PnP. Opens with raspberry, pepper, anise, vanilla, cherry, plum and floral aromas. Still has plenty of fruit showing blackberry, raspberry, cherry, plum, anise, black pepper, floral, and light vanilla notes. Medium body with silky tannins. This was very rustic on release and has mellowed nicely with time. Drinking very well now, but has years ahead of it.
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Ridge....Zinfandel....do I need to add anything else? The mellow body of this wine with the moderate legs on the glass accented by the mild tannins, acidity with the lasting finish, what more could a person ask for...a longer life. Yes, there is still life in this vintage and bottle, but it is drinking very nice now, so why wait? Even if it is your last bottle you will not regret consuming this wine now. Enjoy!
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There is a slight green note on first open, surprisingly. However the palette depth and richness here is very elegant. Slight varnish and cedar. Pale ruby.
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So drinkable now... this was being gulped down by everyone. Good fruit, bramble, structure and decent acid. Wonder how it will evolve with more bottle age... but who really cares?
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Reticent aromas of dark fruit, camphor, cedar. Glides into a lush palate of blackberry, blueberry cassis, mocha, sweet oak and spice. Medium bodied. Finish is fresh and clean with good length. Shows excellent balance. Lovely wine
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I always love this wine, but so did the three others drinking it. Tannins mellowed after a 2 hour decant, and the fruit was very present without being too jammy. Only 1 bottle left, unfortunately.
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Bought multiple bottles directly from the winery upon release as member of the Zin Club. I remember this year being very tight, as most baby Lytton Springs are. Rested upright for 3 months, and decanted off sediment leaving a glass and a half in the bottle 5 hours before tasting.
Not much nose to report except for some very faint blackberry, licorice and even less, essences of earth.
Palate, however was exquisite! The lushness of the juice delicately tumbled over my tongue, something of a perfect spot for this cuvée. All kinds of complexities engaged and challenged my detection skills: Garigue, licorice, Christmas spices, perfect acid, delicate spice cakes with hidden but enough to pull out cinnamon, nutmeg and quality tight knit wood.
I’ve got Lytton Springs verticals in my cellar going back a decade. These wines for most years need at least 7 years bottle age to show and can stay in that sweet spot for twenty, though most would not allow that much time in bottle. 2016 was a drought relief year, and this is an interesting contrast to 2015.
The iconic label looked magnificent in front of a warm living room fire, and if I had to do this again I would wait for Christmas to open, as this with roast duck, or broiled rare ribeye would be fantastic for celebratory times with family who are not oenophiles. (Keep the 1996 Barolo hidden for ourselves!)
A fresh pour from decanter now 7 hours after decant smells more and more like Christmas season as the cakes with tart berry fit perfectly. Each swig had energy, was soft, luxuriously imparted smoke, gingerbread, boysenberry and memories of seasonal times past.
Add this to your holiday meal lineup, decant at noontime, keep ½ glass for yourself and pour the rest for others who don’t fully appreciate the depth of your cellar. This will woo your guests as you tell about the Taste Of Paris and why you opened it for this meal. (My Bruno Giacosa 2001 Serralunga D’Alba stays in my own belly!)
As this opened more and more of the oak started to show, and totally did not want to drink anymore. This is for others. Not for me. I’ve got to now hit the cellar again to find something else to open. Gotta remember not to drink any more Ridge, but only pour for others. So much time had past since the last bottle that I forget to remember! My bad.
In fact, at this point I just gotta say "UG! OAK! DOUBLE UG!"
From 375 pop and pour, brickish orange, oxidized and port like, tertiary with some dark fruited bramble, a lot of sediment in the bottle which made it a bit astringent, when I was able to have a sip it without sediment it was actually quite nice and not unlike an aged Bordeaux. Don’t know if I should mark as flawed as I won’t expect a 16 to be so advanced but at the same time I enjoyed it. Have had this twice before, last ~4 years ago and it was quite fruit forward at that time.
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Good balance of fruit flavors and acid in this claret-style zin perfect for food. Not as complex to me as older versions of this cuvee, but still fine.
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First Wednesday Wine Club (Napoli in Bocca, Haberfield): "Served Blind. Red and black berry and cherry fruit, sweet spice, a touchy of savoury ness, slight herbaceous underpin, pretty nose, interesting. Juicy, medium plus intensity acidity, those red and black fruits, softly textured tannins, pretty on the palate as well, balanced, long, charming. Lovely, really lovely. I was so confounded by the pure joy of this wine that I completely neglected to evaluate what it was! Oops!!"
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Wild blackberry, soy, earth and black pepper. Tannins beginning to soften a bit, but by no means non-existent. Drinking really well right now. Super smooth and tasty with a long and elegant finish.
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I’ve had quite a few different vintages of this wine and thought the 2016 would be in a better spot than this. Was fairly flat. I just felt I didn’t get the usual power and flavour profile I was looking for. unmemorable really.
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PnP. Coming back to this after several years. Color is bright ruby. On the nose: mixed red and black berries, vanilla and a little bit of cola. On the palate: Raspberry, cola, vanilla , spice and some vegetal notes. Elegant and refined. This is better than I remember.
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plum, leather, baking spices, toast, woody/green bramble. hint of umami hiding underneath. i could be convinced of some red or black cherry. really nice balance between freshness and ripeness of the fruit. good acidity. nicely balanced, but is a touch hot on the finish. med+ length. a very even fade, i.e. doesn't drop of a cliff, but doesn't linger with a ton of intensity either.
i see a lot of love for this one, and it's certainly a good wine. i have a soft spot for ridge and how they do things, just not sure i can get to 90 with this one like some others have. especially at the price.
Three more years in the cellar made a difference. Nice nose...very balanced tannins....Cherry is the dominate flavor....but not overwhelmingly. Smooth finish. Wish it wasn't my last bottle of 2016.
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This bottle is way too sweet - like surprisingly so... I realize it's still young, but sheesh - its confectionary character infers the brix levels were very high. The winemaker must have arrested vinification early to keep the alcohol levels low. Out of balance.
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Red-purple. Not super dense though. Nice clarity. On the nose - Plum, blackberry and Christmas cake nose. Controlled. This flows through onto the palate. Darker fruits - plums and blackberries. Also that richness and spice of Christmas cake. That's very appropriate this time of year. Like all Ridge Zins, though, that is held in check so that it's not a caricature. Very well made and still refreshing. Medium-Full and rounded mouthfeel. Yes there is lots of sweet fruits, but there is a savoury note on the finish. Also a good underlying tannin structure. Long. This will age well and is definitely at the young end for me.
Raspberry and blackberry on the nose. On the palate, blackberry, black cherry, currant, and notes of bramble and black pepper on the long finish, with light tannins and strong acidity. This was excellent, and it was a very good value at about $45.
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A bit light and sappy. Good bright fruit. In its second stage of development, having shed the energetic acid fruit, now settling into a mellower, broader, lighter stage. A pretty wine. This is good but was well outshined by the Geyserville of the same vintage.
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Coming back to this vintage after more than a year and in my humble opinion this is the finest, most polished and well balanced Zin blend I’ve tried. Medium+ intensity aroma of cherries, dried roses, blackcurrants, raspberries, liquorice, dried tomatoes, plums. Medium body, shows great structure and complexity, fragrant floral hints seamlessly intertwined with dried red fruit flavours, spicy touches. Finishes long with silky and finely grained tannins.
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had the 2016 Ridge Lytton Springs and Geyserville side by side over 2.5 hours. both were slow oxed for 5 hours before tasting. the lytton springs was better out of the gates but over the course of 2.5 hours, the geyserville caught up and ended edging the LS by a smidge. bramble and blackcurrant. lovely.
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Haven’t had a bottle as in its prime as this one in a long time. Opulent aroma to a mouthfeel and finish that is balanced and structured with bing cherries, touch of watermelon, black pepper and a little vanilla in the background. Lean but with length
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Difficult to rate. Upon plop, this is a beautiful btl of rich babyfat, dark fruit of cherry compote, brambles and cassis. It has little low level acidity, good tannic bite (easy drinkin type). Also has aromatic components towards mintiness and garrigue. Great intensity and length.
H O W E V E R As it opens up, it becomes jammy and sweet. It looses it's nerve and falls flat.
This was my life's least good btl of Ridge.
(Conclusion: Bought a 2nd btl for comparative tasting sometime later.)
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Normal yield after series of draught. Petite sirah doing well. 69% Zinfandel, 23% petite sirah, 6% carignane, 2% mataro. PNP into Riedel tasting glass (“Flower” day): medium garnet to the eyes.
Inky fruits that is darker red and very bright fruits. Liquorice. Hints of smoke.
Very amazingly fresh and lots of secondary notes. Garrique and earthy notes.
94-95 points.
1 hour upon first tasted: less about dates. Very savory. More consistent.
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No decant. Ripe, confit-like fruit of cherry, brambeberry and black currant accompanied by a fresh, minty herbal layer, dried herbs and spice. Incredibly round with fresh acidty and a nice and long finish. Once again the Lytton Springs proved being one of the best easy-drinking wines out there, offering both decent complexity for aficionados as well as crowd-pleasing qualities for the casual drinker. I always make sure to have a bottle at hand…
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Purple in color. 14.4% ABV. Savory nose of black fruits, anise, spiced plums and pepper. Medium to full bodied with perfect acidity. Bursting with lush dark fruits that cascade across the palate. Flavors of black cherry, black raspberry, kirsch and pepper. Exceptional length on the finish. Outstanding Lytton Springs with a long life ahead of it. Best over the next 5-7 years.
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Suspected it to be flawed upon opening. Needed 3 days! to fully open. Amazing potential, but will save last bottles at least 3-5 years. Strange experience, learned a lot
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Decanted, but didn't need to be. Stylish oak, ripe but well-integrated fruit, dark chocolate and cherry. Supple and extremely easy to drink, but lacked the complexity and stature of the Geyser of the same vintage (which I had a few weeks ago).
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sb Perennial favorite Deep ruby purple without any hint of age Tart red fruited aromas Soft opening with bright acidity and a bit of tannins in the finish. Blind, this always gives me a sense of old world Bordeaux blend until with air some more dark fruited sweetness and a touch of heat (14.4%) creeps in. Really lovely in this year
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Easy drinking wine that pairs nicely with most foods. A touch on the jammy side but a decent value wine, especially when dining out at a steakhouse where the wine list is marked up 3x retail.
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Drank over the course of 2 hours. Definitely needed some air. All primary notes. Day 2 the secondary notes started to show. Enjoyable now, but I will probably wait longer before opening to shorten the wait time.
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Very fruit forward, plummy, jammy. Tannins seemed well resolved initially, but more present on second day. Opened to pair with meat pies, some bites with a Sriracha sauce. Worked well with the pies, not at all with the hot sauce.
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It strikes me every time I drink a wine from Ridge, what a quality, and that their wines get so much better with a few years in the cellar. This is as good as a blend of zinfandel can be, wonderful dark fruit but with your acid that lifts the wine, wonderful!
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The pairing with the Indonesian dinner menu was the challenge thrown to me. Mellow yellow coconut curry Opor Ayam, spicy Indonesian beef rendang with aromatic roast pork belly and bland-ish potato and minced chicken cutlets all on yellow rice....match that 🤔. Decanted for 30 minutes and it went head to head with the spicy food while treating the more delicate flavours with gentleness and kindness. Loads of fruit and generous acidity on a firm tannic backbone, its opened up well enough to drink now but will hold its own for some time to come. Now - 2026. Retaste in 6-12months.
Will I buy again? I bought it quite high at USD$66 so not at this price level. But certainly at below $50.
Side note, we also opened a Trimbach Gewurztraminer Cuvée des Seigneurs de Ribeaupierre... juuuust in case. The pair made a fine ensemble around the the food. (See the Trimbach tasting note).
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Solid weekday pairing with a great double cheese burger from Taco Mac. Similar to my tasting note from 2019. Still not sure if I will ever buy more of this wine. Save your $$ for Monte Bello.
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Family dinner, no notes. Seemed very young to me of course, but already expressive. I think this was one of the most exotic Lytton Springs I've ever had with lots of oriental spices and sweet red fruits. Give this 3-5 years and it will be great. Drank next to a 2014, and while the latter was better at the moment, I think the 2016 could maybe have the upper hand given enough time. 17+/20
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Popped and poured. Much more open and more-ish than the bottle I opened 3 days ago. Similar notes except that this bottle had an extra oomph and open more-ish quality especially on the palate....super winemaking quality and so easy just to keep topping up your glass. No rough edges whatsoever. This would be a great PnP wine for a restaurant that would keep customers very happy at around $95 wine list price.
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Semi-transparent dense purple-red colour. Nose of white chocolate, nougat, Toblerone, new car tyres, some black cherry fruit. Palate is bitter espresso coffee, bitter morello cherry, soft rounded oak. Moderate length and little resonance on the finish. Is very young. Needs more air, probably a steak and ideally 5-7 more years in the cellar. 88-89
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Decanted an hour. Medium body and tannins. Still very young with bright acids and years to develop. Some exotic spices, cedar, cigar box. I can’t wait to try in a few more years.
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Cold butter, violets, some Christmas spices in the nose of this wine that otherwise lacks tannins and drinks with an almost lemonade-like touch. Interesting and a stark contrast to a Cabernet we had next to it. Evolves during the night. Unexpectedly good with sauce bearnaise.
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Medium purple N: pronounced intensity. Rich, grassy herbaceous aromas leap from the glass, followed by fresh red berries, baking spices, a little earth and cola. Such an exclusive nose! P: Pronounced intensity on the palette, full body and very rich, nice texture. Slightly drying grainy tannins showing the youth of the wine but very drinkable. Flavours of crunchy red fruits, mint, espresso, dark chocolate, cola, olive oil and and long spiced finish. Really enjoyable wine that will reward some more ageing, but it is drinking really nicely from a half bottle right now. My first Ridge experience and definately not my last!
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Intensly herbal and grassy, much more so than I expected being so far only accustomed to Geyserville, Red brrry fruit with some spices faint oak flavours on the side. Juicy on the palate, but also notably acidic. Pretty firm tannin. With darker berry elements. A good zin blend, although I‘m much more in the Geyserville camp judging from this experience (2014 is amazing).
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Obviously young, but not overwhelmingly so. Big berries, complex, not particularly tannic. But all I could keep thinking was how much more interesting this will be several years down the road.
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Mørk rød, fint lille skjær. Bjørnebær, solbær, rød lakris, hvit pepper, kjølig og svakt alkoholisk. Medium syre, pirrer i munnen med en chili/peprete aktig varme der frukten balanserer veldig fint. God konsentrasjon. Svakt tørrende tanniner. Lang fruktig utgang.
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Mushrooms, leather, earthy, herbal tones, restrained old World fruit flavors; substantial mouthfeel; rock solid balance. This is a young wine, with years ahead, potential for even more.
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Phenomenal wine. Well balanced all around. Tannins are well intergrated, and is way too easy to drink. Very complex with dark fruit upfront, transitioning to lighter red fruit/menthol mid palate to a more herbal side on finish. This wine has tons of depth due to 23% PV.
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Anton’s Wine Tasting Notes Ridge Lytton Springs 2016 Winery: Ridge Varietal: 69% Zinfandel, 23% Petite Sirah, 6% Carignane, 2% Mourvèdre Area/Appellation: Sonoma County California Vintage: 2016. Price: $54 Color: Dark ruby, opaque purple, Legs: slow to medium Nose: blackberry jam, some oak, dark blueberry, vanilla, strawberry preserves, a touch of maraschino cherry very faint, Palate: snappy, structured all black and brooding blue fruits, some raspberry and elderberry with some upfront oak and vanilla. Finish:Classic Lytton Springs. All the components are there. The dark red and black fruits, the elderberry snap, the oak component for aging well into 2030. Comments: Paul Draper is one of the last true originals of Sonoma who can still get it done. His wines even in tough years are ALWAYS phenomenal. Pairing Suggestions: well this is really easy. Texas BBQ brisket, Beef Bourguignon, Hamburgers off the grill, Score in terms of Vintage: 91 Score for the Wine: 91 Value for the Money: Very Good Date Tasted: 08/29/2020 Tasted by: ACK
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Nice introduction of muted red berry fruit. Good acid tartness. Interestinly, while looking at the grape variety components of this wine, one might think this is a big red bruiser. On the contrary it is fairly elegant. This wine could accompany a wide variety of foods from a hearty steak to a flavorful cornish game hen.
Packed with youthful jammy blackberry fruit and some oak. The tannins are still protruding and harsh and the wine could easily improve for the next 5-10 years. A massive and concentrated with but it still seems to maintain a fine balance. It is easy and smooth to drink now but it could really benefit from opening up a bit to show some more complexity.
Wonderful scent, strawberry, jam, vanilla. Perfectly balanced, especially fine harmony between acidity and tannins and not as sweet as many other Zin wines, thanks to 23% of Petite Syrah. Drink or hold.
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Very tannic and a bit woody, this is too young at this point, although it softened out the second, and even the third, day. Hard dried cherries, blackberries, and a bit jammy.
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This is a wine that is excellent to drink by itself in order to pick up subtleties in nose and flavors. Soft with some tannin on the long finish. Some foods may compete with what the wine has to show. I recommend a mild, soft or hard cheese, and a good crusty bread with this, nothing else needed.
Let it sit for about 30 min. In a good pace and enjoyable to drink. Has softened quite a bit from a year ago. Solid easy drinking wine with nice balance of fruit, structure and tannins. Not sure time will make it much better but will curious to watch my last few and see.
Dusty raspberry with a hint of confectioner's sugar. Black raspberry fruit is a touch rustic but fairly light on its feet. It expands on palate with dry blackberry before leading into tacky tannins with black plum and dusty earth on the finish,
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Consistent with previously consumed bottle (both 375s) In the glass it is a medium purple. On the nose: raspberry, blueberry jam, a touch of smoke. On the palate this is red fruit forward with wild cherry and what might be a bit of pomegranate. Delicious now with room to grow. Even with an ABV of 14.4 this doesn’t carry any serious alcohol heat so much as it has a pleasurable/comforting warmth to the body.
Cf. the CellarTracker Article link [lower lft] to get specific info for this vintage, including acclaim.
N: RIPE, almost jammy berries; Intensity lurking?
P: MF body; RNDISH entry with very NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which stays in contact with the init frt as it fairly seamlessly transitions into a LONG, BALANCED finish with a lovely tangy/swtness to the firming, dusty tannins. NEEDS through '21, then at least approaching its 10th. 14.4% ABV; My EXC, higher with time? [Check with this vendor if interested in their competitive price.]
Note: Also tasted on 9/14/18, + 1/5 & 5/25/19.
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superbly structured, spicy zin fruit. not as sweet as some of its peers. although I prefer the Geyserville field blend, this is superbly structured with really nice spice and shoul reward years of aging.
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I typically like the Geyserville more than Lytton because of the field blend flavor mix. 2016 is no exception. Had to open this, softened since over a year ago, subdued in aromas and flavors. It is a pleasant drink, not an exciting one, tannins in the background (for 30th when I drink the rest). I love the style of Ridge zins, not as thrilled with Lytton as when I bought the bottles (fewer than Gville). The Lytton is not particularly unfriendly but not giving up much. Finish is short. A rating would be unfair.
10/29 Decided to drink some of rest tonight. No new insights. Good news is not unfriendly, i.e. enjoyment in drinking now although obviously not what it could be.
Too young. Still tasty though. This one has a lot of petite sirah although to be honest I never get a whole lot of vintage variation in this wine. Only 69% zin. Plum, wild berry, forest floor, and yes some vanilla and coconut. Always a bargain but the price is rising.
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Opened this WAY too early, should have given it at least 3 more years for tannins to integrate. Very enjoyable still, will try and buy more. This is a great QPR.
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Popped and poured. Very good right away. Plenty of fruit, silky smooth tannins and wonderful vanilla oak. Medium red color and full bodied but not heavy tasting. Day 2 this shut down completely. Tannins were very prevalent and fruit was subdued. Day 3 this was back in business. Nose was not quite a good as day 1 but overall the wine improved. I bought this at retail to decide if I was going to buy more as what I have is winery direct and waiting to ship. I will be ordering more!
Compared to the ‘17 Geyserville I had a few days ago I currently like the Lytton more. May not have the long term potential but it sure is tasty now.
Black-fruited on the nose with a bit of smoke. There's a certain foggy quality to the nose that I can't quite put my finger on. More black fruit on the palate, with acidity that holds through the palate. Longer finish.
I'd like to come back to this as I don't think I got everything out of it that I could have.
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Visiting and found this in kids fridge. One from the gift packs have been sending. Guess it’s a few days here cork stunk in. Nose is gone. The balance is incredible. Bit cold and hard to tell what I am drinking. French stylistically. Still delicious and interesting how many days later.
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Cf. the CellarTracker Article link [lower lft] to get specific info for this vintage, including acclaim.
N: ATTRACTIVELY *ripe* berries with unparsables underneath; Intensity lurking
P: LM body; NICE, almost swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which pretty much resolves by the LONG, BALANCED, tangy/swt finish to the dusty tannins. DESERVES another yr or so, then drinking for at LEAST 4 yrs more? 14.4% ABV; My EXC, more eventually? [Check with this vendor if interested in their competitive price.]
Note: Also tasted on 9/14/2018 & 1/5/2019.
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Always a solid choice! Been a fan since the ‘11 and been collecting since the ‘12. This is great young, with silky smooth red berries, good acidity, and moderate yet integrated tannin. Love drinking these young, but they tend to peak after 6-8 years of sleep, so I always buy a few of them ;)
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Tasted at The Wine Society's dinner, Berkshire, UK, with Ridge winemaker Eric Baugher introducing the wines. Served to accompany cheese course. Bright ruby colour. Nose shows aniseed, lovely fruit, with hints of orange and caramel. Lovely palate, good tannins, more orangey fruit. Continued to open up for an hour in the glass, then the dinner finished so I had to drink up! Excellent.
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Wonderful nose of dark cherry, black plum and blackberry, on the palate an array of black and red fruits along with cranberry, blackberry and bramble jam, yet this is not jammy. No this is elegant and refined. There is a little cardamon and liquorice as the fruit fades. This is rich and layered along with wonderfully integrated tannins and a smooth finish. It is not often that I get excited about Zinfandel, but this one is pretty special. I am intrigued how it ages. A blend of 69% Zinfandel, 23% Petite Sirah, 6% Carignane and 2% Mataro. Aged in new and used american oak for 14 months. Drink now over the next 10 years.
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A solid effort and very typical for this estate. Jammy, fruit forward, appeals to the new world palate. Still a little disjointed at this point. I’d give it another year in bottle to integrate.
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Very good, particularly for its blended polyphasic taste. It has Zin fruit, Mourvedre meatiness, lots of savoury and acidic notes between, and a lingering gentle stemminess which blends into substantial tannins that come in gradually and are unnoticeable when combined with fatty meat, except in that they make the meat tastier. Fairly long finish too.
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ZAP TRADE TASTING, nose of black fruit, same on the palate, slightly fruit forward, good acid, needs 4 years to show well or long decant, rich, tasty, and a touch simple.
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P: LM body; NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which pretty much carries through into the LONG, VERY slightly puckerish finish with a swtness to the dusty tannins. NEEDS through '21, poss longer, then approaching its 10th. 14.4% ABV; My EXC, more eventually? [Check with this vendor if interested in their competitive price.]
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I drink a fair bit of Ridge Zin, and I really like the character of this one. It has the typical ripe fruit, glossy texture, and medium-to-full body, but here the fruit is a bit fresher and deeper than usual, and the acids a bit brighter. Very long.
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Dark, sweet, intense fruit aromas. Blackberry and plums with a twist of prunes. Good structure with balancing acidity and tannin. Big rich warm finish. High quality Zinfandel.
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Opened to breath 30 minutes prior to evaluation. Dark ruby garnet colour with cocoa, blackberry, soft ju jube undertones. Long lingering finish. A very good bottle of a zin rhone variety blend.
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Deep dark garnet in color. bordering on opaque. Full, forward & attractive nose of ripe fruit aromas of dark cherries, blackberries & plums with briary overtones, spices, dried herbs, some dark cocoa, tar, pepper, minerals & a hint of vanilla in the background. Full bodied with a very good concentration of well balanced & smooth textured, plummy/jammy, ripe dark fruit flavors of cherries, blackberries & blueberries with spices, herbs, minerals, some cocoa & vanilla. Long lingering finish. Drinks quite well at present with decanting & extended airing but has the fruit and structure to continue development with additional more years of aging. A blend of 69% Zinfandel. 23% Petite Sirah, 6% Carignane & 2% Mataro (Mourvdre).
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dark ruby burgundy color. Nose perfumed, deep, some floral/honey notes, dark fruited. Palate big in the mouth, some allspice, silky, *deep*. nice freshness, slightly tannic on the finish. 92 pts
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Obviously too young to drink from the first sniff: hi-toned, hi-alcohol, like chambord distilled to grappa. Some black plum, celery seed, and black pepper, but not especially pretty. Very ripe black fruit, piercing black tea tannins, menthol, and blackberry. But finish is all heat. This big boy needs 2-3 years to settle down and may then gain a couple of points, but for now, decant for an hour and pair it with tomato based bbq.
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deep dark burgundy red, medium clarity, silvery hue Nose: cassis, raspberry, tar, wet earth, tobacco, silver, green herbs, tannins, oak Pal: cassis, raspberry, tar, tobacco, cigar, chalk, wet earth, silver, cola, green herbs, tannins, oak Feel: full, savory, acidic Finish: full T8 (could be a 9)
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N: Slightly closed, but seems ripe, poss jammy; Intensity lurking
P: Med body; NICE frt met by puckerish astringency (yet with HINTS of the initial frt) which transitions into a LONG, very, VERY slightly puckerish finish with hints of a raisiny swtness (& OCCASIONAL *hints* of a quasi-bitter flatness) to the very, VERY fine tannins. NEEDS into, probably through, '20, then approaching its 10th? 14.4% ABV; My EXC-. [Check with this vendor if interested in their competitive price.]
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ZAP:STORIES FROM SONOMA COUNTY. Nose of red and black berry fruit, dusty gravel, and allspice, same on the palate, medium/big body, tasty but simple, better in 6 months, near term drinking, $44 retail and I pass, medium finish.
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Sonoma County May 29, 2018: Aromas of blackberry, cedar, leather, spices and violets. Juicy black fruit on the attack, with depth of minerals and dark/sweet spices. Rich weight, bright acid and fine tannins. Good overall depth. Very nice.
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4/22/2024 - gharter Likes this wine: 92 Points
PnP. Opens with raspberry, pepper, anise, vanilla, cherry, plum and floral aromas. Still has plenty of fruit showing blackberry, raspberry, cherry, plum, anise, black pepper, floral, and light vanilla notes. Medium body with silky tannins. This was very rustic on release and has mellowed nicely with time. Drinking very well now, but has years ahead of it.
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4/7/2024 - Mortgage92 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Ridge....Zinfandel....do I need to add anything else? The mellow body of this wine with the moderate legs on the glass accented by the mild tannins, acidity with the lasting finish, what more could a person ask for...a longer life. Yes, there is still life in this vintage and bottle, but it is drinking very nice now, so why wait? Even if it is your last bottle you will not regret consuming this wine now. Enjoy!
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4/1/2024 - Obi-Wan Cannubi Likes this wine: 91 Points
Modningstoner. Kjølig, fin balanse. Veldig god frukt. Imponert til å være zin. Kjøper gjerne igjen. Denne holder flere år.
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1/25/2024 - loj Likes this wine: 91 Points
There is a slight green note on first open, surprisingly.
However the palette depth and richness here is very elegant. Slight varnish and cedar. Pale ruby.
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12/5/2023 - asparagus Likes this wine: 92 Points
So drinkable now... this was being gulped down by everyone. Good fruit, bramble, structure and decent acid. Wonder how it will evolve with more bottle age... but who really cares?
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11/27/2023 - 6831 wrote: 93 Points
Reticent aromas of dark fruit, camphor, cedar. Glides into a lush palate of blackberry, blueberry cassis, mocha, sweet oak and spice. Medium bodied. Finish is fresh and clean with good length. Shows excellent balance. Lovely wine
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11/18/2023 - CavWine wrote: 93 Points
I always love this wine, but so did the three others drinking it. Tannins mellowed after a 2 hour decant, and the fruit was very present without being too jammy. Only 1 bottle left, unfortunately.
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11/17/2023 - lovemycab wrote: 90 Points
Slow ox and drank over a few hours. Maybe it was an off bottle as this wasn’t as good as prior ones. Fruit was really muted.
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11/3/2023 - Fractalage Does not like this wine:
Bought multiple bottles directly from the winery upon release as member of the Zin Club. I remember this year being very tight, as most baby Lytton Springs are.
Rested upright for 3 months, and decanted off sediment leaving a glass and a half in the bottle 5 hours before tasting.
Not much nose to report except for some very faint blackberry, licorice and even less, essences of earth.
Palate, however was exquisite!
The lushness of the juice delicately tumbled over my tongue, something of a perfect spot for this cuvée. All kinds of complexities engaged and challenged my detection skills: Garigue, licorice, Christmas spices, perfect acid, delicate spice cakes with hidden but enough to pull out cinnamon, nutmeg and quality tight knit wood.
I’ve got Lytton Springs verticals in my cellar going back a decade. These wines for most years need at least 7 years bottle age to show and can stay in that sweet spot for twenty, though most would not allow that much time in bottle. 2016 was a drought relief year, and this is an interesting contrast to 2015.
The iconic label looked magnificent in front of a warm living room fire, and if I had to do this again I would wait for Christmas to open, as this with roast duck, or broiled rare ribeye would be fantastic for celebratory times with family who are not oenophiles. (Keep the 1996 Barolo hidden for ourselves!)
A fresh pour from decanter now 7 hours after decant smells more and more like Christmas season as the cakes with tart berry fit perfectly. Each swig had energy, was soft, luxuriously imparted smoke, gingerbread, boysenberry and memories of seasonal times past.
Add this to your holiday meal lineup, decant at noontime, keep ½ glass for yourself and pour the rest for others who don’t fully appreciate the depth of your cellar. This will woo your guests as you tell about the Taste Of Paris and why you opened it for this meal. (My Bruno Giacosa 2001 Serralunga D’Alba stays in my own belly!)
As this opened more and more of the oak started to show, and totally did not want to drink anymore. This is for others. Not for me. I’ve got to now hit the cellar again to find something else to open. Gotta remember not to drink any more Ridge, but only pour for others. So much time had past since the last bottle that I forget to remember! My bad.
In fact, at this point I just gotta say "UG! OAK! DOUBLE UG!"
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8/21/2023 - Francophile1 wrote: 89 Points
Straight down the fairway. Consistently good regardless of the vintage. Good value wine.
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7/29/2023 - Kharles Likes this wine:
Super tasty
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6/29/2023 - Teaky Likes this wine:
From 375 pop and pour, brickish orange, oxidized and port like, tertiary with some dark fruited bramble, a lot of sediment in the bottle which made it a bit astringent, when I was able to have a sip it without sediment it was actually quite nice and not unlike an aged Bordeaux. Don’t know if I should mark as flawed as I won’t expect a 16 to be so advanced but at the same time I enjoyed it. Have had this twice before, last ~4 years ago and it was quite fruit forward at that time.
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5/18/2023 - ClaytonDave Likes this wine: 93 Points
Ready to drink. Will benefit from 30-60 minute decant. Smooth and lush, but not heavy. Classic Zin with notes of cherry and blackberry.
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2/13/2023 - martywil Likes this wine: 90 Points
Good balance of fruit flavors and acid in this claret-style zin perfect for food. Not as complex to me as older versions of this cuvee, but still fine.
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1/1/2023 - tourproto Likes this wine: 91 Points
Another great Zin blend from Ridge. Def should be drunk with food. A little too big to just drink without food.
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12/25/2022 - ppandian Likes this wine: 90 Points
This was a magnum. Christmas dinner with roast beef. Typical Ridge - cherries, strawberries, brambly undertones with well-integrated tannins.
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12/7/2022 - chatters wrote:
First Wednesday Wine Club (Napoli in Bocca, Haberfield): "Served Blind.
Red and black berry and cherry fruit, sweet spice, a touchy of savoury ness, slight herbaceous underpin, pretty nose, interesting. Juicy, medium plus intensity acidity, those red and black fruits, softly textured tannins, pretty on the palate as well, balanced, long, charming. Lovely, really lovely.
I was so confounded by the pure joy of this wine that I completely neglected to evaluate what it was! Oops!!"
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12/4/2022 - GrapeCrusader Likes this wine: 91 Points
Wild blackberry, soy, earth and black pepper. Tannins beginning to soften a bit, but by no means non-existent. Drinking really well right now. Super smooth and tasty with a long and elegant finish.
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10/4/2022 - Opus2010 wrote: 94 Points
Outstanding; really opened up after an hour
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10/1/2022 - DonDon wrote: 89 Points
I’ve had quite a few different vintages of this wine and thought the 2016 would be in a better spot than this. Was fairly flat. I just felt I didn’t get the usual power and flavour profile I was looking for. unmemorable really.
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9/20/2022 - Brian of Mull Likes this wine: 93 Points
PnP. Coming back to this after several years. Color is bright ruby. On the nose: mixed red and black berries, vanilla and a little bit of cola. On the palate: Raspberry, cola, vanilla , spice and some vegetal notes. Elegant and refined. This is better than I remember.
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9/6/2022 - Shavedaddy Likes this wine: 87 Points
plum, leather, baking spices, toast, woody/green bramble. hint of umami hiding underneath. i could be convinced of some red or black cherry. really nice balance between freshness and ripeness of the fruit. good acidity. nicely balanced, but is a touch hot on the finish. med+ length. a very even fade, i.e. doesn't drop of a cliff, but doesn't linger with a ton of intensity either.
i see a lot of love for this one, and it's certainly a good wine. i have a soft spot for ridge and how they do things, just not sure i can get to 90 with this one like some others have. especially at the price.
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8/31/2022 - Winowhyno Likes this wine: 91 Points
Three more years in the cellar made a difference. Nice nose...very balanced tannins....Cherry is the dominate flavor....but not overwhelmingly. Smooth finish. Wish it wasn't my last bottle of 2016.
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8/20/2022 - vino vidi vici wrote:
This bottle is way too sweet - like surprisingly so... I realize it's still young, but sheesh - its confectionary character infers the brix levels were very high. The winemaker must have arrested vinification early to keep the alcohol levels low. Out of balance.
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7/9/2022 - pcwoz wrote: 94 Points
Red-purple. Not super dense though. Nice clarity. On the nose - Plum, blackberry and Christmas cake nose. Controlled. This flows through onto the palate. Darker fruits - plums and blackberries. Also that richness and spice of Christmas cake. That's very appropriate this time of year. Like all Ridge Zins, though, that is held in check so that it's not a caricature. Very well made and still refreshing. Medium-Full and rounded mouthfeel. Yes there is lots of sweet fruits, but there is a savoury note on the finish. Also a good underlying tannin structure. Long. This will age well and is definitely at the young end for me.
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6/17/2022 - RichardP wrote: 92 Points
Raspberry and blackberry on the nose. On the palate, blackberry, black cherry, currant, and notes of bramble and black pepper on the long finish, with light tannins and strong acidity. This was excellent, and it was a very good value at about $45.
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5/31/2022 - MRichman wrote:
A bit light and sappy. Good bright fruit. In its second stage of development, having shed the energetic acid fruit, now settling into a mellower, broader, lighter stage. A pretty wine. This is good but was well outshined by the Geyserville of the same vintage.
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4/1/2022 - Ernestas Likes this wine: 92 Points
Coming back to this vintage after more than a year and in my humble opinion this is the finest, most polished and well balanced Zin blend I’ve tried. Medium+ intensity aroma of cherries, dried roses, blackcurrants, raspberries, liquorice, dried tomatoes, plums. Medium body, shows great structure and complexity, fragrant floral hints seamlessly intertwined with dried red fruit flavours, spicy touches. Finishes long with silky and finely grained tannins.
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3/11/2022 - SirJ Likes this wine: 92 Points
Wine 2 of 13
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2/19/2022 - asparagus Likes this wine: 91 Points
had the 2016 Ridge Lytton Springs and Geyserville side by side over 2.5 hours. both were slow oxed for 5 hours before tasting. the lytton springs was better out of the gates but over the course of 2.5 hours, the geyserville caught up and ended edging the LS by a smidge. bramble and blackcurrant. lovely.
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2/5/2022 - andysiek Likes this wine: 91 Points
Haven’t had a bottle as in its prime as this one in a long time. Opulent aroma to a mouthfeel and finish that is balanced and structured with bing cherries, touch of watermelon, black pepper and a little vanilla in the background. Lean but with length
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1/7/2022 - StefanAkiko wrote: 86 Points
Difficult to rate.
Upon plop, this is a beautiful btl of rich babyfat, dark fruit of cherry compote, brambles and cassis. It has little low level acidity, good tannic bite (easy drinkin type). Also has aromatic components towards mintiness and garrigue. Great intensity and length.
H O W E V E R
As it opens up, it becomes jammy and sweet. It looses it's nerve and falls flat.
This was my life's least good btl of Ridge.
(Conclusion: Bought a 2nd btl for comparative tasting sometime later.)
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1/6/2022 - Tony Ling Likes this wine: 94 Points
Normal yield after series of draught. Petite sirah doing well. 69% Zinfandel, 23% petite sirah, 6% carignane, 2% mataro. PNP into Riedel tasting glass (“Flower” day): medium garnet to the eyes.
Inky fruits that is darker red and very bright fruits. Liquorice. Hints of smoke.
Very amazingly fresh and lots of secondary notes. Garrique and earthy notes.
94-95 points.
1 hour upon first tasted: less about dates. Very savory. More consistent.
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12/25/2021 - gmmilani Likes this wine: 90 Points
One of my favorite Zinfandel blends. Enjoyed the wine, but have had better from other Lytton Springs vintages. Maybe cellaring would help.
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12/12/2021 - sirpat00 wrote: 93 Points
No decant. Ripe, confit-like fruit of cherry, brambeberry and black currant accompanied by a fresh, minty herbal layer, dried herbs and spice. Incredibly round with fresh acidty and a nice and long finish. Once again the Lytton Springs proved being one of the best easy-drinking wines out there, offering both decent complexity for aficionados as well as crowd-pleasing qualities for the casual drinker. I always make sure to have a bottle at hand…
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11/30/2021 - tomlee wrote: 94 Points
Purple in color. 14.4% ABV. Savory nose of black fruits, anise, spiced plums and pepper. Medium to full bodied with perfect acidity. Bursting with lush dark fruits that cascade across the palate. Flavors of black cherry, black raspberry, kirsch and pepper. Exceptional length on the finish. Outstanding Lytton Springs with a long life ahead of it. Best over the next 5-7 years.
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11/29/2021 - Rechrom wrote: 93 Points
Drinking very well after a double decant. Great balance, lovely fruit.
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11/26/2021 - Qhaynie Likes this wine: 90 Points
Fantastic ruby red, breathed for 1 hr first glass, 3 hrs second glass. Very punchy and bright with a smooth and deep palate. A delicious treat.
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11/23/2021 - TomEndresplass Likes this wine: 89 Points
Suspected it to be flawed upon opening. Needed 3 days! to fully open. Amazing potential, but will save last bottles at least 3-5 years. Strange experience, learned a lot
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11/6/2021 - NickA Likes this wine: 90 Points
Decanted, but didn't need to be. Stylish oak, ripe but well-integrated fruit, dark chocolate and cherry. Supple and extremely easy to drink, but lacked the complexity and stature of the Geyser of the same vintage (which I had a few weeks ago).
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10/18/2021 - cos65 Likes this wine: 92 Points
sb
Perennial favorite
Deep ruby purple without any hint of age
Tart red fruited aromas
Soft opening with bright acidity and a bit of tannins in the finish. Blind, this always gives me a sense of old world Bordeaux blend until with air some more dark fruited sweetness and a touch of heat (14.4%) creeps in.
Really lovely in this year
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9/30/2021 - Francophile1 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Easy drinking wine that pairs nicely with most foods. A touch on the jammy side but a decent value wine, especially when dining out at a steakhouse where the wine list is marked up 3x retail.
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9/25/2021 - lovemycab Likes this wine: 89 Points
Drank over the course of 2 hours. Definitely needed some air. All primary notes. Day 2 the secondary notes started to show. Enjoyable now, but I will probably wait longer before opening to shorten the wait time.
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8/31/2021 - Bob23 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nicely evolved - the savory side of California zin.
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7/31/2021 - Sonoma-W Likes this wine: 90 Points
Interesting blend!
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7/22/2021 - Crusty Reader Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very fruit forward, plummy, jammy. Tannins seemed well resolved initially, but more present on second day. Opened to pair with meat pies, some bites with a Sriracha sauce. Worked well with the pies, not at all with the hot sauce.
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6/10/2021 - SirJ Likes this wine: 93 Points
It strikes me every time I drink a wine from Ridge, what a quality, and that their wines get so much better with a few years in the cellar. This is as good as a blend of zinfandel can be, wonderful dark fruit but with your acid that lifts the wine, wonderful!
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6/5/2021 - snarfglk Likes this wine: 90 Points
90+
finished day 2, may have improved some
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5/30/2021 - Deo68 Likes this wine: 85 Points
The pairing with the Indonesian dinner menu was the challenge thrown to me. Mellow yellow coconut curry Opor Ayam, spicy Indonesian beef rendang with aromatic roast pork belly and bland-ish potato and minced chicken cutlets all on yellow rice....match that 🤔.
Decanted for 30 minutes and it went head to head with the spicy food while treating the more delicate flavours with gentleness and kindness. Loads of fruit and generous acidity on a firm tannic backbone, its opened up well enough to drink now but will hold its own for some time to come. Now - 2026. Retaste in 6-12months.
Will I buy again? I bought it quite high at USD$66 so not at this price level. But certainly at below $50.
Side note, we also opened a Trimbach Gewurztraminer Cuvée des Seigneurs de Ribeaupierre... juuuust in case. The pair made a fine ensemble around the the food. (See the Trimbach tasting note).
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5/29/2021 - yasha Likes this wine: 92 Points
Love it
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5/27/2021 - Francophile1 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Solid weekday pairing with a great double cheese burger from Taco Mac. Similar to my tasting note from 2019. Still not sure if I will ever buy more of this wine. Save your $$ for Monte Bello.
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5/24/2021 - ploher wrote:
Family dinner, no notes. Seemed very young to me of course, but already expressive. I think this was one of the most exotic Lytton Springs I've ever had with lots of oriental spices and sweet red fruits. Give this 3-5 years and it will be great. Drank next to a 2014, and while the latter was better at the moment, I think the 2016 could maybe have the upper hand given enough time. 17+/20
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5/19/2021 - short and confused wrote:
Very good young Lytton but I think I like these wines when they are a bit older. I'll wait on the next few.
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4/8/2021 - Eriklainen wrote:
Better than most Primitivo from Italy and the style is coolish but there is still a lack of focus. Cellaring may (just) do it some good.
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4/4/2021 - chanote44 wrote: 87 Points
Agree with Raja before me. Simple muted fruit with medium acid and a short finish. Not worth ageing.
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4/2/2021 - Raja Likes this wine: 85 Points
Very disappointing for a flagship wine from Ridge. Reading other reviews, it may be an odd bottle.
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2/27/2021 - snarfglk Likes this wine: 90 Points
90+
a bit mellow but nice
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2/14/2021 - Goldstone Likes this wine: 89 Points
Popped and poured. Much more open and more-ish than the bottle I opened 3 days ago. Similar notes except that this bottle had an extra oomph and open more-ish quality especially on the palate....super winemaking quality and so easy just to keep topping up your glass. No rough edges whatsoever. This would be a great PnP wine for a restaurant that would keep customers very happy at around $95 wine list price.
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2/11/2021 - Goldstone Likes this wine: 88 Points
Semi-transparent dense purple-red colour. Nose of white chocolate, nougat, Toblerone, new car tyres, some black cherry fruit. Palate is bitter espresso coffee, bitter morello cherry, soft rounded oak. Moderate length and little resonance on the finish. Is very young. Needs more air, probably a steak and ideally 5-7 more years in the cellar. 88-89
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1/28/2021 - pas.vino Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted an hour. Medium body and tannins. Still very young with bright acids and years to develop. Some exotic spices, cedar, cigar box. I can’t wait to try in a few more years.
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1/24/2021 - Eriklainen wrote:
Cold butter, violets, some Christmas spices in the nose of this wine that otherwise lacks tannins and drinks with an almost lemonade-like touch. Interesting and a stark contrast to a Cabernet we had next to it. Evolves during the night. Unexpectedly good with sauce bearnaise.
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12/28/2020 - Tom Prior-Grice Likes this wine:
Medium purple
N: pronounced intensity. Rich, grassy herbaceous aromas leap from the glass, followed by fresh red berries, baking spices, a little earth and cola. Such an exclusive nose!
P: Pronounced intensity on the palette, full body and very rich, nice texture. Slightly drying grainy tannins showing the youth of the wine but very drinkable. Flavours of crunchy red fruits, mint, espresso, dark chocolate, cola, olive oil and and long spiced finish.
Really enjoyable wine that will reward some more ageing, but it is drinking really nicely from a half bottle right now. My first Ridge experience and definately not my last!
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12/24/2020 - vino vidi vici Likes this wine:
Mouthwatering fruit, lilting spice, cedar wood, and acid that runs straight on through. A real treat this Xmas Eve.
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12/18/2020 - sirpat00 wrote: 92 Points
Intensly herbal and grassy, much more so than I expected being so far only accustomed to Geyserville, Red brrry fruit with some spices faint oak flavours on the side. Juicy on the palate, but also notably acidic. Pretty firm tannin. With darker berry elements. A good zin blend, although I‘m much more in the Geyserville camp judging from this experience (2014 is amazing).
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12/10/2020 - snarfglk Likes this wine: 90 Points
not exuberant, a bit muted
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11/22/2020 - klezman wrote:
Obviously young, but not overwhelmingly so. Big berries, complex, not particularly tannic. But all I could keep thinking was how much more interesting this will be several years down the road.
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11/8/2020 - jlwhite68 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Balanced fruit, slightly peppery
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11/8/2020 - jlwhite68 wrote: 92 Points
Slightly peppery, balanced fruit
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9/29/2020 - karlsenrm Likes this wine: 91 Points
Mørk rød, fint lille skjær. Bjørnebær, solbær, rød lakris, hvit pepper, kjølig og svakt alkoholisk. Medium syre, pirrer i munnen med en chili/peprete aktig varme der frukten balanserer veldig fint. God konsentrasjon. Svakt tørrende tanniner. Lang fruktig utgang.
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9/28/2020 - gth865a Likes this wine: 94 Points
So good. Amazingly well integrated
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9/20/2020 - Carib Likes this wine: 95 Points
Mushrooms, leather, earthy, herbal tones, restrained old World fruit flavors; substantial mouthfeel; rock solid balance. This is a young wine, with years ahead, potential for even more.
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9/9/2020 - jigones Likes this wine: 94 Points
Phenomenal wine. Well balanced all around. Tannins are well intergrated, and is way too easy to drink. Very complex with dark fruit upfront, transitioning to lighter red fruit/menthol mid palate to a more herbal side on finish. This wine has tons of depth due to 23% PV.
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9/7/2020 - pas.vino wrote: 92 Points
Decanted 2 hours. Served it with BBQ Ribs. Excellent! It is really a wonderful wine. It has a lot of life and great potential.
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9/4/2020 - redhead6971 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Anton’s Wine Tasting Notes Ridge Lytton Springs 2016
Winery: Ridge Varietal: 69% Zinfandel, 23% Petite Sirah, 6% Carignane,
2% Mourvèdre Area/Appellation: Sonoma County California
Vintage: 2016. Price: $54
Color: Dark ruby, opaque purple, Legs: slow to medium
Nose: blackberry jam, some oak, dark blueberry, vanilla, strawberry preserves, a touch of maraschino cherry very faint,
Palate: snappy, structured all black and brooding blue fruits, some raspberry and elderberry with some upfront oak and vanilla.
Finish:Classic Lytton Springs. All the components are there.
The dark red and black fruits, the elderberry snap, the oak component for aging well into 2030.
Comments: Paul Draper is one of the last true originals of Sonoma who can still get it done. His wines even in tough years are ALWAYS phenomenal.
Pairing Suggestions: well this is really easy. Texas BBQ brisket, Beef Bourguignon, Hamburgers off the grill,
Score in terms of Vintage: 91
Score for the Wine: 91
Value for the Money: Very Good
Date Tasted: 08/29/2020
Tasted by: ACK
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8/27/2020 - Sonoma-W Likes this wine: 93 Points
Great structure and tannins. This could last a long time
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8/21/2020 - EMark Likes this wine:
Nice introduction of muted red berry fruit. Good acid tartness. Interestinly, while looking at the grape variety components of this wine, one might think this is a big red bruiser. On the contrary it is fairly elegant. This wine could accompany a wide variety of foods from a hearty steak to a flavorful cornish game hen.
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7/31/2020 - heidoanddave Likes this wine: 92 Points
Jammy dark berries acidity and tannins and great zin.
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7/20/2020 - canan wrote: 92 Points
Packed with youthful jammy blackberry fruit and some oak. The tannins are still protruding and harsh and the wine could easily improve for the next 5-10 years.
A massive and concentrated with but it still seems to maintain a fine balance. It is easy and smooth to drink now but it could really benefit from opening up a bit to show some more complexity.
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6/16/2020 - Slaz Likes this wine: 92 Points
Woefully young but promising at this eary stage, as almost always historically.
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5/23/2020 - Mustang1 Does not like this wine: 80 Points
Bad taste
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4/30/2020 - SirJ Likes this wine: 92 Points
Wonderful scent, strawberry, jam, vanilla. Perfectly balanced, especially fine harmony between acidity and tannins and not as sweet as many other Zin wines, thanks to 23% of Petite Syrah. Drink or hold.
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4/12/2020 - WineAggregate Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very tannic and a bit woody, this is too young at this point, although it softened out the second, and even the third, day. Hard dried cherries, blackberries, and a bit jammy.
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4/6/2020 - colorflavorlocking wrote:
Why are you drinking this now? Wait! There’s something to this wine, but it’s buried under quite a bit of wood at the moment.
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3/31/2020 - Rexhame Likes this wine: 89 Points
I liked this Zin blend. Classy feel. Solid wine with great dark fruit. Not overly done
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3/16/2020 - Griffiths Likes this wine:
This is a wine that is excellent to drink by itself in order to pick up subtleties in nose and flavors. Soft with some tannin on the long finish. Some foods may compete with what the wine has to show. I recommend a mild, soft or hard cheese, and a good crusty bread with this, nothing else needed.
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2/28/2020 - terrygaunt@me.com wrote: 90 Points
Surprisingly smooth. Opened up after an hour. It was a winner with the fam and spaghetti and meatballs.
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2/9/2020 - lovemycab Likes this wine: 89 Points
Let it sit for about 30 min. In a good pace and enjoyable to drink. Has softened quite a bit from a year ago. Solid easy drinking wine with nice balance of fruit, structure and tannins. Not sure time will make it much better but will curious to watch my last few and see.
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1/25/2020 - Sloth55 Likes this wine: 86 Points
Brett likes it- tastes like a Zinfandel
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1/20/2020 - Rgentile wrote: 87 Points
Nose: black and blue fruits, bell pepper
Palate: black fruits, spicy and fresh with medium plus acidity and a medium finish.
Overall this wine was ok, I had higher hopes. I found there was no depth mid palate and a slight touch of warmth on the finish.
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1/11/2020 - VAGenius Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dusty raspberry with a hint of confectioner's sugar. Black raspberry fruit is a touch rustic but fairly light on its feet. It expands on palate with dry blackberry before leading into tacky tannins with black plum and dusty earth on the finish,
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1/7/2020 - Mot and Rob Likes this wine: 93 Points
Consistent with previously consumed bottle (both 375s)
In the glass it is a medium purple.
On the nose: raspberry, blueberry jam, a touch of smoke.
On the palate this is red fruit forward with wild cherry and what might be a bit of pomegranate. Delicious now with room to grow.
Even with an ABV of 14.4 this doesn’t carry any serious alcohol heat so much as it has a pleasurable/comforting warmth to the body.
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11/9/2019 - srh Likes this wine:
Zinfandels (6) + 1 shared Zin (Vintage Wines Ltd., San Diego, CA): Greg, 'twas TOO thoughtful of you to share this so it could be compared to today's themed tasting! :)
Cf. the CellarTracker Article link [lower lft] to get specific info for this vintage, including acclaim.
N: RIPE, almost jammy berries; Intensity lurking?
P: MF body; RNDISH entry with very NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which stays in contact with the init frt as it fairly seamlessly transitions into a LONG, BALANCED finish with a lovely tangy/swtness to the firming, dusty tannins. NEEDS through '21, then at least approaching its 10th. 14.4% ABV; My EXC, higher with time? [Check with this vendor if interested in their competitive price.]
Note: Also tasted on 9/14/18, + 1/5 & 5/25/19.
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11/9/2019 - BHRH Likes this wine: 91 Points
superbly structured, spicy zin fruit. not as sweet as some of its peers. although I prefer the Geyserville field blend, this is superbly structured with really nice spice and shoul reward years of aging.
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10/28/2019 - Chris@77 wrote:
I typically like the Geyserville more than Lytton because of the field blend flavor mix. 2016 is no exception. Had to open this, softened since over a year ago, subdued in aromas and flavors. It is a pleasant drink, not an exciting one, tannins in the background (for 30th when I drink the rest). I love the style of Ridge zins, not as thrilled with Lytton as when I bought the bottles (fewer than Gville). The Lytton is not particularly unfriendly but not giving up much. Finish is short. A rating would be unfair.
10/29 Decided to drink some of rest tonight. No new insights. Good news is not unfriendly, i.e. enjoyment in drinking now although obviously not what it could be.
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10/5/2019 - lrfinn wrote: 88 Points
Too young
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10/3/2019 - magyarsvensk Likes this wine:
Cherry, wood, orange peel. Just enough grip. Delicious, but a bit acidic. I would try again in a year.
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10/2/2019 - HEBRO 10 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Pepper finish. Dark berry. Tannic
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9/20/2019 - billyfitnessop wrote: 90 Points
As noted by others, opened way too young. I've been enjoying this blend from Ridge for over 20 yrs. Luckily there's more bottles for the 2020's!
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9/18/2019 - jeffreylubowski Likes this wine: 90 Points
Too young. Still tasty though. This one has a lot of petite sirah although to be honest I never get a whole lot of vintage variation in this wine. Only 69% zin. Plum, wild berry, forest floor, and yes some vanilla and coconut. Always a bargain but the price is rising.
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9/16/2019 - Tonyboons33 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Opened this WAY too early, should have given it at least 3 more years for tannins to integrate. Very enjoyable still, will try and buy more. This is a great QPR.
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8/30/2019 - Djfermentation Likes this wine: 93 Points
We always open these way too early but at least it was a 375. Young, delicious, and food friendly tonight at the date night dinner table.
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7/1/2019 - LC17SMP Likes this wine: 94 Points
Popped and poured. Very good right away. Plenty of fruit, silky smooth tannins and wonderful vanilla oak. Medium red color and full bodied but not heavy tasting. Day 2 this shut down completely. Tannins were very prevalent and fruit was subdued. Day 3 this was back in business. Nose was not quite a good as day 1 but overall the wine improved. I bought this at retail to decide if I was going to buy more as what I have is winery direct and waiting to ship. I will be ordering more!
Compared to the ‘17 Geyserville I had a few days ago I currently like the Lytton more. May not have the long term potential but it sure is tasty now.
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6/29/2019 - OaktownRush Likes this wine: 90 Points
Black-fruited on the nose with a bit of smoke. There's a certain foggy quality to the nose that I can't quite put my finger on. More black fruit on the palate, with acidity that holds through the palate. Longer finish.
I'd like to come back to this as I don't think I got everything out of it that I could have.
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6/28/2019 - Alexander Smith Likes this wine: 95 Points
Similar experience to previously, loads of black and dark red spicy fruit, with silky tannins and a velvety finish. Awesome wine!
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6/28/2019 - tplskylrk wrote:
Visiting and found this in kids fridge. One from the gift packs have been sending. Guess it’s a few days here cork stunk in. Nose is gone. The balance is incredible. Bit cold and hard to tell what I am drinking. French stylistically. Still delicious and interesting how many days later.
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6/17/2019 - Winowhyno Likes this wine: 89 Points
Mellow nose....a little thin...cherry...smooth finish
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6/8/2019 - sean7711 wrote: 90 Points
Up the PCH; 6/4/2019-6/16/2019 (Santa Barbara, Santa Ynez, Paso Robles, Napa, and Willamette): Only note I had was "very silky". Nice zin blend. Would seek out more!
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5/26/2019 - AllRed wrote: 90 Points
41st Annual Zinfandel Retrospective - the 2014s (R&Ds): Nice plummy red fruit with spicy briary overtones. Red fruit and pepper on the palate. Medium-bodied. A nice match for D's brisket.
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5/25/2019 - srh Likes this wine:
Zinfandels (6) + 1 shared Zin (Vintage Wines Ltd., San Diego, CA): Greg, THANK you for allowing me to retaste this! Moreover, your musician's timing WAS impeccable, as this time I was able to try it directly after the '16 Ridge Pagani Ranch! :)
Cf. the CellarTracker Article link [lower lft] to get specific info for this vintage, including acclaim.
N: ATTRACTIVELY *ripe* berries with unparsables underneath; Intensity lurking
P: LM body; NICE, almost swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which pretty much resolves by the LONG, BALANCED, tangy/swt finish to the dusty tannins. DESERVES another yr or so, then drinking for at LEAST 4 yrs more? 14.4% ABV; My EXC, more eventually? [Check with this vendor if interested in their competitive price.]
Note: Also tasted on 9/14/2018 & 1/5/2019.
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5/4/2019 - vino vidi vici Likes this wine:
Graceful & classy - even at this early stage, all parts come together seamlessly. Delicious. I love Ridge wines.
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5/1/2019 - bplant13 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Always a solid choice! Been a fan since the ‘11 and been collecting since the ‘12. This is great young, with silky smooth red berries, good acidity, and moderate yet integrated tannin. Love drinking these young, but they tend to peak after 6-8 years of sleep, so I always buy a few of them ;)
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4/23/2019 - poppacork Likes this wine: 90 Points
Drank the 2014 last night which was robust and darkly fruited but juicy.
This 2016 by comparison is still cloaked by its youthful tannic structure. Blackberries and spice are present, but will take time to fully reveal.
90 today, but with plenty of upside.
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4/19/2019 - nfurlong Likes this wine:
bright ruby color; wet leaves, blackberry pie nose; cassis, black raspberry, medium tannins, medium AT.
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4/1/2019 - Keith Cooper Likes this wine: 92 Points
Tasted at The Wine Society's dinner, Berkshire, UK, with Ridge winemaker Eric Baugher introducing the wines. Served to accompany cheese course. Bright ruby colour. Nose shows aniseed, lovely fruit, with hints of orange and caramel. Lovely palate, good tannins, more orangey fruit. Continued to open up for an hour in the glass, then the dinner finished so I had to drink up! Excellent.
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3/30/2019 - Alexander Smith Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wonderful nose of dark cherry, black plum and blackberry, on the palate an array of black and red fruits along with cranberry, blackberry and bramble jam, yet this is not jammy. No this is elegant and refined. There is a little cardamon and liquorice as the fruit fades. This is rich and layered along with wonderfully integrated tannins and a smooth finish. It is not often that I get excited about Zinfandel, but this one is pretty special. I am intrigued how it ages. A blend of 69% Zinfandel, 23% Petite Sirah, 6% Carignane and 2% Mataro. Aged in new and used american oak for 14 months. Drink now over the next 10 years.
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3/15/2019 - Bax62 wrote: 91 Points
Jammy with very refined elegant structure.
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3/11/2019 - "Rhône Rider" Likes this wine: 90 Points
Solbær, blåbær, tobakk, kaffe. Svartbær, kaffe, spices og vanilje i munn. Tobakk bak. Frisk og lang. 90-91
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3/10/2019 - 1966sandyt Likes this wine: 81 Points
Very good
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3/4/2019 - Francophile1 Likes this wine: 89 Points
A solid effort and very typical for this estate. Jammy, fruit forward, appeals to the new world palate. Still a little disjointed at this point. I’d give it another year in bottle to integrate.
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2/8/2019 - 560 B&W Likes this wine: 90 Points
PnP with steak. Nice, but I'm not seeing the complexity. Full body, mid acid. 14.4%
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2/3/2019 - barrkel Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very good, particularly for its blended polyphasic taste. It has Zin fruit, Mourvedre meatiness, lots of savoury and acidic notes between, and a lingering gentle stemminess which blends into substantial tannins that come in gradually and are unnoticeable when combined with fatty meat, except in that they make the meat tastier. Fairly long finish too.
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1/24/2019 - wculpepper Likes this wine: 94 Points
Great wine and at $41, a good QPR.
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1/22/2019 - JakeNoir Likes this wine: 92 Points
Fantastic Zin, Petite Syrah, with touch of Carignane & Mourvèdre
Very smooth but solid substantial body
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1/17/2019 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 90 Points
ZAP TRADE TASTING, nose of black fruit, same on the palate, slightly fruit forward, good acid, needs 4 years to show well or long decant, rich, tasty, and a touch simple.
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1/17/2019 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
That's awesome. Very tight.
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1/15/2019 - Brian of Mull Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very young wine. Great raspberry fruit with vanilla and spice. Very smooth and silky. If a zin can be elegant this is.
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1/12/2019 - tak4 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Bay Area Wine Tour; 1/11/2019-1/15/2019 (Bay Area, CA): Nice bright black fruit on nose, which is fairly concentrated. Good fruit and acid but immature tannins. Needs 4-10 years.
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1/5/2019 - srh Likes this wine:
Zinfandels (Vintage Wines Ltd., San Diego, CA): Cf. the CellarTracker Article link [lower lft] to get specific info for this vintage, including acclaim.
N: Closed, but RIPE berries
P: LM body; NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which pretty much carries through into the LONG, VERY slightly puckerish finish with a swtness to the dusty tannins. NEEDS through '21, poss longer, then approaching its 10th. 14.4% ABV; My EXC, more eventually? [Check with this vendor if interested in their competitive price.]
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12/21/2018 - rc@ughey wrote: 91 Points
I drink a fair bit of Ridge Zin, and I really like the character of this one. It has the typical ripe fruit, glossy texture, and medium-to-full body, but here the fruit is a bit fresher and deeper than usual, and the acids a bit brighter. Very long.
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12/4/2018 - Mascarello59 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dark, sweet, intense fruit aromas. Blackberry and plums with a twist of prunes.
Good structure with balancing acidity and tannin. Big rich warm finish. High quality Zinfandel.
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11/22/2018 - wineswinesrouge Likes this wine: 92 Points
Opened to breath 30 minutes prior to evaluation. Dark ruby garnet colour with cocoa, blackberry, soft ju jube undertones. Long lingering finish. A very good bottle of a zin rhone variety blend.
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11/14/2018 - Vinnut Likes this wine: 92 Points
Deep dark garnet in color. bordering on opaque. Full, forward & attractive nose of ripe fruit aromas of dark cherries, blackberries & plums with briary overtones, spices, dried herbs, some dark cocoa, tar, pepper, minerals & a hint of vanilla in the background. Full bodied with a very good concentration of well balanced & smooth textured, plummy/jammy, ripe dark fruit flavors of cherries, blackberries & blueberries with spices, herbs, minerals, some cocoa & vanilla. Long lingering finish. Drinks quite well at present with decanting & extended airing but has the fruit and structure to continue development with additional more years of aging. A blend of 69% Zinfandel. 23% Petite Sirah, 6% Carignane & 2% Mataro (Mourvdre).
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11/10/2018 - MRichman wrote:
Dark and a bit tight with coffee and smoke. Very good.
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10/22/2018 - EMichels wrote: 89 Points
Slightly more interest on nose; Darker than the Blasi; Strong fruit
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10/22/2018 - fred o. Likes this wine:
dark ruby burgundy color. Nose perfumed, deep, some floral/honey notes, dark fruited. Palate big in the mouth, some allspice, silky, *deep*. nice freshness, slightly tannic on the finish. 92 pts
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10/7/2018 - OenoEd wrote: 88 Points
Obviously too young to drink from the first sniff: hi-toned, hi-alcohol, like chambord distilled to grappa. Some black plum, celery seed, and black pepper, but not especially pretty. Very ripe black fruit, piercing black tea tannins, menthol, and blackberry. But finish is all heat. This big boy needs 2-3 years to settle down and may then gain a couple of points, but for now, decant for an hour and pair it with tomato based bbq.
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10/1/2018 - Frijole wrote:
deep dark burgundy red, medium clarity, silvery hue
Nose: cassis, raspberry, tar, wet earth, tobacco, silver, green herbs, tannins, oak
Pal: cassis, raspberry, tar, tobacco, cigar, chalk, wet earth, silver, cola, green herbs, tannins, oak
Feel: full, savory, acidic
Finish: full
T8 (could be a 9)
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9/14/2018 - srh Likes this wine:
Winebar [4 Whts & 8 Reds] from 09/14/18 (Vintage Wines Ltd., San Diego, CA): Cf. the CellarTracker Article link [lower lft] to get specific info for this vintage, including acclaim.
N: Slightly closed, but seems ripe, poss jammy; Intensity lurking
P: Med body; NICE frt met by puckerish astringency (yet with HINTS of the initial frt) which transitions into a LONG, very, VERY slightly puckerish finish with hints of a raisiny swtness (& OCCASIONAL *hints* of a quasi-bitter flatness) to the very, VERY fine tannins. NEEDS into, probably through, '20, then approaching its 10th? 14.4% ABV; My EXC-. [Check with this vendor if interested in their competitive price.]
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9/8/2018 - CJM wrote: 88 Points
Clear, deep garnet with no rim browning. Black plum, leather, strawberry. Low acids, medium tannins. Cherry. Short balanced finish. Tasting Event.
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8/12/2018 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 88 Points
ZAP:STORIES FROM SONOMA COUNTY. Nose of red and black berry fruit, dusty gravel, and allspice, same on the palate, medium/big body, tasty but simple, better in 6 months, near term drinking, $44 retail and I pass, medium finish.
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6/3/2018 - MattMauldin Likes this wine:
Sonoma County May 29, 2018: Aromas of blackberry, cedar, leather, spices and violets. Juicy black fruit on the attack, with depth of minerals and dark/sweet spices. Rich weight, bright acid and fine tannins. Good overall depth. Very nice.
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