2012 Lytton Estate Primitivo

Aromas of black cherry, plum and toasty oak followed by pepper and licorice notes on the palate. Chaparral and well-defined tannins on the finish.

In 2004, we replanted a five-acre block at Lytton West to primitivo, the Italian name for a grape brought from Croatia to southern Italy in the late 18th century. It had come from Croatia to Vienna in the 16th century, and from there to America in the 1820s as zinfandel. For added structure, we included petite sirah from an adjoining block. This delicious wine is full of fruit and spice. Enjoyable now, and over the next four or five years. JO (1/14)

In 1972, Ridge made its first Lytton Springs from vines planted here at the turn of the century. We purchased both the eastern and western portions of the vineyard in the early 1990s. (In the 1870s, under “Captain” William Litton’s ownership, the two were part of one property; spelling evolved into “Lytton” by 1903). This is the third time we have bottled primitivo as a separate wine. It is from a single block planted to one of the clones of zinfandel from the Puglia region of southern Italy.

Rainfall: 24.5-30 inches (below average)

Bloom: Early to Mid-May

Weather: Warm spring and early summer followed by cooler weather that slowed ripening.

Harvest Dates: 1 October

Grapes: Average brix 25.0˚ degrees

Fermentation: Natural primary and secondary fermentations. Pressed at eight days.

Barrels: 100% air-dried american oak barrels (20% new, 30% one year and two years old, 50% three to four years old).

Aging: Fourteen months in barrel

Sustainably farmed, hand harvested estate-grown grapes; destemmed and crushed; fermented on the native yeasts, followed by full malolactic on naturally-occurring bacteria; 0.75 grams/liter tartaric acid; 1% water addition; oak from barrel aging; minimum effective sulfur for this wine (35 ppm at crush, 134 ppm over the course of aging); pad filtered at bottling. In keeping with our philosophy of minimal intervention, this is the sum of our actions.

Average Rating: 89.8

No. of Tasting Notes: 43

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