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: 2005 Ridge Vineyards "Lytton Springs" Dry Creek Zinfandel (1.5L)

2005 Ridge Vineyards "Lytton Springs" Dry Creek Zinfandel (1.5L)

SKU #1029400

One star from the Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine: "77% Zinfandel; 17% Petite Sirah; 6% Carignane. Ridge's latest bottling under the Lytton Springs label achieves a good balance between concentration and berryish fruit with the latter in clear command. It is structured along slightly tighter lines with acid-pushed tannins tightening things up at the end, but this wine is destined for the cellar and needs a few years of patience before opening up. (September 2007) From Wine Spectator: "A zesty spice bomb of a Zinfandel, with boysenberry, ripe cherry, licorice and roasted herb notes and long, deep flavors that build toward firm, cedary tannins on the finish." (6/30/2007) Unseasonably cool weather slowed them start of natural-yeast fermentations; the resulting cold soak maximized the deep color. The thirty-one separate parcels completed a natural malolactic and were racked to air-dried American oak barrels. In assemblage, a third of the wine (some from young vines, some from vines picked overripe) was held out. This elegant, full-bodied wine, with its firm tannins and intense, complex fruit, is among the finest of recent vintages. Enjoyable now, it will develop further over the next ten years. 77% zinfandel, 17% petite sirah and carignane.

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2005 Ridge Vineyards "Lytton Springs" Dry Creek Zinfandel (1.5L)

Price: $144.99

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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).