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Red dry
Ridge Zinfandel Lytton Springs 2022 is a classic Ridge-style California red that emphasizes not only the fruitiness of the Zinfandel variety, but also the origin, structure and longevity of the old vineyard. The wine is made from organically grown grapes in the Dry Creek Valley region, and its composition consists of 67% Zinfandel, 19% Petite Sirah, 11% Carignane and 3% Alicante Bouschet. It is not a single varietal, but a field blend reflecting the historical tradition of the place, in which different varieties create depth and balance.
In the aroma, you can expect rich black berries, blackberries, ripe plums, spices and a light earthy tone.
The wine is full, concentrated, but maintains a clear backbone. This is not a sweet, easy-drinking Zinfandel-style wine, but a more serious-bodied red, in which the ripeness of the fruit is supported by lively acidity and firm tannins.
The character of the wine is shaped by the Lytton Springs vineyard, located between the Dry Creek and Alexander Valleys, north of Healdsburg. The soil is gravelly clay and gravelly clay loam on the slopes, and many of the vines are very old, some dating back to 1901 and 1910. This combination helps to achieve slow ripening, good moisture retention, and the classic Lytton Springs balance of fruit power, earthiness, and structure.
The grapes used in the winemaking were hand-picked, organically grown. They were separated from the bunches, crushed, and fermented with native yeasts; malolactic fermentation also occurred naturally. The wine was aged for 16 months in American oak barrels, of which only 17% were new.
Serve at 16 - 18°C with fig-stuffed pork tenderloin, grilled lamb shank with potatoes and sorrel, or smoked goat cheese.
Though born in the early sixties (In 1962, Ridge made its first Monte Bello, two years later - Zinfandel) to the post-Prohibition world of modern California winemaking, Ridge relies on nature and tradition rather than technology. Our pre-industrial approach is straightforward: find intense, flavorful grapes; intrude upon the process only when necessary; draw the fruit’s distinctive character and richness into the wine.Interestingly, Monte Bello has often been called America’s First Growth, as it is the finest domestic example of a classic Bordeaux blend in which cabernet sauvignon predominates.
