Ian Flannery

9.0

Light and fruity very nice — 5 months ago

Walter Fahr

9.1

Very nice Primitivo from the Puglia/Salento region. Dark ruby color. Paires wonderfully with Southern Italian food, but will go well with a variety of foods. Drank November 2025 — 7 months ago

Sergio L Figueiredo

9.2

ManoLLo - Ago/2025
Álcool 14,5%. — 9 months ago

Richard Groves

9.4

Bought while in Florence Italy wining tasting in Tuscany 2025 — 9 months ago

Sharon B

9.3

A much needed big pour! It’s been a very long week! After an hour decant this wine is so silky smooth and very fruit forward. TGIF! — 3 years ago

Roger Ray

9.0

"This intensely colored red is beautifully balanced and complex. Deliciously vibrant dark berry and licorice abound on the nose and palate, enhanced by notes of spice and black pepper. Smooth and round in the mouth, this velvet textured wine has a long lingering refined finish." — 5 years ago

Julia Metro

8.9

Very light cranberry juicy wine, excellent for easy fall afternoon drinking. Call it the oceanspray of wines and I’m not mad about it! — 6 years ago

Sergio L Figueiredo

9.3

DUFRY/SP - RITA - Mai/2024
Álcool 14,5% — 5 months ago

Kirsten Kelley

9.1

Excellent, smooth from first sip. Purchased from Costco — 7 months ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.1

Sobon Estate – REZERVE Primitivo 2022
Amador County, California 🇺🇸

Overview
From the Sierra Foothills, Sobon Estate showcases the raw power of Primitivo (genetically identical to Zinfandel). This high-alcohol (15% ABV) 100% primitivo goodness shows bold, spicy, and deliciously concentrated wine that screams food pairings!

Aromas & Flavors
Blackberry jam, ripe plum, and dark cherry layered with cinnamon, peppercorn, cedar, and toasted oak. Vanilla and smoky mocha notes dominate the background, making it rich and intense.

Mouthfeel
Full-bodied with gripping tannins and a fiery core of alcohol warmth. The oak is pronounced, giving structure but also leaning into a woody, spicy personality.

Food Pairings
Grilled ribeye with black pepper, spicy Italian sausage, BBQ short ribs, and aged cheddar cheese.

Verdict
A big, boisterous Primitivo for those who love power, spice, and oak influence. Not subtle—this is a wine that makes its presence felt, perfect for bold food pairings and hearty palates.

Did You Know?
Primitivo and Zinfandel are essentially the same grape, both tracing their DNA back to Croatia’s indigenous Crljenak Kaštelanski. Amador County’s hot, dry climate brings out Primitivo’s fullest, richest expression. — 8 months ago

Miles Perry

9.2

A wonderful Primitivo — a year ago

Jody Wycech

9.2

A delicious primitivo. Paired well with some Italian food (pasta, wine, can’t remember). Is good, would have ‘gan — 4 years ago

with Ethan, Peter and 1 other

Tenley Seidel

9.1

Jordy’s bday! Silky, smooth with a sweet finish — 5 years ago

PFM

9.5

delish, mineral-y, medium body oomph, v interesting, unfiltered. ideal kind of orange. Drank w cheuk on a hill w Mexican food — 6 years ago

Jody Wycech

9.2

Hubby had this one without me (!!). A cheap Italian blend for $13 but its quite delicious and complex. Interesting cider donut spice with cocoa and vanilla but also some basil and nutmeg. It’s a wild ride. Jealous that I missed it. — 5 months ago

with Ethan, Peter and 1 other

Freddy R. Troya

9.6

Ridge Vineyards – Zinfandel Blend – 2023
Lytton Springs Vineyard – Dry Creek Valley – USA 🇺🇸

Overview
A famously complex field blend from one of Ridge’s crown-jewel vineyards. The 2023 Lytton Springs delivers intensity from start to finish, layered, structured, and deeply expressive. While Ridge’s single-vineyard Zinfandels showcase purity, Lytton Springs shows architecture: Zin 76% as the backbone, 14% Petite Sirah for muscle, 7% Carignane for lift, 2% Alicante Bouschet for color, and 1% Mataro for savory depth.

Aromas & Flavors
Black raspberry, boysenberry, and dark cherry with violet, cracked pepper, cedar, licorice, and warm baking spice. Subtle graphite and dried herbs emerge with air, adding another dimension.

Mouthfeel
Dense and full-bodied with concentrated fruit, firm tannins, and vibrant acidity. The Petite Sirah brings grip and power, while Carignane adds freshness. The finish is long, structured, and beautifully persistent.

Food Pairings
Smoked brisket, rosemary lamb chops, charcoal-grilled steak, hearty chili, or aged Manchego.

Verdict
A multi-layered, intensely focused Zinfandel blend that represents Ridge at its most complete and architectural. A wine that rewards slow sipping, and even more, side-by-side comparison.

Did You Know?
Lytton Springs is one of the few historic vineyards in California where the field-blend tradition is still honored. Many vines are 100+ years old, interplanted in the classic old-vine recipe: Zinfandel with Petite Sirah, Carignane, Alicante Bouschet, and Mataro. Ridge preserves this original vineyard voice in every vintage.

🍷 Personal Pick Highlight
Taste Ridge’s 100% Zinfandel “Benito Dusi” bottling before opening Lytton Springs, and you’ll appreciate how expressive both styles are, then taste them simultaneously for an elevated, eye-opening experience of structure versus purity. — 7 months ago

Paul Meier

9.0

Dark plum, tobacco and other deep@fruit flavors rounded out with medium level tannins that make this more Sangiovese like than zin. — 10 months ago

Mark McAndrews

9.1

Nice smooth primitivo — 3 years ago

David Slezak

8.9

Still learning wine. This is a good red. — 5 years ago

Nick Schapowal

9.7

Silky smooth and love the design and references in the name! Superb vino — 6 years ago