2021 Assemblage: 72% Zinfandel, 15% Petite Sirah, 9% Carignane, 2% Alicante Bouschet - bottled in handy half-bottle format.

Nose of red and black raspberry, white pepper, fennel, sage, dark chocolate and sarsaparilla. Full bodied with notes of blackberry and ripe plum; juicy acidity, excellent midpalate weight and a lengthy finish.

In 1972, Ridge made its first Lytton Springs from vines planted on the eastern half of the vineyard at the turn of the century, and purchased both the eastern and western portions of the vineyard in the early 1990s, (In the 1870s, under 'Captain' William Litton's ownership, the two were part of one property; spelling evolved into 'Lytton' by 1903.) The vineyard is planted to Zinfandel and its principal complementary varietals.

Lytton Springs has become synonymous with classic Dry Creek Zinfandel. It shows potent, ripe boysenberry and blackberry, but also a pronounced rusticity and earthiness often attributed to its blending varietals; petite sirah and carignane. Acid and tannin are firm, yet not overwhelming; in youth, at least, fruit predominates. This balanced, powerful wine becomes more nuanced with age, and it often holds for more than a decade.

"Medium to dark garnet. Smells of cherry, plum and unripe blackberries. Fantastically juicy flavours of pluot, blackberry, sour cherry and hibiscus mix with dried herbs and dried flowers. Powdery tannins coat the mouth like chalk dust and stiffen slightly over time. Notes of dried and fresh herbs mix with liquorice root in the finish. Beautifully textured and seamless, with fantastic acidity that makes for a wonderfully mouth-watering package. Outstanding, and doubtless will continue to be for at least 2 decades."
18++ points. Alder Yarrow, jancisrobinson.com (August 2024)

"The 2021 Lytton Springs is fabulous. Bright and vibrant to its core, the 2021 impresses with its poise. Readers will find a Lytton Springs that is very much in reserve, as opposed to the rest of the 2021s in this report, all of which are more approachable. Salivating acids and veins of tannin lend shape and persistence, but the 2021 needs time. Red cherry fruit, blood orange, rose petal and sage are some of the notes that linger on the close."
95+ points. Antonio Galloni, VinousMedia.com (October 2023)