2022 Lytton Springs Zinfandel
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Tasting notes
67% Zinfandel, 19% Petite Sirah, 11% Carignane, 3% Alicante Bouschet. 50th-anniversary bottling. A low-yielding drought year ‘so red- not black-fruit flavours’, according to winemaker John Olney. Like 1997, this was considered very lush at the time and ‘we thought it wouldn’t age for more than five years!’ Bright crimson. Sweet, bright cherry fruit. Very youthful with notable tannin. There’s structure and fruit but it’s really asking to be left alone for the moment. Clean and bright fruit but with decidedly grainy tannins on the end. (JR)
Critic scores
Jancis Robinson MW
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
67% Zinfandel, 19% Petite Sirah, 11% Carignane and 3% Alicante Bouschet. Medium verging on deep purple. Restrained nose for Zinfandel – still with black plum and bramble but more mineral with a crushed-gravel smell. Incredible structure with firm tannin and fresh acidity balanced by fleshy fruit and a kiss of vanilla from oak. Still very tight. (SCJ)
The 2022 Lytton Springs 50th Anniversary is composed of 67% Zinfandel, 19% Petite Sirah, 11% Carignane and 3% Alicante Bouschet. It opens with initial touches of glossy new American oak—dill and toasted coconut—and gives way to kaleidoscopic black and red plums, cherries and berries, plus accents of hibiscus and potpourri. The full-bodied palate features generous, spicy flavors. It’s structured by abundant, powdery tannins and lively acidity and has a long, detailed finish. Winemaker Shauna Rosenblum says this 2022 was crafted using only American oak, a shift from the blend of French and American oak used in the past. It has resulted in a particularly pure, transparent expression that opens dramatically with air, and this 2022 Lytton Springs will benefit from several years in the cellar.
A blend of 67% Zinfandel, 19% Petite Sirah, 11% Carignan and 3% Alicante Bouschet. Tasted from jeroboam. To be released in September 2024. Dark purple. Aromas of blackberry, black cherry, carob, green resinous herbs, mocha and a hint of oak. Juicy flavours of blackberry and liquorice mix with dried herbs, mulling spices, orange peel and black cherry. Great acidity. Lightly muscular, fine-grained tannins flex their muscles over time. Flavours of liquorice root and sawdust linger in the finish. (AY)
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.