Today’s Story: Ridge Vineyards
I’m traveling today, so I figured I would make this easy and review a wine whose backstory I shared earlier in History. Quality. Ridge. when I reviewed the 2015 GSM and Consistently Delicious Zin when I reviewed the 2012 Geyserville. If you are unfamiliar with this historic Californian wine estate, I suggest checking out my first blog linked above or their website here. At the very least, between my prior two posts and this one today you can get tasting notes on three different wines in their portfolio!
Today’s Wine: 2012 Lytton Springs
70% Zinfandel, 21% Petite Sirah, 6% Carignane, 3% Mataro; 14.4% ABV
The 2012 Lytton Springs is opaque purple in color and actually almost black at its core. Once this opens up over 30-45 minutes, the nose emits aromas of plum, dusty blueberry, blackberry, sweet tobacco, licorice, loamy earth, wet gravel, cola, and oak. On the palate, I get notes of jammy blackberry, prunes, juicy plum, damp rocky soil, tobacco leaf, black tea, chocolate, baking spice, and charred oak. This wine is full-bodied with medium (+) acidity, medium grippy tannins, and a medium (+) length finish dominated by black fruit compote and mocha.
Price: $35 direct from the winery. Though prices have come up a little for these (the average I can find online seems to be about $44 per bottle), Ridge makes some of the most consistent and quality Zinfandel blends. If you find some of their wine, particularly sub-$40, snag it. Pair this with red sauce meat pasta, barbecue chicken, or barbecue pulled pork sandwiches.
JB's Wine Talk 
3 thoughts on “Ridge Hits the Mark Again”