Opulent and rich, a hint of red apple amongst the dark fruit, clove and cedar aromas. The palate is full, freshened yet also hardened by acidity (Ridge disclose acidification, which is admirable), and retains some grip. Less fruit on the palate, and some heat. This is decent and quite enjoyable, but it doesn't live up to the hype about Ridge wines with age.
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Dark fruits with a touch of cherry/cranberry. Palate follows the nose. Throwing quite a bit of sediment. Nice, but was hoping for more. Actually paled in comparison to the '12 Mill York Creek opened alongside.
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Incredible nose with raspberries, floral notes and cedar, all presented with very good intensity. The palate is medium bodied, fresh, bright, with sensual, fruit coated tannins and impeccable balance. This is especially finely woven even for Lytton Springs standards. Quality oak beautifully settled in. Still so young but world class drinking once again with Lytton Springs. Marvelous. 18.5/20
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This was so good, I wanted something different from the cellar and found this wine that is a blend but primarily Zinfandel. It was full-bodied with mild tannins, great fruit was perfectly balanced. Drinking this made me so happy over Thanksgiving weekend, I recommend you drink it now if you have some this was my last one.
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Crimson red and translucent. Nose - red fruited, some slightly herbaceous notes and hint of menthol. Silky with slightly drying tannins, precise and focused and seems nicely conservative with regal fruit (plums) and should work well at the dinner table. Very good. No rush here.
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The wine shows a hint of maturity on the rim but still tastes quite young. More claret than Zinfandel at this stage - it is amazing how these wines evolve. Fresh, round, decent length but having trouble describing the flavour profile - maybe dark plum but it is delicious. No hurry to drink this vintage.
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74% Zinfandel, 16% Petite Sirah, 8% Carignane, 2% Mataro; 100+ year old vines. Native yeast fermentation. The Petite Sirah was whole berry fermented while the others were full crushed. 14 months in 100% American Oak (20% new, 60% 1-3 year use, and 20% 4 year old). Hand-harvested. Destemmed. Minimum sulfur used. Brix 24.7
Started off oaky and without much fruit. I thought perhaps that this had already faded past its prime. The nose was ok and spicy but the palate lacked fruit and was dominated by oak. With swirling and time in the glass, eventually it reminded me of typical old red Bordeaux style wines but 15-20 years old, not 10 with tobacco and dried fruit notes. There's dark fruit. A bit of tannins still. Medium-low acid at this point although I know younger Ridge Zin from Lytton Springs and Geyserville are much brighter and acidic. A couple hours later on my second glass, this wine entered a super silky smooth and integrated stage with a balance of dark fruit and savory notes. Overall, it's not that far off from a 15-20 year Bordeaux blend or 10 year old Southern Rhone at this stage. I would say it started at 88 but got to 92 by the end when everything came together and texture was gorgeous. But the fruit never really sang to me like a younger Ridge or Turley. It's more plummy as opposed to bramble berry fruit. I guess it really depends on your personal preference what age to drink it.
https://winediplomats.com/
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This bottle was quite good, however i can't help but sense that it is past it's peak, as secondary notes are in full bloom and fruit is starting to fade. Still a pleasure to drink and should hold a few more years!
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Deep ruby colour. Medium and developing nose with blueberry, forest floor, tobacco, wet leaves, mushrooms, dark plum, blackberry, warm spices and black pepper. Medium (+) taste of blueberry, blackcurrant, forest floor, tobacco, wet leaves, warm apices and black pepper. Long and dry finish. High acidity. High tannins. Full body. A very good Californian Zinfandel that is warm and spicy. Drink now or over the next couple of years. Goes well with beef, duck or pork.
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Coravin fun - Ridge range (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. Dense fresh plums with a little cherry and dusty sweet spice, vanilla, touch of herbaceousness. Juicy, densely fruited on the palate as well, all herbaceous and fresh plum with a little cherry underpin married to drying woody tannins that are quite velvety textured and persists long. Nice.
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Decanted 3.5 hours. Great, fully integrated wine. Plenty of fruit in a medium weight frame. Polished tannins. We had this with sous vide steaks and everyone loved it
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Really nice red blend - can’t believe I forgot about this. This is not a big sappy zin w that doubles as a BlackBerry pie. This has a lot going on, shows great structure and nice acidity.
Best vintage of LS I’ve had. 2 hour decant, saved a glass for day 2. The wine is dense purple to the rim with very slight bricking. Earthy, loamy aromas, notes of American oak, and crushed blueberries. Full bodied with perfect acidity. Well balanced, with serious pencil lead/graphite that others have noted. It’s a mouth watering Lytton. Will keep and develop further, but very enjoyable now. The benefits of cell time for Lytton and Geyserville cannot be overstated. Cheers!
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The bouquet is worth the price of admission by itself. It's drinking very well as other tasters have noted. I'll join the parade and give it a grade of A- . Probably some room to grow.
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From Magnum - Excellent lytton springs, really showing the benefits of a little age. Flavors have really come together. Oak has integrated really nicelyand fruit has mellowed out keeping this a little fruit forward — but not jammy— with some great secondary/earthy/savory notes coming through as well. Quite approachable right out of the bottle.
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This bottle was Much better than one had a while back. Still very heavy on the (American) oak, but more fruit and better integration on this. A big wine, but a good match with BBQ. Our last bottle, but not too sad to see it go.
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Held from visit in 2018. Very good, fully developed wine. Recalled Rhone wines with great "hot" fruit flavors. Well rounded with a strong core of rounded acidity across the palate. Very pleasurable and look forward to drinking the over the the next 3-5 years.
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1 hour decant. Terrific and EXPLOSIVE. It is a rich, powerful Zin blend that has come together in a beautiful harmonious, balanced way 9 years after harvest. It gives you everything from the flavor to the texture you want from a high quality Zin - hot sun ripened massive black/blue fruit with a mouth filling big body. The nose is spectacular with wafts of mocha. Unsurprisingly, this big boy has Long legs owing to the high ABV. Lots of life ahead of it, this wine overdelivers in the way that only Ridge can. Outstanding QPR
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This is really developping beautifully, but then what‘s new with Ridge and Lytton Springs? Deep ruby/purple color, just a touch of lightening up towards the rim. It‘s showing beautiful notes of dark cherries, plum, tobacco leaf, some cedar wood, there is also some sweet spice note, as well as some graphite, smoke and a touch of orange zest with some more air. It‘s pretty full-bodied, with excellent persistence and good medium+ acidity providing nice freshness. There is also some medium+ tannin adding grip and structure. Long finish. This still has many years ahead but it‘s starting to open up and the baby fat has gone mostly. Excellent Lytton Springs. (94+)
Beautiful on the nose, paired with a Pappardelle and it couldn't keep up to the spicy food. could be a bad pick for me is all, but it didn't open up as much i was expecting either. Still lots of time left on these, will try again in a year.
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Ripe raspberry, eucalyptus, vanilla, clove, some wood and bark — the nose wasn’t super expressive and took some time to open up. The palate to me seems near its peak, some fleshy texture, but mainly integrated tannins and medium acid. It’s not unstructured, but it doesn’t feel firmly structured either. The palate ends with more clove cinnamon stick.
I liked it more than others did, but did notice the oak as others commented. That said, I didn’t like it as much as the 14 or 15.
This is still young...A bit full of alcohol on day 1...and lots of sweet acid...Day 2 is better and much smoother. This will be better in 2-3 years at least...
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Enjoyed this more than I anticipated, although I would agree with many of the reviews regarding the oak. Pleasant on the nose but a little disjointed on the palate. First glass had an odd aftertaste which eventually blew off after decanting. Drink now.
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10 months since my last noted bottles and whilst much the same in the broad, definitely mellowing out with age and losing a tad of its concentration as a result. In my view for drinking up over the next year or two.
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This Ridge wine is abominably over-oaked. The fruit barely peeks through the bourbon and dill flavors of American oak. Like licking on a used bourbon barrel and dreaming faintly of blackberries. I would be amazed if the wood flavors integrates in time so that the fruit comes through, but will sit on my remaining few bottles. Poor decision-making at Ridge in this vintage; I have had some mid-1990's wines from the producer that were decent, but this is outrageously unbalanced. A poor effort here. What were they thinking? Hopefully more recent efforts at Ridge are not as imbalanced ....
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Gave it some time to decant, but it doesn't need a lot. Definite sediment on cork and in bottle, the wine has a silken elegance. Very nice, it has a stylish maturity like a touch of gray. Smooth, light acidity, Ridge-y rounded. Very Lytton. Drank in Sep 21.
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Blindfolded, I would have bet the farm that what I had in my glass was a Manhatten (the cocktail) and not a glass of wine. It had the medicinal,herbal smell of vermouth with the woody smell of bourbon. On the palate there was nice raspberry notes with good acidity. The aftertaste was all boozy barrel.
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This wine was doubtlessly better before, and will be better again. It has the regal bearing of a Ridge wine, but this bottle is at a point where the fruit is subdued, while the acidity is still a little more forward. I think a little patience will be rewarded with this vintage. It is very good wine. Only due to timing, it was and will be better.
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Dark ruby. Blackberry, plums, black cherries, spice nose/palate. A little astringent. Getting a little confused with this wine! RP suggests that this will drink well until 2030+ which I still struggle with and I’m not as positive about the wine as when tasting last year. Four bottles left, perhaps revisit 2022........
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Drank this a week ago so do not have detailed tasting notes. But I had consumed a bottle a year ago and said, “try again in 2021 to see if the oak calms down.” Well, I can confirm that the oak was much more subdued in this bottle I just had. It was a very nice wine and in a good drinking window.
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Decanted 1hour with considerable sediment, last tasted 8/17, very dark, rich, concentrated. Plenty of dark fruits, cassis, black cherry, plum, currants, nice long smooth finish. Paired nicely with rack of lamb. This bottle was drinking well now but should easily last 5 plus years.
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Early maturity but Lytton goes for decades. Oak has been shed and the wine has softened since release. Really in a great spot for drinking but can hold easily another decade.
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Hmm. This showed a little sharp for me. I'm not sure if it's on its way out or is just hitting some kind of random dumb phase...something I vaguely remember happening with the 2007...I shall pop the last bottle away and leave it for a few years...it will either be awful or get through this difficult phase.
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This was disappointing. Got it strait from the winery, and stored it in my wine fridge. It is already on it's way down. This should be in the window of drinking at it's peak. I have one more.
This has aged nicely. The color is burnished ruby purple. The nose is is red raspberry fruit. The wine is medium bodied, balanced with smooth tannins. It has flavors of red fruit and chocolate that linger on the palate. It held up well with dinner.
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Ageing wonderfully, and while drinking nicely now, I'd say it has maybe another 3-5 years in it still. Luscious fruit, very ripe and dense. Sublime tannic structure, but not overtly chewy, thanks in part to some lift from the acidity. No noticeable heat or alcohol burn. Long finish.
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Lovely, exactly what I expected, and what I know and love about Ridge. Rich plummy scents, with a spicy herbal edge. American oak is a tad strong, and there’s a little aldehyde/bruised fruit aroma happening. Otherwise terrific, quite rich on the palate but walks a tightrope of balance with all of the elements integrated at this stage. Drinking excellently at the moment.
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Two bottles decanted together. Dense and concentrated. Fine dark berry and warm spice Zin. Velvet tannins; a tad of alcohol heat and well judged acidity provide balance. Fully ready and for drinking up to ten years from vintage whilst at its peak.
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Drinking really nicely. Balanced tannins and acidity straight from the bottle, and got even better as it decanted. Stone fruit, minerality, and a hint of baking spices, with tart cherry coming in later. Nice long finish.
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Wow. This wine is really drinking well right now. Excellent all the way around. The only flaw was our fault: we did not bring it to temperature and decant soon enough. Lovely dark fruits, licorice and a bit of leather. This is a luscious, rich, delicious blend.
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Last of 4 bottles. Still drinking very well. Dark red/black and a touch of sediment in bottle. Ripe cherry, menthol, baking spice, fig preserves, and touch of vanilla. On palate, ripe cherry, strawberry, glycerin (CDP like) and baking spice. Medium+ body, medium acidity, low tannins and long finish. Very flavorful. 92+
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This is why we wait. The wine is drinking supremely well right now, with a billowing nose, smooth texture and a great finish. So of course it was my last bottle, but I would say this has at least another 3-5 years in it.
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Lovely bottle. Nose of dark fruits and vanilla. We'll integrated flavours - dark berries, freshness and a slight oak touch. Medium to long finish. Drinking very well.
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Cork is in good condition with some tartaric crystals buildup. Straight out of the bottle it is already smooth and silky with dark fruit, brandy and chocolate with a cool herbal, menthol tone. Only getting richer and better with air. Drink now.
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7 years puts this wine in it's prime drinking window. Very smooth and tannins well rounded and integrated. Classified as a red blend as at 74% Zinfandel it's just under the threshold to be a Zinfandel. 26% Petite Sirah, 8% Carignane and 2% Mataro. Black cherry and plum very prominent. I also got chocolate and a little vanilla. Great wine
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1+ hour to open up, dynamite, with the extra varietals in there, from memory, PS, Carignane, Mourvedre... gives this extra body and length. Not near the end of life on this...
Ox cheek selection session (KC's place): Medium plus intensity aromas of plums, black cherry, sweet spice, cedar, vanilla, alcohol warmth here as well as mocha, chocolate and, with time in the glass, a little herbaceous underpin. In the mouth the surprisingly medium plus intensity acidity (perhaps the alcohol is helping the mouth water) gives a beneficial red fruit lift to the ripe plums and black cherry, a lick of vanilla, the herbaceous note less noticeable on the palate. Tannins are a little soft for beef cheeks though...
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Excellent year. Dense plum and blackberry with aspects of cherry and garrigue. There are dense herbs that lurk in there that will not really show for 5 more years. This is in excellent balance with tart, fruit and spices that go on.
Paired with rack of lamb and mushrooms.
This particular bottle had been in my cellar for years since club purchase. This Ridge bottling is normally tight for a longer cellaring requisition, but this one was really open upon purchase. It could easily see 20 years, but be enjoyed now.
There were delish tartaric crystals at the end of the bottle.
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PnP. I agree with Brian’s note from February that this is turning claret like with blackberry and plum. Where I differ is that I think I will drink my remaining bottles over the next 2-3 years.
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Excellent Zin. Nose full of fruit and earth. Fruit balanced with tannins in the mouth. Lingering finish. Enjoyed with BBQ'd ribs. Middle of a long window. Stellar wine.qq
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The 2013 Ridge Lytton Springs is drinking beautifully. Lots of mature Zinfandel notes of tobacco, cedar, mocha, and leather, with a small amount of bramble fruit left. This is at maturity and will be best over the next few years.
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Didn’t take notes. This was an average Ridge Lytton Springs, good but nothing memorable. I’m finding more and more that I prefer the flavors of Geyserville compared to Lytton Springs.
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Another solid Lytton here. Dark fruits, claret in structure- not jammy Zin type wine. Will not hold up like the legendary '99, so drink up if you got this one in the cellar.
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A dramatic transformation over the past year. Right at the pop, a profound and magnificent garden of flowers and spices greet the nose. Dusty dark purple color, about 80% opaque with heavy sediment, but very pretty in the glass. Appropriately warm and ripe, the mouthfeel manages to smooth things over for the tasty and undeniably-Zinfandel palate of flavors that follow. I believe the 26% of other varieties help hold down the typical jammy character and add some tannic backbone. If the fruit was shy before, it has now found its multi-faceted promiscuous streak. What an excellent wine. 5+13+17+9= 94
Tried this again and maybe I was a little harsh last time. Decanted for 2 hours, seemed fuller and a little more expressive. Not so sure that it needs drinking up after tasting today, and maybe another 2-3 years. Will revisit next year.
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Blackberry, pepper, liquorice and a hint of vanilla and spice from the oak. Bit sweet and brambly nose as one expects from a Zinfandel, but not jammy. Rich, slightly wooden nose that shows some alcohol, but not very disturbing.
The palate shows nice concentration with berries, plum and black cherry on the palate. Lovely supple and integrated tannins. Also showing bit of a mineral chew. Well balanced acidity. Long.
Not sure how this develop. About 90 points now, but liked this one better than the one 3 years back and I believe another point might be warranted.
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Ruby hue that opens with hibiscus and pepper aromas. Black cherry and blueberry dominate up front while leather and allspice linger on a lasting finish. Medium density with terrific acidity/fruit balance and smooth tannins. A fabulous Zinfandel that has a couple more years of peak drinking left.
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Both wines were pulled as a result of the Ridge virtual tasting today. The panalists featured the 2013 among the 4 wines they tasted, but we pulled the 2010 once the 2013 ran out during dinner. The 2013 is magenta frm core to rim with a nose of brown sugar, zin funk, blueberry, and boysenberry. It’s a very elegant nose. The drinking window of “over the next 10 years” per John Olney’s notes from 2014 suggest that we are really just in the drinking window. As Eric Baugher remarked during the tasting both this wine and the 2013 Geyeserville they tasted can easily go 20 years. This is a delicious and very approachable wine with the palate tracking the nose but the added element of coffee on the finish. It’s a wine of structure and elegance; perhaps a touch linear just now. Heavy sediment has developed from phenols precipitating out. The 2010 is a lesser wine, but a good wine nonetheless. Flavors of brown sugar, molasses, zin bramble berries carry the day. A touch of rhubarb on the nose. The wine lacks the heft of the 2013. The 2010 is a blend of 67% Zinfandel, 23% Petite Sirah and 7% Carignane and 3% Mourvedre. The 2013 is a blend of 74% Zinfandel, 16% Petite Sirah and 8% Carignane and 2% Mourvedre. Both throw heavy sediment with the 2013 throwing more. The 2010 ha 14.4% alc., while the 2013 has 14.3% alc. Both with homemade mushroom tart. Both Recommended with the 2013 preferred.
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Still largely primary with some oak showing upon opening. A hard decant got rid of the oak and brought out a few secondary elements. Really lovely with lamb vindaloo tonight.
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Opened and poured half into a decanter. Served with food (pulled pork and biscuits, in case you were wondering. Delicious too!). Dark ruby-purple color. Nose is bramble with dark fruits, think blackberries, black raspberries and blueberries, mixed with that shrub note. Light on its feet, there is good acidity, balance and elegance. Light mouthfeel. The fruit is a bit lighter than on the nose. Enjoyable.
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A relatively simple but highly reliable and consistent Zin/PS blend from Ridge. Doesn't disappoint and gets only better with air/decanting. Not much excess ripeness; good acidity and some apricot and red berry notes on the palate.
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This was much better than the 2014 Lytton I drank recently. Great balance, not sweet, blackberry, spice, bramble, and a beautiful elegance that was surprising. Still fresh, zesty fruit, in a great place.
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Expressive fruity nose. Drinking at peak. Chunky, and not particularly complex,but oh so yummy. Well balanced. The Rhone varietals tame the agressive Zinfandel. Good finish.
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Wine is a deep, dark, nearly black crimson. Not very bright.
Nose - intensely aromatic. Blackberry all day, plus a little baking spice. Those are highly dominant and it's tough to find other things. Maybe some other red fruit. Dried cherry?
On palate, wine is sound. High alcohol, medium acidity, long finish. Palate mirrors nose but with a bit of oak a l'americaine. Tannins have started to soften though they could still mellow out a bit. Still slightly drying.
I like this wine though I think there's about one degree too much oak on it.
Follow-up - day 2 Per @Oldwines' helpful suggestion, I decanted and let the wine sit for a bit before tasting again. But if anything, the wine actually became less appealing to me. This remained a plum-and-oak fiesta.
I think the correct answer here is to give the wine some more time. So next bottle should not be consumed until next year at least (2021).
I’m not sure where a number of other notes are getting a drink up. I respectfully disagree. This is my second from 375 and I definitely drank too soon.
For my taste, even given the 375, I’d wait another 5 years. However, this was still definitely enjoyable.
Starting to develop some claret-like qualities. Blackberry, plum, and other dark fruits are present but the oak seems to come through more than my previous bottle with aromas of cinnamon, nutmeg, and anise. Some herbs, wet leaves, and organic earth on the palate. Tannins are integrated. In its drinking window, will revisit in 5 years.
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On the nose- Dark fruits, dark cherries, dark chocolate, black olives, mountain herbs, violets, baking spice
On the palate- Dark fruits and dark cherries, dark chocolate and black olives, mountain herbs and violets with a bit of baking spice on the finish, just a great wine and showing a bit of age but still has another 7-10 years if not longer with no problem
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Nose and palate of brambly fruit and oak. My favorite Zin. ( cut with petite Syrah and some southern Rhone varietals). Big wine, California claret in style, and not subtle, but well balanced. Drinking at peak but will hold for several years.
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Coravin fun - Ridge range; 1/15/2020-1/17/2020 (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. Dusty, plums, sweet spice, earth, cherry, slightly reductive notes, herbaceous elements. with time it starts to show toast and red currant and a little pepper. Hmm, it's juicy and fleshy, floury textured tannins, the fruit is medium minus intensity and in the red spectrum. Medium length. Hmm.
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Dark red with a pink rim. Intense nose, fruity, dark fruit, some wood notes. Quite hot, lightly tannic and medium high acid. Balanced. Medium long finish.
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Blue and black fruit out weigh the red fruits here. There is some rusticity here that brings out an exciting component. Good depth and texture. This is a great field blend that is pleasing in every way. Good juice.
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No formal notes. Drank after a 2ish hour decant. Prototypical Lytton Springs profile, not quite as tasty as the 2012 we had two nights prior. This one is just entering its prime drinking window, I'd say consume over the next 5 years.
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Red and blue fruit, garrigue and a rustic touch make this wine exciting to consume. Aromatically expressive. Good texture and depth. This wine is now in a good place. Great juice.
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As one might expect, this is pretty great. Beautiful minty nose. Rich fruit with acidic balance and some interesting smoke and briar. Only a bit of tannin. It will still keep but it’s lovely now.
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Expressive nose of dark fruit with bakery, spices, oak. Medium+ bodied entry, tannisn very present buffering the fruit. The balance is good here if you like this grape variety mix. Can age further.
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Frische, fruchtige (rotbeerige) Nase mit etwas Gewürz (Zimt), eher kühler Eindruck. Am Gaumen bombige rote Johannisbeere und Zwetschke, etwas Hollunderbeere. Schöne Säure, forsches Tannin. Grossartig und tolles Potential für einen grossen Wein.
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Deep dark ruby/purple color. Deep notes of sweet spices, cedar wood, some leather, tobacco leaf, also some plum, sweet dark fruit, also some smoke, pepper notes. It‘s full-bodied, dense without being heavy, with very good medium+ acidity and medium-high tannin. Excellent length. A superb Lytton Spring of the highest level. All this needs is a few more years in bottle. Love it.
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Complicated and well-integrated oak meets ripe, fresh-picked, and stewed red and black fruits. Seems like it would benefit from another 5 in the cellar.
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This is my second time with this wine and it has not struck me as interesting or attractive to any great measure either time. Just kind of blasé and generic. Given that, it also seems young so I’m not sure how long you’re supposed to wait on these. I have one more that I’ll let sleep for awhile.
Fragrant nose revealing blueberry marmelade with black cherry and ripe damson plum. Broad and supple with rounded tannins and a velvety texture with a spicy edge on its lasting finish.
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This has to be about as good as it gets for Lytton Springs. This vintage is easily the best I've tasted in my 30 years of being into wine.
There was a good amount of sediment left in the bottle upon decanting. Initially the nose was rather closed, but about 90 minutes in, it was showing gorgeous, complex aromatics. It isn't a crime to drink now, but it still has a fair amount of baby fat and I suspect will show even better in 2-5 years. I will probably pop our last bottle during the holiday season in 2020.
Major props to John Olney for this beauty. (94-95)
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Drank at a party. Should have allowed some time to open up but you know how it is...Would probably score higher if given more air. Overall good purity of fruit and a nice finish.
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As prior tasters have noted, this really needed 30 minutes+ of air to shine.
Rich nose - figs, dark cherry, plum, baking spice and touch of glycerin. Similar palate. Full body, with med tannins/ med acidity and long finish. Paired great with beef chili. 92-93 range - enjoyed this more than my prior tastings (4/2016 and January of 2018). Very consistent wine that is aging well.
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Beautiful red candied nose with hints of cotton candy. Signature long smooth finish with ridge wines.
Moderate acitity but about as much as you get with a zin from dry creek. But fruit is awesome and agree with others this is well balanced and should continue to age gracefully.
This bottle was better than when I had my last bottle two years ago. Sit on the rest of mine until 2025.
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It is almost unfair for me to rate this wine. Dark fruit, garrigue, wild herbs and very rustic. All characteristics that I love. However, even after a one hour decant, this wine is was still very tight. It tried to open up as we got to the end of the bottle. There is nothing but upside for this wine. I highly recommend waiting another two years in the bottle to come together.
Wow, this has improved significantly from my note 5/2017. The fruit is more cohesive and the mid palate has fleshed out. A great Ridge Zin blend. The drinking window is now open!
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Decanted. Clear deep-ruby color. Brambly black fruit and spice aromatics. Flavors of black cherry & blueberry; tea leaf, allspice & clove; violets, and hints of iron. Juicy and bright palate, fruit-driven with subtle secondary depth. Medium-bodied and elegant with fleshy round tannin. Crisp, dry and lingering finish. Drinking well - drink/hold.
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Very nice. Excellent fruit with bright acidity. Nice blend as the PS component works really well with the zin. A wine that is pleasant with food or alone.
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Very nice zin. Nose was rich with berries, pencil graphite and a bit of smokiness. Smooth on the palate, deep summer fruits and a bit of classic zin pepper. Buttery and reminiscent of blackberry pie crust. Finish is medium. Very approachable now and would be interested to see the change in a few years.
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Found this to be bit too ripe, with prune notes. A dense wine, with the petite sirah felt, though some acid on the finish saves things (but with perhaps slight va twinge that I thought was also detectable on the nose). Hard to tell where this will go in the future, but for now not the best Ridge I’ve had.
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Like the song “raspberry beret”..... Touch more now on the secondary chocolate, leather notes... Still primary fruit but not as much as initial... Drying tannins still present... Can drink up or cellar a touch more to see the evolution... Real nice!
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Drinking really well right now. Ripe currants, blueberries, dark chocolate, black pepper, and herbal notes with structured, but velvety tannins. Not a major heavyweight, so drink pretty within a year or so.
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40th Annual Zinfandel Retrospective - the 2013s (R&Ds): Blind. The only one in this lineup that I find a little overly ripe, with subtle notes of prune and mixed red and black fruit. Nice spice overtones. Finishes a little shorter than most of the others in the lineup too.
My #9, Domino's #6 Group #9, 71 pts
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Two hour decant, better than I remembered. This is clearly the zin/zin blend for those who normally don't enjoy this varietal, as evidenced by my dad's reaction upon trying it ("this is pretty good....actually, this is really good").
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Plums, prunes, dark cherry, milk chocolate, oak, leafy pepper, and a hint of flora and licorice. High acidity, medium+ body, medium+ somewhat puckering tannins. Give this a little while more to mellow. Medium+ finish of dark cherry and milk chocolate. Good now with a little air; this is just on the cusp of coming into its own, and will probably be very nice drinking in a couple of years' time.
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At that perfect point between being young and fresh and starting to take on more mature qualities. Fruit is edging toward the dried end of the spectrum and is getting a bit dusty. Bramble and garrigue nestle their way in with just a hint of kirsch at the finish. Tannins are singing and acidity is very much holding the pieces together. Delicious and only headed for better things.
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Deep purple color, not showing the slightest signs of age around the edges yet. Big nose of ripe plums and cherries. Fruit explodes in the mouth, primarily cherries and plums, but some strawberries and blackberries sneaking in around the backside. Tannins are starting to mellow out, though still provide a firm backbone. Velvety mouthfeel on the lingering finish. Drinking fabulously right now, but still has another 5 to 10 years ahead of it.
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Bright, glass-clinging purple red. Nose and palate of plum-berry cobbler. Mouth filling with juicy, medium acidity and medium minus tannins (just a dusting on the finish). Holding up very well, as expected. Steak? Stroganoff? Southern Italian? You got this.
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Coravin fun - Ridge range (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. Slightly dusty notes, peppery spice, umami over cherry, vanilla and herbaceous notes. Almost tart compared to the other wines and a little hard. Spice is plentiful, cherry fruit but finishes a little bitter. Almost like stalks though I'm sure that isn't the case.
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felt it needs a bit more time after about 2 hours air drank with '14 and '15 geyserville and it acquitted itself well and carried an old world dustiness I attribute to the minimalistic winemakeing approach. I feel it should drink well for years but can be enjoyed now with an hour or two of air
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Still a baby. Intense dark fruits--blackberry and cherry--on the pallet, and very smooth, this has a long ways to go to fully mature. We will wait 3-5 years, and try another then. Anticipate the score will only go up.
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consistent with my note from 4/2016. Very nice bottle of wine and very food friendly. 92+/-
"reddish black color. Plum, black cherry, blueberry compote, fig and baking spice. On palate, medium body, medium acids & medium+ finish with tannins well integrated - very balanced. Black cherry, briary / bright cherry, cherry flavor profile. Paired great with food & very good on it's own. Would buy again."
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Decided to check in on the 2013 Lytton Springs, this bottle being in my wine fridge at 55-57dF since release. Predominantly ripe raspberries and blackberries, juicy but not too jammy, with hints of sage, wet leaves, earth, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
The earthy character dominates more on the palate than the fruit however, though it finishes with nice ripe fig and plum notes. Not really sensing much of the licorice or black pepper as I did upon release. Medium plus finish, the alcohol lingers but is not overpowering. Tannins are well-integrated. Drink or hold, though this one is already throwing sediment.
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This is a classic vintage for this field blend, exemplifying the Ridge house style of richness with restraint. "Aristocratic" is the word that always comes to mind. To me, it needs more time (2-3 years) before entering its prime drinkability window, but it is delightful now. It is already throwing a good amount of sediment, so a decant is recommended. (93-94)
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Darker than expected. Sweet and sour VA nose initially, but this settled down. A lot of oak on the nose, the fruit ripe but submerged. Lacking the openness and spicey warmth I associate with this cuvee. A stylistic shift, firmer and more structured but I am not convinced it is the better for it.
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seemless beauty in this bottle gorgeous fruit and lovely balance on backend what a joy and an enormous improvement over my last one 3 months ago popped and poured but had a half bottle left and re tasted 3days later and it was nearly the same... magical
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PnP, single glass for me. Family consumed the rest later in the evening. Deep and rich boysenberry, blueberry, plum, dark chocolate and vanilla. Will sit on my remaining bottle a few years to see if the vanilla dissipates.
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Sadly, not as good as the last bottle, mainly due to the heat. Lots of alcohol on this wine that I didn’t detect in the last bottle. After this was in the glass an hour or so, the heat started to let up, so suggest decanting. Red berries and well knit, but that pesky alcohol... I’ll wait a year or so on my next bottle. Recommend holding or at least decanting a few hours before opening.
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Crimson in color. 14.3% ABV. Tremendous nose of brambly red and blue fruits, licorice and cocoa powder. Medium to full bodied with ample acidity. Lush and hedonistic. Earthy flavors of blueberry, boysenberry, plums and bittersweet chocolate. The finish long and sweet with gritty tannins. Clearly a wine built for the long haul. Drink over the next 6-8 years.
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Really a very nice wine. Decanted about 90 minutes. Plush black and blue fruits. Nicely integrated and smooth with a bit of the Ridge edge at the end. Good finish.
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deep violet color tart fruit and leafy aroma on nose. vanilla and alcohol were prominent early but after an hour decant, settled out palate is lush and satisfying with a darker fruit profile than the nose and fairly long finish. This is a big wine that is fairly deft on the tongue.
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Decated for 2 hrs, this particular bottle really benefited from the extended decant. Loads of plum, cherry, cassis, hints of raspberry, borders on being jammy but still has backbone, spicey medium finish. Should drink well for several years.
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Aa a pop and pour, a full-bodied relatively tannic bold fruity wine. With about 2 hours, the the fruit becomes relatively muted but the tannins don't fade. Not sure I'm a big fan of that. The wine does not seem to be consistent bottle to bottle
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Still very youthful. Garnet color with just the slightest hint of age. Plenty of structure. Good acid balance and some mildly drying tannins. The 14%+ alchohol was evident. Dark berry fruits on the nose and palate. Nicely made wine. On the ripe side. Nothing to not like here. A little heavy on the wood for my taste but totally acceptable.
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enjoyable but not amazing... a zinfandel blend for sure, but for my tastes too much Petit Sirah, which diminishes the Zin component... i would rather just go with a Bordeaux
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Delicious but the mid palate is a bit leaner than expected with so much petite sirah. Definitely young as it needed a good hour to start showing its fruit. Wait for now, IMO.
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I last tasted this @ 6 months ago and, based on my prior note, has not evolved much in the cellar: it remains very, very young. It is an explosive,rich, hedonistic, fruit forward wine with deep, deep flavor, which can, overwhelm the fabulous nuances also present. There is a deep, rich, satisfying berry fragrance familiar to all who love zin. Classic but amped up Dry Creek Zin flavors in abundance, tempered and made more elegant by the high percentage of Petite Sirah@ 16%, Carignane@ 8% and Mouvedre @ 2%: blackberry, blueberry, bramble, pepper melded together in alluring fashion. Pairing this wine with food correctly is critical since it will overwhelm all but the sturdiest of dishes such as grilled steak, lamb, roast, etc. While tempting now this wine is still too young, probably by 2-5 years. I think some extra bottle time will smooth out the exuberant fruit and this will evolve into a wine for the ages. Unfortunately, I'm not sure I'll have any left by then.
Bright garnet colored, medium-full bodied, complex, rich concentrated forward black raspberry and blue bramble fruits accented by clove spice, Kirsch, floral, anise and hints of tangy oak (aged fourteen months in American Oak). There is 16% Petite Sirah in the blend and it is apparent in adding breadth and depth complexity and a backbone of a firm but not overbearing tannin finish.
From memory: Dark forest fruits, mocha, spices and vanilla on the nose and palate. Full bodied and rich, yet has enough freshness and grip to ensure good balance. Open for business – should drink well into the early 2020'ies.
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Classic old style Zin. Full body, but not a monster. Dark fruit, a little bit of black pepper with touch of vanilla. Medium soft tannins and a very nice acidity. 14.3% abv with no alcoholic heat. Really good stuff.
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Deep fragrant nose. Claret style of Zin blended with Petite Syrah and some Southern Rhone varietals. A well balanced big wine packed with flavor that doesn't show the heaviness often associated with California reds. Long sweet finish.
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I could kick myself for not buying a case of this. Briefly decanted. Draper perfume I've come to expect, and the aroma quickly drew me in. Dark, inky, brooding red fruit which just clings in the mouth with every sip. A long finish. Balanced. This is outstanding zin and I suspect will continue to drink well for many many years. Fantastic zin!
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From Coravin. Everything I'd expect but slightly less. Plums, black cherries, a certain green note. more of the same on the palate, juicy and dense with fine grained tannins. This felt less overtly Lytton than a kind of Geyserville/Lytton shake up. Long. Okay.
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N: Jammy with pyrazines beneath? Smoky aspects emerge with air. Seems rich, deep, & intense
P: MF, poss Med, body; Almost swtish frt on front with balancing acidity; Long, only slightly astringent finish. While approachable now [with food, certainly], it deserves 2-3 yrs (I'd guess) to show its best, possibly a tad less? [Palate continued to improve with 2 hrs in the small tasting glass, showing ever increasing elegance over time.]
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Deep inky purple hue.... Nose is lush blackberry, raspberry, leaps out of the glass...tongue is same primary fruit with emphasis on bright raspberry and that balance of acidity and oak that wraps a great package!!....excellent wine!
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Decanted about 2 hours. Deep purple hues. Pleasant integrated ripe (but mellow) purple and blue fruits. Good finish. In a nice drinking window. May deserve the AG rating.
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An absolute gem for $35ish. The most impeccably balanced Zin based wine I've ever tasted. Medium full body, great nose of fruits and spices, and a great finish. 92 with potential to got 93-94 with a few more years of cellaring. Consistent wine year over year.
Dark, ruby purple core. Raspberry, black licorice and vanilla on the nose. Medium-bodied, balanced acidity, loads of red fruit upfront and very few tannins. Delicious and expressive from the word 'go', there is no need to hold this back. Excellent.
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Decated 1hr, this LS was singing tonight, jammy but not over done, plenty of plum, dark cherry, raspberry, hints of pepper, approachable now with a good decant or drink over the next five or so years.
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Deep and dark. No rim. Fragrance of berries, cherries, chocolate and cinnamon. Luscious mouthfilling flavors of rich, ripe blackberries, blueberries, raspberries cherries and a hint of pepper and spice. Balanced. Fruit forward with subtle tannins in the background Long finish. When allowed time in the glass the wine opens further and the flavors become richer and more hedonistic. I agree with AG that the Petit Syrah really adds a compelling dimension. It is superb now and should continue to improve for 5-10 years. As good as this is, I think the 2014 Is even better!
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App: dark purple red Aroma: dark fruit incl. blueberries, chocolate, spice, oak Full-bodied with decent acidity and firm tannins. Concentrated dark fruit, chocolate, spice, and oak on the palate. Excellent length. (90)
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Fruit forward, with high tannins. Would benefit from another few years in the cellar. Decanted with an aerator to open it up. Would like to try this wine again after some cellar time.
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PnP and ran through a vinturi to add a little air to the mix, the nose is stewed red fruit, vanilla, red licorice. The palate is mildly tannic with little acidity and is controlled by sweet oak, black fruit, more red licorice. A pleasant run out finish with a thicker mouthfeel in front of it. This clearly will benefit from more cellar time, a couple of years easily, lay off of it if you can. An excellent zin blend.
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Got to be some bottle variation here, the fruit is quite muted compared to the two privious bottles tasted 6/27 & 5/6, tart cherry and hints of plum make this still a good Lytton, the finish Was dry and astringent. I am sure this is just an off bottle!
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First bottle probably lightly corked, second bottle way better. Boy is this good. The layered, powerful brambly dark Zin berry fruit is supported by unobtrusive oak and some gravel-edged tannins. There's plenty of structure but at this stage it's almost totally subsumed by the fruit, which pulls off that deft trick of concentration without heaviness. The label says this was both watered back and acidified, and a) Ridge's honesty about their "manipulations" is admirable, and b) this is a wine that is most likely better for the intrusions. This has the material to age beautifully and it should add complexity with bottle age.
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Appearance: Bright and clear, it has deep ruby color, with purplish rims and legs. Nose: Clean, with medium (+) intensity aromas of red fruit of strawberry, black fruit of blackberry, plum, dark cherries and blackcurrant, floral notes of violet, oak notes of vanilla, sweet spice of clove. The wine is youthful. Palate: Dry with medium acidity, the wine has medium tannin of ripe and silky texture, the wine has medium (+) alcohol, medium (+) body and medium (+) intensity flavors of black fruit such as blackberry, plum, red fruit of strawberry, oak notes of toast, sweet spice of clove. The wine has a medium finish. Conclusion: Very good quality Zinfandel blend with a highly aromatic nose showing good intensity and a nice complexity of fruitiness, the wine has a silky tannin texture while demonstrating good elegance and structure, with the expected alcohol level and good concentration, as well as a fair finish. It is ready to drink now though can benefit from further ageing of another 3-5 years.
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Always a solid wine. Decanted for an hour. Mixed berries with a little spice make up this great, and easy drinking Zin blend. Just enough acidity with soft tannins make this perfect for drinking on its own, or pairs great with just about any meat dish, even spicy chicken fajitas. Decent depth and finish give this great QPR. Should age well, but drinking well now with a decant.
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Bjørnebær in your face på duft, vanskelig å kjenne noe annet. Mye mer delikat i munnen, fin sødmefull jordbærfrukt. Frisk også (syrejustert). På den varme siden, kanskje, men deilig match til spicy hamburger med roquefort. Lang og fyldig ettersmak.
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Last bottle (no note) was better. This bottle is showing more heat, but for some reason it's not bothering me as much as it usually does in other wines. The fruit is dark and sweet, but manages to stay fresh. Juicy, but balance could be better.
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Wow! This wine surprised all of us. Explosive aromas jump from the glass. More blue fruit than red or black. The palate is full of life with vibrant fruit and long, lingering finish. A definite crowd pleaser. Enjoyed with duck confit and pork ragout.
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Don't Agree that this wine is backward simply because it was banging within 10 minutes of opening. I have minimal experience with ridge zins but cut my teeth on the varietal years ago. The usual big ripe over ripe wines with 15+% etoh.
Recently I've been fortunate to drink a lot of carlisles which present differently. Much more briarly and wild. Wines which I truly love and respect.
Ridge is like a Sophisticated red wine, youthful and balanced but lacking the Zinfandel-ly typicity I look for or expect.
Having said that I'd drink this wine any day. Got the chance to drink a '95 Lytton springs recently and it's easy to see how this vintage would evolve very similarly.
Just wonderfully balanced and clean.
Not sure how I'd pick this out as zin but love it nonetheless.
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Similar to most Lytton Springs from prior vintages this is pretty closed and backwards at this young age. Unlike 2013 Geyserville that is remarkably accessible, this one remains restrained even after 3 hours of decanting. The fruit and dry Zin/PS notes are all there, but this is misleadingly simple relative to what it is likely to offer after 4+ years of cellaring. Could be 94+ points over time.
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Very nice LS, rich, jammy, black cherry, currants, raspberry, hints of pepper, cloves and just a hint of oak. Still a bit of baby fat to shed over the short term, but what a beauty, should drink well for several years.
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92+ Dunkles Rot mit lila Schwarzfruchtig,Lakritze,geräuchtes,würzig,süssliche Aepfel(Mostapfel),zwischendurch pflaumig. Reich,fleischig,voller Körper,gute Säure,samtig,leicht trocknend,gute Tiefe,balanciert. Langer dunkelfruchtiger Abgang. Sind einfach gut in ihrer Art.
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Decanted for 30 minute and paired with bbq chicken.
Dark reddish black color. Plum, black cherry, blueberry compote, fig and baking spice. On palate, medium body, medium acids & medium+ finish with tannins well integrated - very balanced. Black cherry, briary / bright cherry, cherry flavor profile. Paired great with food & very good on it's own. Would buy again. 92+
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Our first Ridge (courtesy of Grapes, White Plains) (Landmarc): Didn't realize that these wines are more of a field blend - this one having the Zinfandel with the Petite Sirah, Carignon, and some others. Very fruit forward, red currant, a bit on the young side. Wonder if it would mellow down with some age - I think I'd like a bit more in that case. It's got a touch of spice which I like. Overall though less interesting that the Geyersville which was just in a nice spot for the night.
Beckett Tasting Group - Apr 2016: Dark red/purple color. Aromas of deep dark fruits, sweet dark cherry, boysenberry. This is the best nose of the flight. Getting more of the cherry and spice, but seems a little one dimensional right now.
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Sexy Zin with jammy notes of deep raspberry, dark cherry and some minerals. Smooth and lush in the mouth without being over the top. All around great expression of Cali Zin, put together in a nice package with fruit, acidity and tannin all in balance.
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Loved it at the Lytton Springs tasting room in November '15. This was every bit as good. Very nicely balanced. A little jam, a little pepper, but not too much of either. Really nice finish. I hope to get more - if so I'll decant it for 90 minutes.
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This is the best Lytton Springs since the 1990. Let it open up for an hour or so and it gets even better. Jammy. Vanilla. Great structure and balance. Everything working well here. Not sure I will be able to keep my hands off of this one.
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Well that is darn beautiful. On the nose. And then more structured on the palate. Man is that just classy stuff. Why does anyone buy another zinfandel? Unless you are buying this and geyserville first?
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Expresses some prune, raisin on the nose. Good concentration of fruit on the palate, with low to medium acidity, and the prune/raisin flavors repeating. Soft tannins, lead to a short to medium finish. Definitely has that mid palate burst of flavor.
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Great, as always. Vanilla, lilacs, prune, American oak. Restrained and traditional as a zin can be. This is too young but you can find this everywhere so buy two and drink one too early. The previous two vintages were better, which is weird because 2013 is being touted as the zin year, but maybe it's a function of youth.
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Gave this a lot of air as I followed it over 4 hours or so. The tannins and petite sirah asserted themselves the more the wine was exposed to air. Quite a lovely nose emerged. Big drying tannins by the end. It's clear this wine is headed places
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Inky deep prune, dried cranberry, and some blueberry. A lot of pewter and some bright flint notes. Bright metallic and smokey notes like a flint striker. A little floral with a hint of autumnal leaves and dark chocolate. Really opened up about an hour after opening.
Full bodied. Finish is long and resounding ... firmly tannic but harmoniously balanced by a lingering acidity.
Not going to rate as my palate was a bit compromised before tasting this. It's quite good though.
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top notch yumminess from Ridge. Very unique nose on this one. Cran-blueberry. Excellent mouthfeel. Full, chunky mid-palate. A somewhat disappointing finish given the early excitement. Alcohol taste but without the heat. Could use more time to come together.
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Very nice wine. May be near the pop and pour stage. Very pleasant rich and lush purple and black fruit. Can drink with or without food, but probably won't stand up to really spicy dishes. Excellent finish. Not sure this needs to sit for years in a bottle.
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Butter, fudge, blackberries, blackcurrant, vanilla, spicy oak and cookie dough. Dry, medium acidity, medium(-) tannins, medium+ body, medium+ intensity and finish.
This is a high quality wine, and quite tasty. Lacks a bit of personality though. Wouldn't buy, but wouldn't hesitate to recommend. Will probably age well.
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Mostly California (Hos Martin): Perfumed and sweet nose with spices and forest fruit. Very seemless style. Noticable tannins suggests aging potantial. A pleasure to drink.
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Deep dark purple-garnet in color; almost opaque. Full, forward, attractive & youthful nose of ripe dark fruit aromas of cherries, blackberries & plums with briary overtones, earthy, spices, herbs, licorice, dark cocoa, minerals, smoky, cedar & a hint of vanilla in the background. Full bodied with a very good concentration of well balanced, still developing & youthful, lush, rich, ripe dark fruit flavors of cherries, blackberries and blueberries with spices, herbs, minerals, dark cocoa & a touch of creamy vanilla. Long lingering finish. Drinks quite well at present with decanting and airing but has the fruit and structure to continue development with much needed aging. Alc. @ 14.7%; a blend of 74% Zinfandel, 16% Petite Sirah, 8% Carignane & 2% Mataro (Mourvedre).
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No detailed notes, drunk at a large Christmas dinner. This was the crowd favorite amongst some nice bottles. One of the best young Lytton Springs that I have tasted, it is drinking very well right now and has outstanding balance.
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First night, this felt a bit disjointed, with tannins a bit rough and everything seeming out of balance. Second night, it all came together beautifully, with the quintessential profile of wild berry fruit, smoke, and spice, with only a hint of vanilla oak. The beauty of the Ridge zin blends has always been the ability to show the rich, spicy components of the grape while demonstrating restraint and balance. This is a prime example, and one that will reward considerable patience. Hold.
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Clear, depending ruby turning purple at center. Intense raspberry, blackberry, plum, and coffee aromas. Some oak spice is present. There is a smoky/mineral thing going on. Full body, medium plus tannins and acidity. All elements are well balanced.
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Remarkably good for so young. Lighter and without the fruit density of some vintages, but has characteristic Ridge structure with great minerality and fruit. Drank at dinner with a 2007 Geyserville and it was nearly as popular.
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Fruit forward and bold, but not without finesse and elegance. Warm black fruits, a lot of plum and boysenberry, a very savoury background, some black tea, mocha, and spice. There is also a real iron-like minerality here too. The American Oak is round and full, but not sweet and domineering. Very good acidity and grippy tannins. A little more elegant with fresher fruit and a more mineral backbone than the Geyserville. Approachable and enjoyable now, but will improve immensely.
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Popped and poured, youthful purple/ruby, deep. Initially, the nose shows exactly as expected for a young a Ridge with bramble fruits, spice and American oak leading the charge. As this airs, the aromas evolve into those of clay and herbaceous autumnal vegetation along with more primary fruit. Medium-plus body. On the palate, this is certainly an extremely youthful Lytton but one that's loaded with potential...straddles a fine line between fruit and structured, the latter ultimately winning out, with chalky, chewy tannins lingering on the close. Despite it's backwardness, this is an awesome, claret-styled Lytton with the singular flaw of being too young to drink; give it 8-10 years and fireworks will ensue!
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A lot of stuffing! Expressive nose of dark fruit. Tannins are firm but not overpowering. Delicious dark fruit pushes through the tannin. While made for aging, there's a lot to love right now.
Not ready yet, but likely worth putting some away. AG/Vinous scored this 95, but said it needs time to shed "baby fat". Completely agree, this needs time. Good bones, deep red, spicy rich fruit, but currently lacks depth and finishes short. AG gave Ridge kudos for putting 16% Petite Sirah into the blend and I agree. For me PS alone is not that enjoyable, almost too dark and brooding without much fruit, but its depth and smoke is a great addition to a blend.
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After being opened for and hour or so, the Lytton Springs becomes a fairly one noted, sweetly fruited new world wine with soft, chalky blackberry fruit that shows a good deal of oaky baking spice. Whilst there is decent purity and intensity to the fruit, there is nothing to set it apart from an ocean of other pleasantly sweet Californian field blends at a much lower cost, and certainly nothing that warrants anywhere near a 95 point rating. On opening the nose shows chalk, dried cherry, prune and subtle exotic spice notes and leads to a palate of delicate round floral red fruit on the front, with subtle drying tannin, dusty earth, brioche and some cherry skin on the finish.
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Tasted at winery. 14.3% abv. 74% zin, 17% petit sirah with 8% carignane and 2% mataro (mouvedre). Dark berry fruit, slightly hot on the nose. Good acidity and chewy tannin. A bit tight and shutdown right now so hard to evaluate.
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Nice medium depth, good intensity, leaning more toward red/purple fruit than darker black fruit, with nice zinberry spice; quite structured, with some noticeable medium/gritty tannins. This will need several years to start being approachable, though fun to drink now.
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Aroma: blackberry and leather with hints of cedar. Palate: spicy blackberry with notes of lavender, cedar, leather and a touch of tobacco. Very complex with excellent structure. Solid tannins and good acidity. Hold for a couple of years, then should age well.
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2/24/2024 - pomelo Likes this wine: 90 Points
Cassis et bleuets plein la bouche. Acidité encore passablement élevé. Tannins bien intégrés. Un beau vin riche. Finale de longueur moyenne.
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1/28/2024 - Jabulani Likes this wine: 89 Points
Opulent and rich, a hint of red apple amongst the dark fruit, clove and cedar aromas. The palate is full, freshened yet also hardened by acidity (Ridge disclose acidification, which is admirable), and retains some grip. Less fruit on the palate, and some heat. This is decent and quite enjoyable, but it doesn't live up to the hype about Ridge wines with age.
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1/27/2024 - thelostverse wrote: 90 Points
Dark fruits with a touch of cherry/cranberry. Palate follows the nose. Throwing quite a bit of sediment. Nice, but was hoping for more. Actually paled in comparison to the '12 Mill York Creek opened alongside.
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11/3/2023 - ploher wrote:
Incredible nose with raspberries, floral notes and cedar, all presented with very good intensity. The palate is medium bodied, fresh, bright, with sensual, fruit coated tannins and impeccable balance. This is especially finely woven even for Lytton Springs standards. Quality oak beautifully settled in. Still so young but world class drinking once again with Lytton Springs. Marvelous. 18.5/20
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10/29/2023 - Emil Oliver wrote: 91 Points
Well made, but lacks some complexity.
Dark and deep in color. Nose dominated by blackberries and cedar. Good acidity and balance, still firm tannins.
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10/22/2023 - palbe Likes this wine: 91 Points
Generous, still semi-exotically black fruited and quite rich, yet fresh and balanced. Delicious, but can still develop more complexity.
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10/16/2023 - viking92067 Likes this wine: 93 Points
We take for granted Ridge Lytton Springs which is always a nice wine and great value
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10/14/2023 - Lord Marc Likes this wine: 91 Points
This was so good, I wanted something different from the cellar and found this wine that is a blend but primarily Zinfandel. It was full-bodied with mild tannins, great fruit was perfectly balanced. Drinking this made me so happy over Thanksgiving weekend, I recommend you drink it now if you have some this was my last one.
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10/5/2023 - thalver wrote:
smooth and balanced if without a particularly good nose. lingering, if subtle finish.
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10/2/2023 - fussyeater Likes this wine: 93 Points
Crimson red and translucent. Nose - red fruited, some slightly herbaceous notes and hint of menthol. Silky with slightly drying tannins, precise and focused and seems nicely conservative with regal fruit (plums) and should work well at the dinner table. Very good. No rush here.
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9/30/2023 - td1836 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Getting better with age! There is more balance and depth.
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9/3/2023 - suesherman Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted 3 hours, could have used more. The next day it was spectacular. Deep cherry, hints of licorice. Nose of rich soil. Loved it.
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8/22/2023 - LuckyLars Likes this wine: 94 Points
The wine shows a hint of maturity on the rim but still tastes quite young. More claret than Zinfandel at this stage - it is amazing how these wines evolve. Fresh, round, decent length but having trouble describing the flavour profile - maybe dark plum but it is delicious. No hurry to drink this vintage.
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8/18/2023 - cugel_saga Likes this wine: 94 Points
Luscious deep purple. Green leaves on the nose.
Dense, plummy, brambly dark fruit on the palate. A zing of graphite follows.
Red and green peppers come through. The wine settles down into a balanced, smooth delight of soft tannin and cool acid.
Hints of clove remain. Awesome stuff.
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7/2/2023 - Wine Diplomats Likes this wine: 92 Points
74% Zinfandel, 16% Petite Sirah, 8% Carignane, 2% Mataro; 100+ year old vines. Native yeast fermentation. The Petite Sirah was whole berry fermented while the others were full crushed. 14 months in 100% American Oak (20% new, 60% 1-3 year use, and 20% 4 year old). Hand-harvested. Destemmed. Minimum sulfur used. Brix 24.7
Started off oaky and without much fruit. I thought perhaps that this had already faded past its prime. The nose was ok and spicy but the palate lacked fruit and was dominated by oak. With swirling and time in the glass, eventually it reminded me of typical old red Bordeaux style wines but 15-20 years old, not 10 with tobacco and dried fruit notes. There's dark fruit. A bit of tannins still. Medium-low acid at this point although I know younger Ridge Zin from Lytton Springs and Geyserville are much brighter and acidic. A couple hours later on my second glass, this wine entered a super silky smooth and integrated stage with a balance of dark fruit and savory notes. Overall, it's not that far off from a 15-20 year Bordeaux blend or 10 year old Southern Rhone at this stage. I would say it started at 88 but got to 92 by the end when everything came together and texture was gorgeous. But the fruit never really sang to me like a younger Ridge or Turley. It's more plummy as opposed to bramble berry fruit. I guess it really depends on your personal preference what age to drink it.
https://winediplomats.com/
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6/4/2023 - rama wrote:
14.3%, showing notes of plum and caramel. It seems riper than its ABV suggests, and showed even better on day 2 when the tannin firmed up a bit.
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5/28/2023 - AllRed wrote: 90 Points
42nd Annual Zinfandel Retrospective - the 2015s (R&D's): Candied raspberry, cherry, licorice and plum notes. Flavors of cherry, blueberry and peppery spice. Lingering finish. 90+ pts.
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5/19/2023 - Bryan49 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drank with Brisket Burnt Ends. Agree with other notes this seems fully developed and may not have much more life. Very nice.
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5/13/2023 - AK Wines wrote: 94 Points
Sour cherry, plum, jasmine, prune
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4/3/2023 - wineshaman wrote: 90 Points
This bottle was quite good, however i can't help but sense that it is past it's peak, as secondary notes are in full bloom and fruit is starting to fade. Still a pleasure to drink and should hold a few more years!
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3/28/2023 - dlb291@pacbell.net Likes this wine: 93 Points
Still young. Great noise. Moderate fruit/finish. Strong for several more years.
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3/17/2023 - SuperSomm wrote:
Deep ruby colour. Medium and developing nose with blueberry, forest floor, tobacco, wet leaves, mushrooms, dark plum, blackberry, warm spices and black pepper. Medium (+) taste of blueberry, blackcurrant, forest floor, tobacco, wet leaves, warm apices and black pepper. Long and dry finish. High acidity. High tannins. Full body. A very good Californian Zinfandel that is warm and spicy. Drink now or over the next couple of years. Goes well with beef, duck or pork.
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3/13/2023 - chatters wrote:
Coravin fun - Ridge range (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. Dense fresh plums with a little cherry and dusty sweet spice, vanilla, touch of herbaceousness. Juicy, densely fruited on the palate as well, all herbaceous and fresh plum with a little cherry underpin married to drying woody tannins that are quite velvety textured and persists long. Nice.
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1/1/2023 - rgujral Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted 3.5 hours. Great, fully integrated wine. Plenty of fruit in a medium weight frame. Polished tannins. We had this with sous vide steaks and everyone loved it
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12/18/2022 - ppandian Likes this wine: 90 Points
Notes of camphor, red berries, restrained fruit, well integrated and fine tannins, balance and grip.
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12/10/2022 - Mr T wrote:
For me, too porty
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11/19/2022 - wineshaman wrote: 90 Points
Subtle noted of plum, raspberry, cherry,, hints of cloves, graphite, fully integrated tannins, ready to drink. Paired with leg of lamb!
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11/18/2022 - Rick 4 Wine Likes this wine: 93 Points
Really nice red blend - can’t believe I forgot about this. This is not a big sappy zin w that doubles as a BlackBerry pie. This has a lot going on, shows great structure and nice acidity.
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11/14/2022 - markydecker Likes this wine: 94 Points
Best vintage of LS I’ve had. 2 hour decant, saved a glass for day 2. The wine is dense purple to the rim with very slight bricking. Earthy, loamy aromas, notes of American oak, and crushed blueberries. Full bodied with perfect acidity. Well balanced, with serious pencil lead/graphite that others have noted. It’s a mouth watering Lytton. Will keep and develop further, but very enjoyable now. The benefits of cell time for Lytton and Geyserville cannot be overstated. Cheers!
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9/29/2022 - Jay Win Likes this wine:
The bouquet is worth the price of admission by itself. It's drinking very well as other tasters have noted. I'll join the parade and give it a grade of A- . Probably some room to grow.
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8/17/2022 - WhineEnthusiast Likes this wine: 94 Points
From Magnum - Excellent lytton springs, really showing the benefits of a little age. Flavors have really come together. Oak has integrated really nicelyand fruit has mellowed out keeping this a little fruit forward — but not jammy— with some great secondary/earthy/savory notes coming through as well. Quite approachable right out of the bottle.
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8/13/2022 - Everything Ahead wrote: 89 Points
This bottle was Much better than one had a while back. Still very heavy on the (American) oak, but more fruit and better integration on this. A big wine, but a good match with BBQ. Our last bottle, but not too sad to see it go.
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8/11/2022 - doug374 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Held from visit in 2018. Very good, fully developed wine. Recalled Rhone wines with great "hot" fruit flavors. Well rounded with a strong core of rounded acidity across the palate. Very pleasurable and look forward to drinking the over the the next 3-5 years.
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6/12/2022 - AjitK Likes this wine: 94 Points
1 hour decant. Terrific and EXPLOSIVE. It is a rich, powerful Zin blend that has come together in a beautiful harmonious, balanced way 9 years after harvest. It gives you everything from the flavor to the texture you want from a high quality Zin - hot sun ripened massive black/blue fruit with a mouth filling big body. The nose is spectacular with wafts of mocha. Unsurprisingly, this big boy has Long legs owing to the high ABV. Lots of life ahead of it, this wine overdelivers in the way that only Ridge can. Outstanding QPR
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6/4/2022 - NostraBacchus Likes this wine: 94 Points
This is really developping beautifully, but then what‘s new with Ridge and Lytton Springs? Deep ruby/purple color, just a touch of lightening up towards the rim. It‘s showing beautiful notes of dark cherries, plum, tobacco leaf, some cedar wood, there is also some sweet spice note, as well as some graphite, smoke and a touch of orange zest with some more air. It‘s pretty full-bodied, with excellent persistence and good medium+ acidity providing nice freshness. There is also some medium+ tannin adding grip and structure. Long finish. This still has many years ahead but it‘s starting to open up and the baby fat has gone mostly. Excellent Lytton Springs. (94+)
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3/6/2022 - Guycaballero wrote: 90 Points
Beautiful on the nose, paired with a Pappardelle and it couldn't keep up to the spicy food. could be a bad pick for me is all, but it didn't open up as much i was expecting either. Still lots of time left on these, will try again in a year.
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2/11/2022 - OaktownRush Likes this wine: 89 Points
Ripe raspberry, eucalyptus, vanilla, clove, some wood and bark — the nose wasn’t super expressive and took some time to open up. The palate to me seems near its peak, some fleshy texture, but mainly integrated tannins and medium acid. It’s not unstructured, but it doesn’t feel firmly structured either. The palate ends with more clove cinnamon stick.
I liked it more than others did, but did notice the oak as others commented. That said, I didn’t like it as much as the 14 or 15.
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2/7/2022 - edjBoca Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still YOUNG....wait 2 years before trying this vintage.
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12/25/2021 - edjBoca Likes this wine: 91 Points
This is still young...A bit full of alcohol on day 1...and lots of sweet acid...Day 2 is better and much smoother. This will be better in 2-3 years at least...
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12/11/2021 - wendyinwlv wrote: 89 Points
For a zin based wine, it was much lighter than I expected it to be. We enjoyed it
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12/8/2021 - virginiavino Likes this wine: 91 Points
Enjoyed this more than I anticipated, although I would agree with many of the reviews regarding the oak. Pleasant on the nose but a little disjointed on the palate. First glass had an odd aftertaste which eventually blew off after decanting. Drink now.
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12/5/2021 - HU Likes this wine: 91 Points
Enjoyable, though not too special. Our last bottle.
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12/2/2021 - ralaspech wrote: 90 Points
Boysenberry with fairly high acidity and med(-) tannins. Very good but not great.
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11/16/2021 - guitar guy Does not like this wine: 50 Points
This wine was kept in the wine fridge since I ordered it from ridge. It has turned already. Very disappointing. It should be at its' peak.
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11/14/2021 - amarasco Likes this wine: 95 Points
Savory
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10/28/2021 - NickBurwood Likes this wine: 91 Points
10 months since my last noted bottles and whilst much the same in the broad, definitely mellowing out with age and losing a tad of its concentration as a result.
In my view for drinking up over the next year or two.
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9/11/2021 - Everything Ahead wrote: 70 Points
This Ridge wine is abominably over-oaked. The fruit barely peeks through the bourbon and dill flavors of American oak. Like licking on a used bourbon barrel and dreaming faintly of blackberries. I would be amazed if the wood flavors integrates in time so that the fruit comes through, but will sit on my remaining few bottles. Poor decision-making at Ridge in this vintage; I have had some mid-1990's wines from the producer that were decent, but this is outrageously unbalanced. A poor effort here. What were they thinking? Hopefully more recent efforts at Ridge are not as imbalanced ....
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9/11/2021 - HenrikS wrote: flawed
375ml, odd smell of paint, cork was fine, faded fruit.
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9/1/2021 - Wine-O-Mite!! Likes this wine: 94 Points
Gave it some time to decant, but it doesn't need a lot. Definite sediment on cork and in bottle, the wine has a silken elegance. Very nice, it has a stylish maturity like a touch of gray. Smooth, light acidity, Ridge-y rounded. Very Lytton. Drank in Sep 21.
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8/22/2021 - blackcrowb wrote: 89 Points
Blindfolded, I would have bet the farm that what I had in my glass was a Manhatten (the cocktail) and not a glass of wine. It had the medicinal,herbal smell of vermouth with the woody smell of bourbon. On the palate there was nice raspberry notes with good acidity. The aftertaste was all boozy barrel.
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8/2/2021 - radumas wrote: 95 Points
Blackberry, plum, black cherry, fennel, rich, luscious, delicious.
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6/18/2021 - Wine-O-Mite!! Likes this wine: 90 Points
This wine was doubtlessly better before, and will be better again. It has the regal bearing of a Ridge wine, but this bottle is at a point where the fruit is subdued, while the acidity is still a little more forward. I think a little patience will be rewarded with this vintage. It is very good wine. Only due to timing, it was and will be better.
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6/5/2021 - chatters wrote:
4th Annual 7 Deadly Zins (well, 24 this time) (Ben and Estella's place, Parramatta): From Coravin. Dusty, slightly meaty, savoury, muted plums, with time, slight varnish. medium plus intensity acidity is juicy, red fruits, chalky tannins close things down, slight alcohol warmth on the finish. Meh.
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4/22/2021 - foyfrcs Likes this wine: 87 Points
Dark ruby.
Blackberry, plums, black cherries, spice nose/palate.
A little astringent.
Getting a little confused with this wine!
RP suggests that this will drink well until 2030+ which I still struggle with and I’m not as positive about the wine as when tasting last year.
Four bottles left, perhaps revisit 2022........
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4/18/2021 - tak4 wrote:
Drank this a week ago so do not have detailed tasting notes. But I had consumed a bottle a year ago and said, “try again in 2021 to see if the oak calms down.” Well, I can confirm that the oak was much more subdued in this bottle I just had. It was a very nice wine and in a good drinking window.
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4/11/2021 - wineshaman wrote: 92 Points
Decanted 1hour with considerable sediment, last tasted 8/17, very dark, rich, concentrated. Plenty of dark fruits, cassis, black cherry, plum, currants, nice long smooth finish. Paired nicely with rack of lamb. This bottle was drinking well now but should easily last 5 plus years.
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4/7/2021 - spacewrangler Likes this wine: 92 Points
Early maturity but Lytton goes for decades. Oak has been shed and the wine has softened since release. Really in a great spot for drinking but can hold easily another decade.
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3/14/2021 - ianwesley wrote: 88 Points
Definitely on the way out. Hard to tell now it's Zinfandel, tastes more like an old Syrah wine. Still a nice bottle to drink but do it soon!
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3/11/2021 - chatters wrote:
Hmm. This showed a little sharp for me. I'm not sure if it's on its way out or is just hitting some kind of random dumb phase...something I vaguely remember happening with the 2007...I shall pop the last bottle away and leave it for a few years...it will either be awful or get through this difficult phase.
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3/5/2021 - guitar guy wrote: 88 Points
This was disappointing. Got it strait from the winery, and stored it in my wine fridge. It is already on it's way down. This should be in the window of drinking at it's peak. I have one more.
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2/14/2021 - Cmainardi wrote: 92 Points
Same note as previous. Drink or hold but not likely to get better
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2/9/2021 - Thomas D Likes this wine: 91 Points
This has aged nicely. The color is burnished ruby purple. The nose is is red raspberry fruit. The wine is medium bodied, balanced with smooth tannins. It has flavors of red fruit and chocolate that linger on the palate. It held up well with dinner.
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2/7/2021 - moods wrote: 92 Points
Ageing wonderfully, and while drinking nicely now, I'd say it has maybe another 3-5 years in it still. Luscious fruit, very ripe and dense. Sublime tannic structure, but not overtly chewy, thanks in part to some lift from the acidity. No noticeable heat or alcohol burn. Long finish.
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1/30/2021 - Milliontown wrote: 92 Points
Lovely, exactly what I expected, and what I know and love about Ridge. Rich plummy scents, with a spicy herbal edge. American oak is a tad strong, and there’s a little aldehyde/bruised fruit aroma happening. Otherwise terrific, quite rich on the palate but walks a tightrope of balance with all of the elements integrated at this stage. Drinking excellently at the moment.
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1/17/2021 - NickBurwood Likes this wine: 92 Points
Two bottles decanted together.
Dense and concentrated. Fine dark berry and warm spice Zin. Velvet tannins; a tad of alcohol heat and well judged acidity provide balance. Fully ready and for drinking up to ten years from vintage whilst at its peak.
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12/31/2020 - jdj3223 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drinking really nicely. Balanced tannins and acidity straight from the bottle, and got even better as it decanted. Stone fruit, minerality, and a hint of baking spices, with tart cherry coming in later. Nice long finish.
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12/24/2020 - VoVo Likes this wine: 93 Points
Wow. This wine is really drinking well right now. Excellent all the way around. The only flaw was our fault: we did not bring it to temperature and decant soon enough. Lovely dark fruits, licorice and a bit of leather. This is a luscious, rich, delicious blend.
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12/6/2020 - CWilliam wrote:
Last of 4 bottles. Still drinking very well. Dark red/black and a touch of sediment in bottle. Ripe cherry, menthol, baking spice, fig preserves, and touch of vanilla. On palate, ripe cherry, strawberry, glycerin (CDP like) and baking spice. Medium+ body, medium acidity, low tannins and long finish. Very flavorful. 92+
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12/4/2020 - PNIELSEN Likes this wine: 94 Points
This is why we wait. The wine is drinking supremely well right now, with a billowing nose, smooth texture and a great finish. So of course it was my last bottle, but I would say this has at least another 3-5 years in it.
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11/29/2020 - Mr T wrote:
Nice rich zin blend on a cold night eating and drinking outside. No specific notes but easy going and liked by all
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11/28/2020 - rjsmall Likes this wine:
Lovely bottle. Nose of dark fruits and vanilla. We'll integrated flavours - dark berries, freshness and a slight oak touch. Medium to long finish. Drinking very well.
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11/26/2020 - montepulciano man wrote:
Ready to go
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11/13/2020 - boozebythecreek Likes this wine: 91 Points
Mature zin. Some berries on the palate but not jammy. Secondary flavors are coming through. In a great spot now but has some more life ahead of it.
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11/12/2020 - jh773 wrote: 93 Points
Cork is in good condition with some tartaric crystals buildup. Straight out of the bottle it is already smooth and silky with dark fruit, brandy and chocolate with a cool herbal, menthol tone. Only getting richer and better with air. Drink now.
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11/8/2020 - tedcholl Likes this wine: 92 Points
7 years puts this wine in it's prime drinking window. Very smooth and tannins well rounded and integrated. Classified as a red blend as at 74% Zinfandel it's just under the threshold to be a Zinfandel. 26% Petite Sirah, 8% Carignane and 2% Mataro. Black cherry and plum very prominent. I also got chocolate and a little vanilla. Great wine
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11/7/2020 - bound4er wrote: 87 Points
Thin and tart with primary light red fruit and tannin. Was expecting way more given the reviews.
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10/23/2020 - moxielady wrote: 96 Points
Smooth and well balanced, Drinking perfectly right now
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10/7/2020 - gf2182 Likes this wine: 92 Points
1+ hour to open up, dynamite, with the extra varietals in there, from memory, PS, Carignane, Mourvedre... gives this extra body and length. Not near the end of life on this...
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9/15/2020 - chatters wrote:
Ox cheek selection session (KC's place): Medium plus intensity aromas of plums, black cherry, sweet spice, cedar, vanilla, alcohol warmth here as well as mocha, chocolate and, with time in the glass, a little herbaceous underpin. In the mouth the surprisingly medium plus intensity acidity (perhaps the alcohol is helping the mouth water) gives a beneficial red fruit lift to the ripe plums and black cherry, a lick of vanilla, the herbaceous note less noticeable on the palate. Tannins are a little soft for beef cheeks though...
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9/10/2020 - BigTex22 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Best bottle yet. Love that Draper perfume. Paired with beer brisket from Snow’s BBQ.
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9/7/2020 - Rick 4 Wine Likes this wine: 93 Points
Really delicious Zin dominated wine that was lovely with dry rub, slow smoked baby back ribs.
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9/5/2020 - Fractalage Likes this wine:
Excellent year.
Dense plum and blackberry with aspects of cherry and garrigue. There are dense herbs that lurk in there that will not really show for 5 more years. This is in excellent balance with tart, fruit and spices that go on.
Paired with rack of lamb and mushrooms.
This particular bottle had been in my cellar for years since club purchase. This Ridge bottling is normally tight for a longer cellaring requisition, but this one was really open upon purchase. It could easily see 20 years, but be enjoyed now.
There were delish tartaric crystals at the end of the bottle.
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8/22/2020 - snarfglk Likes this wine: 90 Points
very nice zin blend; getting on in age
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8/22/2020 - edjBoca Likes this wine: 91 Points
Young
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7/24/2020 - PSUSteve wrote: 92 Points
PnP. I agree with Brian’s note from February that this is turning claret like with blackberry and plum. Where I differ is that I think I will drink my remaining bottles over the next 2-3 years.
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7/17/2020 - JCGuthrie wrote: flawed
Last bottle of a case, was excited to try it with my first attempt at smoking a pork shoulder. Corked...bummer.
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7/10/2020 - LightDancer wrote: 93 Points
Excellent Zin. Nose full of fruit and earth. Fruit balanced with tannins in the mouth. Lingering finish. Enjoyed with BBQ'd ribs. Middle of a long window. Stellar wine.qq
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6/26/2020 - DB Lawton Likes this wine: 92 Points
Served at the great Graduprom 2020 and everyone really enjoyed. Great fruit and beautiful Zin expression. Last of my 2013’s.
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6/22/2020 - ppandian wrote: 89 Points
Jammy, dark berries, rounded yet present tannins, spices, balanced with a long finish.
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6/15/2020 - jgreco wrote: 94 Points
The 2013 Ridge Lytton Springs is drinking beautifully. Lots of mature Zinfandel notes of tobacco, cedar, mocha, and leather, with a small amount of bramble fruit left. This is at maturity and will be best over the next few years.
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6/7/2020 - td1836 wrote: 89 Points
Didn’t take notes. This was an average Ridge Lytton Springs, good but nothing memorable. I’m finding more and more that I prefer the flavors of Geyserville compared to Lytton Springs.
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6/5/2020 - SCM Fan Likes this wine: 91 Points
Another solid Lytton here. Dark fruits, claret in structure- not jammy Zin type wine. Will not hold up like the legendary '99, so drink up if you got this one in the cellar.
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5/31/2020 - snarfglk Likes this wine: 90 Points
good solid LS zin blend, hard to dislike
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5/18/2020 - fingers Likes this wine: 94 Points
A dramatic transformation over the past year. Right at the pop, a profound and magnificent garden of flowers and spices greet the nose. Dusty dark purple color, about 80% opaque with heavy sediment, but very pretty in the glass. Appropriately warm and ripe, the mouthfeel manages to smooth things over for the tasty and undeniably-Zinfandel palate of flavors that follow. I believe the 26% of other varieties help hold down the typical jammy character and add some tannic backbone. If the fruit was shy before, it has now found its multi-faceted promiscuous streak.
What an excellent wine.
5+13+17+9= 94
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5/9/2020 - foyfrcs Likes this wine: 90 Points
Tried this again and maybe I was a little harsh last time. Decanted for 2 hours, seemed fuller and a little more expressive.
Not so sure that it needs drinking up after tasting today, and maybe another 2-3 years. Will revisit next year.
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4/24/2020 - evold89 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Approximately 1,5 hour decant.
Blackberry, pepper, liquorice and a hint of vanilla and spice from the oak. Bit sweet and brambly nose as one expects from a Zinfandel, but not jammy. Rich, slightly wooden nose that shows some alcohol, but not very disturbing.
The palate shows nice concentration with berries, plum and black cherry on the palate. Lovely supple and integrated tannins. Also showing bit of a mineral chew. Well balanced acidity. Long.
Not sure how this develop. About 90 points now, but liked this one better than the one 3 years back and I believe another point might be warranted.
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4/19/2020 - iDrum4Wine Likes this wine: 92 Points
Ruby hue that opens with hibiscus and pepper aromas. Black cherry and blueberry dominate up front while leather and allspice linger on a lasting finish. Medium density with terrific acidity/fruit balance and smooth tannins. A fabulous Zinfandel that has a couple more years of peak drinking left.
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4/19/2020 - asheio wrote: 91 Points
Seamless style with loads of forest fruit. Still quite some present oak. Dry finish with good amount of tannins. Not very complex but very enjoyable.
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4/16/2020 - timewithwine wrote:
Both wines were pulled as a result of the Ridge virtual tasting today. The panalists featured the 2013 among the 4 wines they tasted, but we pulled the 2010 once the 2013 ran out during dinner. The 2013 is magenta frm core to rim with a nose of brown sugar, zin funk, blueberry, and boysenberry. It’s a very elegant nose. The drinking window of “over the next 10 years” per John Olney’s notes from 2014 suggest that we are really just in the drinking window. As Eric Baugher remarked during the tasting both this wine and the 2013 Geyeserville they tasted can easily go 20 years. This is a delicious and very approachable wine with the palate tracking the nose but the added element of coffee on the finish. It’s a wine of structure and elegance; perhaps a touch linear just now. Heavy sediment has developed from phenols precipitating out. The 2010 is a lesser wine, but a good wine nonetheless. Flavors of brown sugar, molasses, zin bramble berries carry the day. A touch of rhubarb on the nose. The wine lacks the heft of the 2013. The 2010 is a blend of 67% Zinfandel, 23% Petite Sirah and 7% Carignane and 3% Mourvedre. The 2013 is a blend of 74% Zinfandel, 16% Petite Sirah and 8% Carignane and 2% Mourvedre. Both throw heavy sediment with the 2013 throwing more. The 2010 ha 14.4% alc., while the 2013 has 14.3% alc. Both with homemade mushroom tart. Both Recommended with the 2013 preferred.
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4/14/2020 - MLipton wrote:
Still largely primary with some oak showing upon opening. A hard decant got rid of the oak and brought out a few secondary elements. Really lovely with lamb vindaloo tonight.
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4/9/2020 - t_moderne wrote: 91 Points
Opened and poured half into a decanter. Served with food (pulled pork and biscuits, in case you were wondering. Delicious too!).
Dark ruby-purple color. Nose is bramble with dark fruits, think blackberries, black raspberries and blueberries, mixed with that shrub note.
Light on its feet, there is good acidity, balance and elegance. Light mouthfeel.
The fruit is a bit lighter than on the nose.
Enjoyable.
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4/6/2020 - Slaz Likes this wine: 92 Points
A relatively simple but highly reliable and consistent Zin/PS blend from Ridge. Doesn't disappoint and gets only better with air/decanting. Not much excess ripeness; good acidity and some apricot and red berry notes on the palate.
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4/3/2020 - WineAggregate Likes this wine: 93 Points
This was much better than the 2014 Lytton I drank recently. Great balance, not sweet, blackberry, spice, bramble, and a beautiful elegance that was surprising. Still fresh, zesty fruit, in a great place.
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3/31/2020 - melzar wrote: 92 Points
Expressive fruity nose. Drinking at peak. Chunky, and not particularly complex,but oh so yummy. Well balanced. The Rhone varietals tame the agressive Zinfandel. Good finish.
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3/26/2020 - moxielady wrote: 85 Points
half bottle, flat but fruity and a bit of dank cellar
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3/18/2020 - HorstPeak Likes this wine: 92 Points
Blackberry, plum, and other dark fruits, will drink the other bottle in 5 years...
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3/6/2020 - tak4 wrote: 88 Points
Popped and poured.
Wine is a deep, dark, nearly black crimson. Not very bright.
Nose - intensely aromatic. Blackberry all day, plus a little baking spice. Those are highly dominant and it's tough to find other things. Maybe some other red fruit. Dried cherry?
On palate, wine is sound. High alcohol, medium acidity, long finish. Palate mirrors nose but with a bit of oak a l'americaine. Tannins have started to soften though they could still mellow out a bit. Still slightly drying.
I like this wine though I think there's about one degree too much oak on it.
Follow-up - day 2
Per @Oldwines' helpful suggestion, I decanted and let the wine sit for a bit before tasting again. But if anything, the wine actually became less appealing to me. This remained a plum-and-oak fiesta.
I think the correct answer here is to give the wine some more time. So next bottle should not be consumed until next year at least (2021).
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2/22/2020 - Eatmypixels Likes this wine: 88 Points
Tasting at winery. Light. But thin also. No structure. No finish. Nice to sip but no there ya there. Had the 2017 and the same. The estate was better
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2/21/2020 - JGirl wrote: 89 Points
Everyone’s favorite wine of the night.
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2/11/2020 - ChrisWagner Likes this wine: 90 Points
I’m not sure where a number of other notes are getting a drink up. I respectfully disagree. This is my second from 375 and I definitely drank too soon.
For my taste, even given the 375, I’d wait another 5 years. However, this was still definitely enjoyable.
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2/2/2020 - rieslinghoarder Likes this wine: 92 Points
Starting to develop some claret-like qualities. Blackberry, plum, and other dark fruits are present but the oak seems to come through more than my previous bottle with aromas of cinnamon, nutmeg, and anise. Some herbs, wet leaves, and organic earth on the palate. Tannins are integrated. In its drinking window, will revisit in 5 years.
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2/1/2020 - WineGeek1989 Likes this wine: 94 Points
On the nose- Dark fruits, dark cherries, dark chocolate, black olives, mountain herbs, violets, baking spice
On the palate- Dark fruits and dark cherries, dark chocolate and black olives, mountain herbs and violets with a bit of baking spice on the finish, just a great wine and showing a bit of age but still has another 7-10 years if not longer with no problem
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1/26/2020 - melzar wrote: 90 Points
Nose and palate of brambly fruit and oak. My favorite Zin. ( cut with petite Syrah and some southern Rhone varietals). Big wine, California claret in style, and not subtle, but well balanced. Drinking at peak but will hold for several years.
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1/26/2020 - foyfrcs Likes this wine: 88 Points
Pleasant, drinkable, rosehips, black cherry drinking well, not sure will last for much longer.
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1/19/2020 - ClaytonDave Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nice zin with predominant black fruit, assisted by the petite syrah. Brief decant; in a good window.
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1/17/2020 - chatters wrote:
Coravin fun - Ridge range; 1/15/2020-1/17/2020 (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. Dusty, plums, sweet spice, earth, cherry, slightly reductive notes, herbaceous elements. with time it starts to show toast and red currant and a little pepper. Hmm, it's juicy and fleshy, floury textured tannins, the fruit is medium minus intensity and in the red spectrum. Medium length. Hmm.
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1/17/2020 - yarnon Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dark red with a pink rim.
Intense nose, fruity, dark fruit, some wood notes.
Quite hot, lightly tannic and medium high acid. Balanced.
Medium long finish.
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1/14/2020 - Oldmanzin Likes this wine: 91 Points
Blue and black fruit out weigh the red fruits here. There is some rusticity here that brings out an exciting component. Good depth and texture. This is a great field blend that is pleasing in every way. Good juice.
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1/11/2020 - Gcashman wrote: 91 Points
Coravin. Excellent right no. Violets on the nose. Fruit forward consistent with the varietal. Long finish.
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12/8/2019 - MRichman wrote:
Good mid-maturity.
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12/6/2019 - goodvitis.com Likes this wine: 92 Points
No formal notes. Drank after a 2ish hour decant. Prototypical Lytton Springs profile, not quite as tasty as the 2012 we had two nights prior. This one is just entering its prime drinking window, I'd say consume over the next 5 years.
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11/30/2019 - Alexroy wrote: 92 Points
Fruity, delicious. Fun.
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11/30/2019 - edjBoca Likes this wine: 90 Points
Medium body, tannin receding. Some complexity. A little hot. Drinkable but primary; I like mine a little more evolved.....
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11/12/2019 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Delicious. Drinking well. Really notice the petite sirah.
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10/29/2019 - Oldmanzin Likes this wine: 93 Points
Red and blue fruit, garrigue and a rustic touch make this wine exciting to consume. Aromatically expressive. Good texture and depth. This wine is now in a good place. Great juice.
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9/17/2019 - Wineloon Likes this wine: 94 Points
Delicious fruit forward thing that is drinking brilliantly now but has legs too.
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9/17/2019 - Doblk Likes this wine: 94 Points
As one might expect, this is pretty great. Beautiful minty nose. Rich fruit with acidic balance and some interesting smoke and briar. Only a bit of tannin. It will still keep but it’s lovely now.
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9/17/2019 - NickA Likes this wine: 89 Points
Savoury, juicy, long and balanced. No detailed note, but the group's #2 WOTN tonight. - classic wine!
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9/8/2019 - Eatmypixels Likes this wine: 88 Points
Hot. Can age more. Either disappointing still or need longer.
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8/1/2019 - Slaz Likes this wine: 92 Points
Becoming much more approachable relative to my last tasting in 2016. Might not be at its peak yet though; benefits from breathing.
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7/31/2019 - mats13 Likes this wine: 94 Points
In a great spot. Lovely full bodied Zin blend. Classic Zin peppery deliciousness cloaked in a more full bodied package. Great qpr imo.
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7/18/2019 - hankj wrote: 92 Points
crowd pleasing hearty but not overdone red with what seems to be many more years of life and improvement in front of it.
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7/9/2019 - Collector1855 wrote: 93 Points
Expressive nose of dark fruit with bakery, spices, oak. Medium+ bodied entry, tannisn very present buffering the fruit. The balance is good here if you like this grape variety mix. Can age further.
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7/4/2019 - EMAZurich Likes this wine: 93 Points
Frische, fruchtige (rotbeerige) Nase mit etwas Gewürz (Zimt), eher kühler Eindruck. Am Gaumen bombige rote Johannisbeere und Zwetschke, etwas Hollunderbeere. Schöne Säure, forsches Tannin. Grossartig und tolles Potential für einen grossen Wein.
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7/4/2019 - NostraBacchus Likes this wine: 94 Points
Deep dark ruby/purple color. Deep notes of sweet spices, cedar wood, some leather, tobacco leaf, also some plum, sweet dark fruit, also some smoke, pepper notes. It‘s full-bodied, dense without being heavy, with very good medium+ acidity and medium-high tannin. Excellent length. A superb Lytton Spring of the highest level. All this needs is a few more years in bottle. Love it.
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6/21/2019 - chull wrote: 93 Points
Drank over 2 days. First evening very enjoyable, second was really special with better nose and balance.
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6/3/2019 - BigTex22 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drank well with pizza. None of the alcohol I noticed on my last bottle a few years ago. Progressing nicely.
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5/25/2019 - kmerriman wrote: 92 Points
A great burger wine after 30 minute decant.
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5/23/2019 - maxima wrote: 88 Points
Encore jeune et dense, profile moderne,
un peu sweet et compoté.
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5/19/2019 - diananm wrote: 88 Points
Gave it plenty of air, but not like the bottle we had a year ago. Maybe going through a bad phase, it was quite flat.
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5/16/2019 - SLOFred Likes this wine: 90 Points
Not one of the best vintages of this wine blend, but still a good wine. $36??? Not sure.
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5/9/2019 - pren wrote: 91 Points
第一天的气味太好了，黑，丰富但有骨头，没有heat。口感也很好，有点点espresso。92+
第二天，很差，hot mess。
第三天，低温喝60度，尚可，和第一天没发相比。
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4/14/2019 - Fatkidfromfl Likes this wine: 92 Points
Complicated and well-integrated oak meets ripe, fresh-picked, and stewed red and black fruits. Seems like it would benefit from another 5 in the cellar.
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4/7/2019 - JCGuthrie wrote: 91 Points
Slow ox for about 3 hours. Nice earthy flavors, subdued red and black fruits. Lots of life left. Nice.
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3/5/2019 - fingers wrote:
This is my second time with this wine and it has not struck me as interesting or attractive to any great measure either time. Just kind of blasé and generic. Given that, it also seems young so I’m not sure how long you’re supposed to wait on these. I have one more that I’ll let sleep for awhile.
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2/12/2019 - Umay Ceviker wrote: 91 Points
Fragrant nose revealing blueberry marmelade with black cherry and ripe damson plum. Broad and supple with rounded tannins and a velvety texture with a spicy edge on its lasting finish.
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2/8/2019 - melzar wrote: 90 Points
Very smooth with well tamed tannins, but a little oaky and lacking in acidity. Pleasant but nothing special.
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2/3/2019 - SLOFred wrote: 88 Points
Not one of Ridge's better efforts. It just had no identity, despite 74% Zin. No worth the $36.
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2/3/2019 - PNIELSEN Likes this wine: 94 Points
This has to be about as good as it gets for Lytton Springs. This vintage is easily the best I've tasted in my 30 years of being into wine.
There was a good amount of sediment left in the bottle upon decanting. Initially the nose was rather closed, but about 90 minutes in, it was showing gorgeous, complex aromatics. It isn't a crime to drink now, but it still has a fair amount of baby fat and I suspect will show even better in 2-5 years. I will probably pop our last bottle during the holiday season in 2020.
Major props to John Olney for this beauty. (94-95)
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1/28/2019 - OttawaB Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drinking nicely. Tasty and smooth. Medium fruit, medium acidity, dusty tannins, drying. Thought it might be a bit bigger.
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12/28/2018 - edjBoca wrote: 90 Points
This still has too much acid showing to enjoy right now. Wait 2-3 years before the next bottle.
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12/23/2018 - asheio wrote: 90 Points
Delicious, but needs more time to integrate the oak.
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12/9/2018 - petterkalle Likes this wine: 91 Points
Much better then my last bottle a year ago. Very nice vanilla - chocolate aroma, nice sweet fruit. Will hold for a very long time.
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12/8/2018 - DB Lawton Likes this wine: 90 Points
Drank at a party. Should have allowed some time to open up but you know how it is...Would probably score higher if given more air. Overall good purity of fruit and a nice finish.
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11/27/2018 - mark.gularte@gmail.com wrote: 92 Points
Deep red, rich berry, full flavor, syrah adds a solid backbone
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11/27/2018 - maxima wrote: 88 Points
Jueteux et joufflu avec des épices.
Assez long et persistant, pas méchant mais le prix
est rendu limite.
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11/25/2018 - SLOFred Likes this wine: 90 Points
Excellent blend, but I would not say it is all that Zinny, despite 74% Zin. Could still age more.
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11/24/2018 - moods wrote: 91 Points
Glorious!
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11/23/2018 - tplskylrk wrote:
Lovely thanksgiving wine. Beautiful juicy not extracted or overiope Zin, so well field blended. Yummy.
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11/23/2018 - Eatmypixels Likes this wine: 88 Points
Lighter than normal for the wine. Had two bottles
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11/11/2018 - CWilliam wrote:
As prior tasters have noted, this really needed 30 minutes+ of air to shine.
Rich nose - figs, dark cherry, plum, baking spice and touch of glycerin. Similar palate. Full body, with med tannins/ med acidity and long finish. Paired great with beef chili. 92-93 range - enjoyed this more than my prior tastings (4/2016 and January of 2018). Very consistent wine that is aging well.
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11/9/2018 - greedy wrote: 93 Points
Beautiful red candied nose with hints of cotton candy. Signature long smooth finish with ridge wines.
Moderate acitity but about as much as you get with a zin from dry creek. But fruit is awesome and agree with others this is well balanced and should continue to age gracefully.
This bottle was better than when I had my last bottle two years ago. Sit on the rest of mine until 2025.
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11/9/2018 - pcwoz wrote: 91 Points
at least 91. Really nicely made. Red and dark fruits. Herbs. Some smoke. Has a good freshness though.
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11/4/2018 - Oldmanzin Likes this wine: 91 Points
It is almost unfair for me to rate this wine. Dark fruit, garrigue, wild herbs and very rustic. All characteristics that I love. However, even after a one hour decant, this wine is was still very tight. It tried to open up as we got to the end of the bottle. There is nothing but upside for this wine. I highly recommend waiting another two years in the bottle to come together.
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10/11/2018 - chanote44 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Wow, this has improved significantly from my note 5/2017. The fruit is more cohesive and the mid palate has fleshed out. A great Ridge Zin blend. The drinking window is now open!
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9/23/2018 - edjBoca Likes this wine: 91 Points
Needs 5 years or more IMO.
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9/22/2018 - MattMauldin Likes this wine: 90 Points
Decanted. Clear deep-ruby color. Brambly black fruit and spice aromatics. Flavors of black cherry & blueberry; tea leaf, allspice & clove; violets, and hints of iron. Juicy and bright palate, fruit-driven with subtle secondary depth. Medium-bodied and elegant with fleshy round tannin. Crisp, dry and lingering finish. Drinking well - drink/hold.
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9/4/2018 - Rechrom wrote: 91 Points
Very nice. Excellent fruit with bright acidity. Nice blend as the PS component works really well with the zin. A wine that is pleasant with food or alone.
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8/25/2018 - tblacks Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very nice zin. Nose was rich with berries, pencil graphite and a bit of smokiness. Smooth on the palate, deep summer fruits and a bit of classic zin pepper. Buttery and reminiscent of blackberry pie crust. Finish is medium. Very approachable now and would be interested to see the change in a few years.
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8/17/2018 - Blauweiss Likes this wine: 90 Points
RIch, full of dark fruitson nose and palate. Smooth, sweet fruits and some oak. Fullbodied, but perhaps a bit short.
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8/6/2018 - gmbdds wrote: 91 Points
Fresh and racy though not light. Acid backbone with currant and blueberry fruit. Subtly earthy and nicely balanced.
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8/6/2018 - SLOFred Likes this wine: 91 Points
Classic Lytton Springs from Ridge. This particular bottle had a lot of blueberry characteristics. Fine wine.
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7/14/2018 - cjsadler wrote: 89 Points
Found this to be bit too ripe, with prune notes. A dense wine, with the petite sirah felt, though some acid on the finish saves things (but with perhaps slight va twinge that I thought was also detectable on the nose). Hard to tell where this will go in the future, but for now not the best Ridge I’ve had.
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7/9/2018 - SLOFred Likes this wine: 91 Points
This has zin characteristics but the blend adds more body and a rounder mouth feel than you get with just a pure zin. Highly recommend.
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7/6/2018 - KJD45$ Likes this wine: 92 Points
Like the song “raspberry beret”.....
Touch more now on the secondary chocolate, leather notes...
Still primary fruit but not as much as initial...
Drying tannins still present...
Can drink up or cellar a touch more to see the evolution...
Real nice!
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7/1/2018 - bjschmitt Likes this wine: 91 Points
With sausage pizza.
No notes taken - we just enjoyed. All parties involved really liked the wine - flavor/balance/fruit/finish.
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6/25/2018 - Jackstraw212 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drinking really well right now. Ripe currants, blueberries, dark chocolate, black pepper, and herbal notes with structured, but velvety tannins. Not a major heavyweight, so drink pretty within a year or so.
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6/23/2018 - Opus2010 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Good for the first couple of hours, but a little bitter thereafter.
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6/18/2018 - ogres3 Likes this wine:
Victim of a wine tasting. Very much a crowd pleaser. Full bodied wine with ripe purple and dark blue fruit.
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6/17/2018 - DB Lawton Likes this wine: 91 Points
Smooth upon opening, dark fruit, with tannins all tucked in. Drinking great now, also enjoying a glass on day 2. A great Fathers Day sip.
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5/27/2018 - AllRed wrote: 88 Points
40th Annual Zinfandel Retrospective - the 2013s (R&Ds): Blind. The only one in this lineup that I find a little overly ripe, with subtle notes of prune and mixed red and black fruit. Nice spice overtones. Finishes a little shorter than most of the others in the lineup too.
My #9, Domino's #6
Group #9, 71 pts
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5/22/2018 - JCGuthrie wrote: 92 Points
Two hour decant, better than I remembered. This is clearly the zin/zin blend for those who normally don't enjoy this varietal, as evidenced by my dad's reaction upon trying it ("this is pretty good....actually, this is really good").
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5/17/2018 - asheio wrote: 90 Points
Very powerful nose, delicious fruit, juicy. Need some time to integrate the oak better.
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5/17/2018 - ogres3 wrote: 91 Points
Gave it an hour of air. Pleasant smooth full bodied wine with dark purple and blue fruit. Drinking well.
Consumed in Utah with boar sandwiches
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5/17/2018 - ozyloy wrote: 91 Points
Plums, prunes, dark cherry, milk chocolate, oak, leafy pepper, and a hint of flora and licorice. High acidity, medium+ body, medium+ somewhat puckering tannins. Give this a little while more to mellow. Medium+ finish of dark cherry and milk chocolate. Good now with a little air; this is just on the cusp of coming into its own, and will probably be very nice drinking in a couple of years' time.
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5/13/2018 - depechemoroder Likes this wine: 92 Points
At that perfect point between being young and fresh and starting to take on more mature qualities. Fruit is edging toward the dried end of the spectrum and is getting a bit dusty. Bramble and garrigue nestle their way in with just a hint of kirsch at the finish. Tannins are singing and acidity is very much holding the pieces together. Delicious and only headed for better things.
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5/11/2018 - ArizonaWineGuy wrote: 91 Points
Deep purple color, not showing the slightest signs of age around the edges yet. Big nose of ripe plums and cherries. Fruit explodes in the mouth, primarily cherries and plums, but some strawberries and blackberries sneaking in around the backside. Tannins are starting to mellow out, though still provide a firm backbone. Velvety mouthfeel on the lingering finish. Drinking fabulously right now, but still has another 5 to 10 years ahead of it.
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5/7/2018 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very solid full-bodied wine. Dark purple and blue fruit. Relatively complex. Good finish.
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4/29/2018 - iByron Likes this wine: 89 Points
Bright, glass-clinging purple red. Nose and palate of plum-berry cobbler. Mouth filling with juicy, medium acidity and medium minus tannins (just a dusting on the finish). Holding up very well, as expected. Steak? Stroganoff? Southern Italian? You got this.
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4/8/2018 - chatters wrote:
Coravin fun - Ridge range (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. Slightly dusty notes, peppery spice, umami over cherry, vanilla and herbaceous notes. Almost tart compared to the other wines and a little hard. Spice is plentiful, cherry fruit but finishes a little bitter. Almost like stalks though I'm sure that isn't the case.
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4/5/2018 - dlduchon Likes this wine: 88 Points
I noticed a cedary hit the first night. It lessened day two. Elegant, restrained Zinfandel.
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3/31/2018 - VoteferPedro wrote:
felt it needs a bit more time
after about 2 hours air drank with '14 and '15 geyserville and it acquitted itself well and carried an old world dustiness I attribute to the minimalistic winemakeing approach. I feel it should drink well for years but can be enjoyed now with an hour or two of air
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3/16/2018 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Really solid full-bodied wine that is drinking well. Can drink with cocktails or pair with food. Same notes as prior.
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3/12/2018 - Double D wrote: 90 Points
Rich & smooth Draper product!
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3/4/2018 - melzar wrote: 91 Points
Ditto previous notes. Simple but satisfying.
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3/3/2018 - snarfglk Likes this wine: 90 Points
Good wine, hard to evaluate after 4 previous excellent (differing) bottles.
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2/26/2018 - erekose Likes this wine: 90 Points
Lush blackberry and incense on the nose with hints of blueberry and licorice beneath. Black fruits and a bit of smoky finish on the palette.
I grabbed this bottle without much thought, but wish I had waited a couple more years. This has notably changed and is becoming better.
Very well put together. Nice acidity and finish. Hold other bottles for a couple of years.
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2/23/2018 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted 90 minutes. Same notes as before. Very pleasant, full bodied, black and dark red fruits, good finish.
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2/11/2018 - MaineMark Likes this wine: 91 Points
Still a baby. Intense dark fruits--blackberry and cherry--on the pallet, and very smooth, this has a long ways to go to fully mature. We will wait 3-5 years, and try another then. Anticipate the score will only go up.
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1/31/2018 - ogres3 wrote: 91 Points
Full bodied ripe dark fruit. Very good Ridge effort.
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1/21/2018 - CWilliam wrote:
consistent with my note from 4/2016. Very nice bottle of wine and very food friendly. 92+/-
"reddish black color. Plum, black cherry, blueberry compote, fig and baking spice. On palate, medium body, medium acids & medium+ finish with tannins well integrated - very balanced. Black cherry, briary / bright cherry, cherry flavor profile. Paired great with food & very good on it's own. Would buy again."
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1/21/2018 - Pålla Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very good zinfandel, lots of fruit, have one bottle Left, gonna save this for some years to see how it develop
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1/20/2018 - rieslinghoarder Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decided to check in on the 2013 Lytton Springs, this bottle being in my wine fridge at 55-57dF since release. Predominantly ripe raspberries and blackberries, juicy but not too jammy, with hints of sage, wet leaves, earth, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
The earthy character dominates more on the palate than the fruit however, though it finishes with nice ripe fig and plum notes. Not really sensing much of the licorice or black pepper as I did upon release. Medium plus finish, the alcohol lingers but is not overpowering. Tannins are well-integrated. Drink or hold, though this one is already throwing sediment.
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1/19/2018 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Let breathe for over an hour. Inky hues. Very pleasant luscious integrated dark black and blue fruit. Good finish. One of Ridge's better efforts.
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1/8/2018 - EMichels wrote: 89 Points
(Old note - tasting date not accurate) Brighter nose; Brighter flavor; Nice; More cherry than strawberry
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12/30/2017 - PNIELSEN Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is a classic vintage for this field blend, exemplifying the Ridge house style of richness with restraint. "Aristocratic" is the word that always comes to mind. To me, it needs more time (2-3 years) before entering its prime drinkability window, but it is delightful now. It is already throwing a good amount of sediment, so a decant is recommended. (93-94)
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12/21/2017 - rwpalmer wrote: 90 Points
Darker than expected. Sweet and sour VA nose initially, but this settled down. A lot of oak on the nose, the fruit ripe but submerged. Lacking the openness and spicey warmth I associate with this cuvee. A stylistic shift, firmer and more structured but I am not convinced it is the better for it.
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12/4/2017 - VoteferPedro Likes this wine: 95 Points
seemless beauty in this bottle
gorgeous fruit and lovely balance on backend
what a joy and an enormous improvement over my last one 3 months ago
popped and poured but had a half bottle left and re tasted 3days later and it was nearly the same... magical
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11/26/2017 - Bellissimo wrote:
PnP, single glass for me. Family consumed the rest later in the evening. Deep and rich boysenberry, blueberry, plum, dark chocolate and vanilla. Will sit on my remaining bottle a few years to see if the vanilla dissipates.
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11/21/2017 - SLOFred wrote: 89 Points
Not as robust as I anticipated. It required 2 hours to open and achieve some fullness. I will reserve final comments after another bottle.
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10/21/2017 - MacManifest Likes this wine: 92 Points
Powerful wine. Very good. Drink and enjoy.
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10/12/2017 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very enjoyable full bodied wine. Same as prior notes
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10/6/2017 - BigTex22 wrote: 90 Points
Sadly, not as good as the last bottle, mainly due to the heat. Lots of alcohol on this wine that I didn’t detect in the last bottle. After this was in the glass an hour or so, the heat started to let up, so suggest decanting. Red berries and well knit, but that pesky alcohol... I’ll wait a year or so on my next bottle. Recommend holding or at least decanting a few hours before opening.
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9/30/2017 - tomlee wrote: 92 Points
Crimson in color. 14.3% ABV. Tremendous nose of brambly red and blue fruits, licorice and cocoa powder. Medium to full bodied with ample acidity. Lush and hedonistic. Earthy flavors of blueberry, boysenberry, plums and bittersweet chocolate. The finish long and sweet with gritty tannins. Clearly a wine built for the long haul. Drink over the next 6-8 years.
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9/21/2017 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Really a very nice wine. Decanted about 90 minutes. Plush black and blue fruits. Nicely integrated and smooth with a bit of the Ridge edge at the end. Good finish.
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9/10/2017 - VoteferPedro Likes this wine: 92 Points
deep violet color
tart fruit and leafy aroma on nose. vanilla and alcohol were prominent early but after an hour decant, settled out
palate is lush and satisfying with a darker fruit profile than the nose and fairly long finish. This is a big wine that is fairly deft on the tongue.
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8/26/2017 - wineshaman wrote: 92 Points
Decated for 2 hrs, this particular bottle really benefited from the extended decant. Loads of plum, cherry, cassis, hints of raspberry, borders on being jammy but still has backbone, spicey medium finish. Should drink well for several years.
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8/25/2017 - winelegends.net Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dunkles Rot
Schwarzfruchtig,würzg,immer wieder floral,Hauch Cassis.
Saftig,Samtig,vollerer Körper,gute Tiefe,leicht prägend,Holzeinfluss,irgendwie frisch.
Mittellanger dunkelfruchtig,würziger Abgang
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8/19/2017 - chatters wrote:
3rd Annual 7 Deadly Zins - Reprise (about 14 this time) (Wayne's place in Darlinghurst): From Coravin. Far lighter than the 07 and 14, more spiced and contained. Medium minus intensity flavours of ripe cherry but more red spectrum. Tangy, more dense on the palate, red cherry again. Tight tannins. Long finish. Interesting.
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8/13/2017 - samoss Likes this wine: 90 Points
Dark Ruby.
Lovely bouquet with fruit and floral.
Taste is great. Ripe plumbs and blackberries with interesting lavender and floral undertones.
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7/14/2017 - ogres3 wrote: 90 Points
Aa a pop and pour, a full-bodied relatively tannic bold fruity wine. With about 2 hours, the the fruit becomes relatively muted but the tannins don't fade. Not sure I'm a big fan of that. The wine does not seem to be consistent bottle to bottle
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7/4/2017 - WineAggregate Likes this wine: 91 Points
A bit woody, but great fruit, seems ready.
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7/3/2017 - John Arnold Likes this wine:
Still very youthful. Garnet color with just the slightest hint of age. Plenty of structure. Good acid balance and some mildly drying tannins. The 14%+ alchohol was evident. Dark berry fruits on the nose and palate. Nicely made wine. On the ripe side. Nothing to not like here. A little heavy on the wood for my taste but totally acceptable.
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6/25/2017 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted about 90 minutes. Deep red/purple hues. Pleasant complex purple fruit - tannins faded with the decant. Long finish. Very nice.
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6/19/2017 - reubenshapcott wrote:
Seems as yet unready.
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6/17/2017 - Pebben wrote: 91 Points
More or less consistent with previous note.
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6/11/2017 - Dmiller3 wrote: 89 Points
Solid wine that is an easy drinker - well balanced. Drinking now and for a bit
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6/5/2017 - cupoverflowing1 Likes this wine: 89 Points
enjoyable but not amazing... a zinfandel blend for sure, but for my tastes too much Petit Sirah, which diminishes the Zin component... i would rather just go with a Bordeaux
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6/4/2017 - chatters wrote:
3rd Annual 7 Deadly Zins (well, about 15 this time) (Wayne's place in Darlinghurst): From Coravin. Sharp, a little unripe, sour cherry, slight red berry, raspberry in fact. Quite spiced. In the mouth ti's juicy with drying tannins some red berry fruit and spice. A little short.
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5/22/2017 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Another very good relatively complex wine with rich pleasant fruits and a good finish. And reasonably priced.
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5/11/2017 - chanote44 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Delicious but the mid palate is a bit leaner than expected with so much petite sirah. Definitely young as it needed a good hour to start showing its fruit. Wait for now, IMO.
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5/7/2017 - In vino potestus est Likes this wine: 95 Points
I last tasted this @ 6 months ago and, based on my prior note, has not evolved much in the cellar: it remains very, very young. It is an explosive,rich, hedonistic, fruit forward wine with deep, deep flavor, which can, overwhelm the fabulous nuances also present. There is a deep, rich, satisfying berry fragrance familiar to all who love zin. Classic but amped up Dry Creek Zin flavors in abundance, tempered and made more elegant by the high percentage of Petite Sirah@ 16%, Carignane@ 8% and Mouvedre @ 2%: blackberry, blueberry, bramble, pepper melded together in alluring fashion. Pairing this wine with food correctly is critical since it will overwhelm all but the sturdiest of dishes such as grilled steak, lamb, roast, etc. While tempting now this wine is still too young, probably by 2-5 years. I think some extra bottle time will smooth out the exuberant fruit and this will evolve into a wine for the ages. Unfortunately, I'm not sure I'll have any left by then.
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5/1/2017 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Let breathe for about 90 minutes. Deep hues. Pleasant dark fruit. Relatively complex. Good finish. Nice effort.
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4/15/2017 - Duncan H wrote: 95 Points
Sensational! Far too young, but hedonistically delicious nevertheless. A brooding monster with the pure fruit necessary to charm Mrs H.
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4/13/2017 - emf Likes this wine:
This was delicious with beef tenderloin. Lots of layers of flavor, well integrated with a long soft finish.
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3/31/2017 - rmcnees wrote: 92 Points
Bright garnet colored, medium-full bodied, complex, rich concentrated forward black raspberry and blue bramble fruits accented by clove spice, Kirsch, floral, anise and hints of tangy oak (aged fourteen months in American Oak). There is 16% Petite Sirah in the blend and it is apparent in adding breadth and depth complexity and a backbone of a firm but not overbearing tannin finish.
https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2017/03/zinfandel-flight-anchors-family-dinner.html
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3/26/2017 - Pebben wrote: 92 Points
From memory: Dark forest fruits, mocha, spices and vanilla on the nose and palate. Full bodied and rich, yet has enough freshness and grip to ensure good balance. Open for business – should drink well into the early 2020'ies.
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3/19/2017 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Consumed at wine tasting. A crowd favorite.
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3/16/2017 - Ebrim wrote: 90 Points
no proper notes - Blackberry, sweet kirch, coffee, well balanced, juicy, fresh, bery good quality, 90p
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3/11/2017 - djarcara Likes this wine: 91 Points
Classic old style Zin. Full body, but not a monster. Dark fruit, a little bit of black pepper with touch of vanilla. Medium soft tannins and a very nice acidity. 14.3% abv with no alcoholic heat. Really good stuff.
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2/24/2017 - melzar wrote: 92 Points
Deep fragrant nose. Claret style of Zin blended with Petite Syrah and some Southern Rhone varietals. A well balanced big wine packed with flavor that doesn't show the heaviness often associated with California reds. Long sweet finish.
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2/17/2017 - BigTex22 Likes this wine: 93 Points
I could kick myself for not buying a case of this. Briefly decanted. Draper perfume I've come to expect, and the aroma quickly drew me in. Dark, inky, brooding red fruit which just clings in the mouth with every sip. A long finish. Balanced. This is outstanding zin and I suspect will continue to drink well for many many years. Fantastic zin!
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2/8/2017 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Good dark red fruit, not over the top or jammy. Like it
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2/6/2017 - Opus2010 Likes this wine: 92 Points
delicious with out being overpowering. Love the bouquet and mouth feel. completely reliable.
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2/2/2017 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Same as prior notes.
Solid wine. Benefits from air.
Better than average Ridge wine.
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1/21/2017 - twoamps Likes this wine: 94 Points
one of the best Lytton Springs we've tasted in awhile. Raspberry, chocolate, smoke, loam, pepper, all of the above.
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1/21/2017 - chatters wrote:
From Coravin. Everything I'd expect but slightly less. Plums, black cherries, a certain green note. more of the same on the palate, juicy and dense with fine grained tannins. This felt less overtly Lytton than a kind of Geyserville/Lytton shake up. Long. Okay.
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1/14/2017 - srh Likes this wine:
Winebar [Various Reds + a Celebratory Magnum] for 1/13/17 (Vintage Wines Ltd., San Diego, CA): [From magnum a lady was kind enough to open in celebration of her bday! :) ]
N: Jammy with pyrazines beneath? Smoky aspects emerge with air. Seems rich, deep, & intense
P: MF, poss Med, body; Almost swtish frt on front with balancing acidity; Long, only slightly astringent finish. While approachable now [with food, certainly], it deserves 2-3 yrs (I'd guess) to show its best, possibly a tad less? [Palate continued to improve with 2 hrs in the small tasting glass, showing ever increasing elegance over time.]
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1/13/2017 - taebaek83 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Blackberry, raspberry, leather, earth. First class oak treatment.
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1/7/2017 - KJD45$ Likes this wine: 93 Points
Deep inky purple hue.... Nose is lush blackberry, raspberry, leaps out of the glass...tongue is same primary fruit with emphasis on bright raspberry and that balance of acidity and oak that wraps a great package!!....excellent wine!
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1/2/2017 - PNIELSEN Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is very young but highly enjoyable with some air. It will be a beauty with age. (93-94)
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12/30/2016 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted about 2 hours. Deep purple hues. Pleasant integrated ripe (but mellow) purple and blue fruits. Good finish. In a nice drinking window. May deserve the AG rating.
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12/28/2016 - bplant13 Likes this wine: 92 Points
An absolute gem for $35ish. The most impeccably balanced Zin based wine I've ever tasted. Medium full body, great nose of fruits and spices, and a great finish. 92 with potential to got 93-94 with a few more years of cellaring. Consistent wine year over year.
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12/22/2016 - Winowhyno Likes this wine: 90 Points
Had a bottle with a salmon burger and sweet potato fries.....marvelous
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12/14/2016 - Guy Des Rosiers Likes this wine: 89 Points
Dark, ruby purple core. Raspberry, black licorice and vanilla on the nose. Medium-bodied, balanced acidity, loads of red fruit upfront and very few tannins. Delicious and expressive from the word 'go', there is no need to hold this back. Excellent.
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12/4/2016 - wineshaman wrote: 91 Points
Decated 1hr, this LS was singing tonight, jammy but not over done, plenty of plum, dark cherry, raspberry, hints of pepper, approachable now with a good decant or drink over the next five or so years.
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12/2/2016 - In vino potestus est Likes this wine: 95 Points
Deep and dark. No rim. Fragrance of berries, cherries, chocolate and cinnamon. Luscious mouthfilling flavors of rich, ripe blackberries, blueberries, raspberries cherries and a hint of pepper and spice. Balanced. Fruit forward with subtle tannins in the background Long finish. When allowed time in the glass the wine opens further and the flavors become richer and more hedonistic. I agree with AG that the Petit Syrah really adds a compelling dimension. It is superb now and should continue to improve for 5-10 years. As good as this is, I think the 2014 Is even better!
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11/27/2016 - kingboo wrote: 90 Points
A very nice wine. Quite enjoyable after an hour decant.
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11/12/2016 - guitarkim Likes this wine: 90 Points
App: dark purple red
Aroma: dark fruit incl. blueberries, chocolate, spice, oak
Full-bodied with decent acidity and firm tannins. Concentrated dark fruit, chocolate, spice, and oak on the palate.
Excellent length. (90)
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11/6/2016 - Eseminara Likes this wine: 88 Points
Fruit forward, with high tannins. Would benefit from another few years in the cellar. Decanted with an aerator to open it up. Would like to try this wine again after some cellar time.
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10/22/2016 - bplant13 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still needs a lot of air, but it's simply delicious. Similar notes to my last bottle. This should just get better and better with years to come.
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10/6/2016 - Shapnyc Likes this wine: 92 Points
Plainly early but just wait
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9/17/2016 - Bluffan wrote: 90 Points
More straight ahead fruity than expected, but very smooth.
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9/13/2016 - quaffnov Likes this wine: 91 Points
PnP and ran through a vinturi to add a little air to the mix, the nose is stewed red fruit, vanilla, red licorice. The palate is mildly tannic with little acidity and is controlled by sweet oak, black fruit, more red licorice. A pleasant run out finish with a thicker mouthfeel in front of it. This clearly will benefit from more cellar time, a couple of years easily, lay off of it if you can. An excellent zin blend.
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9/6/2016 - wineshaman wrote: 88 Points
Got to be some bottle variation here, the fruit is quite muted compared to the two privious bottles tasted 6/27 & 5/6, tart cherry and hints of plum make this still a good Lytton, the finish Was dry and astringent. I am sure this is just an off bottle!
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8/31/2016 - coremill wrote: 92 Points
First bottle probably lightly corked, second bottle way better. Boy is this good. The layered, powerful brambly dark Zin berry fruit is supported by unobtrusive oak and some gravel-edged tannins. There's plenty of structure but at this stage it's almost totally subsumed by the fruit, which pulls off that deft trick of concentration without heaviness. The label says this was both watered back and acidified, and a) Ridge's honesty about their "manipulations" is admirable, and b) this is a wine that is most likely better for the intrusions. This has the material to age beautifully and it should add complexity with bottle age.
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8/30/2016 - greedy wrote: 90 Points
Very good. Ridge continues to be one of my favourite wine makers.
I will let the remaining case sit until at least 2020.
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8/24/2016 - kamp82 wrote: 94 Points
Seriously elegant and well made wine with plenty of power as well.
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8/12/2016 - bubbachumps wrote: 93 Points
Consistent with my prior note.
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7/15/2016 - yasha Likes this wine: 92 Points
very good . two bottles was gone in one night
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7/15/2016 - peterchoy wrote: 92 Points
Appearance: Bright and clear, it has deep ruby color, with purplish rims and legs.
Nose: Clean, with medium (+) intensity aromas of red fruit of strawberry, black fruit of blackberry, plum, dark cherries and blackcurrant, floral notes of violet, oak notes of vanilla, sweet spice of clove. The wine is youthful.
Palate: Dry with medium acidity, the wine has medium tannin of ripe and silky texture, the wine has medium (+) alcohol, medium (+) body and medium (+) intensity flavors of black fruit such as blackberry, plum, red fruit of strawberry, oak notes of toast, sweet spice of clove. The wine has a medium finish.
Conclusion: Very good quality Zinfandel blend with a highly aromatic nose showing good intensity and a nice complexity of fruitiness, the wine has a silky tannin texture while demonstrating good elegance and structure, with the expected alcohol level and good concentration, as well as a fair finish. It is ready to drink now though can benefit from further ageing of another 3-5 years.
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7/10/2016 - bplant13 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Always a solid wine. Decanted for an hour. Mixed berries with a little spice make up this great, and easy drinking Zin blend. Just enough acidity with soft tannins make this perfect for drinking on its own, or pairs great with just about any meat dish, even spicy chicken fajitas. Decent depth and finish give this great QPR. Should age well, but drinking well now with a decant.
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7/9/2016 - daghaug Likes this wine:
Bjørnebær in your face på duft, vanskelig å kjenne noe annet. Mye mer delikat i munnen, fin sødmefull jordbærfrukt. Frisk også (syrejustert). På den varme siden, kanskje, men deilig match til spicy hamburger med roquefort. Lang og fyldig ettersmak.
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6/27/2016 - wineshaman wrote: 92 Points
Consistent with 5/6 notes, smooth and fruit forward.
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6/26/2016 - asvendsen wrote: 88 Points
Last bottle (no note) was better. This bottle is showing more heat, but for some reason it's not bothering me as much as it usually does in other wines. The fruit is dark and sweet, but manages to stay fresh. Juicy, but balance could be better.
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6/21/2016 - Francophile1 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Wow! This wine surprised all of us. Explosive aromas jump from the glass. More blue fruit than red or black. The palate is full of life with vibrant fruit and long, lingering finish. A definite crowd pleaser. Enjoyed with duck confit and pork ragout.
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6/14/2016 - Double-A Likes this wine: 85 Points
Dark berry with a 'rancio' note (for me a clearly identifiable Ridge expression). Dark, smoky, raisined finish; good freshness and structure.
3/5
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5/28/2016 - texaswinelover wrote:
Don't Agree that this wine is backward simply because it was banging within 10 minutes of opening. I have minimal experience with ridge zins but cut my teeth on the varietal years ago. The usual big ripe over ripe wines with 15+% etoh.
Recently I've been fortunate to drink a lot of carlisles which present differently. Much more briarly and wild. Wines which I truly love and respect.
Ridge is like a Sophisticated red wine, youthful and balanced but lacking the Zinfandel-ly typicity I look for or expect.
Having said that I'd drink this wine any day. Got the chance to drink a '95 Lytton springs recently and it's easy to see how this vintage would evolve very similarly.
Just wonderfully balanced and clean.
Not sure how I'd pick this out as zin but love it nonetheless.
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5/7/2016 - Slaz Likes this wine: 92 Points
Similar to most Lytton Springs from prior vintages this is pretty closed and backwards at this young age. Unlike 2013 Geyserville that is remarkably accessible, this one remains restrained even after 3 hours of decanting. The fruit and dry Zin/PS notes are all there, but this is misleadingly simple relative to what it is likely to offer after 4+ years of cellaring. Could be 94+ points over time.
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5/6/2016 - wineshaman wrote: 92 Points
Very nice LS, rich, jammy, black cherry, currants, raspberry, hints of pepper, cloves and just a hint of oak. Still a bit of baby fat to shed over the short term, but what a beauty, should drink well for several years.
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5/1/2016 - JimmyBubbles Does not like this wine:
Sacado a ciegas.
Muchisima fruta roja madura, atractiva nariz, algo de madera que integrará, herbaceo y con un puntito mineral. Bomba de fruta, what else?.
La boca es calida y tánica, desequilibrado para mi. Ni evolución ni leches.
Pa otro.
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4/22/2016 - winelegends.net Likes this wine: 92 Points
92+
Dunkles Rot mit lila
Schwarzfruchtig,Lakritze,geräuchtes,würzig,süssliche Aepfel(Mostapfel),zwischendurch pflaumig.
Reich,fleischig,voller Körper,gute Säure,samtig,leicht trocknend,gute Tiefe,balanciert.
Langer dunkelfruchtiger Abgang.
Sind einfach gut in ihrer Art.
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4/21/2016 - CWilliam wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for 30 minute and paired with bbq chicken.
Dark reddish black color. Plum, black cherry, blueberry compote, fig and baking spice. On palate, medium body, medium acids & medium+ finish with tannins well integrated - very balanced. Black cherry, briary / bright cherry, cherry flavor profile. Paired great with food & very good on it's own. Would buy again. 92+
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4/20/2016 - MC2 Wines wrote:
Our first Ridge (courtesy of Grapes, White Plains) (Landmarc): Didn't realize that these wines are more of a field blend - this one having the Zinfandel with the Petite Sirah, Carignon, and some others. Very fruit forward, red currant, a bit on the young side. Wonder if it would mellow down with some age - I think I'd like a bit more in that case. It's got a touch of spice which I like. Overall though less interesting that the Geyersville which was just in a nice spot for the night.
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4/17/2016 - MRichman wrote:
Tasting at Ridge Lytton Springs: Rich, soft. Almost lush with dark fruit, tar, orange peel. A bit on the young side. Very good.
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4/15/2016 - td1836 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Beckett Tasting Group - Apr 2016: Dark red/purple color. Aromas of deep dark fruits, sweet dark cherry, boysenberry. This is the best nose of the flight. Getting more of the cherry and spice, but seems a little one dimensional right now.
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4/15/2016 - bubbachumps wrote: 93 Points
Sexy Zin with jammy notes of deep raspberry, dark cherry and some minerals. Smooth and lush in the mouth without being over the top. All around great expression of Cali Zin, put together in a nice package with fruit, acidity and tannin all in balance.
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4/10/2016 - pickhardt wrote: 92 Points
Loved it at the Lytton Springs tasting room in November '15. This was every bit as good. Very nicely balanced. A little jam, a little pepper, but not too much of either. Really nice finish. I hope to get more - if so I'll decant it for 90 minutes.
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4/3/2016 - Number51 wrote:
My bottle was really poor in quality (like 84 points). It didn't taste damaged/corked though.
I hope my next bottle turns out much better.
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4/3/2016 - klmarshall Likes this wine: 94 Points
This is the best Lytton Springs since the 1990. Let it open up for an hour or so and it gets even better. Jammy. Vanilla. Great structure and balance. Everything working well here. Not sure I will be able to keep my hands off of this one.
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3/22/2016 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Well that is darn beautiful. On the nose. And then more structured on the palate. Man is that just classy stuff. Why does anyone buy another zinfandel? Unless you are buying this and geyserville first?
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3/18/2016 - TexasBob Likes this wine: 88 Points
Very pretty medium-dark ruby. Orange liqueur and floral notes on the nose. Notes of orange zest and wild strawberries. Drunk in Sedona, AZ.
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3/15/2016 - Robert Pavlovich wrote:
Expresses some prune, raisin on the nose. Good concentration of fruit on the palate, with low to medium acidity, and the prune/raisin flavors repeating. Soft tannins, lead to a short to medium finish. Definitely has that mid palate burst of flavor.
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3/1/2016 - jeffreylubowski Likes this wine: 90 Points
Great, as always. Vanilla, lilacs, prune, American oak. Restrained and traditional as a zin can be. This is too young but you can find this everywhere so buy two and drink one too early. The previous two vintages were better, which is weird because 2013 is being touted as the zin year, but maybe it's a function of youth.
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2/27/2016 - milesskorpen wrote: 89 Points
Tobacco, cherry. Full body, solid tannins, very earth. Great nose. Fruit came through eventually, but wasn't initially too present.
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2/27/2016 - montepulciano man Likes this wine: 91 Points
Gave this a lot of air as I followed it over 4 hours or so. The tannins and petite sirah asserted themselves the more the wine was exposed to air. Quite a lovely nose emerged. Big drying tannins by the end. It's clear this wine is headed places
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2/20/2016 - Et tu Brut wrote:
Inky deep prune, dried cranberry, and some blueberry. A lot of pewter and some bright flint notes. Bright metallic and smokey notes like a flint striker. A little floral with a hint of autumnal leaves and dark chocolate. Really opened up about an hour after opening.
Full bodied. Finish is long and resounding ... firmly tannic but harmoniously balanced by a lingering acidity.
Not going to rate as my palate was a bit compromised before tasting this. It's quite good though.
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2/18/2016 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
That is just so pretty. With a couple hours open it really draw the red fruit out of the Petite Sirah.
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2/17/2016 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
As good as it always is.
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2/12/2016 - ogres3 wrote: 91 Points
Drinking well. Ripe, lush, and full bodied. Will enjoy this wine over the next several years.
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2/9/2016 - Sauvyfan Likes this wine: 91 Points
top notch yumminess from Ridge. Very unique nose on this one. Cran-blueberry. Excellent mouthfeel. Full, chunky mid-palate. A somewhat disappointing finish given the early excitement. Alcohol taste but without the heat. Could use more time to come together.
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2/6/2016 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very nice wine. May be near the pop and pour stage. Very pleasant rich and lush purple and black fruit. Can drink with or without food, but probably won't stand up to really spicy dishes. Excellent finish. Not sure this needs to sit for years in a bottle.
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1/26/2016 - El Capitán Likes this wine:
Great mid point red blend
Drinks well now but can also be stored for a couple of years
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1/24/2016 - Francois Le Mouel Does not like this wine: 88 Points
Once again, not my type of wine. Raisiny...better than the Kite Hill 2012.
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1/19/2016 - Lilja wrote:
Butter, fudge, blackberries, blackcurrant, vanilla, spicy oak and cookie dough. Dry, medium acidity, medium(-) tannins, medium+ body, medium+ intensity and finish.
This is a high quality wine, and quite tasty. Lacks a bit of personality though. Wouldn't buy, but wouldn't hesitate to recommend. Will probably age well.
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1/8/2016 - asheio wrote: 90 Points
Mostly California (Hos Martin): Perfumed and sweet nose with spices and forest fruit. Very seemless style. Noticable tannins suggests aging potantial. A pleasure to drink.
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1/7/2016 - Vinnut Likes this wine: 92 Points
Deep dark purple-garnet in color; almost opaque. Full, forward, attractive & youthful nose of ripe dark fruit aromas of cherries, blackberries & plums with briary overtones, earthy, spices, herbs, licorice, dark cocoa, minerals, smoky, cedar & a hint of vanilla in the background. Full bodied with a very good concentration of well balanced, still developing & youthful, lush, rich, ripe dark fruit flavors of cherries, blackberries and blueberries with spices, herbs, minerals, dark cocoa & a touch of creamy vanilla. Long lingering finish. Drinks quite well at present with decanting and airing but has the fruit and structure to continue development with much needed aging. Alc. @ 14.7%; a blend of 74% Zinfandel, 16% Petite Sirah, 8% Carignane & 2% Mataro (Mourvedre).
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12/26/2015 - Rechrom wrote: 94 Points
No detailed notes, drunk at a large Christmas dinner. This was the crowd favorite amongst some nice bottles. One of the best young Lytton Springs that I have tasted, it is drinking very well right now and has outstanding balance.
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12/13/2015 - ericshaun Likes this wine: 90 Points
Too early to give full opinion on. Really tightly wound at this point, putting more back for 2017.
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12/8/2015 - Billigan Likes this wine:
First night, this felt a bit disjointed, with tannins a bit rough and everything seeming out of balance. Second night, it all came together beautifully, with the quintessential profile of wild berry fruit, smoke, and spice, with only a hint of vanilla oak. The beauty of the Ridge zin blends has always been the ability to show the rich, spicy components of the grape while demonstrating restraint and balance. This is a prime example, and one that will reward considerable patience. Hold.
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12/8/2015 - swimmerad Likes this wine: 90 Points
Elegant
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11/25/2015 - Roboticduffer Likes this wine: 91 Points
Clear, depending ruby turning purple at center. Intense raspberry, blackberry, plum, and coffee aromas. Some oak spice is present. There is a smoky/mineral thing going on. Full body, medium plus tannins and acidity. All elements are well balanced.
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11/22/2015 - Doblk Likes this wine: 91 Points
Remarkably good for so young. Lighter and without the fruit density of some vintages, but has characteristic Ridge structure with great minerality and fruit. Drank at dinner with a 2007 Geyserville and it was nearly as popular.
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11/12/2015 - KJD45$ Likes this wine: 91 Points
Good Zin blend....good aromatics....great berry flavors ....
Very good wine and room to improve score over time
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11/8/2015 - depechemoroder Likes this wine: 91 Points
Fruit forward and bold, but not without finesse and elegance. Warm black fruits, a lot of plum and boysenberry, a very savoury background, some black tea, mocha, and spice. There is also a real iron-like minerality here too. The American Oak is round and full, but not sweet and domineering. Very good acidity and grippy tannins. A little more elegant with fresher fruit and a more mineral backbone than the Geyserville. Approachable and enjoyable now, but will improve immensely.
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11/3/2015 - Mike Dildine Likes this wine: 92 Points
Excellent as per previous note.
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11/1/2015 - JCGuthrie wrote: 90 Points
Needs time
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10/30/2015 - galewskj wrote: 92 Points
Hennepin Lake Tasting (Uptown): A small pour at a tasting. This is as good as always. Great balance, lovely fruit.
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10/28/2015 - rocknroller wrote: 92 Points
Hennepin Lake Charity Tasting Event - Current Releases (Mpls, MN): Tasitng pour. Rock solid as usual and showing very pretty fruit and fine grained approachable tannins. Loved it. Built to last.
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10/28/2015 - *Vine* wrote:
Popped and poured, youthful purple/ruby, deep. Initially, the nose shows exactly as expected for a young a Ridge with bramble fruits, spice and American oak leading the charge. As this airs, the aromas evolve into those of clay and herbaceous autumnal vegetation along with more primary fruit. Medium-plus body. On the palate, this is certainly an extremely youthful Lytton but one that's loaded with potential...straddles a fine line between fruit and structured, the latter ultimately winning out, with chalky, chewy tannins lingering on the close.
Despite it's backwardness, this is an awesome, claret-styled Lytton with the singular flaw of being too young to drink; give it 8-10 years and fireworks will ensue!
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10/26/2015 - wwyatt Likes this wine: 92 Points
A lot of stuffing! Expressive nose of dark fruit. Tannins are firm but not overpowering. Delicious dark fruit pushes through the tannin. While made for aging, there's a lot to love right now.
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10/18/2015 - laxman wrote: 90 Points
Not ready yet, but likely worth putting some away. AG/Vinous scored this 95, but said it needs time to shed "baby fat". Completely agree, this needs time. Good bones, deep red, spicy rich fruit, but currently lacks depth and finishes short. AG gave Ridge kudos for putting 16% Petite Sirah into the blend and I agree. For me PS alone is not that enjoyable, almost too dark and brooding without much fruit, but its depth and smoke is a great addition to a blend.
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10/15/2015 - Al Doughty wrote: 89 Points
After being opened for and hour or so, the Lytton Springs becomes a fairly one noted, sweetly fruited new world wine with soft, chalky blackberry fruit that shows a good deal of oaky baking spice.
Whilst there is decent purity and intensity to the fruit, there is nothing to set it apart from an ocean of other pleasantly sweet Californian field blends at a much lower cost, and certainly nothing that warrants anywhere near a 95 point rating.
On opening the nose shows chalk, dried cherry, prune and subtle exotic spice notes and leads to a palate of delicate round floral red fruit on the front, with subtle drying tannin, dusty earth, brioche and some cherry skin on the finish.
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10/5/2015 - Rich S wrote:
Tasted at winery. 14.3% abv. 74% zin, 17% petit sirah with 8% carignane and 2% mataro (mouvedre). Dark berry fruit, slightly hot on the nose. Good acidity and chewy tannin. A bit tight and shutdown right now so hard to evaluate.
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9/25/2015 - Mike Dildine Likes this wine: 93 Points
Great richness, intensity and focus. Shows outstanding promise.
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9/9/2015 - MRichman wrote:
Exotic spice, firm, dark, pretty, floral. Excellent.
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8/30/2015 - alanr wrote: 91 Points
Nice medium depth, good intensity, leaning more toward red/purple fruit than darker black fruit, with nice zinberry spice; quite structured, with some noticeable medium/gritty tannins. This will need several years to start being approachable, though fun to drink now.
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8/29/2015 - kosinski wrote:
Aroma: blackberry and leather with hints of cedar.
Palate: spicy blackberry with notes of lavender, cedar, leather and a touch of tobacco. Very complex with excellent structure. Solid tannins and good acidity. Hold for a couple of years, then should age well.
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8/15/2015 - buckeye76 wrote: 92 Points
CHERRIES, RASPBERRIES, AND A TOUCH OF SPICE IN THE NOSE. BLACK CHERRIES AND DEEP BERRIES IN THE FLAVOR. NICE COMPLEXITY AND A MEDIUM TO LONG FINISH.
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3/15/2015 - Omar Khayyam wrote:
Go West tasting march 13 2015 (sheraton, stockholm, sweden): I like it but it was a little bit on the jammy rich side
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