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In a series of tastings conducted from late January through March, we selected seventeen lots for the first Monte Bello assemblage. Another was included in May, one more in December. Eighteen months in barrel has begun to integrate the firm tannins and rich texture of this fine vintage. Unusually appealing as a young wine, it will gain further depth and complexity over the next fifteen to twenty years.

Elegant structure and the rich, briary fruit typical of our Santa Cruz Mountains estate combine to give the wine immediate appeal. An excellent vintage, it will continue to develop over the next twelve to fourteen years.

Once assembled, it was allowed to settle, then racked off its lees for an unfiltered bottling. Elegant and approachable, this fine chardonnay will continue to develop over the next three to four years.

A classic Monte Bello, it has the firm acid and intense, complex fruit of the cool Santa Cruz Mountains region. It will continue to develop beautifully through the decade.

70% Zinfandel, 18% Carignane, 10% Petite Sirah, 2% Mataro. At the end of June, a last rich, well-structured zinfandel lot completed assemblage. After fourteen months in barrel, the wine is fully integrated. Elegant tannins and intense fruit make it enjoyable now; it will be best over the next eight to ten years.

Natural fermentations began quickly. Color and tannin extracted so easily that we cut circulation of juice over cap, and pressed many tanks before dryness. After a natural malolactic, the wine aged for thirteen months in airdried american oak barrels. Enjoyable as a young wine, this excellent zinfandel will continue to develop in complexity over the next ten years.

The blend's zinfandel comes from the hundred-year-old mixed vines on House Hill and South Flat, which provided roughly a third of the fruit; the balance of the petite sirah is from younger vines on the western blocks. Despite its approachability, this full-bodied petite sirah has the structure to develop further over the next decade

Fifteen percent new oak adds sweetness and complexity, complementing the natural acidity and fine tannins. This cool climate zinfandel shows the exotic fruit typical of the Russian River region. It will be at its best over the next five to six years.

Enjoyable now for its forward, spicy fruit, it will develop greater complexity over the next ten years.

The thirty-one separate parcels completed a natural malolactic and were racked to air-dried american oak barrels. In assemblage, a third of the wine (some from young vines, some from vines picked overripe) was held out. This elegant, full-bodied wine, with its firm tannins and intense, complex fruit, is among the finest of recent vintages. Enjoyable now, it will develop further over the next ten years. 77% ZINFANDEL, 17% PETITE SIRAH, 6% CARIGNANE

A natural malolactic finished in eight weeks. Aged in air-dried american oak barrels, this opulent,exotic wine is classic Pagani—one of the finest vintages we have made. Enjoyable now, it will soften and develop over the next five to six years.

Natural malolactic fermentations finished in two months, and the wine was racked to american oak barrels for aging. New oak was held to twenty percent, complementing the wine's bright cherry fruit and exotic spice. This rich, full-bodied zinfandel will be at its most enjoyable over the next five to six years.

After a natural malolactic, Triangle and Back blocks were combined with the moretannic Old Vines. The wine was bottled after twelve months in air-dried american oak. The 2005 Ponzo is a beautifully balanced, sensuous wine. Enjoyable now, it will continue to develop over the next five to six years.

"Three Valleys" is the Ridge proprietary name for its only wine blended from multiple vineyard sites. To make it, we select softer, more accessible lots from our single vineyards, combining them to create the character we think will be most appealing. Younger vines on the Lytton Springs Vineyards in Dry Creek Valley provided roughly half the fruit; a third came from Geyserville, Mazzoni, and Stone Ranch Vineyards in Alexander Valley; the balance is from Pagani Ranch in the cool Sonoma Valley. The wines fermented on their natural yeasts, were pressed, on average, after eight days, and finished a natural (uninoculated) malolactic within four weeks. Enjoyable now, this spicy, beautifully-defined zinfandel blend will develop fully over the next four or five years. 68% zinfandel, 11% carignane, 10% syrah, 7% petite sirah, 4% grenache

The firm structure of this classic York Creek required extended barrel aging. Beautifully balanced and approachable now, it will benefit from a year or two in bottle, and develop fully over the next ten years.