Great fruit, well balanced, almost case worthy — 7 months ago
Stewed berries, mulling spices, forestry.
Berry medley, cloves, baking spices. Great fruit character. Long finish. A bit high on acidity but a welcome zing. — 7 months ago
The 2009 vintage is still lovely! — 9 months ago
This 2022 Syrah petit Verdot blend is a very easy drinking wine. Has som finesse and subtleties. Cooling finish refreshing palate. — a year ago
Phenomenal balance Syrah character dominates, lush perfume and rich dark fruit. Crushed after a 30 min decant, could have used a lil more development time but too delicious to complain about how it was consumed — 5 years ago
Very smooth blend. Not too acidic. Not sweet. — 6 years ago
Half-bottle at Sarabeths Central Park south — 8 years ago
I don't think people realize the aging potential of this wine. Poached pear, toasted hazelnut, and some saline notes complete the nose. Weighty mouthfeel but not overbearing whatsoever. Sublte acidity rounds out the long mouth-coating finish. Oh god, and this is out of a 375ml. Would put this against any other California white that's ten years old. — 10 years ago
I'm not sure why there are some low scores for this wine. Quite frankly it is one of the best QPR cabs on the market. Great structure and the fruit shines. Let it open for an hour and it is luscious Paso fruit perfect with some grilled steak. — 11 years ago
Ridge Vineyards – Zinfandel – 2023
Benito Dusi Ranch – Paso Robles – USA 🇺🇸
Overview
An extraordinary single-vineyard Zinfandel from one of the most historic and consistent sites in Paso Robles. The 2023 vintage delivers depth, purity, and that unmistakable Dusi Ranch character—old-vine concentration wrapped in Ridge’s signature balance and finesse. This bottling remains one of the benchmark Zinfandels in California.
Aromas & Flavors
Blackberry compote, ripe plum, and raspberry preserve with accents of warm spice, licorice, dried herbs, and a touch of cracked pepper. Subtle cocoa and cedar from restrained oak play in the background.
Mouthfeel
Full-bodied and richly textured, yet never heavy. Juicy acidity energizes the palate while fine, structured tannins keep everything focused. Long, plush, and satisfyingly powerful.
Food Pairings
BBQ ribs, grilled lamb chops, wood-fired pizza, smoky brisket, or aged Gouda.
Verdict
A stellar expression of old-vine Paso Robles Zinfandel, opulent, balanced, and deeply flavorful. A true standout in Ridge’s portfolio.
Did You Know?
The Dusi family has farmed this vineyard for generations, and Ridge has made wine from the site since 1967. These old vines consistently produce some of the most character-rich Zinfandel in the state, making Benito Dusi one of Ridge’s most iconic single-vineyard bottlings.
🍷 Personal Pick Highlight
This sits at the very top of my favorite Zinfandels, extraordinary from start to finish, and a reminder of why Ridge continues to define the category. — 6 months ago
Reddish in color with medium intensity.
Red fruits on the nose with light wood and chocolate notes.
Medium plus in body with medium acidity.
Dry on the palate with raspberries, strawberries, cherries, light oak, spices, chocolates, licorice, tobacco leaf, earth, coffee and peppercorn.
Spicy on the long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.
This is a really young Rhone style red blend from Paso Robles. Fruit forward with nice complexity and a soft mouthfeel. Spicy and tangy.
Good right out of the bottle and better with after 90 minutes of airtime. Will continue to age nicely in the next 5 to 7 years.
Well balanced and easy drinking. Good by itself or with food.
A blend of 40% Mourvedre, 28% Grenache, 22% Syrah, 4% Vaccarese, 3% Counoise and 3% Cinsault.
13.5% alcohol by volume.
91 points.
$70. — a year ago
clean mineral exciting find more of these — 4 years ago
Maynard had this 11 years ago
Always a good bet — 12 years ago
This wine from Saxum is a great value — smooth, even fruit; great balance overall. 79% syrah, 7% petite sirah, 7% grenache, 5% mourvédre. 97 points from Robert Parker and $129 when I bought it from K&L although market looks more like $160 now. — 6 months ago
v20. Never disappoints..ever! Soft dried herb and cedar nose. Juicy, rich, black currant fruit. Velvety, long, slightly astringent mocha and leather finish. Nicely balanced food wine. — 7 months ago
On the heavier side, a bit tart, plums — 8 months ago
Amazing complex red wine! — 9 months ago
Juicy. Yummy. Great for price. $14. — 5 years ago
2016 vintage, very reliable fun wine for the budget. Easy drinking yet flavorful. — 7 years ago
A very nice malbec blend recommended by Zack. — 8 years ago
Very nice, richer than a Pinot — 11 years ago
Yum. So good. — 13 years ago
Beth Petros
Berries and currants, excellent GSM with a touch of Tempranillo. 2014 vintage was still amazing! — 5 months ago