1995 York Creek Zinfandel

Color: Medium ruby
Nose: Blueberry, candied cherry, red fruits, briar, and green peppercorn segue gradually into caramel/toffee, offset by York Creek’s characteristic black pepper spice and hints of ground coriander.
Palate: Cherry fruit, briar, and black pepper follow through from the nose. Good structure, chalky tannins; a lingering, complex finish. Needs time.

In the past, ninety percent of the York Creek Zinfandel has come from the Race Track and House parcels, planted in the sixties to the Picchetti clone. This year, the younger vines on Kite Hill (planted to the same clone) provided almost thirty percent of the grapes. The vines, head trained and held to low yields, produced bright fruit and good intensity. Natural yeast fermentations were handled as we do cabernet—the juice circulated over a floating cap of skins. When the wine had spent six months in barrel, we included alicante for spice and depth of color; petite sirah was added two months before bottling, for further complexity. Aged in air-dried american oak, this excellent, well-structured zinfandel is approachable now, but will benefit from two to four years of bottle age. PD (2/97)

Since 1962, Ridge has championed single-vineyard winemaking, exploring California in search of great vineyards where climate, soil, and varietal are perfectly matched. Using traditional methods and minimal handling, we strive to produce the highest quality wines from superior and distinctive fruit. We are proud that our three decades are an integral part of California’s winemaking history. For information on the wines or visiting us at our Monte Bello (Santa Cruz Mountains) or Lytton Springs (Sonoma County) Wineries, call (408) 867-3233.

Average Rating: 88.3

No. of Tasting Notes: 3

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