WINERIES

Ridge Vineyards / Lytton Springs

650 Lytton Springs Road
Healdsburg., CA. 95448
Phone: 707. 433.7721
Fax: 707.473.9461

Over 40 years ago, Ridge made its first Monte Bello, and two years later, its first zinfandel. Since this time, Ridge has championed single-vineyard winemaking, searching California for those rare vineyards where climate, soil, and varietal are ideally matched. After nearly three years of construction at Lytton Springs, Ridge Vineyards has opened its new tasting room in Healdsburg. Ridge has built a sustainable winery, made of compacted rice straw bales. The walls covering the bales are made from a simple mixture of clay from the vineyard, sand, and straw. The new tasting room looks out on the old vines to the south, and into the new barrel room to the east.

Zinfandel accounts for most of the production; cabernet sauvignon, syrah, grenache, and carignane and chardonnay constitute the balance. Known primarily for its red wines, Ridge has also made limited amounts of chardonnay since 1962.

Open daily from 11:00-4:00 for sales and tasting. Known for our old-vine Zinfandel. Located just north of the town of Healdsburg. Take Highway 101 to Lytton Springs Road, proceed west 1/2 mile to Chiquita Road.

Tasting is FREE to members.  Non-members, enjoy 2 free tastes, $5 for 4 more tastes.  Groups of 8 or more will be charged $5 per person

Credit Cards Accepted:
American Express, Discover Card, Master Card, Visa

Wine Type:
Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignane, Chardonnay, Grenache, Mataro, Petite Sirah, Syrah, Zinfandel

New Wine Releases:
2006 Chardonnay Mikulaco, $25 (02/05/2008)
This is our first ever Mikulaco Chardonnay release. From the same Santa Cruz Mountains vineyard that placed #2 on the 2007 Wine Spectator list, this Mikulaco Chardonnay is available exclusively at the winery.

2005 Santa Cruz Mountains Estate (03/23/2008)
58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot A late winter held the vines dormant longer than usual. During bloom, northern California was hit by a particularly strong weather system, disrupting fruit formation, and the estate yielded its smallest crop since 1996. Warm summer weather helped to avoid a seriously delayed harvest; picking began on schedule in early October, and was complete by early November. Small berry size resulted in rapid color and tannin extraction. This, in turn, required special handling - as the whole berries fermented on their natural yeasts, only a limited amount of juice was circulated through the cap. Early pressing - at day six, on average - helped maintain balance. press wine was aged separately, allowing excess tannin to precipitate, then added at eighteen months. Abundant fruit and richness permitted us to use a greater percentage of new and one-year-old air-dried american oak in aging. Twenty-one months in barrel and six racks off the settled lees have brought integration and clarity. Elegant structure and the rich, briary fruit typical of our Santa Cruz Mountains estate combine to give the wine immediate appeal. An excellent vintage, it will continue to develop over the next twelve to fourteen years. EB (05/07)

2006 Paso Robles (04/01/2008)
100% Zinfandel The eighty-year-old vines on Benito Dusi's ranch set a full crop, with yields equaling those of 2005. Above-average summer temperatures quickly advanced the growing season, but cooling ocean breezes slowed the process, and we harvested two weeks later than usual. Natural yeasts carried out primary fermentation in small tanks, which were pumped over twice daily. An uninoculated malolactic fermentation finished rapidly, allowing us to assemble the selected parcels in November. The blend was racked to air-dried american oak barrels — a quarter new, a very few one to two years old, and the balance four years old. Careful racking off the sediment brought brilliant clarity by the ninth month. This vineyard's forward fruit and soft tannins have often dictated early bottling. In this vintage, however, our blind tastings confirmed the need for a full thirteen months of barrel age. Rich fruit and the spice of barrel aging are beautifully balanced in this accessible zinfandel. It will be at its best over the next five years. EB (11/07)

2006 Chardonnay Santa Cruz Mnts Estate (04/01/2008)
The 2005 Vintage was Wine Spectator #2 wine for 2007. (More information at: http://www.winespectator.com/Wine/Top100/2007/0,4955,,00.html) 100% Chardonnay Though cold winter rains persisted into May, our estate vineyard escaped damage and set an abundant crop. June and July were unusually warm, allowing the vines to catch up after their late start; abundant groundwater minimized stress. The weather cooled in August, slowing ripening; we harvested in October. The grapes were whole-cluster pressed, and racked to barrel. A lengthy natural-yeast cold fermentation finished by year's end; during the uninoculated secondary which followed, the lees were stirred every few weeks. By April, the lots were ready for blind tasting to determine assemblage. We selected the wine from four vineyard parcels where the vines showed least stress. Once assembled, it was allowed to settle, then racked off its lees for an unfiltered bottling. Elegant and approachable, this fine chardonnay will continue to develop over the next three to four years. EB (7/07)

2005 Syrah Lytton West (04/01/2008)
94% Syrah, 6% Viognier A warm February allowed the syrah vines an early start, but cold weather returned in March and persisted through May, setting them back five weeks. Summer's warmth was followed by an unusually foggy August and September. The fruit was fully ripe by late September, and all six parcels were harvested within six days. The grapes were destemmed but left uncrushed, and filled eight small tanks. By the third day, natural yeasts began the fermentations. For extraction of color, flavor, and tannin, a limited amount of juice was circulated twice daily over the cap of skins. Pressed at six days on average, the free run wines completed a natural malolactic fermentation and were racked to barrel. Assemblage was determined in late spring by blind tasting of the eight possible components. The oldest parcels produced wine of exceptional depth and density; the younger yielded focused fruit and soft, balanced tannins. Five lots were chosen for this fine syrah, and aged for a total of twenty-one months in air-dried american oak. Enjoyable now for its forward, spicy fruit, it will develop greater complexity over the next ten years. EB (05/07)

2006 Ponzo Vineyard (04/01/2008)
95% Zinfandel, 5% Petite Sirah Cool spring weather and foggy mornings delayed fruit set at Bob Ponzo's Russian River vineyard. Thinning of the younger vines in mid-July helped speed ripening, though cool, rainy weather in early September delayed harvest until early October. After natural primary and secondary fermentations, we blind-tasted the three vineyard blocks, choosing the Old Vines and Triangle parcels to make the 2006 Ponzo. The wine aged in air-dried american oak for twelve months before bottling. Fifteen percent new oak adds sweetness and complexity, complementing the natural acidity and fine tannins. This cool climate zinfandel shows the exotic fruit typical of the Russian River region. It will be at its best over the next five to six years. JO (11/07)

2006 Geyserville Vineyard (04/01/2008)
70% Zinfandel, 18% Carignane, 10% Petite Sirah, 2% Mataro Winter rains continued into late March,sustaining the vines through summer. A full crop — comparable to 2005 — was thinned to intensify flavors. In September, as fog off the Pacific persisted, we dropped more clusters to eliminate damage to the fruit. Each parcel fermented separately on natural yeasts. Color and tannin extracted easily; we pressed at near-dryness after seven days. The uninoculated secondary finished within three weeks. Assemblage began October 10, when all the mixed-varietal parcels and one of petite sirah were combined. Based on further tastings, four zinfandel blocks were added, then two century-old carignane blocks for their opulence and complexity. At the end of June, a last rich, well-structured zinfandel lot completed assemblage. After fourteen months in barrel, the wine is fully integrated. Elegant tannins and intense fruit make it enjoyable now; it will be best over the next eight to ten years. EB (11/07)

2006 Zinfandel East Bench (04/01/2008)
100% Zinfandel This is our first wine entirely from vines on the benchland that separates Dry Creek and Alexander Valleys. The original vines were abandoned in 1920; we replanted in 2000, using budwood from our own old-vine vineyards. Despite late spring rains and cool weather, the crop was good. We thinned heavily at veraison to assure concentration. August is usually hot. Instead, it was foggy and cool, with occasional showers. It became a challenge to determine how long to wait for the grapes to ripen before moisture caused serious problems; we went through the vineyards several times to remove damaged clusters. At harvest, the remaining fruit was clean and fully ripe. Primary and secondary fermentations were natural. To maximize extraction, the skins macerated for ten days and were pressed at dryness. After malolactic, the wine aged for thirteen months in air-dried american oak. This is classic Dry Creek — rich and structured with brambly dark fruit and chalky, yet balanced, tannins. It will be most enjoyable over the next five to six years. JO (11/07)

2005 York Creek Zinfandel (10/15/2007)
2005 Zinfandel, York Creek, bottled May 2007 89% ZINFANDEL, 11% PETITE SIRAH York Creek Vineyard lies high on Spring Mountain, overlooking Napa Valley. This appealing zinfandel is redolent of York Creek's well-defined mountain fruit. Enjoyable now, it will continue to develop over the next five to six years

2005 Geyserville (10/15/2007)
2005 Geyserville Vineyard, bottled February 2007 77% ZINFANDEL, 17% CARIGNANE, 6% PETITE SIRAH This outstanding vintage aged fourteen months in air-dried american oak. Rich primary fruit gives the wine immediate appeal; it will develop greater complexity over the next ten years.

2004 Chardonnay Monte Bello (10/15/2007)
In 1962, when the number of fine California white wines could be counted on one hand, Ridge made its first Monte Bello Chardonnay. Not every vintage produces a Monte Bello—recently, only 1999, 2000, and 2003.This complex chardonnay is enjoyable now, but is still very young. It will develop more fully over the next five years.

Facilities:
Tasting Fee Complimentary

Visit the website at: http://www.ridgewine.com

E-mail: wine@ridgewine.com