2017 Lytton Springs Zinfandel
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Tasting notes
A blend of 74% Zinfandel, 15% Pette Sirah, 9% Carignan and 2% Mataro. Dark ruby with garnet highlights. Smells of blackberries, black cherries, dried herbs and dried liquorice root. Wonderfully seamless flavours of blackberry, liquorice root, pluot, sarsaparilla and dried herbs are backed by smooth, athletic tannins that flex their muscles as the wine moves across the palate. Excellent acidity. Delicious. (AY)
Critic scores
Jancis Robinson MW
James Suckling
More reviews and scores
The 2017 Lytton Springs is made up of 74% Zinfandel, 15% Petite Sirah, 9% Carignane and 2% Mataro. It aged in 100% air-dried American oak, 10% new. Medium ruby-purple, it opens with dried flowers, autumn leaves and cinnamon stick notions over a core of crushed red cherries, dried cranberries, apricot, underbrush, red currant and black cherries with a super spicy undercurrent. The palate is medium-bodied, spicy and fresh with a grainy frame and juicy freshness, finishing long and lifted.
The 2017 Lytton Springs is a step back from the incredible 2016 yet still has plenty to love. A blend of 74% Zinfandel, 15% Petite Sirah, and the rest Carignan, it offers a plummy, spice-filled effort that has medium-bodied richness, a bright spine of acidity, a sappy floral character, and a balanced, clean finish. Drink it over the coming decade.
Ridge's 2017 Lytton Springs opens up beautifully, with bright acids that drive a whole range of red/purplish fruit intermingled with floral notes. Creamy and ample in feel, the 2017 boasts superb balance and pedigree. Readers lucky enough to own it should plan on cellaring it for at least a few years.
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.