Freddy R. Troya

9.7

Ridge Vineyards – Zinfandel – 2023
Benito Dusi Ranch – Paso Robles – USA 🇺🇸

Overview
An extraordinary single-vineyard Zinfandel from one of the most historic and consistent sites in Paso Robles. The 2023 vintage delivers depth, purity, and that unmistakable Dusi Ranch character—old-vine concentration wrapped in Ridge’s signature balance and finesse. This bottling remains one of the benchmark Zinfandels in California.

Aromas & Flavors
Blackberry compote, ripe plum, and raspberry preserve with accents of warm spice, licorice, dried herbs, and a touch of cracked pepper. Subtle cocoa and cedar from restrained oak play in the background.

Mouthfeel
Full-bodied and richly textured, yet never heavy. Juicy acidity energizes the palate while fine, structured tannins keep everything focused. Long, plush, and satisfyingly powerful.

Food Pairings
BBQ ribs, grilled lamb chops, wood-fired pizza, smoky brisket, or aged Gouda.

Verdict
A stellar expression of old-vine Paso Robles Zinfandel, opulent, balanced, and deeply flavorful. A true standout in Ridge’s portfolio.

Did You Know?
The Dusi family has farmed this vineyard for generations, and Ridge has made wine from the site since 1967. These old vines consistently produce some of the most character-rich Zinfandel in the state, making Benito Dusi one of Ridge’s most iconic single-vineyard bottlings.

🍷 Personal Pick Highlight
This sits at the very top of my favorite Zinfandels, extraordinary from start to finish, and a reminder of why Ridge continues to define the category. — 25 days ago

Kristen Grimes

9.8

Cork pull from the WCO fundraising event, and definitely a good win! Classic cali chard... Apple and pear, a bit of citrus, and a good amount of oak without overpowering butteriness. The kind of chard that helped me fall in love with wine 💕 — a month ago

Joe DAscoli

9.2

Juicy and with a touch of sweetness. This was very pleasant and paired well with cheese. — 14 days ago

Frank Soldano

9.2

Drinking the 2017 in 2025. Fruit forward bouquet with earthy hints on the finish. Thin legs that quickly dissipate. Light flavors with sweet ripe fruit notes and light tannins. Smooth finish. — 16 days ago

Ron Siegel

9.3

Youthful, structured with mostly black fruits, cassis, sweet spice, graphite, cedar, leather & tobacco — 7 days ago

Ted

9.1

7 years old and still a pup. Another Vino Volo DTW pick-up. Fruit is very prominent and there is a slight black licorice note that hangs on for a few seconds. — a month ago

with Jeni

Brandon Boesch

9.3

Tasting great. Big, bold, some butter, but a ton of tropical fruit, lemon, peach, some stones. Not typically my style but I’m enjoying this 9 year old version. — a month ago

John Malcolm

10

Spectacular, full-bodied, and intense, yet silky smooth. Drinking well now, but plenty of time left. Dark chocolate, dark cherries, cassis, oregano and other herbs. Decanted for about four hours. — 15 hours ago

Ron Siegel

9.4

This was drinking beautifully showing rich red & black fruits, earth, cedar, leather, spice & tobacco — 19 days ago

Tom Garland

9.3

2 hour decant. A marvelous medium garnet color (decent fine sediment). On the nose: dark berries, cassis, forest floor, sandalwood, pencil shavings, chocolate, and cigar box. Taste: layered, balanced, still young wine with dark cherry/plum, cedar, dark chocolate, charcoal, and a lingering tobacco/leather finish. YUM! No hurry, a long distance Las Cases. — 8 days ago

with Brenda