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: 2012 Ridge Vineyards "Lytton Springs" Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel

2012 Ridge Vineyards "Lytton Springs" Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel

SKU #1172548 93 points Vinous

Outer quote mark Very primary aromas of dark berries, black tea, flowers and resiny herbs. Seriously concentrated, deeply spicy Zinfandel in a distinctly elegant style, with penetrating acidity framing and lifting the savory flavors of dark berries, licorice, black pepper, pungent spices and flowers. A bit muskier than the 2012 Geyserville version, and also tighter and more backward, not yet showing the plushness of that wine. But this extremely youthful wine finishes with a firm spine of supple tannins and terrific sappy energy and length. It's really nowhere near its peak and should enjoy a long life in bottle. According to Paul Draper, 2012 was 'finally a drier year, with a perfect summer and a good crop--a return to a normal vintage, not super hot but the beginning of a string of drought years. The wines are dense and well-defined.' (ST) 93+ Inner quote mark (8/2018)

91 points Connoisseurs Guide

Outer quote mark Although its aromas do not jump from the glass, this carefully made Zin exhibits fine focus and very articulate varietal fruit that gains intensity and gradually takes center stage in the very well-composed flavors that follow. The wine is moderately full and quite nicely balanced with fine tactile grip owing to its integral young tannins, and it will age famously by dint of its fruity depth and exemplary sense of proportion. Inner quote mark (1/2015)

Jancis Robinson

Outer quote mark Silky and clarety. Very polished. All US oak but it tastes really rather claret-like! A little bit of heat on the end. Slightly richer than the Geyserville. 17/20 points (JR) Inner quote mark (2/2015)

K&L Notes

Renowned for its rich, complex Zinfandels and endowed with a remarkable set of terroirs, Ridge Vineyards has been producing the Lytton Springs Zinfandel since 1972, from vines planted at the turn of the century.

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2012 Ridge Vineyards "Lytton Springs" Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel

Price: $49.99

Quantity:

VN: 93

CG: 91

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Product Reviews:

By: Ryan Woodhouse | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 11/10/2015 | Send Email

In true form this is a great Lytton. A truly benchmark wine that I think is undervalued in the grand scheme of things. Powerful, dense fruit that can be enjoyed now but with the bones to be a classic long lived Lytton. You have to have this in your cellar.

By: Gary Norton | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 9/2/2015 | Send Email

This Zin-heavy, old vine blend shows notes of black cherry, sage and vanilla. The wine finishes long with a soft, velvety tannin and spicy punch. Add this bottling to the long list of home runs by Ridge.

By: Bryan Brick | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 8/17/2015 | Send Email

If you haven’t tried the Lytton Springs and Geyserville bottlings by Ridge Vineyards by now you probably have been living under a rock, or on some deserted island somewhere. For decades--the first Geyserville was made in 1966 and first Lytton in 1972--these have been the best zinfandel based wines in the United States. For either instant consumption or long term cellaring few have ever shown as much promise and continuously paid such great dividends. We thought we’d not see any more of this wine having been sold out for some time but, PRESTO, there some was just hanging out in Southern California. So we jumped on whatever we could and are bringing this to you as a “last call.” The 2012 Lytton Springs was delicious from the start with a vibrant mix of high toned wild red berry fruit, sassafras, white pepper and streaks of vanilla and coconut flake. A bit more confectionary and lush than the 2013 Geyserville this is a touch more giving right now and is just delicious. However, like all the Ridge wines it will continue to age gracefully. It is about as good as it gets in the current world of Zinfandel.

Additional Information:

Varietal:

Zinfandel

- The bid to name Zinfandel California's "State Varietal" may have failed, but this red wine grape, grown extensively in California since the mid-1800s, is grown in few other places in the world. Sadly, much of what's cultivated today is planted where it's too hot and flat. But when planted to well-drained, hillside vineyards that are warm but not too hot, like those in Sonoma County's Dry Creek Valley and Amador County in the Sierra Foothills, Zinfandel can produce wines with plenty of character. High in natural alcohol and tannin, grown carefully it can be rich and complex, with dark fruit berry fruit and peppery spice. The most known example of Zinfandel outside of California is Italy's Primitivo, which can be similar in style, but is often a bit lighter and less alcoholic than West Coast examples.

Country:

United States

- When people consider domestic wine, they normally think about the state of California. The fine viticultural Region within California, including the Napa Valley, Sonoma, Santa Cruz Mountains, Mendocino and Santa Barbara, are capable of growing grapes of world-class quality. But there's plenty of fabulous wine coming from other states, too. Oregon, Washington and New York are also causing eyebrows (and glassware) to be raised around the world.

Sub-Region:

California

- With the explosive growth that California's wine industry has seen the past several years, it's easy to view winemaking and grape growing in the Golden State as a recent phenomenon. And while it's true that California's viticultural history is brief compared to several European countries, this state's roots date back well over 200 years. Due to the enormous response to California wine within the United States and worldwide, there are thousands of excellent and diverse wines being produced within the state each year.

Specific Appellation:

Sonoma County

- Second in fame only to Napa, this "other" valley offers just about every climate and topography imaginable. From its cool and fog-enshrouded coastal regions on the far west, to the sprawling Alexander Valley on the boarder of Napa and the many little dips and peaks in between, Sonoma has been a vital wine-grape-growing region since the mid 1800s. Important sub-AVAs include Chalk Hill (known for chardonnay and sauvignon blanc), Dry Creek Valley (where zin is king) Knights Valley (largely cabernet land), Russian River Valley and Sonoma Coast (both celebrated pinot and chardonnay zones).

Alcohol Content (%):

14.4