Ridge Lytton Springs Zinfandel 2003

Served With: Pasta with Broccoli Rabe & Sausage

Five Things: bramble, black fruit, pepper, medium tannins, long finish

COO: Sonoma County, California

Notes: Sometimes a wine makes you work a little bit for a payoff, and this one did just that. It had the faintest bit of must upon opening (which disappeared), and took a good half hour to open up, and but we were ultimately rewarded once it did. This blend of zinfandel, petite sirah, carignane had well structured tannins and a long finish with a good balance of fruit which played off the mild heat from the sausage and slight bitterness of the broccoli rabe quite well. The moral of the story? Good things come to those who wait ;)

Website: Ridge Vineyards

Rating: Very Good

Tags: sonoma, california, zinfandel, carignane, petite sirah, ridge, dry creek valley