Two Ridge Wines Among Year’s Best US Syrahs & Rhône Varieties
Wine & Spirits
February 2021
The February Issue of Wine & Spirits highlights the best American Syrahs and Rhône-Varieties of the past year and names two Ridge wines among the top releases of 2020:
94 | Ridge 2017 Dry Creek Valley Lytton Estate Syrah Grenache Mataro
“This wine undergoes a fascinating transformation as it develops over the course of several days. It seems rich and heady when first poured, the lively red fruit broadening out to fill a wide frame of tannins. Yielding delicious freshness, the wine gains focus, and the structure seems to tighten. The flavors tessellate into a layered pattern of shattered rock, raspberry and the concentrated earthiness of fruit, a character more often found in old-vine fruit. The vines, in fact, date to 1999 though 2001, a planting at Lytton West based on research David Gates and his team conducted after Ridge purchased the Lytton Springs Vineyard in 1991. Whatever it is that defines the through line in the great wines of Ridge, this 2017 seems to have it.” -J.G.
93 | Ridge 2018 Dry Creek Valley Lytton Estate Petite Sirah
“A few hardy petite sirah vines remain of the original 1901 planting at Lytton Springs; this wine comes from more recent plantings, ranging from 1987 through 2008. Their fruit takes petite sirah in a luscious direction, banishing any punishing tannins in favor of gentler spice-box notes and an underlying mineral structure. Above ground, it’s all sunny, a cacophony of blue, red and purple fruit, meaty richness and youthful energy. Take a bottle to Wacken next August for some post pandemic Open Air heavy metal, or cellar it for a decade if you’re into quieter pursuits.” -J.G.
*The 2017 vintage of Syrah Grenache Mataro has sold out. The 2018 vintage will be released exclusively to ATP members in April of this year. For first access to the new vintage, join ATP!
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