In 1972, Ridge made its first Lytton Springs from vines planted on the eastern half of the vineyard at the turn of the century. Both the eastern and western portions of the vineyard were purchased in the early 1990s, (In the 1870s, under “Captain” William Litton’s ownership, the two were part of one property; spelling evolved to “Lytton” by 1903.)

Lytton Springs Vineyard is located on the bench and hills separating Dry Creek and Alexander Valleys, just north of Healdsburg, Sonoma County. The vineyard is planted to Zinfandel and its principal complementary varietals. The soils are varied, with a predominance of gravelly clay; gravelly clay loam on hillsides. In Lytton East, Zinfandel, Petites Sirah, and Carignane were planted in 1901 and 1910, and Lytton West is Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, and Carignane that were re-planted 1953-1968 mostly.

A cold, rainy winter and a cool summer pushed the growing season back, slowing ripening. Harvest began on September 23 and finished on October 24. The twenty-eight parcels that produced the most typical Lytton Springs were combined and racked to barrel. Fine tannins, moderate ripeness and focused fruit are hallmarks of the vintage. This elegant wine is enjoyable now, and has the structure to evolve over the next ten years.

Hand-harvested, organically grown, estate grapes; destemmed and crushed; fermented on the native yeasts, followed by full malolactic on the naturally occurring bacteria; tartaric acid; oak from barrel aging; water; minimum effective sulfur for this wine (35 ppm at crush, 89 ppm over the course of aging); pad filtered at bottling. In keeping with our philosophy of minimal intervention, this is the sum of our actions.

Fermentation was a full crush with 100% natural primary and secondary. The barrels used were 100% air-dried American oak barrels: 19% new; 3% one-year-old; 10% two-year-old, 10% three-year-old, 58% five-plus-year-old. Aging took 16 months in the barrel. Approachable even as a young wine, this classic Zinfandel will continue to evolve over the next ten to fifteen years.