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Ridge: Zinfandel blend and barrel history
A Californian producer makes a Zinfandel-based red at Lytton Springs. They combine several varieties from the vineyard, and went into detail about each year’s blend, barrel usage history, and winemaking processes used.
Read the five varieties in Lytton Springs 2023 and the barrel usage periods. Separate the two types of proportions, and understand the blend from the old vineyard.
Questions for this course
If it's 100% American oak, does that mean 100% new barrels too?
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To applied practice using the material ↓
To explanation task notes ↓Ridge Vineyards / Learn by producer
United States / California / Dry Creek Valley
Aliases & spellings: Ridge / Ridge Vineyards
Update date: 2026-09-24
Add four varieties to Zinfandel
In 2023, the blend was 76% Zinfandel, 14% Petite Sirah, 7% Carignan, 2% Alicante Bouschet, and 1% Mataro. Mataro is another name for Mourvèdre. Do not describe the wine based on the principal variety only; the remaining 24% is also part of the blend's composition.
Making wine from multiple varieties in the vineyard
Ridge first produced Lytton Springs in 1972. The vineyard has Zinfandel and complementary varieties planted. Do not confuse the 2023 makeup of this particular vineyard with the general way Zinfandel is made across California.
The proportion of barrel material and the proportion of newness are different.
All barrels are American oak, but new barrels account for 19%. The remainder is 3% used for 1 year, 10% for 2 years, 10% for 3 years, and 58% for 5 years or more. 100% refers to the wood type, while 19% relates to usage history; so, organize this as different classifications with the same denominator.
16 months of aging and tasting conditions
Barrel aging for 2023 is 16 months. Aroma strength isn't determined solely by the proportion of new barrels—blend, ripeness, barrel history, and post-bottling storage also matter. The Primitivo course explores the relationship with Zinfandel, distinguishing between varietal identity and product identity.
What to align and what to compare.
Raw material
- Conditions to standardize
- Lytton Springs 2023
- Conditions for comparison.
- Composition of five grape varieties
- Additional points to confirm
- Other than Zinfandel: 24%
Barrel wood material.
- Conditions to standardize
- All American oak for the entire volume
- Conditions for comparison.
- New barrels and used barrels
- Additional points to confirm
- Distinguishing the meaning of 100% and 19%
Time
- Conditions to standardize
- 16 months of barrel aging.
- Conditions for comparison.
- Years of barrel use and maturation period.
- Additional points to confirm
- A wine's age and its barrel history are separate matters.
Order of reading and key points to consider in each article
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United States
Producer Case Study: Ridge Lytton Springs Blending and Barrels
Compare producer case studies and processes.
- 2↗
United States
Sonoma: Pinot Noir from the fog, reds from inland
Place Dry Creek within Sonoma.
- 3↗
United States
Key varieties: from Cabernet to Riesling
Check Zinfandel and other varieties.
READ · HYPOTHESIZE · RECONSIDER
Ridge document analysis: Zinfandel blending and barrel history
Verify the ingredients and processes in the materials and consider reasons for differences.
The numbers are based on documentation from the indicated year, or the product description at the time of confirmation. Descriptions without a vintage do not guarantee specifications for all vintages.
| Comparison items | Blend ratio | Barrel proportion. |
|---|---|---|
| Principal component | Zinfandel 76% | 100% American oak |
| Breakdown | Petite Sirah 14% and others | 19% new barrels, 81% used barrels |
| Alias | Mataro = Mourvèdre | New oak = barrel in first usage |
| Subject | 2023 wines | Barrel composition used in 2023 |
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What does '100% American oak' mean?
The documentation also states that 19% is new barrels at the same time. The type of wood and barrel usage history are different classifications, so do not take 100% as the proportion in new barrels.
What is the total other than the main variety?
100 minus 76 for Zinfandel is 24%. The figures 19% and 81% refer to barrels, so do not use them as a breakdown of grape blending.
What does a barrel used for over 5 years mean?
Years of barrel use indicate the container’s history. The maturation of this wine in barrel is recorded separately as 16 months, so the container’s years should not be confused with the wine’s maturation period.
Basis and sources for the exercise
Practice exercises in comparison
Compare the raw materials and processes in the documentation, and explain the choices made by the producer.
Read examples of organizing comparisons
| Conditions for Comparison | Blend ratio | Barrel proportion. |
|---|---|---|
| Principal component | Zinfandel 76% | 100% American oak |
| Breakdown | Petite Sirah 14% and others | 19% new barrels, 81% used barrels |
| Alias | Mataro = Mourvèdre | New oak = barrel in first usage |
| Subject | 2023 wines | Barrel composition used in 2023 |
Sources of materials used for comparison are listed in the text and exercises.
Explain in your own words
Explain what 76%, 100%, and 19% each represent, and distinguish between the barrel use years and 16 months of maturation.
Check after writing
- Have you checked the total blend percentages?
- Did you separate barrel wood material and usage history?
- Did you match the synonyms?
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