A Vertical Tasting of Five Vintages Of Ridge Lytton Estate Zinfandel

A couple of years ago two intrepid ZAPpers and I collaborated to create a lot for the ZAP festival auction. It included a complete vertical of the five vintages of Lytton Estate Zinfandel that Ridge produced in the years immediately following their purchase of the vineyards and winery. These wines were blended from selected lots and blocks on the property, perhaps representing the best of what the estate had to offer.

The nice folks who purchased the lot at the auction did not redeem it, so I was left with these five bottles of Zinfandel that were looking for a time and place to be tasted.

Who better to share these wines with than Richard and Dorinda Sherwin, who had provided such devoted stewardship of these vines?

We gathered at the beautiful home of Joyce & Frank Ortega, who live a mere mile or two from Lytton Springs. Joining us were Richard & Ona Flores and Dave & Jeanine Layland.

We started with a couple of chilled whites, then sat down for a structured tasting of the vertical. The bottles were freshly opened.

The Lytton Estate was offered as an ATP release for five vintages: 1991, 92, 93, 94 and 96. I have heard that the 1995 Lytton Estate was inadvertently blended into the Lytton Springs national release, and was therefore lost as an ATP wine. Further, the decision-makers found that the addition of this wine added so much to the character of the Lytton Springs that production of the Lytton Estate was discontinued after the 1996 vintage.

The only time I score wines is when I'm asked to at panel tastings, so tonight I asked our group of tasters to rank the five wines in order of preference and to add some brief comments. I've given three points for a first place vote, two points for second and one for third. Here's what we thought:

1991 Lytton Estate 86% Zinfandel 7% Petite Sirah 7% Grenache 15.4% alcohol 23 barrels produced "perfumey...spice" "ripe...cherry...jam" "youthful aromas; pepper, earth; good structure; long finish" "wonderful nose - classic" "strawberry jammy nose" "black cherry flavors...long finish" "great old Zin fruit flavors" and my notes: deep plummy aromas - ripe & pretty - well balanced - a touch hot.

This was by far the favorite wine, garnering six first place votes and a total of 21 points.

1992 Lytton Estate 88% Zinfandel 7% Petite Sirah 5% Alicante 14.4% alcohol 23 barrels produced "old fruit flavors" "slight barnyard character to nose - smooth, melded fruit flavors" "strawberry nose with some vanilla - lots of tannins - needs time" "touch of brett in nose - still a good wine" "earth aromas - berries, good acid, tannins, high alcohol - medium finish" "tobacco" "leathery nose" and mine: black cherry & red plum nose - very well integrated flavors.

Second place overall with one first place vote and 9 points.

1993 Lytton Estate 88% Zinfandel 12% Petite Sirah 15.1% alcohol 52 barrels produced
"almost gamy" "slightly sour with watery, flat finish" "old leather taste - vegetal" "heavily oxidized - ...bitter that offset flavors - lots of black pepper - finish is better than flavor of wine on tongue" "leather/tobacco" and mine: "dense, dark, muddled aromas - well blended flavors - lovely spice.

Placed last with 4 points - no first place votes.

1994 Lytton Estate 70% Zinfandel 17% Petite Sirah 13% Grenache 13.4% alcohol 53 barrels produced "nose woody (not oak) - tannic feel remains on tongue" "slightly corky nose - slightly tart, short finish" "possibly a little corked - a little musty" "classic" "youthful aromas - excellent fruit smells: berry, plum - lacks deep throated flavors of ripe fruit - disappointment" "unripe" and mine: Corked! - low-level - fruit DOA - touch of funk, but lovely spice.

Placed fourth overall with 5 points - no first place votes.

1996 Lytton Estate 60% Zinfandel 35% Petite Sirah 5% Carignane 14.6% alcohol 47 barrels produced "no fruit in nose - compost smell - vegetable in mouth" "dusty nose - balanced fruit flavors" "old vegetable nose - wet vegetation - strawberry - sweet" "luscious aromas - smoky oak, good blackberry - lingering finish with good spice - very young - needs time" "unusual nose (that) blew off" and mine: sweet vanillin in the nose - very harmonious - still tight - needs time.

Placed third overall with 8 points and one first place vote.

The wines were tasted first without food, and then some of Joyce's lovely appetizers were served to accompany the wines, giving us another perspective.

Dinner consisted of a boned and butterflied leg of lamb, anointed with a dry rub and grilled. This was accompanied by a potato gratin and seasonal vegetables. More wines were uncorked, including several Lytton Springs Winery bottlings that Richard and Dorinda were gracious enough to bring along.

The evening wound down with a couple of late harvest wines, including a 1977 Monterey Peninsula Winery Late Harvest Zinfandel from the Willow Creek Vineyard - a splendid elder statesman for the potential of these sweet wines to age gracefully.

It was indeed a wonderful evening, filled with good food, comradeship and featuring the wonderful wines from the Lytton Springs estate. What made this especially memorable was the opportunity to get to know the Sherwins on a more personal level. These are wonderful people, and I'm glad they own this little piece of California Zinfandel history.

We need more folks like this in the industry.

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