2008 york creek

Varietal Information

bottled February 2010
79% zinfandel, 21% petite sirah
14.9% alcohol by volume

History

York Creek Vineyard, situated high on Spring Mountain, overlooks St. Helena and the Napa Valley from the west. Ridge came here in 1971 for the old-vine petite sirah. We first harvested York Creek zinfandel in 1975, and have made it in every vintage since.

Vintage

Harvest Dates: 5 - 11 September
Grapes: Average Brix 24.8 degrees
Fermentation: No inoculation; natural primary and secondary (68% submerged, 32% floating cap). Pressed at eleven days.
Barrels: 100% air-dried american oak barrels (20% new, 25% one to two years old and 55% three to five years old)
Aging: Twelve months in barrel

Growing Season

Rainfall: Thirty inches (below normal)
Bloom: Early May
Weather: A dry spring and a warm, dry summer with no sustained heat spells

Winemaker Tasting Notes

Aromas of blackberry vanilla and cassis followed by a dark fruit and mineral palate. Ample acidity and very full but well coated tannins round out the finish. EB (6/10)

Winemaker Video Tasting Notes

YouTube video (2:04) - winemaker John Olney presents the 2008 Zinfandel York Creek.

• 2007 YORK CREEK Zinfandel, Charles E. Olken , Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine 01-2010 , Tasting
  2007 RIDGE York Creek Napa Valley
  
  SCORE: 88 *
  
  22% Petite Sirah. Almost old-fashioned in its zesty combination of ripe berries, dried vanilla, hints of the...(more)
• 2006 YORK CREEK Zinfandel year's best, Joshua Greene , Wine & Spirits 02-2009 , Tasting
  SCORE: 93
  
  2006 Napa Valley York Creek Zinfandel As saturated with fruit as this may be when first poured, it gains with air as the potent structural elements...(more)
• 2006 YORK CREEK Zinfandel, Charles E. Olken , Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine 01-2009 , Tasting
  RIDGE VINEYARDS York Creek Napa Valley 2006
  
  SCORE: 86
  
  While it is not wanting for richness or size, this weighty effort finds itself on the late-harvest...(more)
• 2006 ZINFANDEL YORK CREEK California's Central Coast, Stephen Tanzer , International Wine Cellar 11-2008 , Tasting
  2006 Zinfandel York Creek (includes 1% petite sirah): Deep ruby with a bright rim. Raspberry, cherry and cinnamon on the nose. Brighter than the Paso Robles bottling, with ner...(more)
• 2005 YORK CREEK ZINFANDEL - More New Releases, Nicholas Ponomareff , California Grapevine 08-2007 , Tasting
  2005 Ridge, "York Creek," Napa Valley – Medium to medium-dark ruby; closed-in, tight, toasty, brambly, red berry fruit aroma with notes of vanilla and coffee; full body...(more)
• 2004 YORK CREEK Lining up some fine Ridge wines, Patrick Comiskey , Los Angeles Times 06-2007 , Tasting
  2004 Ridge York Creek Zinfandel. A mountain wine in every way, this wine from Spring Mountain, a Napa County site, has a powerful deep dark chipped earth minerality, wi...(more)
• 2004 YORK CREEK Zinfandel, Charles E. Olken , Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine 01-2007 , Tasting
  RIDGE VINEYARDS Zinfandel York Creek Napa Valley 2004
  
  SCORE: * 89
  
  13% Petite Sirah. Ripe in tone without suggesting dried grapes or high alcohol and f...(more)
• 2004 YORK CREEK Zinfandel - New Releases, Nicholas Ponomareff , California Grapevine 10-2006 , Tasting
  2004 Ridge, "York Creek," Napa Valley ($28) -- Medium to medium-dark ruby; attractive, intense, spicy, earthy, peppery, brambly, plummy, ripe blackberry and blueberry...(more)
• 2003 YORK CREEK Zinfandel, Charles E. Olken , Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine 01-2006 , Tasting
  RIDGE York Creek Napa Valley 2003
  
  16% Petite Sirah. While it is by no means a failed wine and, in fact, one that carries a fair measure of varietal fruit and briary...(more)
• 2003 YORK CREEK Zinfandel - New Releases, Nicholas Ponomareff , California Grapevine 10-2005 , Tasting
  2003 Ridge, "York Creek," Napa Valley ($28)
  
  Medium-dark ruby; attractive, initially somewhat closed-in, spicy, ripe raspberry and blackberry fruit aroma; full body; big, fo...(more)
• 2001 YORK CREEK ZINFANDEL - Late Picked New Releases From California, Stephen Tanzer , International Wine Cellar 02-2004 , Press
  2001 Late Picked Zinfandel York Creek California ($28; with 20% petite sirah and 2% carignane; 15.9% alcohol): Bright ruby-red. Deeply pitched but fruity aromas of curr...(more)
• 2001 York Creek Zinfandel Late-Picked Zinfandel - New Releases, Nicholas Ponomareff , California Grapevine 11-2003 , Tasting
  2001 Ridge, "York Creek, Late Picked," Napa Valley ($28)
  
  Medium-dark ruby; big, intense, cedary, slightly volatile, very jammy red currant and red berry fruit aroma; full b...(more)
• 2001 YORK CREEK ZINFANDEL - Late Picked California Zinfandels – A Very Good Vintage, Robert Parker , Wine Advocate 10-2003 , Press
  2001 Zinfandel York Creek -- SCORE: 91
  
  Paul Draper continues to perform brilliantly with his diverse group of Zinfandels and Zinfandel-based blends. His recent portfolio d...(more)
• 2001 YORK CREEK ZINFANDEL - Late Picked Zinfandel, Charles E. Olken , Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine 09-2003 , Press
  RIDGE Late Picked York Creek Napa Valley 2001
  
  20% Petite Sirah; 2% Carignane. Making good on its claims of being late picked, this cooked and raisiny wine walks a fine lin...(more)
• 2000 YORK CREEK PETITE SIRAH Petite Sirah - More New Releases, Nick Ponomareff , California Grapevine 08-2003 , Press
  2000 Ridge, "York Creek," Napa Valley ($24) --- Medium-dark to dark ruby; attractive, intense, spicy, peppery, cedary, blackberry and sweet loganberry fruit aroma that develo...(more)
• 2000 YORK CREEK - Late Picked Shoppers' Guide to California Wine , Quarterly Review Of Wines 06-2003 , Press
  2000 RIDGE ZINFANDEL YORK CREEK LATE PICKED, $28.
  Medium-deep ruby color; rich, roasted, wild berry nose; plum and nutty oak flavors. 3 Stars * * *...(more)
• 2000 YORK CREEK - Late Picked California Zinfandel , Quarterly Review Of Wines 06-2003 , Press
  2000 RIDGE ZINFANDEL YORK CREEK LATE-PICKED (CALIFORNIA), $28. Three Star ***
  
  Medium-deep ruby color; rich, roasted, wild berry nose; plum and nutty oak flavors....(more)
• 2000 YORK CREEK - Late Picked , Nick Ponomareff , California Grapevine 10-2002 , Tasting
  2000 Ridge, "York Creek, Late Picked," Napa Valley ($27.50)
  Medium-dark ruby; smoky, cedary, briary, tarrish, herbaceous, berry fruit aroma with a hint of VA; full body; big,...(more)
• 1999 PETITE SIRAH YORK CREEK American New Releases, Joshua Greene , Wine & Spirits 12-2002 , Press
  1999 California York Creek Petite Sirah --- Score 91 Ö $24
  The color is blue-black and luminous, the flavor is bursting with fruit. Take a sip of this tense and fragrant wine...(more)
• 1999 YORK CREEK ZINFANDEL Guide to California Wine , Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine 01-2002 , Press
  RIDGE Late Picked York Creek 1999 Napa Valley. Nothing less than an old-fashioned throwback to the late-harvest Zinfandels of the 1970s, this immense, syrupy, impossibly ripe ...(more)
• 1999 YORK CREEK ZINFANDEL , Nick Ponomareff , California Grapevine 11-2001 , Press
  1999 Ridge, York Creek, Late Picked, Napa Valley ($27.50) - Medium-dark, purplish ruby; intense, jammy, slightly raisiny, very ripe berry fruit aroma with a note of volatile a...(more)
• 1999 YORK CREEK ZINFANDEL , Nick Ponomareff , California Grapevine 11-2001 , Press
  1999 Ridge, York Creek, Late Picked, Napa Valley ($27.50) - Medium-dark, purplish ruby; intense, jammy, slightly raisiny, very ripe berry fruit aroma with a note of volatile a...(more)
• 1998 YORK CREEK ZINFANDEL Current Tasting Notes , The Insiders' Wine Line 01-2001 , Press
  The 1998 Zinfandel, “York Creek, Napa Valley (88% Zin, 12% Petite Sirah) has a perfumed nose of plums, blackberry, cassis, spicy, earthy and floral highlights. The flavo...(more)
• 1998 YORK CREEK PETITE SIRAH Zinfandel , Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine 01-2001 , Press
  12% Petite Sirah. A hint of fuminess and a slightly chary suggestion limit the wholesale enjoyment of this otherwise ripe and solidly built youngster. Time should bring better...(more)
• 1998 YORK CREEK ZINFANDEL Zinfandel, Joshua Greene , Wine & Spirits 10-2000 , Press
  Ridge 1998 Napa Valley York Creek Zinfandel

  The dark and savory black fruit of this zin has a plump, light texture and a clean freshness. It’s an easy and satis...(more)

• 1998 YORK CREEK ZINFANDEL Zinfandel, Nick Ponomareff , California Grapevine 08-2000 , Press
  Medium-dark ruby; forward, rich, jammy, plummy, briary, earthy, berry fruit aroma with a slight raisiny component; medium-full to full body; big, rough, briary, ripe berry fru...(more)
• 1998 YORK CREEK PETITE SIRAH , The Insiders' Wine Line , Press
  The 1998 Petite Sirah, “York Creek”, Spring Mountain-Napa Valley (94% Petite Sirah, 6% Zin) has aromas of blackberries, blueberries, pepper, mint, violets, coffee ...(more)
• 1997 YORK CREEK PETITE SIRAH Focus on California, Stephen Tanzer , International Wine Cellar 05-2000 , Press
  1997 Petite Sirah York Creek Spring Mountain: Good medium ruby. Cherry, dark chocolate and smoky oak on the nose; also hints at a roasted, port-like quality. Plump and ripe bu...(more)
• 1997 YORK CREEK ZINFANDEL The Best New Releases from California, Stephen Tanzer , International Wine Cellar 11-1999 , Press
  1997 Zinfandel York Creek California (15.3% alcohol; includes 5% petite sirah): Good deep red-ruby. Cassis, bitter chocolate, nutmeg and fresh herbs on the bright nose. Concen...(more)
• 1997 YORK CREEK ZINFANDEL Red Wines/California, Claude Kolm , Fine Wine Review 09-1999 , Press
  The York Creek Zinfandel is very deep and rich with plum and some fig fruit, and fine length....(more)