2013 Technical Specifications
Alcohol 14.7%
Grape Varieties 76% Zinfandel, 24% Petite Sirah
Region Dry Creek Valley
Harvest Dates 10 September–8 October 2013
Brix at Harvest 25.2°
Estate Grown Yes
Natural Yeast Yes
Maceration 7 days
Oak Details 20% First Fill New Oak
First Fill New Oak20%
Oak Types Air-dried American oak
Production Details Three separately assessed wines that did not improve the Lytton Springs blend—two rustic old-vine lots from Lytton East and one ripe hillside Zinfandel lot from Lytton West—were combined for Lytton Estate. Estate grapes were hand harvested, destemmed and crushed, fermented on native yeast, given full naturally occurring malolactic fermentation, pressed after seven days and aged fourteen months in 100% air-dried American oak: 20% new, 15% one-year-old, 35% two-to-three-year-old and 30% four-to-five-year-old. Ridge also records 1.75 g/L tartaric acid added, 3% rehydration, and minimum-effective sulfur additions of 35 ppm at crush and 227 ppm over aging; these are process additions, not finished-wine analyses.
Tasting Notes Blackberry jam, licorice and pepper; full-bodied and rich, with coated tannins, mineral, mint and a lingering finish.
Sources: www.ridgewine.com ↗ · Compare this vintage
2010 Technical Specifications
Alcohol 14.5%
Grape Varieties 75% Zinfandel, 25% Petite Sirah
Region Dry Creek Valley
Harvest Dates 8–29 September 2010
Brix at Harvest 26.2°
Estate Grown Yes
Natural Yeast Yes
Maceration 7 days
Oak Types Air-dried American oak
Production Details Several small, highly structured Lytton East blocks—where most vines were more than 100 years old—were withheld from Lytton Springs and combined for this wine. Estate grapes were hand harvested, destemmed and crushed, fermented on native yeast, given full naturally occurring malolactic fermentation, pressed after seven days and aged thirteen months in 100% air-dried American oak: 35% combined new-and-one-year-old, 40% two-to-three-year-old and 25% four-to-five-year-old. Ridge also records 1.4% rehydration and minimum-effective sulfur additions of 35 ppm at crush and 126 ppm over aging; these are process additions, not finished-wine sulfite analyses.
Tasting Notes Full-bodied, immensely structured and marked by bright acidity.
Sources: www.ridgewine.com ↗ · Compare this vintage
2009 Technical Specifications
Alcohol 14.9%
Grape Varieties 71% Zinfandel, 29% Petite Sirah
Region Dry Creek Valley
Harvest Dates 11 September–4 October 2009
Brix at Harvest 26.0°
Estate Grown Yes
Natural Yeast Yes
Maceration 6 days
Oak Details 25% First Fill New Oak
First Fill New Oak25%
Oak Types Air-dried American oak
Production Details A small bottling selected from riper lots grown on approximately century-old hills near the winery. Estate grapes were hand harvested, destemmed and crushed, fermented on native yeast, given full naturally occurring malolactic fermentation, pressed after six days and aged fourteen months in 100% air-dried American oak: 25% new, 20% one-year-old and 55% four-to-five-year-old. Additions/process observations were 0.78 g/L tartaric acid added, 1.8% rehydration, and minimum-effective sulfur additions of 35 ppm at crush and 197 ppm over aging; these are process additions, not finished-wine analyses.
Tasting Notes Briary black fruit, mineral character and significant Petite Sirah-derived structure.
Sources: www.ridgewine.com ↗ · Compare this vintage
2006 Technical Specifications
Alcohol 14.9%
Grape Varieties 84% Zinfandel, 16% Petite Sirah
Region Dry Creek Valley
Harvest Dates 22–26 September 2006
Brix at Harvest 25.0°
Natural Yeast Yes
Maceration 9 days
Oak Details 20% First Fill New Oak
First Fill New Oak20%
Oak Types Air-dried American oak
Production Details A limited bottling assembled from riper estate blocks withheld because they would have changed the style of Lytton Springs. Natural primary and secondary fermentation was followed by pressing after nine days and fifteen months in 100% air-dried American oak barrels: 20% new, 20% one-year-old, 15% two-year-old and 45% three-to-five-year-old.
Tasting Notes Well-structured and full-bodied, with briary black fruit and mineral notes.
Sources: www.ridgewine.com ↗ · Compare this vintage
2000 Technical Specifications
Alcohol 16.0%
Grape Varieties 93% Zinfandel, 5% Petite Sirah; the published percentages total 98%, with 2% unspecified by the source.
Region Dry Creek Valley
Sites Three small, old-vine parcels on Lytton East and several blocks on Lytton West.
Natural Yeast Yes
Oak Types Air-dried American oak
Production Details Eastern and western lots were fermented separately on natural yeasts, racked to new air-dried American oak for non-inoculated malolactic fermentation, then moved in mid-winter to tempered three- and five-year-old barrels before blending and bottling. The fruit had originally been held in an unsuccessful attempt to reach the greater-than-40° Brix required for an Essence bottling.
Tasting Notes Opulent and exotic, with an elegant, racy structure.
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1993 Technical Specifications
Alcohol 15.1%
Grape Varieties 88% Zinfandel, 12% Petite Sirah
Region Dry Creek Valley
Sites Three of the estate’s six hills, combined with late-picked House Hill grapes.
Production Details Three estate hills were harvested at the end of September; their developing wines were reserved for the Advance Tasting Program and combined with late-picked House Hill grapes.
Tasting Notes Concentrated fruit, lively spice, substantial tannin and a rich, claret-like structure.
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1992 Technical Specifications
Alcohol 14.7%
Grape Varieties 88% Zinfandel, 7% Petite Sirah, 5% Alicante Bouschet
Region Dry Creek Valley
Sites Middle-hill and north-bench lots from the Lytton Estate vineyard.
Oak Details 25% First Fill New Oak
First Fill New Oak25%
Oak Types Air-dried American oak
Production Details Vineyard sections were harvested and fermented separately; middle-hill and north-bench wine was selected during fermentation for this reserve release, with 25% aged in new, air-dried American oak.
Tasting Notes Earthy, complex and structured, with ripe berry fruit and a toasty oak component.
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1991 Technical Specifications
Alcohol 15.4%
Grape Varieties 86% Zinfandel, 7% Petite Sirah, 7% Grenache
Region Dry Creek Valley
Sites Wine selected from the southernmost of the estate vineyard’s five hills.
Production Details Sections of the Lytton Springs estate vineyard were harvested and fermented separately; the selected southernmost-hill wine replaced the earlier Lytton Springs Winery Reserve bottling.
Tasting Notes Rich berry fruit, firm structure and balanced character.
Sources: www.ridgewine.com ↗ · Compare this vintage
Producer Information
Website
Address
17100 Montebello Road, Cupertino, CA 95014-5435, USA
Phone
+1 408.867.3233
Owner
Private ownership (founding families)
Cellarmaster
John Olney (Head Winemaker & CEO)