2019 Lytton Estate Syrah

Deep ruby color with aromas of violets, blueberries, root beer, pink taffy, baked ham and dried herbs. Medium body with a soft entry leads to subtle tannins that meld with vanilla oak characteristics. The finish is long and enjoyable. TG (12/23)

This wine comes from the oldest syrah vines planted at Lytton West thirty years ago. Late morning fog tempered the summer heat. To maximize sunlight, we pulled leaves to expose the fruit. Co-fermentation with eight percent viognier has enhanced aromas. To allow tannin and oak to fully integrate the wine was aged in barrel for twenty months. This deeply colored, structured syrah is enjoyable as a young wine and will develop further over the next fifteen years. JO (7/21)

At Lytton Springs West, Ridge has just over three acres of twenty-six year old syrah noir, the California selection from plantings in 1916. This parcel is situated in the well-drained site’s soil on the bench overlooking Norton Creek. Since 1996, we have produced limited amounts of syrah for the Advance Tasting Program (ATP). Over time, the consistent quality showed syrah to be well-matched to the climate and soil of Lytton Estate.

Rainfall: 61.2 inches (above normal)
Bloom: May
Weather: Total rainfall for the season was almost double our usual amounts. The vines responded with bountiful yields of great quality.

Harvest Date: 17 September
Grapes: Average Brix 25.8˚
TA: 4.11 g/L
pH: 3.8
Fermentation: 100% whole-berry, de-stemmed, not crushed, fermented in open-top tanks on indigenous yeast; pressed after seven days; natural malolactic.
Barrels: 100% air-dried American oak barrels (20% new, 80% one year old).
Aging: Twenty months in barrel

Hand-harvested, organically grown, estate grapes; de-stemmed and whole berry fermented on the native natural yeasts in open top tanks; oak from barrel aging; minimum effective sulfur (35 ppm at crush, 126 ppm during aging); pad filtered at bottling. In keeping with our philosophy of minimal intervention, this is the sum of our actions.

JebDunnuck.com: 93 Points “Blended with 8% Viognier, the 2019 Syrah Lytton Estate is ruby/plum-hued and offers a smoky, darker style in its red and black plum fruits, peppery herbs, violets, and more exotic incense and orange-like nuances (no doubt from the Viognier). It’s beautifully balanced, medium to full-bodied, and seamless on the palate.” -Jeb Dunnuck (August 2024)

The Wine Advocate: 93 Points “The 2019 Syrah Lytton Estate comes from vines planted in the 1990s and was co-fermented with 8% Viognier. It’s youthfully dense with aromas of blackcurrant, leather, charcuterie, coffee beans and toasted coconut. The full-bodied palate isn’t as dense as the nose suggests; its rounded tannins and mouthwatering acidity enliven its concentrated, savory fruit, and it has a long, latent finish. It deserves 3–5+ years in the cellar.” -Erin Brooks (September 2024)

Wine Enthusiast: 93 Points “Aromas of cedar, crushed cherries and raspberries waft from the glass of this Syrah, with 8% Viognier. The palate brings a savory, spice laden character and loads of black plum and cherry fruit. A swath of lovely raspberry-lemon acidity across the midpalate vibrates nicely throughout the minute-long finish.” -Tom Capo (November 2024 Issue)

Vinous Media: 93 Points “The 2019 Syrah Lytton Estate is dark, brooding and smoky, full of intense black fruit, barbecue smoke, macerated cherry, incense and French vanilla. Floral top notes from the 8% Viognier in the blend add a welcome lift. This punchy, herbaceous, virile Syrah packs a wallop of tannins but wraps the palate in plushness. Attractively built and bold, it’s a mouth-punch of a wine to drink next to a campfire.” -Billy Norris (October 2024)

Average Rating: 89.5

No. of Tasting Notes: 6

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