Insider's Pricing on Ridge: "A Picture-Perfect Rendition of a Classic"

95 points Decanter: "Just a mile from the winery in Lytton Springs, the Geyserville vineyard sits in an overall warmer pocket of Sonoma, but even here, 2023 was unusually cool and slow to start. The winemaking team states that this was the latest Geyserville harvest on record, since the first vintage in 1966. The crew was picking grapes up to November 1st. This classic old-vine field blend is always anchored by Zinfandel, with Carignane, Petite Sirah, and a few other varieties playing supporting roles in varying proportions, depending on the vintage. In 2023, with 70% of Zinfandel, the blend feels expressive and aromatic, with black and blue fruit leading the way, lifted by fresh herbs, a touch of mint, and a layer of baking spices. The oak is still settling in, but the structure is already in place, thanks in part to the 18% Carignane, which adds depth and acidity. Its a young wine with plenty of promise, already showing well, with slightly chalky tannins, but it will really hit its stride with a few years in bottle. (ACQ)" (04/2025)

95 points Jeb Dunnuck: "A perennial standout for the winery that is produced for wider distribution, the 2023 Zinfandel Geyserville is a blend of 70% Zinfandel, 18% Carignane, 9% Petite Sirah and 3% Alicante, the 2023 a highly ageable vintage with great acidity. That freshness helps to define the wine's juicy core of well-mannered, supple tannins and oak, the wine aged entirely in 100% air-dried American oak, 15% of it new. It truly offers the perfect balance of dark fruit and freshness, within a full-bodied richness and structure still built for aging, as with all Ridge wines. Enjoy now through 2033. (VB)" (04/2025)

94 points Wine Spectator: "Robust and simmering with intensity, this red serves up dark blackberry and cherry flavors laced with black pepper, licorice, cardamom and other dark spices. The finish is firm yet integrated. Zinfandel, Carignane, Petite Sirah and Alicante Bouschet. Best from 2026 through 2035. (TF)" (08/2025)

2021 Ridge Vineyards "Lytton Estate" Dry Creek Valley Petite Sirah (Elsewhere $45) Price: Hidden

We also have incredible, sub-$30 pricing on the 2021 Lytton Petite Sirah. Offering a finely layered take on a varietal that can turn monstrous and monolithic if not handled with care, the team at Lytton nailed the vintage despite drought conditions and low yields. It’s still a formidable wine—inky purple-black with plenty of tannin—but it’s lifted by floral tones of dried lavender, tobacco leaf, hot stone, and dryland garrigue. The fruit reads redder than the color suggests, with boysenberry, dark cherry, and savory seared-meat notes. From 115-year-old vines, this is concentrated and serious. Drink now with hearty fare, or cellar for 20+ years.

93 points Decanter: "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. (CP)" (09/2024)

93 points Vinous: "Comprising 100% Petite Sirah from Ridges Lytton Estate in the Dry Creek Valley, the 2021 Petite Sirah Estate is a brooding, savory, forbiddingly tannic red that clubs you over the head with power and intensity. Leather, oil-cured olive, lavender and sappy blackberry fruit run through this particularly rustic, animalistic edition of Lytton Petite. The fruit is plush and velvety beneath the monstrous structure, but its going to take a while to settle this beast down. (BN)" (09/2024)

92 points James Suckling: "A 100% petite sirah that showcases the varietys 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. (JG)" (09/2024)

92 points Wine Advocate: "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 35 years in bottle. (EB)" (09/2024)