WTN: 1996 Ridge Lytton Springs

[Jenise]

A friend was doing a mixed grill BBQ for 12 to honor his best bud's birthday, and I took a magnun of 1996 Ridge Lytton Springs Zinfandel to the party. The quality of this superb bottle caused me to pause and think about how many wines we drink that are a little too young or a little too old, and how few we hit Just Right. Because this one was Just Right. Good color, on the taupe-y side of purple congruent with it's age. On the nose, a sweet scent (what some call the Draper Perfume, I guess) that was lightly floral along with pencil shavings and plummy fruit. On the palate, more plums, a brief hint of raspberry jam, and tobacco. Enough acidity and tannin to be lively but resolved enough to be relaxed and more classy/elegant than most of my friends had ever imagined zinfandel could be. In fact, blind, it would have taken some doing to ID this as zinfandel. Truly an outstanding and memorable bottle.

[David M. Bueker]

Harumph. All my 1996s are gone.

Guess I will have to settle in for some 1997s.

[Jenise]

Boo hiss on you, luck boy. This was my last one. I have always gravitated toward Geyserville and that is what I tend to buy when faced with options, but this bottle sure made me question my one-sided thinking. It's not like I don't know how great the Lytton Springs wines are.

Lytton Springs was one of my epiphanies with red wines. I have one in the frig now to open in the next couple weeks (a 2001? will have to look when I get home.) First I need to finish a Rossignol Volnay and open a 2006 Cote de Brouilly to see if I want to order more.

Harumph. All my 1996s are gone.
Guess I will have to settle in for some 1997s.

I feel your pain, David. I finished up the last of my '71's last week!!!
Tom

Always one of my favorite zins, Jenise.

'96 Lyttons are long gone here, but I've had 1 or 2 thanks to friends over the last few years. From magnum would seem to be the optimum way to enjoy one of these, so bonus for you, Jenise! Still have a '96 Geezer and 1 or 2 '97s of the same, which are drinking beautifully right now. Just found a well stored '99 LS in a little place in Bay City, MI this weekend for $35.99. It's now resting comfortably in the cellar (no longer) from hell.

'96 Lyttons are long gone here, but I've had 1 or 2 thanks to friends over the last few years. From magnum would seem to be the optimum way to enjoy one of these, so bonus for you, Jenise! Still have a '96 Geezer and 1 or 2 '97s of the same, which are drinking beautifully right now. Just found a well stored '99 LS in a little place in Bay City, MI this weekend for $35.99. It's now resting comfortably in the cellar (no longer) from hell.

George do you have an alarm go off on your computer when anyone posts a thread pertaining to any wine made by Ridge? Fess Up!

[Jenise]

'96 Lyttons are long gone here, but I've had 1 or 2 thanks to friends over the last few years. From magnum would seem to be the optimum way to enjoy one of these, so bonus for you, Jenise! Still have a '96 Geezer and 1 or 2 '97s of the same, which are drinking beautifully right now. Just found a well stored '99 LS in a little place in Bay City, MI this weekend for $35.99. It's now resting comfortably in the cellar (no longer) from hell.

Magnum was optimum--if only because it was the best wine on the table and everybody got to have a satisfyingly full glass of a great wine at a perfect moment in it's life.

Have you rebuilt your cellar, or moved?