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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Drinking window: Drink between 2025 and 2033 (based on 25 user opinions) |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 92.3 pts. and median of 92 pts. in 27 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by SAWilson on 5/21/2024 & rated 93 points: Dark fruits full body, still young, but good balance already (1413 views) | | | Tasted by Brian of Mull on 5/20/2024 & rated 95 points: PnP. Color is ruby and wine is opaque. On the nose: Red and black mixed berries, hints of currant , plums and green pepper. On the palate: Lots of black and red berries, cassis, hint of vanilla, cola and some baking spices. Quite long with very good acidity. Very refined and elegant. This is world class Zinfandel. I probably overuse this but this is a European style wine for this blend. I bought 6 bottles (4 reg and 1 magnum). I intend to put the Magnum away for a long time and try to resist the other 3 750 ml bottles. It’s worth seeing how this ages but I think I need to buy more. (1522 views) | | | Tasted by vulgar little monkey on 3/10/2024 & rated 91 points: Grabbed a bottle of this as well even though MLipton did not mention the Lytton Springs. This was also livelier than I remembered and sans creamy dill. Lytton is more brambly berries with herbs and spice than the darker Pagani, it was also more tannic and reserved. Really excellent as well. Again, I got to share a bit with pigdaddy and reminisce about our intersecting journeys through wine. What a lovely evening. (3693 views) | | | Tasted by jonahfactor on 2/26/2024: Anniversary dinner at La Bicyclette. Tight as a drum right now, even with a decant. Mostly raspberries, strawberries and minerals with bay leaf and mint in the finish. But still a great accompaniment to tonight’s pizza, where the still-pronounced acidity cuts through the cheese and olive oil. This promises lots of pleasure in about 3-4 years. Drink 2027-2035. Worth Seeking Out. (3726 views) | | | Tasted by z747gdgh45 on 2/20/2024 & rated 95 points: On first pour, pronounced bright red fruit. Raspberry, strawberry, blackberry. Cherry pie, amoretto, chocolate-covered cherry, cola. A little baking spicrs. Purple color.
High acidity, long finish - fruit on the finish lingers for awhile.
After an hour, more secondary amd tertiary flavors. Riper berries, cinnamon amd baking spices coming on more. Jam and flowers, some mocha.
Really complex especially for being so young. Planning to buy several bottles to put away. (3852 views) | | | Tasted by juffer on 2/10/2024 & rated 91 points: I served this in my wine course. Classic raspberry cinnamon. Relatively elegant mid palate with medium weight. Some orange zest and plenty of licorice in the finish. Nice. (3102 views) | | | Tasted by markydecker on 2/4/2024 & rated 92 points: I’m a Z List member, but this was on the list at La Bicyclette, my favorite Carmel restaurant, so I got an early look (these generally go straight to the cellar for at least 5 years). Juicy, structured, balanced, tannic, just a baby but among the best young Lyttons I’ve had. Dark with the usual beautiful Ridge acidity. This will be fantastic in the 5-10 year window. (3283 views) | | | Tasted by PNIELSEN on 2/3/2024 & rated 93 points: This is one of the more feminine Lyttons I have had. Not opaque in the glass but more beautiful translucent ruby. Gorgeous nose of bright red fruit, herbs, spice and subtle oak. Perfectly balanced. I agree with others that this could use some time to tone down and develop. I will be picking up a few more for the cellar. (2398 views) | | | Tasted by henryfriendly on 1/28/2024: It’s been a while since I’ve had one of these so young, but this is more subtle than I expected. Oak, berry, cherry, and spice, but I think there’s a lot more lingering beneath the surface. Typically balanced, as all Ridge wines are for my palate. Should be fun to follow over the next two decades. (2256 views) | | | Tasted by bestdamncab on 1/27/2024 & rated 94 points: ZAP TRADE TASTING JANUARY 27, 2024 (THE PAVILION AT ONE MARKET, SAN FRANCISCO, CA.): Amazing Zinfandel today, not the tannic monster of the 80's and 90's, flavorful, big but enjoyable today, at $50 I would by the Geyserville and hope you brought this to the Zinfandel party. (2636 views) | | | Tasted by loj on 1/25/2024 & rated 90 points: Ruby. Powerful and ripe. Nice tannin feel with a bit of dryness on the finish. (2048 views) | | | Tasted by Seband on 1/24/2024 & rated 90 points: maraschino cherry but w/o being too sweet, vanilla, blackberries and sour cherry candy. Interesting to follow with age (2111 views) | | | Tasted by rmcnees on 1/18/2024 & rated 92 points: Drank from wine list at Gordon Ramsey’s Kitchen, Naperville (IL).
Dark ruby colored, a cacophony of bright, vibrant expressive, full round ripe red and black brambly fruit flavors accented by sweet spices, clove and cinnamon, full tannins on the finish.
https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2024/01/normal-0-false-false-false-en-us-x-none.html (1885 views) | | | Tasted by allyrome on 1/13/2024: Took a minute to open, but really enjoyed it (2035 views) | | | Tasted by Giggs on 12/26/2023 & rated 92 points: The nose leads with dusty, earthy spices that give way to damson plum flesh and plum skin, which sums up the fusion of fresh fruit and tannin. There’s a lot of herbal character, particularly tarragon, plenty of acidity to suggest 5-10 years of ageing would be beneficial. Exceptional balance from start to finish. (2112 views) | | | Tasted by Ben Christiansen on 11/29/2023: Really structured, depp and powerful. (2615 views) | | | Tasted by Ben Christiansen on 11/22/2023: A lovely round and rich Lytton, but also a touch inward right now. (2481 views) | | | Tasted by Ben Christiansen on 10/30/2023: Always delicious. Needs some time to open up. Just opened as it were. Tight right now but the stuffing is all there. (2726 views) | | | Tasted by Vinnut on 10/26/2023 & rated 94 points: Deep dark garnet in color, essentially opaque. Full, forward & attractive nose of ripe fruit aromas of dark cherries, blackberries & plums with overtones of briary & spice notes, herbs, cocoa, pepper, minerals & a hint of oak/vanilla in the background. Full bodied with a very good concentration of well balanced & smooth textured, ripe dark fruit flavors of cherries, blackberries & blueberries with spices, herbs, minerals, cocoa & a hint of oak/vanilla. Long lingering finish. Drinks quite well at present with decanting & extended airing (90 min.+) but has the structure to continue development with additional aging. A blend of 72% Zinfandel, 15% Petite Sirah, 9% Carignane, 2% Alicante Bousche, 1% Cinsault & 1% Counoise; Alc. 14.3%. This is an excellent vintage of Lytton Springs & a "must have" for Ridge fans. (2343 views) | | | Tasted by Bigdong on 10/13/2023 & rated 93 points: 93. Prefer this to the geyserville, dryer and not as sweet. A lot to this wine (2028 views) | | | Tasted by aaronwine on 9/5/2023 & rated 93 points: At Ridge event. This is still a baby even if it is a Zin. This is a great Lytton Springs with fruit, depth, and complexity. Can't wait to revisit in 2-3 years. (2021 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Richard Hemming MW
JancisRobinson.com (1/30/2024)
(Ridge, Lytton Springs Dry Creek Valley Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Antonio Galloni
Vinous, Santa Cruz Mountains – California’s Hidden Gem (Nov 2023) (11/1/2023)
(Ridge Vineyards Lytton Springs Central Coast Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Samantha Cole-Johnson
JancisRobinson.com (10/17/2023)
(Ridge, Lytton Springs Dry Creek Valley Red) Subscribe to see review text. |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of JancisRobinson.com and Vinous. (manage subscription channels) |
| Ridge Producer website | Wikipedia
Ridge Vineyards is a California winery specializing in premium Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, and Chardonnay wines. Ridge produces wine at two winery locations in northern California. The original winery facilities are located at an elevation of 2,300 feet (700 m) on Monte Bello Ridge in the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA near Cupertino, California. The other Ridge winery facilities are at Lytton Springs in the Dry Creek Valley AVA of Sonoma County.2021 Ridge Lytton SpringsFrom the Ridge Website:
Wine Information
72% Zinfandel, 15% Petite Sirah, 9% Carignane, 2% Alicante Bouschet, 1% Cinsaut, 1% Counoise
94 Points – Zinfandel Chronicles
93 Points – Owen Bargreen, OwenBargreen.com
Vintage
2021
Vineyard
Lytton Springs
Appellation
Dry Creek Valley
Alcohol By Volume
14.3%
Winemaker Tasting Notes
Nose of red and black raspberry, white pepper, fennel, sage, dark chocolate and sarsaparilla. Full bodied with notes of blackberry and ripe plum; juicy acidity, excellent midpalate weight and a lengthy finish. SR (11/22)
Vintage Notes
A dry winter left the vines struggling to find water. This reduced fruit set in all varietals, especially zinfandel. Thirty-eight parcels were harvested from September first to October fifth and fermented separately. Thirty-four were selected, including vines planted in 1901 and eighty-year-old counoise inter-planted with cinsaut. Enjoyable now, this beautiful, complex wine will continue to develop over the next ten years and beyond. SR (11/22)
History
In 1972, Ridge made its first Lytton Springs from vines planted on the eastern half of the vineyard at the turn of the century. Both the eastern and western portions of the vineyard were purchased in the early 1990s, (In the 1870s, under “Captain” William Litton’s ownership, the two were part of one property; spelling evolved to “Lytton” by 1903.) The vineyard is planted to zinfandel and its principal complementary varietals.
Growing Season
Rainfall: 14 inches (below normal)
Bloom: Early May
Weather: A dry winter and spring stressed the vines, limiting yields and concentrating flavors.
Winemaking
Harvest Dates: 1 September – 5 October
Grapes: Average Brix 24.7˚
TA: 5.90 g/L
pH: 3.58
Fermentation: Full crush; 100 natural primary and secondary.
Barrels: 100% air-dried American oak barrels (17% new, 3% one year old, 10% two years old, 10% there years old and 65% three and four years old).
Aging: Sixteen months in barrel
Hand-harvested, organically grown, estate grapes; destemmed and crushed; fermented on the native yeasts, followed by full malolactic on the naturally occurring bacteria; oak from barrel aging; minimum effective sulfur for this wine (35 ppm at crush, 65.3 ppm over the course of aging); pad filtered at bottling. In keeping with our philosophy of minimal intervention, this is the sum of our actions.
Ridge Lytton SpringsHistory
In 1972, Ridge made its first Lytton Springs from vines planted on the eastern half of the vineyard at the turn of the century, and purchased both the eastern and western portions of the vineyard in the early 1990s, (In the 1870s, under "Captain" William Litton's ownership, the two were part of one property; spelling evolved into "Lytton" by 1903.) The vineyard is planted to zinfandel and its principal complementary varietals.
Vineyard
First Ridge Lytton Springs®: 1972
Location: The bench and hills separating Dry Creek and Alexander Valleys, just north of Healdsburg, Sonoma County.
Elevation: 80' - 160'
Soils: Varied, with a predominance of gravelly clay; gravelly clay loam on hillsides.
Age of Vines: Lytton East: zinfandel, petite sirah, grenache and carignane planted 1901 (32 acres) and 1910 (11 acres); zinfandel and petite sirah, planted 1997-1998 (5 acres), Lytton West: zinfandel, petite sirah, carignane, grenache re-planted 1953-1968 (26 acres); zinfandel and petite sirah, planted 1980's (2.5 acres); zinfandel and petite sirah planted in 1990's (42.8 acres); zinfandel, limited petite sirah, limited carignane, in 2000's (60 acres).
Training: Head trained (no trellis), spur pruned.
Climate: Fog in a.m., warm sunny afternoons, breezes in late p.m.
Exposure: Southeasterly
Yields: 1.5 to 3.0 tons per acre
©Ridge Vineyards
In the heart of Dry Creek Valley, home to 100 year old Zinfandel vines, co-planted (as was the norm) with small amounts of Petite Sirah, Carignane, Grenache and Mourvedre, Lytton Springs is Ridge’s Sonoma HQ. This is ideal Zinfandel country and produces wines that are spectacular both young and with age.Lytton SpringsThe bench and hills separating Dry Creek and Alexander Valleys, just north of Healdsburg, Sonoma County.USAAmerican wine has been produced since the 1500s, with the first widespread production beginning in New Mexico in 1628. Today, wine production is undertaken in all fifty states, with California producing 84% of all U.S. wine. The continent of North America is home to several native species of grape, including Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia, Vitis rotundifolia, and Vitis vulpina, but the wine-making industry is based almost entirely on the cultivation of the European Vitis vinifera, which was introduced by European settlers. With more than 1,100,000 acres (4,500 km2) under vine, the United States is the fourth-largest wine producing country in the world, after Italy, Spain, and France.California2021 vintage: "Unlike almost all other areas of the state, the Russian River Valley had higher than normal crops in 2021, which has made for a wine of greater generosity and fruit forwardness than some of its stablemates." - Morgan Twain-Peterson Sonoma CountyMendocino CountyDry Creek Valley Winegrowers of Dry Creek Valley | Dry Creek Valley Association | Appellation America | San Francisco Chronicle Article |
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