94 2000 Ridge Lytton Springs 12/9/05 ($27)
80% Zin, 20% PS, 14.8% alc
Color: Deep garnet with enough brown to look ready, but no clearing and still hard to see thru. (3.5) Bouquet: Ripe cherry, raspberry and fig with a complement of vanilla. Some tart, chalky acidity, but still very nice, after an hour of air. (3.0) Body: A creamy mouthfeel with excellent acidity combined with concentrated fruit and enough structure to remain peak for another two years. Light heavyweight. (3.5) Flavor: Parallels bouquet. Very tasty fruit with briar and other spices. (3.0) Finish: Parallels flavor, but long and more intense. Delicious and silky with concentration. (4.0)
Overall: I’ve been drinking this faithfully for about 3 years now and have had a case or more. The top of the bottle starts as a solid excellent, lighter and a little chalky. Going down the bottle it gets more and more concentrated with a silky mouthfeel, arriving at greatness by the time one reaches the bottom. Overall, I’ll split the difference and give it a 94. This is the ideal example of an early drinker, being intense, but giving and not requiring much age. At its best right now, although it drank beautifully right from the start. (17.0)