2012 Ridge Three Valleys Sonoma County

The history of the Ridge Sonoma County Three Valleys began with the release of the 2001. The wine contains grapes from a number of Sonoma vineyards - this year, seven. We take great care in selecting the fruit, which is hand-harvested, then crushed and fermented at both Monte Bello and Lytton Springs. Unlike our single-vineyard wines, which reflect the distinctive character of each site, Three Valleys represents the blending of vineyards - winemaking - at it's finest. Zinfandel determines the wine's varietal character; old-vine carignane contributes bright fruit and acidity; petite sirah spice, depth of color, and firm tannins; grenache brings briary fruit and lively tannins. This wine is a blend of 79% Zinfandel, 12% Carignane, 8% Petite Sirah, 1% Alicante Bouchet, there is full disclosure on the back label which we like to see all of the ingredients that are added to what we are dinking and this wine has hand harvested Sustainably farmed grapes, indigenous yeasts, naturally occurring malolactic bacteria, tartaric acid and oak barrels along with minimum effective SO2. This wine has a very brambly berry fruit, wintergreen, savory herbs and a game like most nice complexity here on the nose. A well balanced style of Zinfandel with a nice hand of zesty spice and some of those pretty floral a gravelly-clay mineral notes through the finish, nice freshness and balance. finish 35+ Very Good +