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Red dry
Powerful at its core, yet retaining a sense of refinement with multilayered flavours of black cherry, fruit pie spices and licorice that create richness and excellent structure. "Pagani Ranch" remains a beacon of Zinfandel from Sonoma Valley. The wine is made from the single Pagani vineyard, planted nearly a hundred years ago. The harvest was hand-picked. Juice fermentation was carried out with native yeasts. The wine was aged for 14 months in 100% air-dried American oak barrels (3% new, 10% one year old, 20% two years old, 50% three years old and 17% neutral).
Acidity in the wine - 6.27 g/l.
Recommended drinking window: 2023-2038.
Serve at 16–18 °C with wild boar roast, beef tenderloin, thick red meat stews with wild mushrooms or aged cheeses, Sonoma-style duck roast with almonds and figs, pulled pork and vegetable burgers, or spiced turkey.
“Potent at the core, yet retains a sense of refinement, with multilayered flavors of black cherry, fruitcake spices and licorice that build richness and structure toward fine grained tannins. Drink now through 2031.” -Tim Fish (January 2024)
“Vivid, focused raspberries and red currants light up the aroma of this well-balanced, elegant wine before cooked strawberries and red plums fill the palate. Light toasty, oaky accents of vanilla and chocolate lend a bit of extra interest. Best through 2033.” -Jim Gordon (November 2023)
“The 2021 Zinfandel Pagani Ranch is a wine of tremendous stature. Vertical and composed in bearing, the 2021 has a ton to offer, but is also a bit reserved today. Time in the glass brings out a mesmerizing range of red/purplish fruit, spice, cedar, new leather, tobacco, mocha and dried flowers. Pagani Ranch remains a beacon for Sonoma County Zinfandel-based field blends. This is a fine rendition.” -Antonio Galloni (October 2023)
Though born in the early sixties (In 1962, Ridge made its first Monte Bello, two years later - Zinfandel) to the post-Prohibition world of modern California winemaking, Ridge relies on nature and tradition rather than technology. Our pre-industrial approach is straightforward: find intense, flavorful grapes; intrude upon the process only when necessary; draw the fruit’s distinctive character and richness into the wine.Interestingly, Monte Bello has often been called America’s First Growth, as it is the finest domestic example of a classic Bordeaux blend in which cabernet sauvignon predominates.
