Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
-
Vinous
A wine of weight and substance, the 2019 Petite Syrah Lytton Estate is fabulous. Best of all, readers won't have to contend with huge Petite tannins, as those have been handled admirably. Black cherry, plum, exotic spice, leather, tobacco and incense infuse the 2019 with tons of complexity. There's plenty of supporting structure, but the tannins are pretty much buried. What a wine.
-
Jeb Dunnuck
Looking at the 2019s, the 2019 Petite Sirah Lytton Estate is a beauty, offering a plump, fruit-forward, yet concentrated style carrying ample darker black fruits, chocolate, chalky minerality, and roasted herb-like aromas and flavors. It’s a big mouthful of a Petite Sirah that stays balanced and has good freshness and notable structure.
-
James Suckling
A dense and solid red with crushed blackberries, grilled meat and some smoked meat, too. It's full-bodied, tight and beautiful. Chewy. Real. Drink now.
-
Wine Enthusiast
This firm, tannic wine will need extended aging to mellow and show its best side. It boasts floral, charred and earthy aromas, and deep, concentrated blueberry and blackberry flavors wrapped tightly in a grippy texture.
-
Wine & Spirits
The petite sirah tannins here are big and black, while the fruit itself is red, clean and bright. As you might expect from a petite, it’s youthfully blunt and would benefit from ten years of rest in your cellar. If you open it now, decant it well before dinner for an authentic California pleasure.
RIDGE's history begins in 1885, when Osea Perrone, a doctor and prominent member of San Francisco's Italian community, bought 180 acres near the top of Monte Bello Ridge in the Santa Cruz Mountains. He planted vineyards and constructed a winery of redwood and native limestone in time to produce the first vintage of Monte Bello in 1892. The historic building now serves as the RIDGE production facility.
In 1962, Ridge Vineyards made its first Monte Bello, and two years later its first zinfandel. The RIDGE approach is straightforward: find the most intense and flavorful grapes, guide the natural process, draw all the fruit's richness into the wine. Decisions on when to pick, when to press, when to rack, what varietals and what parcels to include and when to bottle, are based on taste. To retain the nuances that increase complexity, Ridge winemakers handle the grapes and wine as gently as possible. There are no recipes, only attention and sensitivity.
In August 2021, Ridge Vineyards joined International Wineries for Climate Action (IWCA), a group of like-minded wineries that are dedicated to decarbonizing the global wine industry. RIDGE is committed to achieving Net Zero by 2050 and completes a biannual greenhouse gas audit utilizing the World Resources Institute Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol methodology and be verified by an internationally accredited, third-party auditor.
With its deep color, firm tannins and bold flavors, there is nothing petite about Petite Sirah. The variety, originally known as Durif in the Rhône, took on its more popular moniker after being imported to California in the early 1880s. Quintessentially recognized today as a grape of the Golden State, Petite Sirah works well blended with Zinfandel and finds success as a single varietal wine in the state’s warmer districts. Somm Secret—Petite Sirah is not a smaller version of Syrah but it is an offspring of Syrah and the now nearly extinct French Alpine variety called Peloursin.
A multifaceted and highly reputable sub-region of Sonoma, Dry Creek Valley is responsible for a wide range of wine styles—both red and white. One of the smallest AVAs in California, Dry Creek Valley has a winning combination of ideal geography and climate. Fertile, well-drained soils create concentrated varietal character while long, warm days, bookended by cool nights, allow grapes to reach full phenolic ripeness and balance. The warm and welcoming appellation is home to a number of family-owned vineyards and wineries that place a strong emphasis on sustainable farming practices.
Zinfandel reigns supreme here and still produces in a great number of very old vineyards—often 100 years old or older. These old vines create a powerful, voluptuous and sultry wine unlike those of any other region. Sauvignon Blanc, the valley’s signature white grape, also performs exceptionally well. Many other varieties grow comfortably here, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache and Syrah. Petite Sirah is often found in blends with Zinfandel.