91 2004 Ridge Lytton Estate Syrah (Dry Creek Valley) 11/2/13 ($35)
82% Syrah, 10% Viognier, 8% Grenache 14.4%alc
Color: Deep garnet. Looks nearly ready. (3.0) Bouquet: Mocha and dark blackberry fruit with subtle cooking spices. (3.0) Body: Light heavyweight with excellent fruit and plenty of smooth tannins. (3.5) Flavor: Parallels bouquet. (3.0) Finish: Parallels flavor. (3.0)
Overall: Very consistent from start to finish, showing dark blackberry/mocha fruit with subtle cooking spices. It's still a little young, probably needing 2-4 more years for the relatively smooth, but significant tannins to smooth further and let the fruit sing more. Decant for several hours if drinking now. This was drunk next to the 2010 Michel-Schlumberger and 2005 Ridge Lytton West Syrahs. The former has concentrated, attractively young fruit and spice and the latter is peak with more mature, singing fruit flavors. This one is in-between, having more ageworthy structure than the '05 and being the most restrained of the three at present, even though all are of about equal quality. (15.5)
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