Ridge, Pagani Ranch Zinfandel, Sonoma Valley

Yes, port-like but still kicking at 22 years of age. Definitely sweet and — as one would expect — slightly oxidized. More for after dinner than perhaps the main meal, this wine shows in a way the history of Zinfandel in California.

2003 vintage

Almost port-like in quality. On the nose cooked fruit (stewed), cocoa powder. In the mouth, slightly viscous and smooth. Finish drops off pretty quickly, but what remains is well balanced.

2003 vintage

Part of a Burger and Zin night in NYC with my wine group. I threw this in unannounced as a bonus wine. I was curious to see what it had left. We all agreed it had a terrible, oxidized nose, and we were expecting the wine to be shot. But somehow it has survived all these years! The fruit was leaning more towards the stewed fruit, instead of fresh fruit, but it was a very enjoyable wine.

2003 vintage

Rather dusty, and a nice balanced wine. Surprisingly young given it's 15 years old. Notes of cocoa and baking spices along with the purple fruit. Another excellent wine from Ridge!

2003 vintage

Still crazy after all these years, drank with desert at A16 With Lenny and Keith

2003 vintage

Unbelievable, 15 years and still fresh a daisy

2003 vintage

Decanted two hours and served with my wife's chocolate caramel flan cake, this wine was in a beautiful place on Sat night. A unanimous thumbs-up from all of our guests, both oenophiles and newbies. The wine is fairly resolved at this point, but not heading downhill. The nose had a very soft chocolate to it, though it was clearly zinfandel. Nice length. If I had to quibble, perhaps it was one-dimensional -- but a very nice dimension indeed.

2003 vintage

Bright and fresh. Beautiful balance of fruit and spice. Wears the alcohol very well. Nuanced and food friendly. Another expertly crafted Zin from Ridge.

2003 vintage

While probably very slightly past peak, this was still an immensely enjoyable bottle of wine. Nose of black licorice, oak spice, earth. Can't stres how beautiful the nose was. med bodied on the palate and still packing somewhat of the fruit it had a few years ago, though smoothed out quite a bit. Acidity and a little spice on the back end with tannins completely and fully integrated. Med length finish. Love seeing how Ridge wines evolve over the years.

2003 vintage

Very Sweet, cedar, dark berry yum.

2003 vintage

Iconic

2003 vintage

Still standing tall, lovely no sign of fading, loved it,

2003 vintage

** Utterly delicious, full dark fruit, dazzlingly-complex scent, long deep flavor, rich but not really sweet; very little sediment, no hint of age, deep ruby color with no browming, no aged flavors, cork strong and firm; label note (2004) says will develop over ten years, and that's clearly been true. Outstanding with rich spicy food. Fully the equal of the 2010 Jimsomare. (Decanted just before drinking.)

2003 vintage

Reduced to make sauce for poached pears. Excellent.

2003 vintage

While our approach was probably heresy for late harvest aficionados, since we don't drink this normally, my husband reduced it by boiling in a saucepan with cinnamon sticks, cloves, and a tad more sugar. The result was the best sauce for poached pears we've ever had.

2003 vintage

drinking beautifully. Very late harvest characteristics but very balanced, in fact more than the last time I drank it. If you're a fan of late harvest you won't be disappointed.

2003 vintage

This was such a stunningly balanced fruit forward wine back in 2006 that I was concerned it would be hot and flabby now. While not as lip-smackingly bright as 8 years ago, the fruit is more of a stewed variety but the structure is still there. Drinking well right now, but probably not going to get better.

2003 vintage

Sweet but so full and so smooth.

2003 vintage

Still big and ripe and sweet, with a milk chocolate backnote to go with that sweetness. More like a dry-ish port or a cab-filled chocolate from a top-notch chocolatier. Nose is shy, with plummy notes that does not have much lift. At the end of the day, a decent wine, needs big spicy food to go with it and is ready to go.

2003 vintage

Vanilla, oak up front, then dark sweet berry preserves, with some leather and earth. Falls a little flat at the end. Good, not tremendous.

2003 vintage

My guests absolutely adored this wine. Very sweet even for late pick. rather one dimensional for my taste but with heavy cheeses perfect.

2003 vintage

This wine seems to have gotten sweeter with age ! too sweet for me. It is a lovely balance wine if you're looking for a dessert wine which I'm not.

2003 vintage

Bricking very dark red violet color; musty, mushroom, iodine, dried black fruit nose; a little TCA, iodine, dried black fruit, tobacco palate; medium-plus finish (100% Zinfandel, 16.1% alcohol; 2.6 RS)

2003 vintage

Perfect with a post dinner cheese course. A Roquefort or gorgenzola would be ausome.

2003 vintage

Past it's peak but still aging gracefully. Dusi character still evident.

2003 vintage

Drinking very well now. Varietally correct, attractively showing some age and some raisiny character.

2003 vintage

Overly sweet. It seems like there is a nice zin hiding in there, but I couldn't get past the sweetness.

2003 vintage

Was expecting something dessert-sweet, more port-like. This was not at all. This was a nicely structured Zin with just a tad bit more sweetness. Very much a wine for any occasion, especially by itself.

2003 vintage

agree with Upfromthecellar

2003 vintage

Drank with in-laws. Very nice wine. Not overly sweet. nice finish.

2003 vintage

one of the best wines I've had in a long time. Very smooth, fruity, and just overall delicious.

2003 vintage

Not as sweet as some late harvest. Morphed considerably with decanting. Big up front fruit on opening but turned into scorched earth and graphite as the night wore on.

2003 vintage

This well aged Zin had lost none of its grace, liveliness or attraction. The nose was all jammy fruit but not raisiny (despite the 14.8% alcohol) and on the palate it was rich, smooth, some spice, slightly sweet with lots and lots and lots of brambly zinberry. There was enough acid to keep it lively although all the tannins were well resolved so wouldn't hold any bottles much longer. Ridge makes careful age-worthy wines and this one was no exception.

2003 vintage

Typically solid Ridge Pagani. Initially a little grippy but actually opened up and softened nicely. In fact, was better on the second day. Apparently a testament to having plenty of life left.

2003 vintage

We had the 05 a few weeks back and decided to see how a few more years would treat this. As always with Ridge, although the back label said it would be best before 2010, the winery consistently understates the drinkablility of its wines and this was no exception - fabulous stuff, great nose, mature zin flavors on the palate and decent finish. Definitely mature but by no means over the hill. Very nice.

2003 vintage

Still a great zin. My last bottle and timed well. Dusty cherry pie, soft and spicy plum.

2003 vintage

With leftover barbeque on day 4 following OSB’s death. With DDB, OSB. the pairing is very nice. The tannins resolved. A beautiful wine. Highly Recommended.

2003 vintage

Too much alcohol for the fruit. Seemed a bit one dimensional.

2003 vintage

Good but at an awkward stage.

2003 vintage

rust on the jam now. kept too long.

2003 vintage

Awesome Zin! Self-styled by its label as "opulent & exotic," which is a good summation. A little light on acidity, but appreciable tannis give the finish some nice grip. All told, it's an unctuous, spicy, hedonistic explosion of peppery/brambly fruit. Worth every penny. [15.3% abv.; $34.00].

2003 vintage

Very enjoyable. Lots of fruit. Moderately sweet.

2003 vintage

Still some life in this yet. A bit on the slender side as opposed to lush and thick. I definitely got some mint/menthol on the nose. Will see what happens w/ the other half of the bottle tomorrow.

2003 vintage

still a great ridge zin. I can’t imagine what WS was tasting. Fruity, layered zin with some backbone left, albeit a very mellow backbone.

2003 vintage

Upon opening, feels like older, thinner fruit. Later, more body, plenty of fruit, a bit of sweetness, like candy. More juicy/lively than thick. Elegant is probably the right word, as everything still seems to be in balance, tannins vanished in the weave. Seems like this still has lots of life left, beyond the 5-6 years after release Mr. Draper estimated. Day two, fruit, but a little green/tannic around the edges. Day three, still has a core of fruit, but hot/alcoholic …

2003 vintage

Nose: Lavender, vanilla, blackberry, menthol. Palate features plum, raisin, almost port-like. Full mouth-feel and wmooth tannins. Big, head-banging alcohol content at 15.3.

2003 vintage

Excellent big body wine. Unexpectedly loved it.

2003 vintage

Nose of raspberry, brambly, bit of underbrush. Sweet blueberry, dark chocolate, hints of oak and vanilla. Very nice and not overripe or green. One of the good examples from Ridge in recent years. No reason to keep this, it is well integrated and fully mature but it will probably hang in there for 2-3 years.

2003 vintage

This isn’t labeled “Dusi” but the folks at Ridge assure me it is 100% Dusi fruit. Apparently, the Dusi Vineyard ripens in 3 phases and picked by/for Ridge accordingly. Only one particular block is labeled “Dusi” while the rest is labeled “Paso Robles.” Made of 100% Zin. Filled with Zin funk, cloves and vanilla on the nose. Some coffee eventually makes it way to the surface. Unlike the bottle I had a month ago, the second bottle of this showed …

2003 vintage

Bold and complex with loads of dark/red fruit and very zinfandel like. Ripe plums and black cherry coat the palate on the medium aftertaste. Very enjoyable and ready to drink over the next 5 years. Drink now-2014.

2003 vintage

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Ridge, Pagani Ranch Zinfandel, Sonoma Valley

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