The more powerful 2008 Zinfandel East Bench (100% Zinfandel; nearly 15% alcohol) boasts a dark plum/ruby color in addition to a big, sweet bouquet of briery fruit, earth, and pepper. Softer and fleshier than the 2007, it is meant for near-term consumption - 2-3 years. Ridge’s iconic Monte Bello Proprietary Red (no longer called Cabernet Sauvignon) is one of the candidates for the longest-lived Bordeaux blend made in California. Even vintages from the late sixties and early seventies are still vibrant wines. The winery owns just over 100 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon vines, and production varies enormously based on the mountain climate. With respect to this group of wines, the smallest yields were achieved in 2005, and the highest in 2007. The selection process here is relatively severe. For their Monte Bello, the flagship wine, 32% of the production was used in 2003, 38% in 2004, 49% in 2005, 39% in 2006, and 41% in 2007. These wines continue to be anomalies in the sense that the Cabernet Sauvignon component is aged in American oak, a somewhat contrarian procedure since most top producers long ago moved to French oak. The Santa Cruz Mountains cuvees, essentially a second wine culled out from Monte Bello, are also high quality efforts from Ridge. Each of the vintages I tasted reflects the vintage conditions in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Three 2008 barrel samples reveal a consistent, high quality style with slightly more elevated alcohol contents. Tel. (408) 867-3233; Fax (408) 868-1350

This is a direct, drink-me-now fruity Zinfandel with the flavors of a raspberry-cherry granola bar. There’s a sweet, roasted almond and brown sugar edge, with lots of black pepper. Drink now.——S.H.(8/1/2010)—— 86