Wine By Nine

Red Wine by Ridge from Sonoma County, California. 80% Zinfandel, 10% Petite Sirah, 5% Carignane, 5% Grenache Three Valleys is the proprietary name for the only Ridge wine blended from multiple vineyard sites. They select softer, more accessible lots from their single vineyards and, taking the role of winemaker literally, create a character they find most appealing. Younger vines from Lytton Estate provided most of the fruit; older vines on five small Alexander Valley vineyards and one Russian River vineyard make up the rest. The grapes fermented on their own yeasts in small-capacity tanks. Pressed, on average, by the seventh day, they completed a natural malolactic fermentation. The wine was then racked to american oak barrels, whose staves had been air (not kiln) dried for twenty-four months. Ridge blind-tasted all the lots in spring, creating this elegant blend. Their sixth vintage of Three Valleys contains the highest percentage of Zinfandel to date. Sensuous structure and rich fruit give the wine immediate appeal; it will be most enjoyable over the next five years.