2014 Lytton Springs Zinfandel
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Tasting notes
A blend of 69% Zinfandel, 18% Petite Sirah, 11% Carignan and 2% Mataro. Medium to dark ruby. Aromas of dried berries, cedar and a hint of peach. Juicy flavours of sour cherry and blackberry jam mix with dried cherry, raisins and citrus peel. Notes of mulling spices and liquorice root linger in the finish with the faintest bit of salty, umami character. Fantastic acidity and faint herbal notes make for a mouth-watering package. Faint gauzy tannins add texture. Delicious. (AY)
Critic scores
Average Score
Jeb Dunnuck
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
The 2014 Syrah Lytton Springs, which is released only directly to consumers (or in the tasting room), includes 6% Viognier and was brought up all in barrel. It offers a great nose of blackberries, ground herbs, pepper, and violets that develops nicely with time in the glass. Nicely balanced, medium to full-bodied, and with a beautiful sense of elegance, it should drink nicely for another decade or so.
69% Zinfandel, 18% Petite Sirah, 11% Carignan, 2% Mataro. Some of the Petite Sirah vines were planted in 1901. Five different soil types. Typically assembled soon after pressing. 16-18% new American oak. Quarterly racking – more often than most of their peers. Aged in bottle before release. Very dark purplish crimson. Very fresh and focused on the nose. Great claret-like structure. Proper complex wine. (JR)
More fresh and elegant than the Geyserville, with a touch more focus, the 2014 Lytton Springs is another beautiful wine from this estate. Made from 69% Zinfandel, 18% Petite Sirah and the rest Carignan and Mourvèdre, aged in 20% new American oak, it boasts fabulous notes of plums, blackberry jam, toasted spice and licorice as well as medium to full-bodied richness, beautiful mid-palate depth and notable tannin. The Geyserville is a touch sexier, but this will be longer lived. Give bottles 2-3 years of cellaring and enjoy over the following decade or more.
About the producer
Best known for its iconic Monte Bello, Ridge Vineyards makes some of California’s finest wines – particularly Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel. Long a pioneer of sustainable farming and minimal-intervention winemaking, Ridge makes an extensive range from Sonoma County and the Santa Cruz Mountains.