WTN: 2001 Ridge Lytton Springs

I had a bottle of 2001 Ridge LS the other day and I thought it was really hitting its stride. If you have any and you haven't tasted it in a few years it might be worth trying one over the next 6 months.

2001 Ridge Lytton Springs On the nose classic Ridge perfume, vanilla, pepper, oriental spices and raspberries. On the palate a complex, long and elegant blend of licorice, raspberries, pepper and mellow tannins. This wine seemed a bit alcoholic a few years back but it’s not alcoholic now – at least this bottle wasn’t. I remember reading a review several years ago that said the only fault in this wine is its youth. This is no longer true. Fabulous wine.

Tom-

I follow this wine very closely. It is a special wine for me and my wife since it played a part in our wedding and I bought quite a bit of it for anniversaries etc. You are absolutely right that it turned a corner recently. Allowing for bottle variation, here are my most recent two notes:


2/14/2009: Perhaps in an awkward phase, caught between it's youthful fullness and it's mature mellow richness. Still quite nice.

7/12/2009: Drinking very well. A lovely mature wine with a slightly sweet core. It's lost it's youthful verve and is becoming a lady of a wine. Very nice lightly chilled.
B/B+

Matt,

It sounds like I liked it a bit more than you but, regardless, I think its now entering a good window of drinkability that should last for at least 5-6 years. My experience with Ridge LS and Ridge Geyserville (since 1985 I've bought a case of each vinatge) is that, in general, 8-14 years from the vintage is about right for my taste.

I don't get the sense that this wine is going to go for 20 years but who knows. Its awfully good now.

Tom-

Don't let my letter grades fool you, I was scarred by an early life with very miserly teachers and my own grades now follow that trend. I like the wine very very much.

Thanks for the tip on typical aging of Ridge. I've had different bottlings up to about 15 years old but have rarely had one that was far over the hill.