2021 Lytton Estate Petite Sirah

Deep, dark, inky purple in color. Nose of freshly cracked pepper, ripe blackberry, violets, cocoa and minerality. Juicy blue and black fruit on the palate with well coated tannins and a lengthy finish. SR (2/23)

A dry winter brought 13” of rain. All eight petite sirah parcels were harvested between September first and September twenty-fourth and fermented separately. Of those, seven were chosen for their depth of color and rich texture. To manage tannin extraction, pump overs were limited to once daily. Built to last, this lovely, powerful wine will age twelve to fifteen years. SR (3/23)

The oldest petite sirah vines on our Lytton Estate were planted in 1901 and the youngest in 2008. We made our first wine from the property in 1972. In 2002, we began bottling portions of the petite sirah as a separate wine for a limited release, up until then it had always been included in the Lytton Springs Zinfandel. In 2003 we made another limited release and in 2009 our first national release.

Rainfall: 14 inches (below normal)
Bloom: Early May
Weather: A dry winter and spring stressed the vines, limiting yields and concentrating flavors.

Harvest Dates: 1 – 24 September
Grapes: Average Brix 23.3˚
TA: 6.0 g/L
pH: 3.77
Fermentation: Whole berry fermentation. Natural primary and secondary; limited pump-overs to once daily.
Barrels: 100% air-dried American oak barrels (15% new, 10% one year old, 12% three years old, 22% four years old, and 41% five-plus years old).
Aging: Sixteen months in barrel

Hand-harvested; organic, estate-grown grapes; destemmed, whole berry fermented on the native yeasts, followed by full malolactic on the naturally-occurring bacteria; oak from barrel aging; minimum effective sulfur for this wine (35 ppm at crush; 86 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.

JamesSuckling.com: 93 Points “A 100% petite sirah that showcases the variety’s intensity without totally overwhelming your senses. A deep, inky color with potent blueberry syrup and black pepper aromas, then a flood of dark chocolate and blackberry jam that a firm layer of tannins keeps from being sweet. Full-bodied. It will truly benefit from aging. Best after 2029.” (September 2024)

Wilfred Wong: 93 Points “Ridge has always produced excellent Petite Sirahs; the 2021 Lytton Estate is one of their top efforts. This wine offers aromas and flavors of fragrant spice box, compelling gamey notes, and stones-in-the-desert. Pair this wine with a slow-cooked pot roast. (Best Served: 2025-2032)” (September 2024)

Decanter: 93 Points “The Ridge Petite Syrah from 115-year-old, gnarly, bush-trained vines at the Lytton Springs estate. Farmed organically and with a deference to the site’s tremendous history. The tannins are undeniable in this variety, known for its prominent structure, but Ridge manages to coax elegance from this burly big grape. That said, it is a wine meant to be drunk in time and is likely best after 2030. Big violet aromatics, boysenberries and dashes of white pepper leap forward. The palate shows a depth of fruit, a black peppery character aided by the tannins, with black tea, ripe, juicy fig flesh and notes of tart early-season blackberries finishing long and fresh.” -Clive Pursehouse (September 2024)

The Wine Advocate: 92 Points “The 2021 Petite Sirah Lytton Estate opens with initial touches of tar and struck flint that give way to black cherries and currants, wild thyme, pencil shavings, coffee grounds and earth. The full-bodied palate is elegantly styled, its chalky tannins nestled into concentrated, perfumed flavors. Its vibrant acidity adds to its elegance, and it has a long, latent finish. Give it 3–5 years in bottle.” -Erin Brooks, Wine Advocate (September 2024)

See all food pairing recipes we have created specifically for this wine.