We tasted these two older Ridges last week at Laura's Pig+Fig Winos tasting:
1. Ridge Geyserville/Calif/SonomaCnty (14.3%; 68% Zin/20% Carignane/8% PetiteSirah in a vnyd blend w/ 4% Mataro; bttld Feb 96; Drk: 12/95-12/00-12/05: PD) 1994: Dark color w/ some bricking; beautiful/complex fairly cedary/pencilly light vanilla/Ridge oak quite spicy black cherry/Carignane/blackberry/ZIn fully mature lovely nose w/ no oxidation or tired character; very complex fully mature blackberry/Zin bit earthy/dusty/OV rather smooth/gentle lovely flavor w/ light gentle tannins; very long/lingering blackberry/earthy finish that mocks flavor; a perfectly mature Geyserville that may be a little beyond its peak. $nc (BSvSG)
______________
2. Ridge LyttonSprings/DryCreekVlly/SonomaCnty (14.4%; 70% Zin/21% PetiteSirah/6% Carignane/8% Mataro; bttld Jan 2014; tartaric acid; Drk: 11/13-11/23: JO) 2012: Very dark color w/ slight bricking; classic LS/spicy classic LS/blackberry/Zinberry some vanilla/Ridge oak fairly dusty/OV some complex nose; fairly tart/tangy very LS/spicy/blackberry/Zinberry some Ridge/vanilla oak rather youthful quite spicy flavor w/ modest chewey tannins; very long/lingering classis LS/very spicy/blackberry finish w/ modest chewey tannins; a classic LS/very spicy Zin that still shows lots of youthful fruit; a lovely LS Zin. $nc (BSvSG)
________________________________________
More gollerfrut from TheBloodyPulpit:
1. Both of these Ridges were from the late BlairSwartz's cellar compliments of Stacey. I think I would have liked the Geyserville a bit younger but the LS was still quite youthful. Two really lovely Ridges.
Tom