Last Night's Tipple

I try not to read reviews of the liquors, wines, and beers that I drink for two reasons. First, I would rather not have my reaction to the wine influenced by the opinions of others. Second, I often read what others think about what I drink and get indignant about what is going through their minds, and there is no point in that. Well, I violated my rule and searched out comments about the 2005 Ridge Lytton Springs, and I was immediately reminded of why that's my rule. It seems that a lot of people think that the 2005 Lytton Springs is disappointing, that it lacks in fruit, concentration, and charm, and that it is not nearly as good as previous efforts. I don't agree with that at all. There was lots of fruit, including the briary Zinberry flavor that is common to Zinfandel, and the fruit coated my nose with its aromas and my palate with its flavors. It did not taste alcoholic, despite the fact that it was well over 14.5% alcohol. I thought that it was delicious, and much more enjoyable than the 1998 Lytton Springs that I opened a couple of weeks ago. It joins the top tier of Ridge wines that I have tried recently, and I would happily buy it again despite its expense.

So why do so many people think that this wine doesn't live up to their previous Ridge experiences? I have no idea, and it really doesn't matter to me. What matters is how I enjoy a wine, not whether others agree with me; and I enjoyed this wine.