Critics Average score from professional wine critics and publications.
93
/100
Reviews
12
professional
Vintages
1
1980
Other
93/100
Zinfandel
NV
Community Reviews
1212
Reviews
93.3
Avg Score
96
Highest
Taster #0013
· May 18, 2025
95/100
Total smoke show!! Everything you want in a 45 year old wine. warm red fruits from the zin, some spice left around still and the fruit/tannin/oak was balanced and was PERFECT!!!This is why I drink wine, one of the more enjoyable wines I have had in a awhile!!!
1980 vintage
Taster #5939
· Mar 3, 2023
93/100
Tasted blind. Cloudy. Dusty at first and then it gets more lively and reveals dried flowers, dried redberries, quite earthy. Etheral and smooth on palate texture like an aged 80s CDP Grenache. But then it gained weight, some concentrated fruits, chocolate, dried fig, leather. Profile like an Amarone. Bright with noticeable tannins. 13.9%
1980 vintage
Taster #2339
· May 24, 2020
95/100
From my cellar since 1983. Totally unexpected. Took about an hour to open up and then the nose exploded with dark sweet fruit and an overlay of smoke. On the palate it was gorgeous, silky fruit. Enjoyed every sip. Cork was utterly dark and crumbling so I was ready to pour it down the drain. Frankly didn't remind me of a zin. Wife thought it's an old cab. Gave it extra points for amazing longevity.
1980 vintage
Taster #1087
· Dec 19, 2017
90/100
Birth Year wine, and a very impressive 37 year old zin. Still dark purple in color with very little (if any) signs of bricking. Still some blackberry mountain zinfandel fruit and plenty of lovely secondary characteristics (earth, and smoke) round out the finish. Not a world beater but super enjoyable on my bday. Aged Ridge wines always seem to deliver.
1980 vintage
Taster #2450
· Jan 12, 2016
96/100
Elderly but exquisite Dark fruit, peppers in nose and mint!! Opens up beautifully Dry but reasonable fruit Puckering but enjoyable long finish God bless you Paul (and the wine) we've made it so far
1980 vintage
Taster #1624
· Sep 18, 2015
94/100
wow, little funk up front gives way to strawberries and little hint of mint on the finish. Hard to believe this wine is 35 years old.
1980 vintage
Taster #2270
· Mar 7, 2015
95/100
I shouldn't be so surprised that this wine was so rocking good. beautiful currants on the nose gave away to musty leaves, forest floor and a touch of brown sugar. This was beautifully elegant and was our WOTN over another Ridge and a Playwright BlackOut. just a beautiful wine, simply amazing.
1980 vintage
Taster #4735
· Jan 11, 2015
92/100
Still going strong...
1980 vintage
Taster #4735
· Dec 5, 2014
92/100
It's incredible how well this wine has aged!! Still singing.
1980 vintage
Taster #2270
· Aug 20, 2014
91/100
Another wine that I was blown away by the age-ability here. I even had a glass left over to the next night in the fridge and it was still going strong after a day of air. So glad I have one more of these.
1980 vintage
Taster #1624
· Jan 24, 2014
94/100
Wow, still fresh, almost like a pinot with strawberries and earth.
1980 vintage
Taster #2546
· Apr 1, 2010
93/100
April Fools' Blindtasting - 4 Decade Pairs ('70, '80, '90, '00) (Tom's House, Palo Alto, CA) : Group's #6 (my #1) – 61 pts; 2, 1, 1, 3 - bricking medium dark red violet color; big, dried berry, spice, VA, menthol nose; dried berry, berry, licorice palate; medium-plus finish (I was guessing '00 Zin, or possibly '90, so 1980 was a surprise)
1980 vintage