WTN: '02 & '01 Ridge Lytton Springs

[geo t.]

2002 Ridge Lytton Springs, 75% Zinfandel, 20% Petite Sirah, 5% Carignane, $50 (Beverly Hills Grill, Beverly Hills, MI), $30 from the winery,14.7% alc.:We took the opportunity to get our first taste of this dark garnet while dining out with Scott “The Geek” Tobias, and we were most delighted with it. It exudes plenty of that Draper perfume, with luscious flavors and aromas of reduced raspberry, black raspberry and a little blueberry, prettied up with just the right amount of sweet oak and little hints of coconut and dill that compliment, rather than detract from the character at this point. Scott added impressions of “coffee, caramel; really spicy, almost picante.” It shows good acidity and a nice long finish, along with tannins that will take it quite a way down the road, but if you’re one of those who prefer Zinfandel in all of it’s young and vibrant expression, this has more than enough lovely fruit to charm your socks off right now. As “The Geek” put it, “This is refined, yet powerful, what I look for in a really good Zinfandel.”

2001 Ridge Lytton Springs, 76% Zinfandel, 17% Petite Sirah, 7% Carignane, $30, 14.7% alc.: The color hasn’t changed since the last time we tried it, but there never was nearly as much coconut and dill to the big oak as there is with this particular bottle. Flavors echo with added raspberry, blackberry and even a little blueberry. Substantial tannins can’t quite restrain the big fruit or the big oak; as it opens there’s more and more big, luscious, almost jammy fruit, literally exploding on the palate, with a good long finish, but the coconut and dill never dissipate. Much like the ’97 Geyserville, this needs five years or so to sop up all the oak, judging from this bottle; the fruit is killer and the tannins I can handle, but the oak is just too much right now.

Reporting from Day-twah,

geo t.

[marlowe]

I have some of the 2001 Lytton Springs and was consequently interested in your well-phrased notes. Haven't tasted it yet, but now I'm concerned about the dill and coconut flavours you describe. They seem very odd characteristics for a Zin. I am generally put-off by vegetal-like characteristics in red wines, so maybe it's just my palate. I'll hope for the best in a few year's time. Thanks for your comments.

[geo t.]

I have some of the 2001 Lytton Springs and was consequently interested in your well-phrased notes. Haven't tasted it yet, but now I'm concerned about the dill and coconut flavours you describe. They seem very odd characteristics for a Zin. I am generally put-off by vegetal-like characteristics in red wines, so maybe it's just my palate. I'll hope for the best in a few year's time. Thanks for your comments.

Not odd characteristics for a zin that saw plenty of new American oak, marlowe. And not really vegetal either. You may or may not want to try one yourself so as to see what you think; your mileage may vary.