Ridge East Bench Zinfandel 2017

Drink now through to 2035. Decant 1 hour before serving.

Best known for their now legendary Monte Bello Cabernet, Ridge Vineyards today enjoys a fantastic reputation for producing top quality Californian wines. The estate shot to fame following the 1976 "Judgment of Paris" tasting where top French wines were tasted blind alongside a selection of leading Californian wines. The judges placed Monte Bello fifth, ahead of several top French red wines, and helped to prove California’s tremendous potential for crafting fine wines.

Ridge Vineyards has been making the East Bench Zinfandel since 2006 with fruit sourced from a single vineyard site perched atop a bench land overlooking Dry Creek Valley. Each of the seven plots in the vineyard is vinified separately and then assessed with a blind tasting before the final blend is decided. The wine is then aged in American oak barrels for 12 months to harmonise the constituent elements and add subtle spiced notes.

On the nose there are hints of caramel, baking spice and intense dark plum while the first sip reveals a rich full body, smooth texture, and well-developed structure. This is a well-built red which will age gracefully over the next decade and can also be enjoyed now with hearty red meat dishes.