2014 Syrah Grenache Mataro

Nose of crushed pepper, floral notes and blackberry jam, blueberry fruit on entry with clove, vanilla and chalky tannins and a long elegant finish. JO (1/17)

In 1995, Ridge acquired the western half of Lytton Springs Vineyard, and made syrah from a small block of existing vines. Impressed with the results, we planted more syrah, and a few acres each of grenache and mataro (mourvèdre). This is our first wine combining all three southern Rhône-style varietals. Rich and full, it will be at its best over the next five to seven years. JO (8/15)

This wine comes from two hillside parcels at Lytton West. One is planted entirely to syrah while the other we planted half to grenache and half to mataro. A late ripening varietal, mataro, synonymous with mourvedre, does not always mature before the onset of fall rains. Typically it is used as a blending varietal. In 2014, both ripened fully and we fermented them separately. After malolactic we decided to combine the elegant fruit of the grenache with the earthier mataro and syrah.

Rainfall: Twenty-nine inches (average)
Bloom: Mid-May
Weather: Very dry and cold December and January; most of the rain fell February through April. Cool spring and early summer delayed ripening.

Harvest Dates: 5 & 16 September
Grapes: Average brix 25.6˚
Fermentation: Natural primary and secondary; daily pump-overs; pressed at seven days.
Barrels: 100% air-dried american oak barrels (20% new, 35% one and two years old, 45% three, four and five years old).
Aging: Twelve months in barrel

Hand-harvested, sustainably grown, estate grapes; destemmed and crushed; fermented on the native yeasts, followed by a full malolactic on the naturally occurring malolactic bacteria; 2.1% water added; 1.35 g/L tartaric acid addition; oak from barrel aging; minimum effective sulfur for this wine (35 ppm at crush and 83 ppm over the course of aging); pad filtered at bottling. In keeping with our philosophy of minimal intervention, this is the sum of our actions.

Average Rating: 90.2

No. of Tasting Notes: 50

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