Fifty years of Lytton Springs, the famous Zinfandel-based wine from star California producer Ridge
Website: https://www.ridgewine.com/
The current release of Lytton Springs, the 2022, celebrates 50 years since this single-vineyard wine was first launched by Ridge, one of California’s most celebrated producers. And in town was Katie Blakely, the international sales director, and John Onley, CEO and chief winemaker for a special retrospective including 10 vintages of Lytton Springs going all the way back to the 1970s.
The story of Ridge goes back to the 1960s, and a quartet of Stanford Research Institute engineers, Dave Bennion, Hew Crane, Charlie Rosen and Howard Ziedler, made some wine from the old Monte Bello property, and their early efforts convinced them that there was some promise here, so in 1962 the re-bonded the old Monte Bello winery. But the vineyards were in some disarray, and so their big focus was on renovating them. In the meantime, they needed more wine to sell, so they started travelling around California looking for more Cabernet. At that time, things were quite different to today: California’s vineyards were dominated by Zinfandel. No matter where they went, they found old vine vineyards based on Zinfandel, and they began to experiment with them. They also found that even though the old vineyards were called Zinfandel, they were actually field blends.
Typically these old vineyards would be around 70% Zinfandel, then 15-20% Petite Sirah, and then other varieties like Carignan, Alicante Bouschet, Mourvèdre and even some whites. The way these varieties play against each other is part of the magic of these old vineyards, with the Petite Sirah and Carignan countering the innate richness and warmth of the Zinfandel. Ridge began making Zinfandel in 1964, and in 1966 they made their first wine from the Geyserville vineyard, in the Alexander Valley. Lytton Springs followed in 1972. Lytton tends to be a more brooding, darker wine than Geyserville, says John. Over time, it tends to broaden on the palate and the fruit emerges more.
John started at Ridge in 1997. At the time, 1997 was considered a hot vintage, and it was billed as a wine that wouldn’t age (Paul Draper, winemaker with Ridge from 1969 until three years ago, said it should age well for 5 years at the time on his label notes). The 1997 we tasted showed that this was somewhat of an underestimate.
‘We are dealing with a vineyard that has different varieties mixed up randomly,’ says John. They harvest each parcel in the vineyard separately and then co-ferment, so the varieties stay mixed up. In terms of picking decisions, they begin sampling at 17/18 Brix then sample regularly after this, but picking is largely by taste. Zinfandel is a thin-skinned grape prone to shrivel, so it’s important not to leave it on the vine too long.
These are all head-trained bush vines. Everything is hand picked, so they need a standing army of pickers ready to go. To maintain the style, which is not over the top in terms of alcohol, they have to surgically pick at exactly the right time.
10 years ago they moved tp picking everything at night, from 11 pm until 8 am. There’s a strong diurnal temperature variation here so the grapes come in cold. All of the mixed plantings are destemmed and crushed. Ferments are with native yeasts, and they begin with two pump-overs a day, and then two-thirds through they reassess this frequency. They press at dryness and all the press wine goes back in, and malolactic takes place when it feels like it, in tank. Famously, Ridge only uses American oak, with 15-20% new, with the wine racked every 3-4 months, and in all it spends 15 months in barrel. They have pulled back on the amount of new oak used since the 1990s. In the 1970s they used new oak because they couldn’t afford any. The barrel cellar has to be seen to believed: everything is stacked using wooden chocks, and the barrels are stacked 8 high. This means they all have to be put in place by hand. And then managing these barrels requires a mountaineer’s skill and nerve.
The heart of the vineyard, 40 acres, are vines planted back to 1901. On the western side they bought a property with some 60-70 year old vines, but also some at 15-20, planted to the same mix as the traditional blocks. When they lose a vine they plant it back to the same variety. Zinfandel and Carignan are much hardier, and Petite Sirah is the one that tends to die.
10 years ago they identified every vine in the vineyard, and made a map. There are 18 different varieties overall, some of which may represent just 7 or 8 vines.
The Carignan and Petite Syrah ripen at lower alcohols, and this can help rein in Zinfandel’s propensity to get high sugars very easily. Zinfandel always has a certain amount of shrivel, so when it is picked, you know the Brix level will soak up a little and rise before fermentation starts.
Ridge wanted to buy the property from the first vintage, because they felt it was special. But they didn’t buy it until 1991.
I was amazed by these wines. I knew they were good, but I didn’t realise just how good. They age really well, although they are not immortal: I think they taste brilliant from around age 5 until age 25, which is their peak drinking window, and then tail off. Of course, this is vintage dependent, and it also depends on how you like your wine: quite a few in the room were smitten by the now-fading (in my opinion) 1989.
Ridge Lytton Springs 2022 Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma, California
A drought year, but it was fairly low yielding. This has a lovely core of sweet cherry and raspberry fruit, supported by just a touch of spicy oak. It’s ripe at its core, but there’s some freshness here and a bit of crunchy tannin. Beautifully focused and balance with generous fruit, but also a finely spiced structure, finishing grainy and quite delicate. This is surprisingly light on its feet, but still has lovely ripe fruit. 95/100
Ridge Lytton Springs 2018 Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma, California
A more typical year, harvested in the second week of September. Sweetly aromatic on the nose with a hint of chocolatey richness. Some autumnal depth to the ripe black cherry and blackberry fruit with subtle herbal hints. The palate has nice focus and presence, with a core of well balanced sweet berry fruits, as well as some black cherry richness. Lovely structure with some appealing grainy tannins supporting the plush dark fruits. Finishes fresh, and with this compact but generous fruit and good structure, this has a bright future ahead of it. It’s already starting to drink well now. A serious wine. 96/100
Ridge Lytton Springs 2015 Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma, California
One of the vintages that was an eye-opener, because here they harvested for the first time in the first half of August. This wine is in a beautiful place right now. Sweetly fruited but never veering into jammy or over-ripe territory, this has a core of blackberry and black cherry fruit with some spicy support. Well defined with good structure behind the sweet fruit, and a fine peppery, herbal veneer. This has treble, mid, and bass, and the richness is there, but it’s beautifully tamed. Speaks of its warm climate and predominantly Zinfandel origins in an eloquent way. 96/100
Ridge Lytton Springs 2010 Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma, California
A unique growing season: through August one of the coolest years. Delayed and cool. They pulled leaves and then there were three of the hottest days ever seen in Dry Creek. They lost half the crop, and then the grapes ripened all of a sudden. This is beginning to show some nice development, with ripe, sweet berry fruits as well as fine herbal and earthy notes adding complexity. There’s an autumnal quality to the fruit, which has breadth and lushness. There’s also some nice structure. This is still youthful, even though it is beginning its journey of evolution, and the finish is long and finely spiced. Full, complex and brooding, it’s a beautiful wine and has a lot longer to go. Finishes quite grippy. 96/100
Ridge Lytton Springs 2009 Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma, California
This is at a beautiful point in its evolution. It’s fine, warm and harmonious with sweet blackberry fruit as well as some black cherry, showing sleek fruit, creamy richness and notes of black tea, iodine and wood spice. So harmonious, with the tannins present but really smooth, this is drinking beautifully now, showing lots of complexity as well as sheer drinkability. Hints of earth and mulch on the finish. If you have this, I’d open it now, although it may go on a while (I don’t think it will get better). 95/100
Ridge Lytton Springs 2007 Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma, California
A ripe vintage, but a classic one, with dark fruit and earthiness. Fresh and expressive with a taut, spicy backbone to the sweet blackberry and cherry fruit. There’s savoury, spicy detail here with some iodine and earth character, as well as nicely defined black fruits. There’s some firmness on the finish. This offers a lot of pleasure. 94/100
Ridge Lytton Springs 2001 Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma, California
This is quite beautiful, with bold, sweet blackcurrant fruit and some lush liqueur-like cherry notes, too. Has lovely richness with some nice spicy detail. There’s a core of sleek black fruit here with lovely texture and finesse. Drinking so well now with autumnal detail and some lovely dried leaf and herb character, as well as a touch of stewed plum and blackberry pie. Quite beautiful, and with some distance to go although this is drinking perfectly now. 96/100
Ridge Lytton Springs 1997 Sonoma County, California
This has a brooding, spicy, herb-tinged nose with lovely black fruit aromatics. The palate is sleek and ripe with a brooding black fruit quality, as well as some herbiness and a touch of tarry spicy detail. So textural with a core of ripe sweet fruit, showing more of these autumnal characters that typify good aged Zinfandel. Fine grained tannins on the finish. This is really good, especially for a wine that Paul Draper thought would be short-lived on its release. 95/100
Ridge Lytton Springs 1989 Sonoma County, California
This was a vintage with considerable rain, and this wine has matured quicker than it might have. Definite evolution on the nose, as you might expect. Notes of earth, spice and herbs with some iodine. The palate is a bit tired but still pleasant with a touch of earthiness under the well developed cherry and stewed strawberry fruit, but then it picks up on the finish with a nice orange peel and cherry detail. 93/100
Ridge Lytton Springs 1976 Sonoma County, California
It was quite a warm vintage although the alcohol level is stated at 11.5% alcohol. Lovely to try a historical bottle like this! Fairly deep in colour with a slight bricking on the rim. It’s mature and a little angular, showing some citrus peel, a hint of mushroom, and nice cherry and plum fruit. Fully mature, but still fresh and appealing with a spicy veneer to the crisp red fruits. There’s a slight musty distraction, but I think it’s old wine and not cork. Lovely history here. 94/100
UK agent: Berkmann
