2002 Ridge Lytton Springs Zinfandel

[wondersofwine]

A six-ounce glass at Dean & Deluca, Charlotte. 14.4% alcohol The color was a pretty, dark purple-red. Not very viscous. Seems natural, not concocted. Perfumed nose of dark berries. Taste of ripe dark fruits. Very smooth tasting, goes down easy unlike some vintages or some zins with rough edges (read lots of tannin). (I read the label and Ridge managed tannins by letting grapes float as a cap rather than pushing them under continually and destemming some of the more tannic grapes). They also fined with fresh egg white (apparently not something they do routinely). They achieved the desired result--a smooth tasting wine with gorgeous fruit. Label (and same text on their website) says approachable now or will hold for ten years. Had with goat cheese salad (greens including spinach leaves, red lettuce, pinenuts, finely chopped bell peppers and Passport Goat Cheese from New Jersey). Yummy wine!