Ed, thanks for Geezer note. I'm hoping mine doesn't show a watery
finsh.
Mark, my percentages are close, 73% of my Zin/Zin blends are Ridge. But
I actually don't cellar much Zin, usually preferring younger, so it's
73% of a small number (the remainder is Biale Crane Ranch and a lone
bottle of 1959 late harvest Primitivo- really).

Ed Rasimus wrote:
> On Mon, 15 Jan 2007 10:55:13 -0500, Mark Lipton >
> wrote:
>
> >Ed Rasimus wrote:
> >> On 15 Jan 2007 06:50:14 -0800, "DaleW" > wrote:
> >>
> >>> Thanks for note. Have you had '01Geyserville lately? Do you think it's
> >>> drinking as well now?
> >
> >> I didn't have any of the '01 Paso Robles, but did try the '01
> >> Geyserville and noted that it was pretty full up front with a lot of
> >> vanilla notes--something I don't usually associate with zins, but
> >> Ridge can show it occasionally. Finish was "surprisingly watery".
> >>
> >> I used to see Dusi Ranch bottlings quite regularly when I was still in
> >> Ridge's ATP, getting their small quantity bottlings, but think they've
> >> gone to the Paso Robles branding for the major release zin.
> >>
> >> Last couple of years I've liked the Paso Robles better than Lytton
> >> Springs consistently and often find it equal to the Geyserville.
> >
> >Dale: I haven't had the Geyserville recently. I typically give them 5+
> >years before opening, as I like them better with some bottle age. I'll
> >be opening the '95 soon, though ;-)
>
> Envy rears its ugly head once again--I KNOW I should, but somehow I
> can't hold wines that long. It gets reinforced regularly when I've got
> something that I've been disciplined about and kept for a couple of
> years yet one thing or another keeps getting the good intentions
> dashed. I suspect it is that my consumption rates are consistently
> ahead of my acquisition pace.
> >
> >Ed: I still find that Geyserville is top o' the heap for me, with Lytton
> >Springs close behind, occassionally eclipsing it. What I value about
> >the Ridge Zins is the structure that accompanies the yummy fruitiness.
> >In recent years, the Pagani Ranch and Ponzo have vied with the Lytton
> >Springs for my affections, but I still give the nod to the Geyserville.
>
> 100% agreement there. Geyserville is always the lead of Ridge
> bottlings, a position that I think it gained in the early '90s. Before
> that the flagship was Lytton Springs, but not lately. Pagani and Ponzo
> are very consistent quality wines--the only question I'd have is with
> regard to longevity for them compared to Geyserville. But, referring
> back to Para. 1 above, not a problem for me.
> >
> >As we were drinking this wine, Jean said "This restores my faith in
> >Zinfandel" (we'd had a few Seghesios recently that left her cold) and
> >went on to say that over half of our Zin collection should be Ridge Zin,
> >to which I responded that, as of my last inventory, over 75% of our Zin
> >was from Ridge. I like the Zins of Cline and Seghesio, but only Biale
> >and Storybook Mountain really hit the same heights for me.
>
> I've never been particularly fond of Seghesio or Cline and
> unfortunately never tasted Biale or Storybook Mt. My competition for
> Ridge is Renwood--their Grandmere and Grandpere will really show some
> muscle; and Fife--Redhead, Mendocino and Whaler bottlings are very
> dependable.
>
>
> Ed Rasimus
> Fighter Pilot (USAF-Ret)
> "When Thunder Rolled"
> www.thunderchief.org
> www.thundertales.blogspot.com