Ridge York Creek Zinfandel 2005

Wine & Spirits rating: 93

Blend: 89% Zinfandel, 11% Petite Sirah York Creek Vineyard lies high on Spring Mountain, overlookingNapa Valley. The 2005 growing season began late; foul Aprilweather disrupted bloom and set, substantially reducing the crop,but consistent summer weather enabled Ridge to harvest, as usual, inlate September. Grapes from the individual parcels weredestemmed, then crushed to seven small tanks-three with gridssubmerging the cap of skins, four with cap floating. Naturalfermentation began within three days, they pressed on the eighth;only a small amount of press wine was included. Following read more...a briefuninoculated malolactic, the separate lots were racked tofifty-three-gallon air-dried american oak barrels to begin aging. ByMay, Ridge had assembled the most distinctive of these, returningthem to barrel for further aging as a blend. Every three months,the wine was carefully drawn off its settled lees to achieve clarity.A mix of new, two-, and four-year-old oak allows vineyard andvarietal character to dominate. This appealing Zinfandel is redolentof York Creek's well-defined mountain fruit. Enjoyable now, it willcontinue to develop over the next five to six years. 11% Petite Sirah. Solidly fruity right from the start with touches of caramel and new leather overlying its essential themes of ripe berries and plums, Ridge's York Creek bottling proves that full ripeness in Zin does not necessarily come with bothersome heat or jammy simplicity. It is moderately rich but never flamboyant, and, if trimmed with noticeable edge of Petite Sirah tannin, it is very much a table wine in direction and will develop nicely if set aside for a few years. -Connoisseurs' Guide    (hide)

Connoisseurs' Guide rating: 90

Rating: 93/100 - As reviewed by Wine & Spirits Magazine

Rating: 93/100 - As reviewed by Wine & Spirits

No written review

February 2008