2023 Paso Robles Zinfandel

Jammy red confiture with subtle toasty oak aromas. Medium-full bodied, soft mouthfeel with abundant raspberry fruit, a hint of mint, and ample acidity. JO (1/25)

Since 1967, and our first zinfandel from the Dusi Ranch, it is typically the first vineyard picked, a harbinger that harvest has begun. In 2023, however, despite warm spring weather, cooler summer temperatures persisted through September, resulting in one of the latest harvests here in the last 40 years. This cool weather during ripening did help retain acidity. Fruit-forward and sumptuous, this exemplary zinfandel is best enjoyed on release and over the next five years. JO (11/24)

Benito Dusi’s Ranch is the only zinfandel vineyard that Ridge sources from within the Central Coast Viticultural Area. The 1967 vintage was our first wine from the Dusi Ranch. It was planted to zinfandel in 1922 which is unusual because Prohibition had started two years earlier. Purchased by Sylvester and Catarina Dusi in 1924, the property has been farmed since the 1940s by their son Benito, the owner. Benito passed away in 2019, leaving the care of the vineyard to his nephew, Mike.

Rainfall: 64 inches (above normal)
Bloom: End of June
Weather: Late and prolonged harvest due to consistently cool weather throughout the growing season.

Harvest Dates: 2 – 12 October
Grapes: Average Brix 25.5˚
TA: 6.7 g/L
pH: 3.48
Fermentation: 100% natural primary and secondary fermentation.
Barrels: 100% air-dried American oak barrels (15% new, 10% one year old, and 75% four and five years old).
Aging: Twelve months in barrel

Benito Dusi Vineyard 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,136 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.

See all food pairing recipes we have created specifically for this wine.