lluring 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.

The 2022 Zinfandel Pagani Ranch is a blend of 82% Zinfandel, 9% Alicante Bouschet, 5% Petite Sirah and 4% Mataro. It has layered scents of blueberry preserves, yellow peach, toasted coconut and floral perfume. The palate combines generous, layered, fragrant flavors with silky tannins and bursts of mouthwatering acidity, and it has a long, expressive finish.- EB

This opulent Zinfandel that's blended with a bit of Alicante Bouschet, Petite Sirah and Mataro brings concentrated aromas of blackberry, plum skin and nutmeg on the nose, while the palate displays rich tannin and flavors of black cherry, anise, rich barrel spice and a streak of raspberry lime acidity that lifts the wine across the finish. Drink 2028-2040. — Tom R. Capo

An extra-bold and full-bodied wine that stays balanced and fresh due to moderate tannins and some cranberry-like acidity. Huge aromas of crushed cherries, strawberries and blackberries, then the ripeness of jam without the sweetness. It’s a blockbuster in terms of concentration, but not too heavy or tannic. Drink or hold.

The 2022 Zinfandel Pagani Ranch smells like the freshest orange juice imaginable. Dump that orange juice on a pile of smashed blueberries and pulverized rocks, then crush some rosemary in your palm over the top of the whole ordeal, and you’ll get an idea of the uniquely Pagani expression here. The old vines convey so much depth and seriousness. There’s ample nuance and energy to burn. - - By Billy Norris on September 2024

Elegance meets a deep core of concentrated fruit, offering blackberry and blueberry notes, plus details of green olive, licorice and Asian dark spices that build richness toward fine-grained tannins. Drink now through 2033. 3,000 cases made.