“A gorgeous wine that has some great aging potential…” – Owen Bargreen

Forget Sunday, try Monday Fun Day!

Because RIDGE. Because RIDGE Lytton Petite. Yes, this is the fruit that makes up a 5th of that ‘50th Anniversary’ Lytton Springs Red we went nuts over, and if you’re an Operative who did not get in on that one, never mind this one either!

Let’s get this out of the way: you’re once again looking at the best price anywhere, even with double 95-point scores and all. Load up without hesitation, or regret it later, because they make much, MUCH less of this than the Lytton Springs Red.

Vinous nails it: “The 2022 Petite Sirah Lytton Estate is dark, brooding and unapologetically wild.” They add, “Ever the stalwart of distinctive, site-driven blends from across California, Ridge turned out a fine set of 2022s… generally forward and rich, especially the Lytton Springs and Geyserville. The warmth of the growing season comes through in the depth of fruit and immediacy of many of these wines.”

No doubt, the famous old vines of Lytton Springs really shine through in pulling such a remarkable wine out of a vintage that was a rollercoaster ride elsewhere. The oldest vines here date back to 1901! And that gives super low yields of tiny berries with thick skins. Give the results the 20% new American oak treatment for a good 16 months and the result is pure RIDGE magic in the glass.

Superbly balanced, it’s remarkably concentrated and uplifted at the same time, a feat only the greatest wines show. Berries of all shades: ripe raspberries to lush blueberries to deep boysenberries. Cocoa, Turkish coffee, earth, spices, and minerals are all laced in its fabric, lending a velvety long grip on an imposing finish, with sneaky round tannins. Should you indulge now, do it with hearty fare, preferably charred or smoked. A few years in the cellar, or perhaps decades; buy enough to drink this definitive PS over decades of projected evolution. You never know how far a RIDGE will go!

We do know that sellout is inevitable though; of that we can be certain.

95 Points – Jeb Dunnuck “Set in the Santa Cruz Mountains with a second winery and vineyard acreage in Sonoma County’s Dry Creek Valley called Lytton Springs, Ridge made its first Monte Bello in 1962 (the Monte Bello Vineyard dates back to 1885) and is devoted to single-vineyard winemaking, what it calls “pre-industrial winemaking,” organic and sustainable farming, and full transparency; it is one of the few wineries to list ingredients on its back labels. Winemaker Paul Draper joined in 1969. The winemaking team today consists of head winemaker John Olney, who has been on the team since 1996, Lytton Springs winemaker Shauna Rosenblum, and assistant winemaker Michael Bairdsmith. It remains one of the great names in California wine, celebrated for making ageable wines. The 2022 Petite Sirah Lytton Estate is made from 100% Petite Sirah from Lytton Estate. The small berries make for a classic, peppery varietal wine that smells like cotton candy and pepper, tart red fruit more than blue, and has great acidity retention. Spicy, broad-shouldered, and softly tannic, it will do well with cellaring. Aged in 15-20% new oak, all American, it presents as quite floral and is supremely balanced and focused. Medium-bodied, the texture stands out, rich and complex in purple fruit. It should drink best from 2028 through 2032.”

95 Points – Owen Bargreen “The 2022 ‘Lytton Estate’ Petite Sirah is 100% varietal and stands very brooding in the glass. Alluring dark rose petals mark the nose alongside pencil lead, creme de violette, tar, and sweet pipe tobacco leaf aromatics that all meld in the glass. The palate is fresh and viscous, showing a great push-pull, loaded with black and blue fruits. A gorgeous wine that has some great aging potential; enjoy now and over the next twelve to fifteen years. Drink 2025-2038.”

94 Points – Decanter “The Petite Sirah comes from the western blocks of Ridge’s Lytton Springs estate in Dry Creek Valley. The 2022 grapes were picked just after an early September heat spike, with temps soaring past 115°F. The Ridge team credits both the site and the variety’s resilience for holding steady in the heat. The result is a dense, concentrated wine, inky in the glass, as you’d expect from Petite Sirah, but not overly heavy. There’s a mix of black raspberry, plum, and earthy-toned dried flowers on the nose, with that signature Ridge oak spice layered in. The palate is lush and mouth-filling, showcasing deep fruit that leans just a touch toward candied notes, with a peppery, spicy finish that lends the wine lift. Still very young - give it a couple of years in bottle. Drink 2025-2035.”