We tried ystrday @ Pig+Fig some Ridge GSM blends:
1. Ridge Calif 50% Syrah/Grenache LyttonEstate/DryCreekVlly (14.5%; 40 brls; SaH: 26.8%; www.RidgeWines.com; Drk: 2/06-2/11-2/12) 2003: Dark color w/ some browning; light pencilly/Am.oak strong blackberry/Syrah/plummy slight Rhonish/CdP slight pencilly/smokey/cedary quite complex lovely nose that shows a bit of age; bit soft some cedary/pencilly/oldRed light blackberry/plummy/Syrah some vanilla/Ridge oak bit tired flavor w/ light bit tannic/drying tannins; very long somewhat cedary/pencilly/oldRed some blackberry/Syrah bit complex finish w/ light tired tannins; quite an attractive complex oldRidge nose but rather tired on the palate; the next morning the wine was pretty shot. $30.00 (ATP)
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2. Ridge Syrah/Grenache LyttonEstate DryCreekVlly/SonomaCnty(50% Syrah/Grenache; 14.6%; 40 brls; bttld Dec 2014; Aged: 2 yrs in Am.oak; Drk: 9/14-9/21-9/23: EB; tartaric acid added) 2012: Very dark color w/ some bricking; fairly strong blackberry/Syrah/boysenberry light vanilla/smokey/oak strong Ridge red rather complex beautiful nose that speaks mostly of Syrah; fairly tart strong blackberry/Syrah/boysenberry/ripe strong vanilla/Ridge oak very slight cedary/pencilly/oldRed fairly bright/rich flavor w/ light gentle tannins; very long very slight cedary/pencilly/oldRed fairly strong blackberry/Syrah/spicy some vanilla/Ridge oak finish w/ light tannins; speaks strongly of Syrah, still in good health, and probably near its peak or slightly beyond. $34.00 (ATP)
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3. Ridge 54% Syrah/30% Grenache/16% Mataro LyttonEstate/DryCreekVlly/SonomaCnty (13.8%; 54 brls; bttld Dec 2017; tartaric acid; Drk: 9/17-9/21-9/22: JO) 2016: Very dark color; vety strong blackberry/boysenberry/Syrah/very spicy some vanilla/Am.oak rather complex nose that speaks more of Ridge than Rhone Syrah; somewhat tart/tangy strong Syrah/blackberry/spicy/bit peppery some vanilla/Ridge oak bit complex flavor w/ some tangy tannins; very long strong blackberry/Syrah/very spicy strong vanilla/Ridge oak bit complex finish w/ modest tangy tannins; still a strong youthful expression of Ridge Syrah.
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4. Ridge 62% Syrah/27% Grenache/11% Mataro LyttonEstateVnyd/DryCreekVlly/SonomaCnty (14.2%; 57 brls; bttld Dec 2018; Drk: 11/18-11/24-11/25: JO) 2017: Dark color w/ slight bricking; very strong very spicy/blackberry/Syrah slight strawberry/Grenache strong vanilla/Am.oak bit complex bit complex lovely flavor w/ modest ripe tannins; very long/lingering strong blackberry/boysenberry/Syrah/ripe/spicy vanilla/Ridge oak finish w/ modest tannins; still quite a youthful Ridge Syrah that can use a few more yrs yet.
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5. Ridge 86% Syrah/7% Grenache/7% Mataro LyttonEstate/DryCreekVlly/SonomaCnty (13.7%; 55 brls; bttld April 2021; tartaric acid; Drk: 3/21-3/28-3/29: JO) 2019: Very dark/near black color; intense blackberry/Syrah/very spicy strong Ridge/vanilla oak slight earthy/peppery bit complex lovely youthful nose; lightly tart strong blackberry/Syrah/very spicy/bit boysenberry strong vanilla/Ridge oak slight earthy/dusty slightly complex youthful flavor w/ modest chewey tannins; very long/lingering strong very spicy/Syrah/blackberry/boysenberry strong vanilla/Ridge oak bit complex rather youthful finish w/ modest chewey tannins; needs more age but another very good Ridge Syrah.
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More keisterurp from TheBloodyPulpit:
1. The Syrah & other varieties in these GSM blends came primarily from LyttonWest, the former NortonRanch. Mostly younger vines. THe Grenache came mostly from the very old Grenache plantings on LyttonEast.
The wines displayed a very strong similarity in style. They spoke mostly of Ridge winemaking and very little Rhonish character. Very atypical of other Calif GSM Rhone blends. To me, the LyttonSprings Syrah just has a somewhat different Syrah varietal character than others grown there in the DryCreekVlly.
My preference of these wines was the '17 & '19, because of their greater intensity & more youthful character. But they all showed that classic Ridge balance & good drinking upon release.
For a long time, I was not a fan of the Ridge Rhone wines. They were much different than other Calif versions & were dominated by the Ridge wine wine making style. Since then, I've made my peace w/ the Ridge Rhone Reds. They are simply Ridge's expression of those Rhone varieties, unlike most other made in Calif, but still good expressions of Ridge Reds.
Tom