Tasting Note                         

93   2007 Ridge  East Bench  Zinfandel (Dry Creek Valley)  5/25/09 ($28)

   92% Zinfandel, 8% Petite Sirah    15.4% alc
Color: Deep purple garnet. (3.0) Bouquet: Flamboyant, ripe Zinberry with excellent acidity and briary spice with a little clove thrown in. Also a healthy dose of oak. Slightly sweet and a little heat. (3.0) Body: Heavyweight that's rich and mouth-coating with concentrated fruit, excellent acidity and fine tannins underneath. (3.5) Flavor: Parallels bouquet, but richer, smoother and more delicious. Shows concentration and structure. (3.5) Finish: Parallels bouquet. Long with deliciously sweet Zinberry fruit lingering. Just a touch of heat here. (3.0)
Overall:
This is a big boy, particularly compared to the more proper and restrained Ridge Zins of late, but it also has great structure. The concentrated liqueur-like fruit is wonderful even now, but the structure combined with excellent balance promises better things with time. This is one of the best young Ridge Zins for me in the last four to five vintages. (16.0)