The 2010 Lytton Springs (67% Zinfandel, 23% Petite Sirah, 7% Carignane and 3% Mataro) is fascinating because it seems to have handled the heat spikes far better than the Geyserville. This is first and foremost Lytton Springs, and a product of the 2010 vintage second. Firm tannins frame an expressive core of dark red cherries, flowers and sweet herbs. The inner perfume of Zinfandel resonates on the finish. The 2010 needs time to soften, but it is quite beautiful. Lytton Spring is a much larger site than Geyserville, the choices for lots are much greater, which affords the winemaking team a great deal of flexibility in crafting the final blends. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2030.
Indiana Jones and I have one thing in common – a fear of snakes. That is why every time I see the sign in the Ridge parking lot that reads “Beware of rattlesnakes,” I get a little uneasy. So it’s quickly into the tasting room for me. Winemaker Eric Baugher and his team have prepared a great tasting covering all of the Ridge classics, plus a few smaller-production bottlings I am tasting for the first time. This is a sublime set of new releases from one of this country’s greatest heritage wineries. It’s hard to know where to start, but the highlights are the 2009 Monte Bello, followed by the 2010, which will be released this year, plus some of the Zinfandels and Zinfandel-based wines. The 2010 harvest was not an easy one. The summer was very cold, as it was throughout California. Ridge was severely affected by August heat spikes that were crippling for Zinfandel. The wines that were bottled are the result of a severe selection of the best fruit that survived the heat.
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