2015 Ridge Syrah Lytton Estate
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Tasting notes
The 2015 Lytton Estate Syrah, curiously, more a wine of place than anything else. Now with a few years in bottle, the 2015 offers lovely aromatic nuance. Worn-in leather, tobacco, cedar, menthol, game, licorice and espresso all open up in the glass. The 2015 is an excellent choice for drinking now and over the next 7-10 years. I don’t see it as an especially long-lived wine, by Ridge standards.
Critic scores
Average Score
Jeb Dunnuck
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
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Incorporating a whopping 7% Viognier, the 2015 Syrah Lytton Estate is starting to show some maturity as well as additional complexity. Lots of blue fruits, melted licorice, sandalwood, and cured meat notes all emerge from the glass, and this full-bodied beauty is balanced, with a layered texture, ripe tannins, and a rocking finish. This is a killer bottle of Syrah that will continue drinking nicely for another decade.
Blended with 7% Viognier, the 2015 Syrah Lytton Estate aged 17 months in 100% one-year-old, air-dried American oak. It's medium to deep ruby and explodes from the glass with kirsch, blueberry liqueur, toasted coconut, chocolate-covered cherries, leather, coffee and tapenade with touches of vanilla and forest floor. Medium to full-bodied, it's packed with dark, spice-laced fruits in the mouth with a firm but ripe frame and just enough freshness on the long, dense finish. Give this another few years in bottle at least.
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.