TN: Ridge Carignane Buchignani '04..(short/boring)

WINE TALK
1

Tried this one last night w/ my pasta:

  1. Ridge Carignane BuchignaniRanch/DCV/SonomaCnty (OldVine; 13.5%; 44 brls; bttld Nov 05; Drk: 9/05-9/09-9/10: JO/PD) Healdsburg 2004: Very dark color w/ no bricking; strong Carignane/black cherry/raspberry rather vanilla/Am.oak/DraperPerfume quite dusty/OV/earthy some complex/interesting nose; bit tart strong vanilla/Am.ok/dill/DP earthy/dusty/OV light black cherry/Carignane bit coarse/Languedoc-like flavor w/ light rough/coarse tannins; very long rough/coarse/earthy/dusty/OV/loamy strong vanilla/Am.oak/dill slight bretty/horsecollar some black cherry/Carignane dusty/OV finish w/ rough/coarse tannins; a pleasant enough example of an older Ridge Carignane but just that. $26.00 (ATP)

A wee BloodyPulpit:

  1. I just don’t get Ridge’s fascination w/ Carignane. It’s a rustic/coarse grape and even Ridge’s winemaking cannot lift this ugly grape into the realm of their Zins. But I keep trying them…slow learner, I guess.
    Tom
2

I haven’t been very enamored of these when I’ve tried them, either. On the other hand, I’ve always assumed that part of the appeal of the Geyserville is its high carignane component.

Do you not like French and Spanish carignane either? Just curious.

3

John,
I’ve had a number of old-vine Carignane from both Languedoc and Spain that I thought were pretty good. Just a few, though.
Not sure you can make a silk purse outta sow’s ear, though.
Tom

4

No quarrel there. Some decent pigskin purses is about the best you can hope for.

5

At least as Ridge produces it (e.g., oak treatment), maybe it’s not meant to be aged long? I had one of the more recent versions of this wine when it was first released a couple years ago, and thought it was great - nicely complex and tasty.

6

Interesting. I would have thought it was the combination of Zin and Petite Sirah.

7

Yup, John…that’s certainly the take they have on Carignane at Ridge. Paul/John don’t think it ages particularly well.
I (sorta) like the Ridge Carignanes when they’re young. The most recent ('13) is probably the best Ridge Carignane that I’ve liked.
When they’re young, they show a lot of cherry/black cherry fruit, fairly tart, usually pretty tannic & structured, good dusty/OV character…everything you’d
think that would make a wine that’s ageable. But, maybe like Dolcetto, there’s something that’s missing for ageability.
Tom

8

Ridge Carignane got me to exit their ATP club. Waste of good money.

9

The 2013 is:

73% Zinfandel
17% Carignane
9% Petite Sirah
1% Mataro (Mourvedre)

But some years the Carignane has been higher, and I think it’s always higher than the PS.

(The Ridge website used to have the winemakers’ notes for past vintages, but I can’t find them. Have they taken those down?)