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Ridge Lytton Springs (Dry Creek Valley) 2001

When European wine snobs tell us that Zinfandel is incapable of producing great wine, this exceptional wine will be Exhibit A in the pro-Zinfandel case. At age 7+, it is moving into prime drinking territory. That’s late for Zinfandel, which is usually at its prime at age 4-8, but Zinfandel from a great vineyard in a great year is capable of becoming something very special. Lytton Springs, of couse, is one of America’s great Zinfandel vineyards and 2001 was an exceptional year for Zinfandel in the North Coast. The combination is exceptional. Bright fruit flavors mix with brambles and a very prominent dose of black pepper. Spicy, fruity, and tasty. It will be interesting to watch this wine continue to age (I’m lucky enough to have half-a-dozen bottles in the cellar). Although Zinfandel usually just gets older rather than evolving, truly prime Zinfandel like this is capable of maturing into something like an old claret with enough time.  I vividly recall tasting Ridge’s 1973 Langtry Zinfandel in 1994, when it reminded me of a mature St Julien. In 2022, when the Lytton is 21 years old, I’ll be 64, so the odds are fair that I’ll be around to see if this wine develops as well as the Langtry did. Grade: A