89+(?) 2005 Ridge Ponzo Vineyard (RRV) 10/26/08 ($26)
97% Zin, 3% PS 14.9% alc
Color: Medium deep garnet. (3.0) Bouquet: Black cherry with excellent acidity. Very aromatic. Fruit sweet with some briar and smooth Russian River Valley character. (3.0) Body: Solid middleweight with acidity propelled structure. (3.0) Flavor: Parallels bouquet. (3.0) Finish: Parallels flavor, but a little short in length. Could also be more concentrated here. (2.5)
Overall: Best vintage yet for this wine ('02 was the first vintage), showing more fruit concentration and overall character than its predecessors. Previous vintages left me unconvinced that this was a serious single vineyard contender, but this one is very encouraging. It's quite appealing right now, but I suspect it may show even more lush fruit and complexity in the next 1-3 years. (14.5)