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The 2023 Zinfandel Pagani Ranch is from a simply gorgeous and truly historic site, made in an elegant, medium-bodied style and blending 79% Zinfandel, 10% Alicante Bouschet, 9% Petite Sirah and 2% Mataro, fermented separately until the final blend. Citrus, orange peel, and honeycomb highlight a complex framework of Old World dustiness and savory delight. Juicy red fruit, light spice, and a gorgeously silky texture continue the theme. This is one to age another 10-15 years.
Set in the Santa Cruz Mountains with a second winery and vineyard acreage in Sonoma County’s Dry Creek Valley called Lytton Springs, Ridge made its first Monte Bello in 1962 (the Monte Bello Vineyard dates back to 1885) and is devoted to single-vineyard winemaking, what it calls “pre-industrial winemaking,” organic and sustainable farming, and full transparency; it is one of the few wineries to list ingredients on its back labels. Winemaker Paul Draper joined in 1969. The winemaking team today consists of head winemaker John Olney, who has been on the team since 1996, Lytton Springs winemaker Shauna Rosenblum, and assistant winemaker Michael Bairdsmith. It remains one of the great names in California wine, celebrated for making ageable wines.