96 from the Zinfandel Chronicles:
Stunning nose of red fruits, citrus and baking spices. Medium to full bodied with exquisite acidity. Amazing purity of fruits. Cherry, raspberry liqueur, blood orange and a hint of earth on the palate. Always one of my favorite Zins in the Ridge lineup and the 2022 is stellar. Best over the next 4-6 years.
95 from Bargreen:
The 2022 ‘Pagani Ranch’ has 9% Alicante Bouchet as well as smaller portions Petite Sirah and Mataro blended in. This is rich and concatenated Zinfandel, showing chocolate with bramble, red cherry and dill notes on the nose. The palate is fresh and beautifully textured, with serious depth and structure. The balance here is impeccable despite the obvious warmth of the vintage. Drink 2024-2034.
And Decanter:
Alluring spice aromatics tip off this classically California Zinfandel from this cooler site in the Sonoma Valley appellation, always Ridge’s last pick. The Pagani Ranch Zinfandel comes from selected blocks of vines planted between 1896 and 1922, this bottling is a bit of American wine history. Clove, frankincense, spiced blood orange, and black liquorice aromas meld with black fruits, sugar plums, and crushed ripe figs. The palate is buoyant, with ripe black raspberries, plump blackberries, dusty mineral tones, and a mixture of exotic spices, which finish this wine with a sense of grace amid its ripe fruit profile.
Top scores from pretty much everyone else, too.
