Lytton Estate Vineyard
Vineyard Name: Lytton Springs
County: Sonoma
Appellation: Dry Creek
Sub-Appellation:
Current Owner: Ridge Vineyards
Name of grower who first planted vines (if known): Montgomery & Dinnett at Lytton Estate East in 1901; Norton at Lytton Estate West in 1953
Vineyard Location (nearest major road intersection): Lytton Springs Road & 101, ½ mile West
Which wineries produce from the pre-1960s section of the vineyard today: Ridge
Historical producers and dates (if known): Simi, ?
Taste characteristics: blackberry, plum, pepper & chaparral notes on nose; blackberry, vanilla, mineral on palate, with long, dense finish
What makes this heritage vineyard special? (brief history, interesting anecdotes, etc.):
This vineyard used to be part of the estate of Captain William Litton, who during the last half of the 19th century developed the springs in the area and built a hotel and spa for San Franciscans who arrived by train to “take the waters.” Paul Draper saw these old vines in 1972 and made the first Lytton Springs bottling that year. In 1991, the 20th anniversary of making Lytton Springs, Ridge was able to purchase the Lytton Springs Winery and the old vines surrounding it; in 1995 Ridge added Lytton Estate West, reuniting the vineyards that once belonged to Captain Litton. This zinfandel selection is preserved as a Heritage Zinfandel Clone.
| Block* | Year
Planted** |
Variety Composition
(Variety by approximate %) |
Acres | Spacing | Soil Composition
(Geology if known) |
Elevation
(feet) |
| LEE Hills | 1901 | Zinfandel (70%), petite sirah (25%), other (5%) | 32 | 10’X10’ | Diablo clay loam | 265-302’ |
| LEE Flats | 1910 | Zinfandel (85%), petite sirah (5%), carignane (5%), alicante (2%), mataro (2%), other (1%) | 12 | 8’X8’ | Arbuckle gravelly clay loam | 250-265’ |
| LEW 36/38 | 1953 | Zinfandel (90%), carignane (10%) | 7.8 | 8’X8’ | Arbuckle gravelly clay loam | 150’ |
| LEW 30 | 1960 | Zinfandel | 7 | 8’X8’ | Pleasanton gravelly clay loam | 150’ |
Notes and interesting facts on vineyard blocks (rootstock, topography, trellising, irrigation, cover crops, soil depth, orientation, maximum grade, etc.): All of these blocks are on St George rootstock. The pre-Prohibition vines at Lytton Estate East show less virus than the blocks planted after Repeal at Lytton Estate West. All of these blocks have supplemental drip irrigation that is used as needed.
*By total vineyard, or, If appropriate, by discrete vineyard blocks.
* *Please include only those blocks planted at least 50 years ago (for 2010 survey, vines should be planted no later than 1960). At least 1/3 of vines designated in original planting date should be in production today.
Submitted by (Name and relation to vineyard): David Gates, Jr.
Contact information (email address, phone number): dgates@ridgewine.com; 408-868-1360
