Greenwood Ridge Vineyards

Scherrer Vineyards’ original Alexander Valley Zinfandel vineyard is headed for its 100^th birthday in a few years, and this would be a good wine for laying down to celebrate it. Allan Green has been making this wine for some time now, and he just seems to get better and better at it. The wine also ages as well as any Zinfandel I know, getting both more Zinny and more classy for six or seven years after vintage.

In the 2005 Greenwood Ridge version, the aromas are exceptionally focused on jammy, intense, ripe red fruit. Once you get it into your mouth, the flavors unwind a bit and you can identify red cherries and plums, along with some blackberry and notes of black olive and raisin. The experience also includes bright acidity and a liberal sprinkling of ripe tannins, which give the wine great palate coverage and a lovely texture rather than heat or astringency. I routinely taste Zinfandels costing far more than this one, even double, that I like half as much.

Reviewed August 10, 2007 by Thom Elkjer.