On Sun, 24 Sep 2006 16:16:26 GMT, "DPM" > wrote:

>
>"Ed Rasimus" > wrote in message
.. .
>> On Sun, 24 Sep 2006 03:04:13 GMT, "DPM" > wrote:
>>
>> [snip]
>
>> As for making 'em like that anymore, Ridge has done several late
>> harvest and late picked bottlings in the last couple of years. They
>> fit the profile you mention.
>>
>
>I have a '97 Ridge Paso Robles late picked in the cellar, but I don't think
>it will be in the same league; although the alcohol is at 15.6%(!), RS is
>only 0.5%, so I'm not expecting a porty, sweet wine like the Cline.

I found notes for six occasions with the Ridge Paso Robles Late Picked
'97:

>Fruity bomb. Wonderful after dinner. Too sweet for a meal. (June '00)
>Seemed a little pruny rather than the smooth sweetness on earlier tasting. (Nov '00)
>Great sipper, but probably too sweet for with meals. (July '01)
>Holding as a sweet, pleasant after dinner wine. Much too heavy for serving with food. (July '03)
>Excellent bottle. Warm nose with loads of blueberry and ripe plum. Syruppy with long legs in the glass. Dark plum color. Big rich mouthful of blueberry, plum, cassis and maybe some leather and spice. Wonderful sipping wine. (Sept '03)
>Strictly a dessert wine. Powerful fruit aromas and taste. Smooth, full, long finish. Great sipper. Hated to see the last bottle gone. (Feb '04)

Clearly the wine developed over a couple of years, and with the high
alcohol content, it had the potential for a very long life. It
certainly carried the pruny, plum, dark fruit flavors you mentioned in
the Cline.


Ed Rasimus
Fighter Pilot (USAF-Ret)
"When Thunder Rolled"
www.thunderchief.org
www.thundertales.blogspot.com