Ridge Vineyards was founded in 1959 when three Stanford Research Institute engineers bought an abandoned winery in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The vineyards had been planted in the late 19th century by a San Francisco physician who produced his first vintage in the original winery, called Monte Bello, in 1892. The first Ridge vintage was in 1962. John Olney is Head Winemaker at Ridge.
Lytton Springs is home to 100-plus-year-old Zinfandel vines interplanted with Petite Sirah, Carignane, a small amount of Mataro and Grenache. For decades, the field blend from this site has produced the quintessential example of Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel.
Crimson in color. 14.4% ABV. 69% Zinfandel, 23% Petite Sirah, 6% Carignane and 2% Mataro. Stunning nose of red fruits, citrus, plums and flowers. Medium body with perfect acidity. The bright fruits of the Zinfandel stand tall but the structure provided by the Petite Sirah is undeniable. Impeccably balanced. Cherry, cranberry, raspberry, blood orange and a hint of pepper on the palate. The finish is long and tangy. This will age well but for my taste I’d say best over the next 2-4 years.
My rating: 93 points.
Ridge has been defined by their Zin program for as long as I can remember and in recent years these wines have soared to new heights.
The entire Ridge lineup is available at the winery and for the most part at retail as well. Exceptional wines that are fairly priced, well crafted and easy to find. Everyone is always looking for the latest and greatest when it comes to wine. Sometimes it pays to stick with the tried and true. There is so much to like here.
Big Fan of Ridge Lytton Springs. Just had the 2017 over the Weekend and it went well with lamb chops and Steak . In my experience Ridge Geyserville and Lytton Springs drink well in the 4-10 year range. At 10 years they lose the youthful Fruits and the Nice Acidity fades and they resemble something other than a Zinfandel. Earlier this year I had a Lytton Springs 2014 and it had a more Port like flavor than Zinfandel. Tastes great but not what I expected. Thanks for Everything and Happy Drinking
I agree. I know many who love bottle age on their Zins and Ridge in particular but I’m a fan of Zin for the bright juicy fruits that are more prevalent when the wine is younger.