With a dinner of venison-black bean chili and sauteed snap peas with shi'itakes, we opened:
2001 Ridge Paso Robles Zinfandel nose: blackberries, cedar, oak and a hint of pepper, taking on more cedar notes after it had been open for an hour palate: lush fruit, medium body, good acidity, cedar, blackberry
This wine was sourced from 100% Zinfandel grown on the Dusi Ranch in Paso (why it wasn't labeled Dusi Ranch, as some earlier bottlings were, I don't understand). Not a profound Ridge Zin, but a damn good "fruit forward" example and an excellent match with the chili.
Mark Lipton