95 Points – Owen Bargreen, OwenBargreen.com
100% varietal, the outstanding 2024 ‘East Bench’ offers molten chocolate, tar and briar notes on the nose alongside suggestions of tobacco leaf. The palate is dense and delicious with a refined mouthfeel and great sense of weight and tension, loaded with salty nuances. Complex and delicious, enjoy now and over the next ten years. Drink 2026-2036-
94 Points – Jim Gordon, JamesSuckling.com
A hefty, deep and fruity wine that’s full-bodied and moderately tannic, offering floral, raspberry, blackberry and blueberry aromas with a slightly chewy texture and a lingering finish. From a Ridge-owned property near its Lytton Springs winery. Drink now.
93 Points – Tim Fish, Wine Spectator
Expressive and zesty, with lively flavors of raspberry and plum laced with briar patch, savory anise and white pepper notes that build richness and tension on the finish. Drink now through 2035. 4,000 cases made.
93 Points – Billy Norris, Vinous Media
“The 2024 Zinfandel East Bench is whip-tight and very structured. Citrus-driven and powerful, the 2024 soaks into the palate with layers of grapefruit peel, wild cherry, gravel and iodine. Firm, grippy tannins help tame the exuberance of the fruit, while a nip of glycerol richness right on the finish reminds us that we’re in the Dry Creek Valley, the hottest part of Sonoma County. Drinking Window 2027 – 2032.” -Billy Norris (June 2026)
JebDunnuck.com: 92 Points
“Another full-bodied, well-concentrated offering, the 100% varietal 2024 Zinfandel East Bench is grown at Funsten Ranch, featuring rich layers of sweet oak, anise, and black raspberry. Firm, mouthcoating tannins are complemented by underlying acidity that helps to balance out its bigger leanings. Hold and drink 2028-2034.” -Virginie Boone (June 2026)
JancisRobinson.com: 16.5+ Points (out of 20)
“Deep purple with a fuchsia rim. Somewhat subdued black-fruited nose. Zesty acidity with fleshy black cherry and a lightly bitter earthiness. Firmer structure than any of the other Ridge Zins besides the Lytton.” -Samantha Cole-Johnson (May 2026)
