For me, Ridge is the gold standard of Zinfandel producers. Since 1967, they have made a Paso Robles Zin from the famed Dusi Ranch Vineyard, and in the brilliant 2023 vintage, all of the stars aligned, and they made their highest-rated Dusi Zin of all time!
Rated 94 points by Wine Spectator and Jeb Dunnuck and 93 points by Vinous Media, this 100% Zinfandel-based red shows Ridge's signature style -- rich yet balanced and ripe yet zesty. Simply put, this is a pleasure bomb of a wine!
Dusi Ranch is the only Central Coast vineyard that Ridge sources fruit from, and the other main buyer of Dusi fruit is Turley. Planted in 1922 on the east side of Paso Robles, this heritage site has continuously been farmed and cared for by the Dusi Family for over 100 years. Today, these old, gnarled, and deeply-rooted vines yield grapes that are bursting with deep and soulful flavors.
I know Paso Robles Zinfandels can sometimes be too jammy and Port-like, but this one isn't like that. While it is wonderfully ripe and forward, it is also fresh and bright, showing the hallmark acidity that this prized site is known for. That overall balance is a quality I always look for, but often find lacking in Red Zinfandels.
Like I said earlier, the critics loved this wine, but the review that I found most similar to my own came from Jeb Dunnuck. Jeb's coverage of California wines is second-to-none, and he nailed with his review of the 2023 Ridge Dusi Ranch Zinfandel:
"Featuring full-bodied, jammy red and black fruit, it is juicy, broad, and fleshy while also offering a high-toned, restrained style. A hallmark of the vineyard is its great acidity, with brightness a consistent characteristic across vintages. Round, it's not sweet but allows enough sweetness from the fruit to be lush and appealing from start to finish, spending 12 months in 15% new American oak. Drink now through 2033."
You can see what the other critics had to say by clicking HERE.
What a wine, and I hear we have another winter storm brewing for this weekend. Trust me, this is what you want to have in your glass when/if the snow falls. Light a fire, get some chili or beef stew simmering, and enjoy.
Josh Spurling
Owner, Operator, Wine Monger
Table Wine Asheville
