Look, I know you’re not really supposed to age Zinfandel, but I have a slight problem: Ridge keeps sending it, I keep not getting around to it, and years later I find myself opening a bottle that’s two or three years past its release date. Is that so wrong? Me, I’m not so sure it’s a good idea to wait so long, at least not with this particular wine.The nose smells simple to me: warm, jammy red fruits and not much else save for a very faint dill pickle note. Spice? Yeah, that too, but one of the lighter ones; bay leaf and allspice. In the mouth, it seems unexceptional: a little bit warm, slightly sweet in the alcoholic sense, with a straightforward finish of warm mulberry jam.Thankfully, however, I set the glass down, walked away, and came back to it an hour later – and that has made all the difference. With some time, the smells have coalesced into a very warm, Christmas pudding with overtones of hazelnut and allspice. Although the mid-palate is still frankly odd, with a spritziness that might be due to some VA here, it’s fairly good wine, certainly characterful, with a slow finish of warm red spicy fruit and surprising acidity. On the whole, this is far from my favorite Ridge wine, though, and I’m disappointed; I’ve had this one before, only younger, and was more impressed to then.Note to self: In the future, drink up, don’t hold.Ridge
Price: $28
Closure: Cork
Source: Retail