2015 Lytton Springs

Winemaker Eric Baugher showed me an extensive range of new and upcoming releases during my most recent visit, including a handful of older Monte Bellos that I wrote about in my article Seven Classics from Ridge and forthcoming library releases of the Geyserville and Lytton Springs that are reviewed here. Despite the effects of drought, two thousand fourteen turned out to be an outstanding vintage for Bordeaux varieties, not just in terms of quality but also in production. Ridge bottled all of their small lot Merlots and Cabernets, which means that readers with an interest in exploring the nuances of the various ranches that make up the present-day estate will have many different choices with which to do that. All varieties ripened within a fairly compact time range, which meant most of harvest took place within just three weeks or so.