2016 Ridge Syrah Lytton Estate
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Tasting notes
The 2016 Syrah Lytton Estate is fabulous. Dense, rich and impressively constituted, the 2016 possesses off the charts intensity. At five years of age, it is also incredibly young! Inky dark fruit, cloves, lavender, graphite and incense all saturate the palate. I would not touch a bottle anytime soon.
Critic scores
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Jeb Dunnuck
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Lots of classic Syrah black and almost blue fruits as well as pepper and violet notes emerge from the 2016 Syrah Lytton Estate. Medium-bodied, it has a rich, layered texture, some subtle vanilla fruits, lots of floral characteristics, and outstanding length. The blend is 93% Syrah and 7% Viognier. It does have some vanilla-laced oak that should integrate with just a year or three of bottle age, but it certainly offers lots of pleasure today as well.
Tasted from barrel, the 2016 Syrah Lytton Estate (which will be bottled in November) is very promising, revealing notes of cracked pepper, violets, grilled meats, baked clay and cinnamon. On the palate, it's medium-bodied, tense and youthfully chewy, with a long, savory finish. By the time it's bottled, this Syrah (which contains 6% Viognier) should be exceptional. It's one of the hidden gems of the Ridge portfolio.
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.