2020 Lytton Springs Zinfandel

The 2020 Lytton Springs showed well, offering solid darker berry and plum fruits as well as roasted herbs, chalky minerality, and dried earth. This spicy, savory, medium-bodied effort has solid tannins, good depth of fruit, and a clean finish. As with most 2020s, the savory, dry edge to the tannins detracts, but this certainly offers charm. While many of these wines fall outside the “Central Coast,” I was able to taste a full lineup from Ridge and am happy to include these wines here. Going forward, the Sonoma releases will be covered by my colleague, Audrey Frick.

79% Zinfandel, 11% Petite Sirah, 10% Carignane. Full force Zinfandel juiciness on the nose but it finishes with an almost rasping dryness to the palate. Perhaps it's just too young, but this seems tight and austere, which is unexpected. I think I'd put this in Châteauneuf if tasted blind! (RH)

The 2020 Lytton Springs is a very pretty wine. Bright floral and spice accents open first. Silky and medium in body, with plenty of persistence and fine balance, the 2020 is pretty impressive, especially for the year. Zinfandel character really drives the feel in 2020. A burst of red/purplish fruit, rose petal, cinnamon and dried herbs lingers on the open-knit, intensely perfumed finish.