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Zinfandel, Lytton Springs (Bottled Jan 2007) - 2005 - Ridge Vineyards
Ref: A111805
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. The 2005 is made up of 77% Zinfandel, 17% Petite Syrah with 6% Carignan.

The 2005 growing season was delayed by sustained spring rains and cool temperatures. Such conditions can interfere with flowering and fruit formation, but the vines set a record crop. To assure intensity up to half the clusters on the young vines were dropped. Still, reminiscent of 1997, every vat was soon filled. Unseasonably cool weather slowed the 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.

Lytton Springs bottlings are generally perceived as quintessential Znfandel, which is true, as far as it goes. On the Ridge Lytton Estate (East), Zinfandel grows across seven hills. The wines are classic Dry Creek Valley. They show the potent, ripe boysenberry and blackberry of old-vine Sonoma Zinfandel, notes of leaf and briar, and the intricacy of multiple varietals. Acid and tannin are firm, yet not overwhelming; in youth, at least, fruit predominates. These balanced, powerful Zins become more nuanced with age.

The history of Ridge Vineyards begins in 1885, when Osea Perrone, a medical doctor and prominent member of San Francisco's Italian community, bought 180 acres near the top of Monte Bello Ridge. He terraced the slopes and planted vineyards; using native limestone, he constructed the Monte Bello Winery, producing the first vintage under that name in 1892. This unique cellar, built into the mountainside on three levels, is Ridge's production facility. At 2600 feet, it is surrounded by the "upper vineyard."

In the 1940s, William Short, a theologian, bought the abandoned winery and vineyard just below the Perrone property; he re-planted several parcels to Cabernet Sauvignon. From these “middle vineyard” vines in 1959 the new owners—Dave Bennion and his three partners (all Stanford Research Institute engineers)—made ten gallons of “estate” Cabernet. That Monte Bello Cabernet was among California’s finest wines of the era. Its quality and distinctive character convinced the partners to re-bond the winery in time for the 1962 vintage.

The first Ridge Zinfandel was made in 1964, from a small nineteenth-century vineyard on the neighboring Picchetti ranch. This was followed in 1966 by the first Geyserville Zinfandel. The founding families reclaimed the Monte Bello terraces, increasing vineyard size from fifteen to forty-five acres. Working on weekends, they made wines of unprecedented intensity and regional character. Ridge Vineyards was incorporated in 1967; Dave Bennion left SRI to become president. New shareholders made it possible to acquire Perrone's old winery. Production increased to just under three thousand cases and the next year, 1969, Paul Draper joined the enterprise.

A Stanford philosophy graduate—recently returned from setting up a winery in Chile's coast range—he was a practical winemaker, not an oenologist. His knowledge of fine wines and traditional methods complemented the straightforward, "hands-off" approach pioneered at Ridge. Under his guidance the old winery was restored, the finest vineyard lands leased or purchased, the consistent quality and international reputation of the wines established. In the early 70’s Ridge participated in the replanting of the Cabernet vineyards on the Schwabacher Ranch further down the hill. These vineyards were taken under long-term lease in 1993 and became the “lower vineyard.”

Ridge now makes between sixty and sixty-five thousand cases of wine per year. Cabernet and Zinfandel account for most of the production; Merlot, Mataro, and Petite Syrah constitute a small percentage. Known primarily for its red wines, Ridge also makes limited amounts of Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay.

Price: £24.38
Including VAT at 17.5%

Qty:

California (Central Coast Region)	2005	Full Bodied
Zinfandel/Petite Syrah	Red	Grilled Meats/Barbecue/Beef/Game/Pasta
Ridge Vineyards	Medium Dry	Drink or keep

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