Ridge Pagani Ranch Zinfandel 2005
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In 2005, a cold, wet spring delayed the start of the growing season, as well as harvest, by two weeks. Fortunately, unusually warm weather in early October ripened the fruit, and we picked on November 1. Each parcel fermented on its own yeasts in a separate small tank. Color and tannin developed rapidly; we pressed in six days to avoid over-extraction. The natural malolactic finished in record time, allowing us to combine the best lots and rack them to air-dried American Oak barrels for aging.
The 2005 Pagani is lush, sensual, and elegant. It will develop further over the next five or six years.
"There have been a number of noteworthy Zinfandel bottlings from this outstanding Sonoma site, but, other than those from the hand of Paul Draper, we can recall few that have shown the degree of depth and sheer fruity precision of this lively young wine. Its concentration and richness come without worrisome heat, and, while never less than fully ripe, it remains balanced and remarkably light on its feet. It has the feel of a wine that is destined for better with time, and, however delicious it is at the present time, it should continue to unfold and evolve for a good many years."
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Ridge's history begins in 1885, when Osea Perrone, a doctor and prominent member of San Francisco's Italian community, bought 180 acres near the top of Monte Bello Ridge in the Santa Cruz Mountains. He planted vineyards and constructed a winery of redwood and native limestone in time to produce the first vintage of Monte Bello in 1892. The historic building now serves as the Ridge production facility.
Though Ridge began as a Cabernet winery, by the mid-60s, it had produced several Zinfandels including the Geyserville. In 1972, Lytton Springs joined the line-up and the two came to represent an important part of Ridge production. Known primarily for its red wines, Ridge has also made limited amounts of Chardonnay since 1962.
The Ridge approach is straightforward: find the most intense and flavorful grapes, guide the natural process, draw all the fruit's richness into the wine. Decisions on when to pick, when to press, when to rack, what varietals and what parcels to include and when to bottle, are based on taste. To retain the nuances that increase complexity, Ridge winemakers handle the grapes and wine as gently as possible. There are no recipes, only attention and sensitivity.