The three Rs—Rosenblum, Rafanelli and Ridge—put Zinfandel in
the spotlight in the ’80s and ’90s. However, it was Ridge that turned the grape variety into a serious player with their site-specific bottlings from “Geyserville” in
Alexander Valley (first bottled in 1966) and “Lytton Springs” in Dry
Creek Valley (first bottled in 1972). Winemaker Paul Draper was a
visionary who stressed a wine's sense of place and a “hands off” approach to
winemaking that is the ethos for so many great vintners today. It didn’t take Draper long to
realize the special importance of the Lytton Springs property. We’re talking seriously
old, gnarly vines with some of the blocks dating back to 1901. On the 20th anniversary of their
first vintage, Ridge purchased the Lytton Springs winery and the old vines
surrounding it, making it a true estate vineyard in 1991. Like any
serious estate wine, the “Lytton Springs” can age gracefully over time ,which is
usually not the case for so many of the sweet, over-extracted Zinfandels that have flooded the market. 

The 2018 is a blend of 72% Zinfandel, 18% Petite Sirah, 8%
Carignan and 2% Mataro (Mourvèdre) aged in a combination of new and used barrels. The wine is packed with immense concentration but is oh-so-gorgeous at
the same time. An immense Zin blend that drips with black cherry and
dark plum fruit. Seasoned with fragrant lavender, new leather, cloves, and
licorice. Its deep, plush, and richly textured with well-integrated tannins
that sets up the long and balanced finish. Decant for 30-45 minutes before
diving into this black and blue wonder. Do yourself a favor and tuck a few
bottles away for a few years. Die-hard fans cellar them as one would for a
top-growth Bordeaux or blue-chip Napa Cab.