Tried this last night:
1. Ridge Calif LyttonEstate LateHarvest (93% Zin/5% PS/2% Carignane; DryCreekVlly; 16.0%; 43 brls; Bttld: Dec 01; < 40 Brix for Essence; 100 & 40 yr old vines; Drk: 12/01-12/06-12/08: PD; SaH: 29.6%; RS: 1.8%) 2000: Dark color w/ slight bricking; rather alcoholic/fumey very strong blackberry/boysenberry/framboise/jammy rather overripe/LateHrvsty/pruney light vanilla/Am.oak bit earthy/dusty/OV bit complex nose; soft some hot/alcoholic/fumey off-dry strong boysenberry/jammy/blackberry/framboise light Am.oak/vanilla flavor w/ light tannins; very long rather hot/fumey/alcoholic very strong framboise/boysenberry overripe/LateHrvsty light vanilla/Am.oak finish w/ light/bitey tannins; loads of framboise/jammy fruit but rather alcoholic/fumey.
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A wee BloodyPulpit:
1. This was not a very fun wine to taste by itself. One of the dishes I like to prepare is "bread" cheese. This is a low-fat/low-moisture cheese, like Cypriot Halloumi, that you can heat on the grill or under the broiler. It gets pretty soft, almost runny, but holds its texture. Brands are CarrVlly or Uusto that I like. The cheese, by itself, is pretty bland. But you serve it w/ a bunch of condiments to amp up the flavor. I used an Italian cherry moustarda and a Girl&AFig mango/raisen moustarda last night. I sometimes use a Spanish Pimenton-laced Basque Honey or a Jalapeno jelly or strawberry/balsamic preserves. With these condiments, wine is very/very difficult to match. This LateHrvst actually went pretty well w/ that dish. Not a match made in heaven...but it made the wine seem much better.
Tom