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: 2003 Ridge Vineyards "Lytton Springs" Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel

2003 Ridge Vineyards "Lytton Springs" Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel

SKU #1014517 93 points Connoisseurs Guide

Outer quote mark On occasion Lytton Springs has been the biggest and ripest of Ridge's Zins, but this offering comes with a slight sense of restraint in terms of alcohol if not in its fruit. Nicely concentrated and very deep in well-defined blackberries, it also shows complexing touches of mineral and earth that speak straight to its vineyard beginnings. It warms up a bit in its lengthy fruit finish, but it stays in careful balance, and, if a fine wine today, it will gain polish and range in the cellar. Inner quote mark (1/2006)

90 points Wine & Spirits

Outer quote mark The black peppercorn spice of this wine shows it to be more about tannin than fruit at this young stage. Lytton Springs often needs some time to evolve in bottle; if you drink this now, decant it for an hour to let the earthy, dark chocolate tannins meld with that black peppercorn spice. Then serve with braised beef short ribs. Inner quote mark (10/2005)

90 points Wine Spectator

Outer quote mark Excellent structure, with tight, mineral-edged tannins and a core of zesty wild berry and black cherry flavors that are firm and concentrated. It's almost Bordeaux-like in its balance and restraint. Inner quote mark (8/2005)

K&L Notes

This, Ridge's 25th vintage of Lytton Springs, marked the completion of the new, sustainable winery, and the first time Ridge made the wine on the estate where it is grown. The short crop and the heat of 2003 made the fruit ripen all at once; to reduce tannins, nearly half the grapes were uncrushed. Fine with egg whites. 76% Zinfandel, 18% Petite Sirah and 6% Carignane.

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2003 Ridge Vineyards "Lytton Springs" Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel

Price: $44.99

Quantity:

CG: 93

W&S: 90

WS: 90

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Varietal:

Zinfandel

- The bid to name Zinfandel California's "State Varietal" may have failed, but this red wine grape, grown extensively in California since the mid-1800s, is grown in few other places in the world. Sadly, much of what's cultivated today is planted where it's too hot and flat. But when planted to well-drained, hillside vineyards that are warm but not too hot, like those in Sonoma County's Dry Creek Valley and Amador County in the Sierra Foothills, Zinfandel can produce wines with plenty of character. High in natural alcohol and tannin, grown carefully it can be rich and complex, with dark fruit berry fruit and peppery spice. The most known example of Zinfandel outside of California is Italy's Primitivo, which can be similar in style, but is often a bit lighter and less alcoholic than West Coast examples.

Country:

United States

- When people consider domestic wine, they normally think about the state of California. The fine viticultural Region within California, including the Napa Valley, Sonoma, Santa Cruz Mountains, Mendocino and Santa Barbara, are capable of growing grapes of world-class quality. But there's plenty of fabulous wine coming from other states, too. Oregon, Washington and New York are also causing eyebrows (and glassware) to be raised around the world.

Sub-Region:

California

- With the explosive growth that California's wine industry has seen the past several years, it's easy to view winemaking and grape growing in the Golden State as a recent phenomenon. And while it's true that California's viticultural history is brief compared to several European countries, this state's roots date back well over 200 years. Due to the enormous response to California wine within the United States and worldwide, there are thousands of excellent and diverse wines being produced within the state each year.

Specific Appellation:

Sonoma County

- Second in fame only to Napa, this "other" valley offers just about every climate and topography imaginable. From its cool and fog-enshrouded coastal regions on the far west, to the sprawling Alexander Valley on the boarder of Napa and the many little dips and peaks in between, Sonoma has been a vital wine-grape-growing region since the mid 1800s. Important sub-AVAs include Chalk Hill (known for chardonnay and sauvignon blanc), Dry Creek Valley (where zin is king) Knights Valley (largely cabernet land), Russian River Valley and Sonoma Coast (both celebrated pinot and chardonnay zones).