Ridge 2011 Three Valleys®
2011 Three Valleys, bottled February 2013
65% zinfandel, 20% petite sirah, 9% carignane, 3% mataro,
2% alicante bouschet, 1% grenache
13.8% alcohol by volume
Winemakers John Olney's notes (back label text) -
This, our only multi-vineyard wine, comes from three of the finest appellations
in Sonoma County. As with our single-vineyard wines, the grapes are harvested by
hand, fermented on native yeasts and aged in small cooperage. Cool summer weather
delayed ripening; we began harvesting in mid-September, finishing in late October.
We chose the most accessible lots from eight ranches for the 2011. This elegant
wine has generous fruit, and will be most enjoyable over the next four to five
years. JO (12/12)
Tasting Notes - Garnet color; briar fruit, dried herbs, clay earth, sweet
oak; Fresh raspberry and cherry, moderate acid, round tannins, savory oak spice,
medium body, lively finish. EB (2/13)
History
The history of the Ridge Sonoma County Three Valleys began with the
release of the 2001. The wine contains grapes from a number of
Sonoma vineyards — this year, seven. We take great care in selecting
the fruit, which is hand-harvested, then crushed and fermented at
both Monte Bello and Lytton Springs. Unlike our single-vineyard wines,
which reflect the distinctive character of each site, Three Valleys
represents the blending of vineyards — winemaking — at it's finest.
Zinfandel determines the wine's varietal character; old-vine carignane
contributes bright fruit and acidity; petite sirah spice, depth of
color, and firm tannins; grenache brings briary fruit and lively tannins.
Vineyard
First RIDGE Sonoma County Three Valleys: 2001
Location: Three vineyards in Dry Creek, three in Alexander,
and one in Russian River Valley.
Soils: Varied, with a predominance of gravelly loam; gravelly clay loam on
hillsides.
Vines: Approximately 20% eighty to one-hundred years old, 50% thirty-five
to forty-five years, 30% seven to fourteen years.
Training: Head trained (no trellis), spur pruned.
Yields: 1.5 - 3.0 tons per acre
Growing Season
Rainfall: 40 inches (above average)
Bloom: Mid May
Weather: Wet spring and typical cool summer, with no sustained heat spells.
Vintage
Harvest Dates: 19 September - 25 October
Grapes: Average Brix 23.6°
Fermentation: No inoculation; natural primary and secondary.
Grapes fully crushed and fermented in small stainless steel tanks;
fermenting juice circulated over the cap twice daily for extraction
of color, tannin, and flavor. Full, natural malolactic to soften
acidity. Pressed at six days on average.
Barrels: 100% air-dried american oak barrels (20% one and
two years old, and 70% three, four and five years old).
Aging: Twelve months in barrel
Winemaking
All grapes hand-harvested, destemmed and crushed. Fermented on
the native yeasts followed by a full malolactic on the
natural-occurring bacteria. A total of 0.25 grams/liter tartaric
acid was added. Minimum effective sulfur (35ppm at crush, 99 ppm
over the course of aging). Sterile filtered at bottling. In keeping
with our philosophy of minimal intervention, this is the sum of
our actions.
Miscellaneous
| Bottle |
UPC |
Packaged |
SRP |
Notes |
| 750mL |
744442081004 |
12x750mL |
$26 |
60 cases/pallet (15 per layer) |
SRP: suggested retail price per bottle (U.S. dollars)
Three Valleys® is a registered trademark of Ridge Vineyards, Inc. in the US and
other countries.