2021 Ridge - Evangelho
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Tasting notes
58% Carignane, 22% Zinfandel, 20% Mataro. From the bottle: ‘This one-hundred-thirty-year-old vineyard is planted to Zinfandel, Carignane and Mataro. Each was fermented separately, assembled by taste and then barrelled down for fifteen months. A dry, chilly winter, sandy soils and the windy conditions typical of the Evangelho Vineyard contribute to the dense fruit and vibrant acidity of this elegant wine … Ingredients: hand-harvested grapes, indigenous yeast, naturally occurring malolactic bacteria, oak from barrel-ageing, minimum effective SO 2 . 16 barrels produced.’ Bottled March 2023. Medium purple. While this is not Zinfandel-dominant, it has the mixed-blacks, Zinfandel-esque aroma of bramble, cinnamon, black tea, complimented by a skosh of vanilla – it just lacks the bump in alcohol and body that you'd expect with Zin. Fresh, bright acidity, moderate, sandy tannin, and a lengthy finish. I absolutely adore this. My biggest problem with Zin is that the alcohols are often high enough that I can’t drink more than a glass – this is a gorgeous option for those who want a touch less alcohol with the same flavour profile! (SCJ)
Critic scores
Average Score
Jancis Robinson MW
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
The 2021 Evangelho is composed of 58% Carignane, 22% Zinfandel and 20% Mataro from a vineyard planted in the 1890s. Matured for 16 months, it has an alluring perfume of red cherries, boysenberries, mint chocolate and wild thyme. The palate is medium-bodied and refreshing, balancing perfumed fruit with clay-textured tannins, and it has a long, nuanced finish.
From Contra Costa County in California, which is south of Napa and just east of San Francisco, the 2021 Evangelho is based on 58% Carignane, 22% Zinfandel, and 20% Mataro. Spicy red and black fruits, cigar, savory herbs, dried orange, and some leather nuances all emerge on the nose, and it hits the palate with medium-bodied richness, firm yet still ripe tannins, and a great finish. This spicy, complex, savory red will evolve for at least a decade.
The 2021 Evangelho is a gorgeous wine that beautifully captures the personality of this Contra Costa County site. A burst of sweet red fruit makes a strong first impression, followed by sweet floral and spice notes that lend complexity. The 2021 is 58% Carignane, 22% Zinfandel and 20% Mataro, with the Carignane very much front and center. Deceptive in its mid-weight frame, the 2021 possesses tons of depth and persistence. Give it a few years to soften.
About the producer
Best known for its iconic Monte Bello, Ridge Vineyards makes some of California’s finest wines – particularly Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel. Long a pioneer of sustainable farming and minimal-intervention winemaking, Ridge makes an extensive range from Sonoma County and the Santa Cruz Mountains.