Wine, etc.:Ridge zinfandels and a brief history of vodka

Paul Draper has been making powerful zinfandels since before most people could spell the word. Or so it seems. His blends from grapes made in fabled places like Monte Bello, Paso Robles, Geyserville, Lytton Springs and Santa Cruz Mountains are consistently rich in texture, complex and ageworthy.

Eric Baugher, Ridge's current winemaker, was in Annapolis recently to share with us some new and older Ridge zinfandels and cabernet sauvignons.

Ridge strives to achieve balance in their wines and to capture the unique characteristics of their vineyards. The 1992 and 1996 cabernet sauvignons from the fabled Monte Bello vineyard...