Visit to Ridge tasting room on Lytton Springs Road

[wondersofwine]

They were pouring the 2008 Ridge Santa Cruz Mountains Estate Chardonnay which sees a year in American oak. This had a nice crispness.

The 2007 Ridge Lytton Springs is 71% Zinfandel, 22% Petite Sirah, and 7% Carignan. 115-year old vines for some of the grapes. My only note was "yummy" but I purchased a bottle. I prefered the Lytton Springs over the 2006 York Creek Zinfandel which was 99% Zin and 1% Petite Sirah.

2007 Carmichael Vineyard Zinfandel. 96% Zin, 4% Petite Syrah. A smooth, elegant Zin from 100-yr. old vines in Alexander Valley. It can be located for under $30 which I find reasonably priced. ($28 at the winery.)

2007 Paso Robles Zinfandel. 80-year old vines. 14.5% alcohol. Grapes from Benito Dusi Ranch. Smooth and structured. I liked it better than the 2001 vintage which I had recently and thought tasted sweet.

2008 Pagani Ranch Zinfandel. 85% Zin, 10% Alicante Bouschet, 3% Petite Sirah, 2% Carignan. Sonoma Valley. A bit chewy with soft tannins.

2008 East Bench Zinfandel. 14.9% alcohol.
100% Zinfandel. Nice deep ruby color with transparency.

2007 Buchignani Ranch Zinfandel. 13.8% abv.
93% Zinfandel, 7% Carignan. Dry Creek Valley.

2007 Ridge Monte Bello. 13.1% abv. 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 9% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc. Santa Cruz Mountains. Not very tannic. Tasted cassis. Slight pucker on the finish.

I bought the Lytton Springs and a half bottle of Geyserville.

A group of young women (perhaps a bridal party) were stranded at Ridge when their hired van broke down. They were on the phone trying to arrange alternate transportation back to their starting point.

[Drew]

WoW, I'm interested in what you thought of the Geyserville if you got a chance to sample. I have 1 1/2 cases resting in the cellar.

Drew

[TheEngineer]

It's a neat tasting room, with the building being built of hay (one of the larger hay structures). It's too bad that there were not more Chardonnays to try that day as I like their chards (nice crispness as you noted). I also like the Lytton Springs 07 very well, enough to have bought a couple of mags.

[wondersofwine]

Drew, I haven't opened the Geyserville yet and probably won't for two or more years as I think they are better with a little age.