2003 Ridge Zinfandel Geyserville Sonoma

[TheEngineer]

This one has a bit of age on it and I don't have much experience with aged zins. This one has certainly made it gracefully. More like a dusty aged burgundy, but more advanced than its five years would suggest. Nice but needs drinking.

KC, I'll bring this in after the holidays (unless you guys are open) so that you can try this. Got one more bottle left.

[Kcwhippet]

We're closed on Thursday, but I'm in every day after - including Sunday.

[Thomas]

Engineer,

These days, five years on a good Zinfandel is about as much to expect.

In the first place, the variety isn't known for aging; in the second place, the styles are forward and youthful.

[wondersofwine]

However Ridge Zins tend to age better than most. I knew I posted on a Ridge Geyserville earlier this year and looked back. Drew and I both posted on the 2000 vintage in 2008 and found it drinking very well. The 2003 may age faster because of a hot vintage. Some of the Ridge Lytton Springs can also age for eight to ten years or more.

[TheEngineer]

Thanks Foodie and WoW. I'm looking forward to KC trying it and comparing some notes!

[TheEngineer]

Well, took one to KC's and DAvyJone's store and Dave was there. Sorry KC. Notes are exactly the same as above. Time ta drink these up!

[Daveyjones1]

This was dusty at first and not showing a great deal of fruit when it was first opened. I did smell a great load of fresh new oak. I opened it again a few hours later to see what happened. I found zins probably can age but into something I can say I love probably not. It became rich and very heavy lacking acidity, not old and dried out, just big syrupy loaded but not balance with dark fruit prunes and cocoa. Answered a big question; is there ever to much hang time and toasted French oak? YES

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D. Jones

[winoweenie]

Found an orphan of this from the 77 or 78 vintage several years ago and it knocked all of our socks off. Know I posted on it. Also found an old bottle of the original Lytton Sprigs that was over 10 and it too was killer, IMHO the better zins can handle aging. I've had a bunch of Fred Scherrers' zins that had some serious whiskers that were delicioso. WW

[Thomas]

WW, it depends on what one looks for in a Zinfandel (or in any wine, for that matter).

To my taste, when a Zinfandel approaches the qualities of a thick Cabernet Sauvignon, it is outside what I look for (bramble, solid acidity, on the rustic side of life, and certainly not too big). Those wines don't age as gracefully as one would like, but I don't care...

[winoweenie]

Food-ster the wines I drank were definately more Claret-like than Calif-brambly-fruitbombs. The profile was soft, luxurious, refined and with maturity I find in most of my older Bordeaux and far more complexity than the regular zins ever have when young. AGAIN....these are atypical and from some seriously old and well-made producers. WW

[Thomas]

WW, that's what I suspected.

I ain't as old as you--yet--but old enough to remember the difference (between a lot of things [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb/wink.gif[/img])

[dananne]

Also, it seems to me that, along with youthful balance, Zins that age have something else in common -- they often come from old vines in old vineyards, vineyards that may include some other stuff like PS, Alicante, etc. that all end up in something that is akin to a field blend. Including those other grapes from old vines, even if it only makes up a small percentage of the final blend, may help it age a bit, too. Thoughts?

[Thomas]

Interesting point, and I have no particular opinion on it, 'cause I don't know the answer. How's that for an anti-wine geek response??? [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb/wink.gif[/img]

I should say, however, that one of my everyday Zinfandels is the Bogle Old Vine. I doubt the wine has much in the way of longevity/age-ability. But I also have no idea what they mean by "old vine."

[winoweenie]

Old means ANCIENT like vines over 80-90-100 yars old. 'Kaint for the life of me see how enny-one done' no ancient. WW [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb/wink.gif[/img] (I helped plant meeny of them suckerz.)