Ridge Vineyards, Lytton Estate, Petite Sirah, 2022, 14.0% abv.
Supposedly aged for 16 months in long air-dried American oak, 20% new. Obviously opened too early, but wanted to try.
Nose: floral, grape juice, deeper inhalations show a sort of dried grape paste, prunes, cocoa powder you find on top of cakes, iron, and used coffee grind which gets stronger with each pour. A tart, tarry bramble fruit and dried plum reveals itself in time. Not intense, but interesting.
Palate: medium to full body, shows diluted vanilla, bramble fruit especially cranberries, wow the dryness is significant, a sort of cupric cinnamon, light essence of ginger, back palate shows some tart prune juice, black tea, at this point it does remind me of "ink", especially with the texture.
Finish: medium on flavor residuals but long on the dryness, black tea, internal puckering, no alcohol.
Vernacular: nose shows fruity and floral primary, tertiary aromas. Medium body, light acidity "the tension", grainy tannins of Saharan dryness that might be camouflaging the alcohol, secondary. Medium finish, dry. Very dry. Super dry. But not as dry as gin.
Interesting aspects include the desert-like dryness and the coffee grind aroma. Not very enjoyable, so admittedly young petite sirah might not be my thing. Wine Advocate and James Suckling gave this 92. Got this for USD$40 in Los Angeles, USA.
Grade: C
by starvinggigolo