Ridge 2023 Zinfandel Lytton Springs

This 2023 vintage from Lytton Springs by Ridge Vineyards is a striking statement of ageable California Zinfandel: layered, structured and elegantly intense. Ripe dark fruit core, vivid acidity and finely polished tannins make it both inviting now and built for long-term evolution.

Rated as #3 on Wine Spectator's Top 100 wines of 2025.

Origins & Craftsmanship

Crafted at Ridge’s estate vineyard in the Dry Creek Valley appellation of Sonoma County, the Lytton Springs bottling draws from head-trained, old-vine plantings dominated by Zinfandel (approx. 76 %) alongside Petite Sirah, Carignan, Alicante Bouschet and Mataro. The 2023 season was cooler with a delayed harvest, allowing enhanced hang-time, balance and extraction. The winery blends multiple estate parcels, ferments in open-top tanks, and ages the wine in American oak barrels with careful stewardship of vineyard-to-bottle continuity.

Critics Reviews

• "Blending 76% Zinfandel, 14% Petite Sirah, 7% Carignane, 2% Alicante Bouschet and 1% Mataro from an estate vineyard in Dry Creek Valley purchased in 1972, the 2023 Zinfandel Lytton Springs exhibits initial chewiness that leads to fine tannins, with a good heft and underlying acidity. Well-woven oak supports a moderately ripe, medium-bodied frame of structured elegance, aged in 100% air-dried American oak. Enjoy now through 2033." 98 Points, Jeb Dunnuck

• Wine writer Tom Lee awarded the wine 96 points, noting: “Show-stopping nose of red and black fruits, plums, earth and pepper. Medium to full bodied with exquisite acidity. A remarkable core of dark fruits … notable power, structure and concentration.”

• "A much cooler growing season delayed the start of harvest by about a month, resulting in a wine with greater restraint than the previous vintage. The 2023 is a more elegant take on this wine, with less fruit intensity, but still unmistakably Ridge. Fresh aromas of herbs from a bouquet garni mix with earthy tones and subtle sweet notes from baking spices. The fruit profile oscillates between ripe red and black berries, with a touch of plums and ripe cherries. Tannins are firm yet polished, and there's a soft creaminess to the palate. A wine that is balanced and quite enjoyable now, with many years to evolve in the bottle." 96 Points Decanter

• "Deeply structured and full of tension, this polished red displays a distinctive personality, offering bold blackberry flavors accented with savory anise, black pepper and dark Asian spices. Ends with big but refined tannins. Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Carignane, Alicante Bouschet and Mataro. Drink now through 2035." 95 Points, Wine Spectator

Tasting Profile

• Nose: An evocative combination of ripe blackberry and marionberry, with underpinning of earth, black pepper and forest floor.

• Palate: Lush layers of juicy dark fruit—blackberry, black plum—meld with anise, white pepper and subtle sage. Fine tannins and bright acidity deliver structure and freshness.

• Finish: Long, precise and vibrant. A lingering wave of bramble fruit and spice tapers into minerality and elegant herbaceous echoes—built to age gracefully while already compelling.

Quick Overview