Zinfandel Three Valleys, Sonoma County California, 2006 Grapes: 80% Zinfandel, 10% Petite Sirah, 5% Carignane, 5% Grenache. 2006 Zinfandel Three Valleys, bottled 10/07. Three Valleys is the proprietary name for the only Ridge wine blended from multiple vineyard sites. We select softer, more accessible lots from our single vineyards and, taking the role of winemaker literally, create a character we 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, whole staves had been air (not kiln) dried for twenty-four months. We blind-tasted all the lots in spring, creating this elegant blend. Our 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. 14.3% Alcohol by volume. Product of USA.
