First Real Tribidrag??

[Carole_Meredith]

Hi Tom

First, thanks for this thought provoking thread and Carole Meredith for the fascinating Ridge video.

I’m wondering whether Croatian cuttings grown in California are any more ‘Tribidrag’ than Zinfandel or Primitivo?

In the Ridge video we hear that wine from Tribidrag cuttings taste differently according to where it is planted. Joel Peterson (Once & Future) says* that Zinfandel, more than any other variety, he knows reflects the place it is grown (and rootstock).

I haven’t tasted any California Primitivo but Puglian Primitivo doesn’t taste to me like California Zinfandel. Neither does South African Zinfandel.

So, if Tribidrag/Primitivo/Zinfandel is such a chameleon in adapting to its place of planting, isn’t the only place that can produce Croatian Tribidrag - Croatia?

I think Zinfandel is the same as any other very old grape variety that has become widely distributed geographically over time, in that different clones have developed as a result of the geographic isolation. Zinfandel, Primitivo and Tribidrag are clones of the same variety. And there is also additional clonal variantion within each of the three.

In the 2 or 3 centuries since the variety was introduced to Italy and to California, many propagation cycles, combined with the criteria used by local growers to select budwood for propagating new vineyards, have resulted in a degree of genetic divergence from the original plant material in Croatia. This is seen in many other old varieties (e.g., Pinot, Syrah). (It’s a time and numbers thing. The more time passing, and the more vines planted, the more genetic divergence is to be expected.)

So it is reasonable to expect that Zinfandel and Primitivo and Tribidrag even when grown on the same site will each yield slightly different expressions of the variety. Then if you layer on the obvious influence of site on top of the clonal differences, it is to be expected that Primitivo grown in Italy will taste different than Zinfandel grown in California than Tribidrag grown in Croatia. So, yes, the only place that can produced Croatian Tribidrag wine is Croatia. And the only place that can produce Californian Tribidrag wine is California. But both versions of Tribidrag are more ‘Tribidrag’ than are Zin or Primitivo grown anywhere.

Carole

[A_G_Aguirre]

After reading this thread I was curious to try the wine. We stopped at Compline in Napa after tasting at Sinskey today (fantastic, by the way,) and they had the 2017 on the list! Fantastic wine to have with their burger. What took us back about this wine was how prominent the acid was. A mix of tart/rasinated fruits as you’d expect with Zin, but with a strong line of refreshing acid running through and no heaviness. So balanced and an excellent food wine. Bottle says three barrels made. Feel lucky to have tasted!

[TomHill]

After reading this thread I was curious to try the wine. We stopped at Compline in Napa after tasting at Sinskey today (fantastic, by the way,) and they had the 2017 on the list! Fantastic wine to have with their burger. What took us back about this wine was how prominent the acid was. A mix of tart/rasinated fruits as you’d expect with Zin, but with a strong line of refreshing acid running through and no heaviness. So balanced and an excellent food wine. Bottle says three barrels made. Feel lucky to have tasted!

Wow, Arturo…amazed that any of that Ridge Tribidrag made it out to retail. CarolMeredith has spoken very highly of the wine.
Tom

[A_G_Aguirre]

After reading this thread I was curious to try the wine. We stopped at Compline in Napa after tasting at Sinskey today (fantastic, by the way,) and they had the 2017 on the list! Fantastic wine to have with their burger. What took us back about this wine was how prominent the acid was. A mix of tart/rasinated fruits as you’d expect with Zin, but with a strong line of refreshing acid running through and no heaviness. So balanced and an excellent food wine. Bottle says three barrels made. Feel lucky to have tasted!

Wow, Arturo…amazed that any of that Ridge Tribidrag made it out to retail. CarolMeredith has spoken very highly of the wine.
Tom

Indeed - must be only a handful of places. Curious to hear your thoughts whenever you get around to popping one!

[Drew_Goin]

This thread is awesome.

[lleichtman]

This thread is awesome.

Agreed, quite fascinating. I had no knowledge of Tribidrag before this thread started.

[lleichtman]

Steve & Carole have been selling their Tribidrag for a number of yrs. They openly acknowledge that it comes from Zinfandel they obtained in Calif, but call it the ancient Croatian name Tribidrag to honor the grapes origins. I have no problem with that usage.
I just recently received my first Tribidrag from Ridge (all of 3 brls made… a real Unicorn wine). This was made from Tribidrag cuttings brought from Croatia and planted at LS in 2014. Steve & Carole graciously gave Ridge permission to use the Tribidrag name.
To me, this would mark the first real Tribidrag wine in Calif (not to depreciate Steve & Carole’s version… which is one of Calif’s best Zins), made from Croatian cuttings. Have there been any other Zins in Calif made from Croatian cuttings?? Carole??
It’s the same story with Primitivo. Most producers who make a Primitivo are making it from cuttings originating in Apulia. I’m fine with that usage.
Way back in the '80’s, HopKiln trademarked the name “Primitivo”. The ATF was clueless that Primitivo was a grape name. The HopKiln Primitivo was made from their OV Zin planted back in the 1800’s. Eventually, the trademark was rescinded and Primitivo became a recognized variety.
Does anyone know who produced Calif’s first Primitivo… from Apulian cuttings??
Anyway, Steve & Carole’s Zin/Tribidrag is one of the best in Calif. I’m looking forward to trying JohnOlney’s expression of Tribidrag.
Tom

Tom, does any NM retailer carry this? If not, where did you buy it?

[TomHill]

Sorry, Larry… pretty much unavailable. They released it as a 3-pak to members who belonged to all 3 Ridge clubs. It sold out in one day. I dawdled and missed out. I appealed to high friends at Ridge and they freed up a 3-pak for me.
Tom