Ridge Vineyards "Pagani Ranch" Zinfandel 2022
(Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County, California) - [ZC 96] [OB 95] [WA 94] [WE 94] [DM 94]

About this Wine:
Since 1991, Ridge has made zinfandel from the Pagani Vineyard on the western side of Sonoma Valley. The majority of the vineyard was planted ninety to one hundred twenty years ago; portions of it were replanted between 2013—2018. The vineyard is meticulously tended by a quality-conscious family who has worked the land for four generations. An average site would have been abandoned during the thirteen years of Prohibition, or during the Depression. Its long survival is proof of its merit.

Given the cool micro-climate of Sonoma Valley, Pagani Ranch often sits under fog into the early afternoon. Harvested between October 7th and 16th, the young zinfandel was ready first, followed by the old-vine zinfandel, petite sirah and alicante bouschet. Typical of the appellation, bright acidity and plentiful fruit are benchmarks of this exuberant wine. This excellent zinfandel will be best over the next eight years.

Tasting Notes:
Nose of jammy blueberry, red cherry and pepper. Lively acidity and structure give this wine a full mouthfeel with notes of raspberry, mineral and dark chocolate with a lingering finish.

Technical Data

90% Zinfandel, 5% Petite Sirah, 5% Alicante Bouschet

14.6% ABV

Harvest Dates: 7 – 16 October
Grapes: Average Brix 24.9˚
TA: 6.27 g/L
pH: 3.42
Fermentation: Grapes destemmed and crushed. Natural primary and natural secondary (malolactic) fermentations; pumped over a floating cap.
Barrels: 100% air-dried American oak barrels (3% new, 10% one year old, 20% two years old, 50% three years old, and 17% neutral oak).
Aging: Fourteen months in barrel

Pagani Ranch grapes; hand-harvested; destemmed and crushed; fermented on the native yeasts, followed by full malolactic on the naturally occurring bacteria; oak from barrel aging; minimum effective sulfur for this wine (35 ppm at crush, 66.5 ppm over the course of aging); pad filtered at bottling. In keeping with our philosophy of minimal intervention, this is the sum of our actions.

Ratings & Reviews

96 Points - Zinfandel Chronicles:
“Stunning nose of red fruits, citrus and baking spices. Medium to full bodied with exquisite acidity. Amazing purity of fruits. Cherry, raspberry liqueur, blood orange and a hint of earth on the palate. Always one of my favorite Zins in the Ridge lineup and the 2022 is stellar. Best over the next 4-6 years.” -Tom Lee (August 2024)

95 Points - Owen Bargreen:
“The 2022 ‘Pagani Ranch’ has 9% Alicante Bouchet as well as smaller portions Petite Sirah and Mataro blended in. This is rich and concatenated Zinfandel, showing chocolate with bramble, red cherry and dill notes on the nose. The palate is fresh and beautifully textured, with serious depth and structure. The balance here is impeccable despite the obvious warmth of the vintage. Drink 2024-2034.”

94 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate:
 “The 2022 Zinfandel Pagani Ranch is a blend of 82% Zinfandel, 9% Alicante Bouschet, 5% Petite Sirah and 4% Mataro. It has layered scents of blueberry preserves, yellow peach, toasted coconut and floral perfume. The palate combines generous, layered, fragrant flavors with silky tannins and bursts of mouthwatering acidity, and it has a long, expressive finish.” -Erin Brooks (September 2024)

94 Points – Wine Enthusiast:
“This opulent Zinfandel that’s blended with a bit of Alicante Bouschet, Petite Sirah and Mataro brings concentrated aromas of blackberry, plum skin and nutmeg on the nose. The palate displays rich tannin and flavors of black cherry, anise, barrel spice and a streak of raspberry-lime acidity that lifts the wine across the finish. Drink 2028–2040.” -T.R.C. (January 2025)

94 Points - Decanter:
“Alluring spice aromatics tip off this classically California Zinfandel from this cooler site in the Sonoma Valley appellation, always Ridge’s last pick. The Pagani Ranch Zinfandel comes from selected blocks of vines planted between 1896 and 1922, this bottling is a bit of American wine history. Clove, frankincense, spiced blood orange, and black liquorice aromas meld with black fruits, sugar plums, and crushed ripe figs. The palate is buoyant, with ripe black raspberries, plump blackberries, dusty mineral tones, and a mixture of exotic spices, which finish this wine with a sense of grace amid its ripe fruit profile.” -Clive Pursehouse (September 2024)