2007 Lytton Springs Zinfandel

The 2007 Lytton Springs is just as impressive as the 2007 Geyserville in this tasting. Ample and creamy, with tremendous resonance, the Lytton Springs screams with Zinfandel character. Sweet floral notes and pulsating acids perk up the flavors beautifully. This is such a delicious and joyous wine. Readers lucky enough to own it are in for a real treat.

The 2007 Lytton Springs Proprietary Red (71% Zinfandel, 22% Petite Sirah, and 7% Carignan; 14.4% alcohol) exhibits a similar dark ruby/purple hue as well as more black fruits and spice in the impressive aromatics. It is a fuller-bodied, richer wine with beautiful texture, purity, and length. Enjoy it over the next 7-10 years. Ridge’s iconic Monte Bello Proprietary Red (no longer called Cabernet Sauvignon) is one of the candidates for the longest-lived Bordeaux blend made in California. Even vintages from the late sixties and early seventies are still vibrant wines. The winery owns just over 100 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon vines, and production varies enormously based on the mountain climate. With respect to this group of wines, the smallest yields were achieved in 2005, and the highest in 2007. The selection process here is relatively severe. For their Monte Bello, the flagship wine, 32% of the production was used in 2003, 38% in 2004, 49% in 2005, 39% in 2006, and 41% in 2007. These wines continue to be anomalies in the sense that the Cabernet Sauvignon component is aged in American oak, a somewhat contrarian procedure since most top producers long ago moved to French oak. The Santa Cruz Mountains cuvees, essentially a second wine culled out from Monte Bello, are also high quality efforts from Ridge. Each of the vintages I tasted reflects the vintage conditions in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Three 2008 barrel samples reveal a consistent, high quality style with slightly more elevated alcohol contents. Tel. (408) 867-3233; Fax (408) 868-1350

(71% zinfandel, 22% petite sirah and 7% carignane) Deep ruby. Heavily oak-influenced at the outset, showing candied dark berries, cherry-cola, bourbon and vanilla scents, along with notes of clove and incense. Extended aeration helps to dissipate the oak notes and allows sweet raspberry and blueberry fruit to emerge on the palate. Soft tannins add support but quickly fade into the sweet, velvety fruit on the finish. If you plan on opening this any time soon, give it a few hours in a decanter.