Midlife wrote:

> We've been to Rafanelli two or three times. Dave is a great guy. In
> September he had us tasting from fermentation tanks. That's what's so great
> about smaller wineries. My wife and daughter went to Ridge - Lytton Springs
> earlier in the year. For some reason they were not thrilled with what they
> tasted at that time.

Ridge/Lytton Springs has been an enigma since the day that Ridge
purchased it. Once they decided to do away with the Lytton Springs
label, a lot of people in the area became very unhappy. It is easy
to pick up bad vibes about Ridge anywhere you go in the area.
When Draper screwed up the Ridge Heart's Desire, he put a great deal
of it in the Lytton Springs tasting room so visitors that got the
impression that the winery was not up to par with its Monte Bello
counter part.

( if you are going to be back in SF on a Saturday afternoon in time
for dinner after a tasting at Franciscan, you might have to leave at 10AM )