, but the 2023 Geyserville truly stands alone as Ridge's longest-standing, oldest cuvée, produced continuously since 1966. From three adjoining parcels in Alexander Valley on alluvial soil deposited by the Russian River Valley, the triple 95-point 2023 Geyserville is emblematic of the full potential of California Zin. "It truly offers the perfect balance of dark fruit and freshness, within a full-bodied richness and structure still built for aging, as with all Ridge wines," notes Virginie Boone. In short, as Vinous' Billy Norris puts it, "Virile and intense, this is a monster wine that's only at the very beginning of its evolution."
The 2023 Three Valleys continues this entry-level cuvées record and reputation as a superb bang-for-the-buck choice, thanks not only to Ridge's unparalleled vineyard sources in Alexander Valley, Dry Creek Valley, and Russian River Valley, but also to their commitment to the same meticulous winemaking that goes into their top bottlings. Notching a pair of 93-point scores from Wine Spectator and Jeb Dunnuck, it's "complex and less rustic than usual, the vintage showing classic charm and elegance." In a category that too often sees explosive fruit bombs with alcohol approaching jet fuel levels, you can always depend on Ridge to stay true to proper California Zin form – vivid varietal character, undeniable charm and approachability, and world-class value.
While Ridge's most acclaimed and well-known bottlings come from their prized Sonoma sites, they also have access to prime fruit from further south, namely the famed Dusi Vineyard in Paso Robles. True to Ridge's top-tier standards, they aren't aiming for Sonoma Zin from Paso with this bottling. It's pure Dusi Zin all the way, the kind we know and love from other Zin wizards like Turley. The double 94-point 2023 Paso Robles Zinfandel is "sleek and vibrant" with an effortless personality defined by its "impressive persistence, energy and palpable tannic grip." Of course, Ridge's hallmark balanced style is also evident in a "a beaming, succulent palate lined with invigorating acidity that runs through the elegant, refreshing finish."
Any way you look at it, Ridge's reference-point excellence is primed and ready to go in any and all of these exceptional bottlings from a great vintage.
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