Wow, it took an hour or two to pull together, but this 09 Geezer is gorgeous. Sweet, yes… a touch heady and lifted with eucalyptus and menthol, check… some charred notes (barrel toast?), still there… but overall this is mostly about brightness and a lithe frame with great sappy charm. There is a raspberry coulis that is enchanting. Good grip on a finish. Pretty amazing a 14.3% wine with plenty of fruit avoids any boozy notes and presents as a crystalline form.
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Dark red color. PNP, drank a couple glasses over 3 hours. This has a wonderful perfume of red and dark berries, plum, raspberries, mushroom, dried wood, black cherry and violets. The palate is sublime, raspberry, dark cherry, wood, mushroom, earth, tangy with great acids, and a mediu, body with nearly lush tannins and silky texture. Loved it, gotta be at or near the apex! 94+pts.
Opened an hour and half before dinner. Red fruit on the nose. The palate was cherry, plums, orange peel and hints of spice leading to a moderately long finish.
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Half Century Magnum Lunch (La Trompette) (London): From magnum again and consistent. Open, rich and easy to enjoy. Was shown up a little next to the Verite but given the value difference that’s fine. Loved it and sort of wine can open at any event.
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Magnum Mike's Half Century Blow Out (La Trompette): Yee haw. I'm on a bit of a Ridge tip at the moment but even so, this was on song. The nose just draws you in, all the spice you want and something, maybe blueberries? that give it a little lift. On the palate - it's big but the acidity keeps in check, no flab here, a kind of chocolatey note perhaps, this is really in the zone just now.
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Magnum Mike's Magnificent Half Century (La Trompette): Magnum. The gorgeously deep, layered, plummy nose was the wine's best feature - come on and dive in! Still delicious though, with deep red fruit, carbon and espresso, and a streak of salinity. Somehow opulent without being soft, and a lovely savoury finish. This is a wine I've loved over previous years and I wonder if it's now very slightly past its peak, or if the precision of the Muse left the Geyser feeling a bit unsubtle by comparison.
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Nose of red raspberries with notes of cotton candy and a hint of latex. Ripe raspberry palate with other bright red fruits, maraschino cherry, and strawberry-rhubarb pie. The rhubarb expresses itself on the finish more strongly, riding over resolved tannins, old oak, vanilla, and the burnt sugar of Crème Brûlée.
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We enjoyed this - in a very good drinking window now. Pours dark, slow legs, red fruit aromas, minimal tannins and well integrated oak. I wish we had more of these set aside.
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PnP. Nose shows rustic raspberry and purple fruits with a bit of pencil eraser. Rich blackberry and black olive on the palate with some saline notes. Dry black fruit, full bodied and round tannins, vanilla, oak and sweet maple and hard candy notes on the finish. Drink to 2027.
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deep dark burgundy, little clarity, leather ruby hue Nose: plum, black cherry, sweet cherry, licorice, leather, caramel, black pepper, cola, touch dirt, oak Pal: plum, black cherry, licorice, leather, tar, caramel, black pepper, cola, minerals, touch dirt, minerals, integrated tannins, oak Feel: medium, round Finish: medium T9 (could be an 8)
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Fresh and zippy Zin. Ahh, this has loads of life in front of it. Shows some American Oak coconut oil kinda note to the nose. Lots of sweet berry fruit to the palate. Seriously, drink to 2035ish at least I’d say… Modest Zin-y spice on the palate. Some ripe xylem notes. I mean, gorgeous Zin.
In serious competition tonight, ‘10 Costanti BdM, 18 Dauvissat Vaillons, 18 Silex. The two reds are out of sight.
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Mieux que dans mes souvenirs. Souple et satiné, assez fruité et extrait, acidité basse mais savoureux et sur les épices. Passablement long et persistant.
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PnD for 3 hrs.. Deep maroon in color. Ripe cherries in the nose with secondary notes of spice, orange peel, and vanilla. Rich and dense flavors of ripe cherries and berries on the palate but not cloying. Fully resolved tannins and a nice long finish. Very nice. Be sure to serve at about 55F as 65F made it quite fat and heavy.
Enjoyed in a Riedel Vinum Chianti Classico glass at 55F.
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Brief decant for sediment. Medium crimson color. Just bursting with ripe cherry and raspberry fruit, chocolate covered cherries, a bit of cherry liquer with the oak firmly in background and playing a nice supporting role to all of the pretty fruit. Similar flavors on the palate with an outright deliciousness to the fruit. Slightly jammy but not baked or over ripe. Medium acid at best. Tannins pretty much resolved at this point. The wine will likely continue to hold for a bit but it is drinking fantastic right now.
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I see the smoky, woody tones to the fruit (some mention "port") but wine is dry, touch disjointed at first then comes together. In this bottle, touch of heat which dissipated. Solid dark fruit spectrum but not overblown...distinctive!
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According to the label, this is a blend of Zinfandel (74%), Carignan (19%) and Petite Sirah (7%), but according to the website, this is a blend of Zinfandel (74%), Carignan (17%), Petite Sirah (6%), Alicante Bouschet (2%) and Mourvèdre (1%). Aged for 15 months in American oak barrels (20% new, 47% 1-2 years old, 33% 3-4 years old). Fermented spontaneously. 14,3% alcohol, 105 mg/l total SO2. Tasted blind.
Quite dense and almost fully opaque figgy-red color with an evolved dried-blood hue. The nose is sweet, fragrant and moderately oak-forward with aromas of sweet, toasty oak spice and mocha, some boysenberry jam, a little bit of dark plummy fruit, light cherry marmalade tones, a hint of coconut and a subtly lifted touch of nail polish. The wine is juicy, full-bodied and quite ripe on the palate with a silky texture and lush, subtly sweet-toned flavors of boysenberry jam and cherry marmalade, some evolved notes of wizened figs, light oaky notes of vanilla and coconut, a little bit of toasty mocha character, a succulent hint of dark, plummy fruit and a fresh, fruity touch of bramble. The overall feel is rather big, but also enjoyably firm and balanced, thanks to the moderately high acidity and well-managed medium-minus tannins that slowly pile up on the gums. The finish is rich, ripe and juicy with gently grippy tannins and lengthy flavors of boysenberry jam, some wizened figs, a little bit of mocha oak, light raisiny tones, a hint of ripe dark plums and a touch of coconut. The high alcohol lends a little bit of warmth to the aftertaste.
A surprisingly rich and oak-driven vintage of Geyserville. Although Ridge is known for their use of American oak, I've never before found Geyserville particularly oaky - at most they've shows only a little bit of vanilla, whereas the emphasis has been on the vibrant Zin-driven fruit. However, this wine showed more emphasis on the brooding notes of toasty oak spice and coconut, competing with the fruit for the attention. Although not an oaky blockbuster by any means, this was nevertheless a bit too soft, sweet-toned and oak-heavy for my taste. The wine really didn't seem to speak that much of the house style either, as we guessed virtually every new world wine country (and even some old world countries) before somebody managed to correctly guess California. Although a nice and enjoyable Zin blend, this didn't really hit the heights the best vintages of Geyserville can reach. Hopefully with some age the wine will integrate its somewhat noticeable oak influence better with the fruit - at least the wine seems to hold some promise for future development, although it is starting to show the first signs of tertiary complexity.
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Consistent with previous bottle taste earlier this year, Deep, dark forest berries and baking spice with Madagascar vanilla on the nose. With air, notes of espresso.
Great structure and depth on the palate. More dark berries such as wild raspberries, blackberries and blueberries. Geyserville balances the richness of the fruit with a delicate approach all at the same time. Very long and seamless finish. 92+++
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Of the five inches of guys of real we drink this evening this ranked right in the middle for me. As with the 2007 the fruit is starting to fade but it's still a well-balanced wine which developed nicely over the course of the evening.
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Brambly raspberry and a hint of raspberry creme on the nose with a pronounced licorice aroma that got more intense with air. Unsweetened raspberry jam with charcoal/barbecue grill in the mouth. Bitter chocolate notes began to emerge on our last glass. Medium weight and medium finish. Probably a tiny bit past peak but remains a charming late middle-age Zin.
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Bramble fruit, earth, chocolate, pepper. One of the best Zinfandels I've ever had. This is the 4th time I've had this and I have yet to be disappointed.
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Really delicious and ready to drink. Decanted 45m - jammy and chocolate aromas on the nose, plums and dark red fruit on the palate with notes of dark chocolate and black pepper. Silky smooth and nice long finish.
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My experience matches CHRISINCOWICHE with this bottle which I've owned since release: not tired, but ever so lightly oxidized ripe plum flavors and alcohol are out in front. It's been years since I've had a Geyser that's like what I loved back in the old days; probably over Ridge zins once and for all.
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Very nice bottle tried to match the zinfandel with corn beef and cabbage and it worked. Resolved tannins nice red/black berries and some licorice and smokey. Glad i waited on this bottle but definitely ready to drink
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2009 Ridge Geyserville is one of the most gorgeous bottles of Zinfandel that I have ever had and sets the benchmark for what you can achieve from this site. Bramble fruit, violets, menthol, cedar, earth. Silky smooth with the tannins fully resolved and a smokey finish. At it's best over the next few years.
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decanted 30 min. this has been money throughout its lifespan (16 bottles), slightly warmer version while still retaining some verve. only a couple left, will drink sooner.
Un peu mieux que mes dernières mais c'est pas les gros chars. Peu acide et un brin joufflu. Assez long mais un peu trop de tout, j'aime de moins en moins ce genre de vin. Petit proverbe pour qui le chapeau fait: Une personne jalouse ne souffre pas que de ce qu'elle voit, mais surtout de ce qu'elle imagine!
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Pnp. Out of magnun. It was a crowd pleaser but I thought it was not in a good place. Fruit gone, secondary flavors not there. I'm not convinced it will develop any either. Seemed a little stewed. It did improve as it breathed but it got finished off before I found out how much that was going to help. Just OK
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Very approachable with little air, nice delicate nose of dark berries and baked pie crust/cinnamon.
Bursting with dark berries, predominately dark raspberries, blackberries and blueberries. Carries a lot of depth and weight without overpowered by alcohol or oak. Outstanding vintage of Geyserville. 10 years since last bottle, still young and much life left. Consume remaining within a few years
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No real notes or score as was drank from mag in middle of a meal. Very favourable impression and nowhere near finished. Suggest it has easily 8-10 years and will still be great. Loads of fruit oak and good acidity will see to that. Good stuff indeed.
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Decanted one hour and kept around 65 degrees. Wow - now this is the Geyserville I grew up on! So different from recent bottles. Beautiful dark ruby color - no brown edges. Exuberant raspberry/brambleberry nose with a dose of cedar. Really nicely structured with great black cherry fruit, tannin/acid balance, some minerals and oak. Seemingly at the peak of maturity, but well stored bottles should yield another 2-5 years of pleasure. Best Ridge Zin I've had in a couple of years!! 93+
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Decanted a full 2 hours this time. Reduced some of the ripe plumminess from last bottle. Still, a very fruit forward version of Geyserville. Good spiciness, plenty of oak and sweet fruit, but didn't have the structure that I use to associate with these wines. Maybe stylistic change from the new winemaker? Maybe the P.S. use to be much higher % (only 6% here), yet there's a whopping 17% Carignane. Anyhow, still a very satisfying Geyserville with a nice brambly finish.
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Beautiful sweet pepper and vanilla nose. Still lots of very ripe fruit, with the jammyness well offset by the acidity. Lots of secondary notes - char, cedar, green pepper. For me this is the ultimate barbecue wine. It’ll keep a bit longer.
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The 2009 Ridge Geyserville is at the point in its evolution that I love to drink Zinfandel. The tannins have softened, secondary characteristics have begun to emerge, but there is still plenty of fruit remaining. Intoxicating notes of violets, cool menthol, and licorice, along with plums, boysenberry, blueberries, and cedar waft from the glass. The wine’s soft, velvety texture is supported by the underlying acidity that Geyserville is famous for. This is much more evolved than I would have expected for a Geyserville at only 11 years of age. Most Geyservilles at 20+ years taste younger so I would consider drinking these up over the next few years.
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Decanted 30 minutes before serving. Initial plummy/pruney aromas blew off revealing a much softer than expected palate. Definitely some jamminess, earth and oak - but the brambly, black raspberry that I associate with this wine was very subdued. Followed progression over four hours. Definitely plush with deep fruit and a good finish that includes a dollop of oak - but missing the spiciness, acidity, tannins that I expected. This bottle seemed to be fully mature. not sure if I'm going to wait much longer to drink the rest of this inventory...90+
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4th Saturday Group: Old vs Young (T&L's): Double blind. Opens with candied red fruit notes followed by raspberry and chocolate. Really great bright red fruit on the palate. Medium-bodied, with subtle soice undertones. A bit of a fooler at first, it took me a minute to get to zin, and then guessed that it was a Geyserville. Easily the best showing of this wine that I have experienced. 92+ pts.
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Much improved since 2013. Still a moderately prevalent wood base but the fruit had mitured beautifully. Terpin and dark fruit aromas while still holding it's color. Ripe raspberry and dill, lightly astringent. Long finish and the American oak hangs along for the ride.
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Reminiscent of Geezers gone by, this wine was freshly fruity, coolly minty/eucalyptusy, smooth with just a vestige of the "Draper perfume" in evidence. Still young, this wine has probably another decade of enjoyable drinking ahead of it. Enjoy it with red meat, if possible.
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This is a terrific Zinfandel! The color is bright red with an orange rim and the nose gives you an interesting bramble scent. On the palate, it has very nice dark red fruit, bramble, some garrique, almost like a Chateauneuf du Pape, and a savory finish.
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Popped and poured. No formal notes taken but certainly did not wow me like the first bottle from a few years ago. A bit more restrained and the oak is definitely integrated but missing a little something. Not sure this is destined for long term aging as the acidity was a bit on the low side. Still, quite enjoyable.
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Took 30 minutes for nose to open full, nice mix of berry fruit. Oak, Alcohol and tertiary back notes, Palate of velvety mixed berry fruit which was really enjoyable but, also came across hot, oaky and lacking enough acidity. There are some flavor profile hints that this is fading and wondering if it should have been opened sooner. This was better with a slight chill 60-65 which tamped down the 14.3%. Touch of powdery crunchy sediment. From Magnum, purchased winery direct and stored accordingly… Na zdrowie
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Lovely classic build. Elegant marriage of acid and fruit. Not the most expressive Geyserville but goes down very easily. That big chuck of Carignan really helps guide the Zin fruits in this blend. This one is in a nice place. I doubt it gets better from here.
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Unlike the ‘08, the color of this wine is a bit further along, but young, nonetheless with pomegranate from the rim to the core. The nose is big and fullsomme with pomegranate, coffee, Draper perfume, rhubarb and mocha with just a touch of brown sugar. This is a rich, ripe and deep wine that can be thoroughly enjoyed now or held a bit longer. Some slight sediment about the shoulder. 74% Zin., 17% Carignane, 6% Petite Sirah, 2% Alicante Boushet. 14.3% alc. Recommended.
For fun and comparison, we also pulled:
Ridge Vineyards Zinfandel Geyserville Alexander Valley Sonoma Valley Ca. 2008
Much like the ‘07 Geyeserville, the color is a brilliant plum purple. Loads of Draper perfume, with a dollop of coffee, plum and rhubarb, yet the nose is a touch - or more - tight. The palate shows the same olfactory profile - same flavors and same tightness. While an excellent wine, it has a nervous reserve suggesting that the a touch of patience will reward in the years to come. Maybe give this another 5 years of slumber, although Eric Barger’s comments on the back label suggest that we are in the heart of its drinking window (2018 through 2023). Some slight sediment. 72% Zin., 20% Carignane, 6% Petite Sirah. 14.8% alc. Recommended.
DD and PM enjoyed the ‘08 the most while I preferred the ‘09. With beef London Broil while PM is home.
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As some others have noted, the initial nose and taste skews toward roasted fruit. After letting the wind breathe for an hour you start to see more black raspberry, brambles, and classic geezer notes. Don’t know if it will get any better so probably drink up
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We went to Ridge with another couple this weekend. After the tour and tasting I asked about older vintages of Geyserville and Lytton Springs. Our host was kind enough to open a 2009 & 2011 Geyserville and 2010 Lytton Springs. All three were very good. The 2009 Geyserville was unanimously the best of the group and the tasting. Polished tannins, still plenty of fruit. No reason to hold but should last a while imo. Bottle variation, storage temp or something else? Seems like some are not have very good luck with this wine.
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Seems this is a polarizing wine. As usual, I find myself somewhere in the middle. I found this to be somewhat enjoyable, with nice mouthfeel and some pleasing Zin aromas and flavors. On the other hand, there was a prominent roasted note and a beam of sweet oaky fruit that was somewhat heavy and with a liqueur feel to it. I see where RICARD is coming from, for sure. This has been cellared by me in a wine fridge since purchase, so no issues with storage. I don't have much experience with Ridge, but a 2007 Lytton Springs that I opened one year ago was so much more enjoyable than this Geyserville - pretty much outclassed this in every way.
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Mint, eucalyptus, blackberry jam on the nose. But... Ribena with alcohol. Lots of alcohol. Seriously, what is the fuss all California Zin all about? It's very polished, but almost grotesquely sweet. A Mickey Mouse wine, and expensive to boot. For children. Intense, inky, alcoholic, unbalanced. And no, it was not flawed. I had two glasses from two separate magnums, both impeccably cellared. I just have no love for this sort of stuff. Utterly lacking in either charm, subtlety or intelligence.
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I can’t believe my last note on this wine was in 2013 as I’ve drink it so often since! I bought 3 cases on release (as I did for the Lytton Springs too). Have enjoyed them all and my notes over the last few years would have been around 92 points. However I have to report that for the first time this is on the decline. Starting to pick up noticeable tawney notes which are just starting to affect the balance of the wine. I’m not talking nice tertiary flavours - I mean this wine seems to be fading a little. It’s the second bottle I’ve had this year with the same notes. Time to drink up I think.
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14.3% abv. Dark ruby, explosive, room filling aromatics. Black raspberry, ripe plum, white pepper, and sage highlight a deep, intense and long palate impression. Outstanding power, focus and expression combined with lightness and precision. Appears to be in the early stages of a long and glorious plateau. Wonderful!
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Pizza Experiment Night (Rocknroller's (Kevin & Vicki's Place)): Very dark red/purple color. PNP, drank a glass plus over 2 hours. Boy, its been a long time since having this - almost 4 years. This was quite impressive for me tonight. This was all about the fruit, gorgeous dark fruit, but everything was so perfectly integrated that it just stood out; ridiculously smooth and easy drinking. Juicy blackberries, black raspberry, black cherry, pepper, gravel, tar and plush tannins with a satin texture. Very enjoyabe bottle. Drank this next to an '11 Lytton Springs and there was no comparison. 92+ to 93 pts.
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This is entering its maturity, and should drink well for at least 5 more yrs. The nose was truly exhilarating. Red fruits, brambly notes, spice notes, hints of leather and dried leaves. Oak has integrated very well and is barely noticeable at all. On the palate the fruit still dominates, with good acidity keeping this fresh. My guess is that the fruit will recede a little bit more in the next 2-3 yrs, making for an even more balanced wine.
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This is actually my first bottle of this wine. PnP and drank with Thai meatballs. The wine had amazing aromatics and a fruit forward palate. The fruit was bold but was starting to show some of the elegance that I love in these Geyservilles. Drink or hold.
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ZAP TRADE TASTING, from magnum, a treat to enjoy, nose of black berry, cranberry, and earth, same on the palate, showing it's age today, time to drink up if you own it, big body, long finish.
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Well, I've been buying Geyserville for years based on some well aged bottles I've had in the past. This wine did not show like a younger version of those. The oak is heavy-handed and distracting from what would otherwise be a very nice wine.
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We enjoyed a well aged bottle of Ridge Geyserville this weekend with some Italian fare. We opened and let it breath for about an hour. Upon pouring the wine into a wineglass, it showed deepening ruddy color, with more brownish hues around the edges of the glass. The nose was very inviting, showing dark berry and vanilla, followed by some mild earthiness. This wine still had some firm, but resolving tannins which showed very nice acid balance for an older Zinfandel blend. The flavors were full of rhubarb, dark berry fruit, and luscious juiciness (not jammy at all) There were perceptible notes of oak, and mild earthiness. (Of note, the Ridge note on the bottle said it would show well for 10 to 15 years.) I would say that the wine certainly would be enjoyable for another 3-5 years if kept in a wine fridge. It is showing quite well now. If you prefer more fruit, I would drink this wine in the next year or two. As it ages, I imagine there will be less fruit, and softer tannins. This wine was excellent.
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Rich luscious aromas of dark fruits and black cherry pipe tobacco. It coats the mouth with deep flavors of blueberry and blackberry pie, mission figs, and silky milk chocolate. Still has a surprising amount of fruit and the tannins are nice and soft. Some of the flavors are starting to become more tertiary, such as a bit of stewed prune, but I have noticed this in other zinfandel-predominant wines/ blends that have some substantial age on them. A real treat.
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Thank goodness Ridge decided to release this from the "library". Jumped at the chance to acquire more. This is an excellent, well-balanced zin that has matured nicely with less "in your face" fruit, but more elegance and just the right amount of acidity and tannin. I believe it's near or at its peak, but there is no need to hold on to. Drink and enjoy now.
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Pnp with notes of raisins and red licorice that transform and open to more BlackBerry, black licorice and barrel spice. The finish is medium. You wonder where it’s going to go as it opens, but wisely it saves its best for the patient. Beautiful as it opens up after a couple of hours.
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This is a rich, complex more-than-zin and well balanced wine. With the bramble, anise, blackberry, raspberry, vanillin and morel with a long finish. It takes about 15-20 min to open up, is just coming into its prime.
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This is a bottle I forgot in the cellar and what a nice surprise! We are having Thanksgiving turkey today with black truffle mac & cheese, oven roasted vegetable and cranberry sauce, as well as some Barolo Chinato gravy.... I can't think of a much better pairing to all these flavors than a powerful Zinfandel or Zin blend (which I am usually not the biggest fan of). It's singing out of the glass, with notes of blueberries, sweet plum, some black cherries, tobacco, sweet spices, also some balsamic notes. It's medium-full bodied with medium acidity and medium tannin that has integrated nicely. Very good length. A superbly slightly aged Geyserville that still has a few very good years ahead.
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Opened about 45 minutes before tasting. A little fruit and a lot of smoke on the nose. Mostly plums on the palate, without the residual sugar I had previously noted. Medium body, but the fruit produced a very good finish. Probably about time to drink up.
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Nice wine. Drank as a PnP w/ Bison meatloaf wrapped in bacon. Paired beautifully!! Drinking well here. Super integrated and all jammyness has subsided leaving round tannins.
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Consistent with a bottle about eight weeks ago. Big and bold, with explosive fruit, great mouthfeel, and a very good finish. Still a little too sweet for me, even with the BBQ ribs that it accompanied. More time in the bottle might help, but I'm saving my one remaining bottle for buffalo wings.
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At age 8~ish, this is still a dark, big wine with considerable concentration. Perhaps nearing its peak, but still has the stuffing to improve a bit with additional age (sadly, however, this was my last bottle). Blackberries, black cherries, prunes, spice, pepper.
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Strawberry and camphor on the nose. On the palate, candied cherry, blackberry, and strawberry, with spicy/earthy notes and light tannins on the medium finish; good acidity. The candylike taste gives an impression of jammy sweetness, although the fruit is not overripe and the wine is dry. Although this is tasty and complex, I might have preferred it a few years ago when the extra tannins gave it more of a bite. Very good value at a bit over $30.
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This is still excellent, but earlier bottles I had were even more impressive. These last two bottles, including this magnum, were just a touch less fresh. For this vintage, at least, I seemed to like it best at 5-6 years post-vintage.
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Dark color, with no signs of age. Really nice nose - miscellaneous dark fruits. Fairly rich, with a very nice finish. Not port-like or raisiny, but it was still a little too sweet for my tastes these days. Minimal oak, earth, or funk. Probably best to drink with BBQ. Don't know where it is with respect to its peak, but tannins suggest it's good for at least another couple years.
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My last bottle of 09' and this was my least enjoyable bottle. It definitely needed food to go with it. The fruit was barely visible and it just seemed tired. Time to move on,
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Dunkles, dichtes uns etwas trübes Rubin. In der Nase ein klein bisschen oxydativ aber nicht störend - es macht den Wein noch interessanter. Honig, supersüss/rotfruchtig. Am Gaumen breitschultrig, samtig und sehr auf der restsüssen Seite. Gute Balance, toll & interessant....
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Second .375 of a a pair. Notes almost the same a 1-1/2 ago. After 1hr. decant a bit port like and woody. Geyserville profile but a bit rustic. Cherry, blackberry, plum on the nose with a bit of perfume. Flavors came together much better over time in glass. I had an '05 a few years back that had aged perfectly, a mature version of what these are young. This had neither the charm or youth or the sublime maturity of age. I am thinking to drink younger or age bottles with impeccable sourcing.
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- Brick color with medium forming legs and aromas of licorice anise and cloves. It's balanced and has flavours of licorice anise with a medium/full body. Round texture with a medium finish.
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Gary's Mini BBQ Ribs Event (Judith's House, WI): I'm going with this was a flawed bottle here. A complete disaster from the get go. This had gotten about an hour and half of air. Nose has no fruit, just wood and alcohol. The palate is about identical, wood, oak, alcohol, devoid of fruit. There was no sign cork taint. the '09 Geyserville was in the same vein. Disappointing. I had a previous bottle that was similar a few years back too. I don't have good explanation of what's up here. I have a couple of these myself and we'll revisit both of them at a BBQ next month and see if they're ok. Undrinkable.
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Nice wine as a pop and poor. It's drinking well here. Zin is definitely a dominant flavor, however this is not a jammy wine. There is lots going on that integrates the flavors of the fruit with good spice. I think the wind will develop well over the next few years, but I don't think it will benefit from additional Aging.
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Drank over two nights. This is a lighter styled Zin with more red fruit than dark fruits, some earth and grilled beef and good staying power.! Excellent food wine.
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This had a beautiful, elegant nose. I've loved every vintage of Geyserville. This was a good one. It actually stood up to a Mollydooker! Different, but not diminished. Great wine. Enjoy now.
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Was interesting to try after having a 96 Geyserville a few months ago. While this was good, it was a little sweet and primary. I definitely prefer them with age, and they do age effortlessly!
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Deep ruby toward purple with medium plus optical density with slowly forming, clear, medium width tears. Medium plus intensity nose with excellent complexity along with underlying elegance. Aromas of cherry pit, brambles, plum, dark berries, and some aromatic tarry forest floor. Medium acidity, full bodied, and dry on the palate with tannins that are pretty much melted away. Dense flavours of red and black fruits on the attack,with a nice full and savoury mid-palate that maintains the fruit, but starts to bring in some spices and earth. Finishes long, with lingering pipe tobacco and black pepper and not much trace of alcohol. Very good example of an elegant Zin that can reveal layers of delicious flavours that should be savoured. Seems to be in a very good window now, with a nice balance of freshness and elegance.
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Thanksgiving at Chez Walker w/Jeroen,Isobel and family (Princeton, NJ): Serving a Zin for tradition on T-day, only (truly) indigenous American grape. Slow oxed for 2+ hours, drank next to a 99 Delas Freres Hermitage "Les Bessards". Nice contrast for our European guests... From a magnum, slow oxed for 2+ hours, served with the Turkey and sides
Holding a deep purple color. Big nose of "sweet" fruits and spice. Great aromatics, jumps out of the glass. Palate is ripe and fruit forward at this stage, showing plum, dark and red fruits, raspberry, spice, pepper, savory and some herbal notes on back palate.
This is a lush wine without being too heavy. Drinks beautifully right now. Many of these wines drink best within their first 10 years. This should hold at this level for a little while, my guess is after 10+ years it starts to loose a bit of its ripe character and may not add nuance. (Just a guess). Would drink over next 5 years.
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A great wine, a relief among the endless stream of poor wines I have had to drink living in Indonesia due to tax issues. If only loved the domestic beer more. Didtto all the fine reviews below, add that any nitpicking is wrong, this is a great , no amazing wine for the price. Even at the silly 75usd I am paying. Gobs of refined sweet Zin, depth, structure, tannins with the blend and a nice long complex finish.
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yup, it's a Ridge Zin. Good balance of bright dark fruit (does that make sense?), peppery spice, and smokey wood; blackberry, cranberry, and, well, grape. I'm not seeing this getting better with more age, actually, looking at my notes, I liked it better new. Drink now.
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Deep purple, clear. Giant, sweet nose, although some alcohol on the bouquet. Very aromatic in a lush, attractive way. Medium tannins and acidity, less than expected. Very lush on the palate, but in a light way, not heavy. Lots of primary, suite fruit, with savory and herbal notes. Really coming together, but still tastes young. Delicious.
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This wine has been getting better each year, and should last at least thru 2020. Very rich and balanced, with plenty of ripe berry aroma and flavor. The cork was stained dark purple, and the glasses got a purplish tint too.
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Gary's Famous Ribs (Judith's House): Drank a small glass over about 45 minutes. This was the hottest day of the year so far, and the heat wasn't doing this wine any favors. Others at the tasting liked this wine more than me. I found it to be quite alcoholic, and big in a heady zinfandel way. Although it's clearly a well-made wine, it was not working tonight, and I would like to try again in 3-5 years.
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Gary's Famous BBQ Ribs Event (Judith's House, WI): Very dark purple/red color. Decanted for a couple hours; drank 1 glass over 45 minutes. Deep black fruit flavors arise from the glass, tar, black plum, pepper, and oak. The palate is dense with chewy ripe blackberry, black cherry and a loads of glycerin giving this heft, pepper, ripe, soft tannins, oak. Striking a better midpoint than the last bottle that was completely disjointed and the first bottle that showed so much promise; this will likely settle toward the latter in a few years. I can wait.
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PnP and consumed over next 6+ hours. Rich, structured and complex claret. Notes of deep dark fruit, notably black cherry and plum, herbs, spice, and cedar box. Some glycerol feel to it, but not OTT. Full-bodied with chewy drying tannins nicely balanced with good amount of acidity. Ends with a long dry finish. Overall found this as a real delight and well made, showing well and quite approachable at this stage, yet with good enough structure to go for at least another 10 years, maybe more.
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Nice nose and great color but the flavor profile of this wine is just not for me. Seems kind of harsh and the alcohol really shows. I have had many wines that had a higher listed alcohol that did not seem anywhere near as hot and heavy as this wine. I typically like zins but I am crossing this blend off my list.
Last bottle, brought to grad recruiting dinner at Lento. This wine has really smoothed out and is drinking very well. The fruit is still decently lively, acidity is adequate, and there are some nice spice notes. These should keep for a couple of more years, but I don't think they will get any better. The CT drinking window seems about right. No reason to wait.
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As a pop And pour this wine was decently structured. After an hour the zin dominated with a sappy fruit. I don't see how this wine carries another 14 years a la Parker. Seriously? No. Drink soon and don't decant this fruit bomb.
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Decanted thru aerator and strainer for 45 minutes and drank over next 4 hours. No detailed notes but recall full body, earthy and dark fruit. Drinking well now but will improve with time.
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Nose is a bit thin, with some light fruit flavors and spice. Palate is acid-driven, with some light red fruit and smoke. shortish finish. Not up to the class I expect here, but still tasty and reasonable for the price.
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From 375. Decanted 45 min. Dusky, dark, port like nose and flavors - but not flawed. At the same time, there were some very interesting fruits (cherry) and baking spices in the background. Almost smoky overtone - from the barrels? Good structure and very good with food. Full and rich, nice finish. It seems to me that this was too old to be "young" and too young to be mature. Second 375 is going to back of cellar for a few more years. Very curious now to see what these are like just after release as well as at 8-10 years.
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Deep garnet. The ripe and plummy nose reveals nuances of black fruit, licorice, minerals, herbs, and spices. The generous and complex palate is full bodied and balanced, savory and fruity, showing high-toned minerality and a wonderful texture. Its exceptionally long core of rich black, blue, and purple fruit flavors drive onward to a fine tuned and nicely wrapped finish. Tremendously focused and very complete. Outstanding.
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A very nice bottle of Geyserville. This has nice red fruits, good/adequate acidity, and some spice notes that add some complexity. It has a very nice mouthfeel and it drinking pretty smoothly right now. Can pair well with a variety of foods, and went well with some BBQ. Another nice value from Ridge.
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Toasted oak, fresh rose pedals & violets on nose. Minerals, wet shale rock. Medium red, clear color. Medium sweet with smooth, tart acidity. Soft, fine tannins. Flavors of red raspberry, cardamom & rhubarb. Last bottle & best one of the group!
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Tonight's show: like a refined, pure, berry driven and elegant Carignane from Priorat. This is a chamaelion and has showed quite dramatically different between occasions. Tonight: no PS and no Zin... Loveable. Sommeliers loved it as well. Only 5 btls to go... At * La Rochelle in Aoyama (Tokyo).
The usual old field blend of 3/4 Zin, 1/4 Carignane and other. 14.3% abv. Dark ruby red. Expressive red and blue fruit aromas. On the palate, raspberry, blueberry, some black fruit overtones and spice. Deep and penetrating with a lingering aftertaste. I sense this wine is just now entering a long and pleasing drinking window. Really nice.
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Very slight sediment thrown on the side of the bottle. Deep garnet color. Notes of bramble fruits & some strawberry, light black pepper, and spices. Not experiencing any strong tannins others have mentioned. Drinking really well right now, but could hold for another year or two. Enjoyed with pork ribs.
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- Garnet color. It's somewhat balanced and has flavours of black currant, blackberry, fig and molasses with a medium/full body. Polished texture with a long finish - Outstanding. It does need more cellaring but already showing well.
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The wine looks ruby colored. The legs are medium. There is no sediment in the bottle. It smells like strawberry and blueberry. The body is medium. The wine has smooth texture. The wine finishes medium. The wine has medium acidity.
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Drank out of a 375. I am hoping this was an off bottle. The nose is super ripe and a little stewed. Elements of EA as well. I let the wine get some air as well as leaving a small pour in the bottle over night. It did clean up a bit but overall was uncharacteristically ripe and stewed. Bought from a reputable source and kept in my fridge but maybe had some heat damage along the way. Tempted to check in on one of my 750s.
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36th Annual Zinfandel Retrospective - the 2009s (Rich & Dana's): Aromas of acetone, cherry and red berry fruit. The acetone quality eventually blew off, but long after I turned in my ranking. Flavors of red fruit, cloves and pepper with a nice finish. Good, but not special tonight. This received two 1st place votes so it had some fans.
My #5, Domino's #6 Group #3, 45 pts (tie broken by 1st place votes as this had two)
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We enjoyed this just as much as other vintages of this wine. It really seems to favor cellaring as we noticed with the 2007 vintage, but the 2009 is also very drinkable now. It needs time to open up, and will reward you with more black fruit and smoother tannins with more time in the glass. It should also be noted that it pairs well with everything from pizza to tomato based pasta sauces. We had it with a plain old pizza last night, that really brought out the fruit notes, and diminished any tannins or astringency. The Ridge Geyserville continues to be a consistant favorite for us. We will purchace many more in the future.
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decanted 45 min. deep purple, garnet red highlights; blowzy, fruit confiture on the stovetop nose, evoking soft-cooked red plums & marionberries, soil & black pepper; full-bodied & sweetish; still mostly primary, fruit is more orchard-ey than bramble, & more red than black; in general, seems to be at that in-between, halfway stage for Geyserville developmentally, plenty of stuffing, so will watch it for another year or so before the next one. great w/the ribs, though!
The remainder 375 mil on day 2 seemed a more complete wine. Earlier I missed the telltale brambly quality that is so prized in DCV Zins. This spicy, spiky lively quality I associate with high quality Zin (and possibly the tendency of clusters to ripen unevenly) was definitely apparent on day 2. The wine is opulently load with fruit but still remains understated in the peppery mouth-burst notes I seek in Ridge Zinfandel and find to varying degrees in Zins from DCV and other fine Zin growing areas (Mauritson, Bedrock, Valdez, Carlisle, Seghesio, Truett Hurst, Hendry). I also noticed a similar reticence in the 2011 Ridge Pagani -- not to say it lacked allure, but the allure is less exuberant. I drank the Geyserville with BBQ ribs, a classic pairing that met expectations.
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One response is drink up. Another is wait two more years. There is a lot of inky fruit here still, but jammy and flat on the palate for my taste -- intense blackberry without the bramble. It could simply be evolving and in an adolescent funk at present. Gratefully there is a background of tannin for development. Two more bottles. I want to see if the shedding of its jammy "baby fat" takes us somewhere more exciting. Must have tasted great in the barrel. Perhaps a little more acidity and tighter french oak would have added some missing zest. 87-92
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Nose of blackberry, currants, chalky mineral, hint of menthol. Taste of cherries & blackberries, cedar. Long finish of earthy leather & tobacco. At the moment, not as opened & developed as the 08 but with more depth. One more year & this should be perfect.
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dark red, in color. menthol, pepper, dark fruit, on the nose. plum, currants, cherry, earth, on the palate. medium acid, medium tannins, on the finish.
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Nez sur les fruit noirs et la vanille, un peu chimique. En bouche, ample et un peu confituré, texture de soie avec une finale sur une légère chauffe. Bien mais nette préférence pour les ZIN de Seghésio!
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Double decanted prior to consumption. Excellent, vivid aromas of dark berries, forest floor, savory spice, and worn cedar. The palate is medium bodied, precise, and layered with dark berry fruit, underbrush, and spice box. The finish is more red fruited, with excellent acidity and framing tannins. This is delicious, but will undoubtedly improve in the cellar. Hold.
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Very dark red. Blackberry, brambles, and minerals with some spice and menthol. Seems a little bit lighter than previous vintages . Good balance . Ready to drink.
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good mixed dark berry, earth; a bit of heat on the end; enough structure to hold, but in a good place right now, and i prefer these on the younger side.
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I had this 6 months ago and thought it not as good as the Lytton Springs. I can now report this is not the case! It is drinking beautifully and I am now feeling rather pleased I bought 3 cases of this on release. For the price of this wine it is a total Master class on what to do. Great balance an length. Wonderful red fruit sweetness. A total delight
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This was more graceful than I expected from a prior note and for Zinfandel in general. Dark wild fruits, spices, and good dose of new oak polishes this full body wine. It's thick in the palate and has a light to medium finish with ample fruit. This can use more cellaring but it's in a good place now.
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Smooth bruiser. Inky black with nose of fresh cedar, tobacco and bacon. Purple berry fruit flavors were somewhat muted, but emerged over a couple hours. Early heat blew off to round out what was a nice drinking Zinfandel.
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Dark red color. PNP, followed 1 glass plus over 2-3 hours. To call this an utter disappointment would be a gross understatement. Upon opening this was an alcoholic nightmare. The nose reeked of alcohol and the palate was alcohol, oak and more oak. Placed in decanter and checked at various points over the next 2 plus hours in addition to the original glass. After about 40 minutes this improved to the point where the nose became better, somewhat Port-like with raisin, plum, kirsch and some earth with oak and spices. The palate became marginally better, thin on the palate, medium body at best, heat, pepper, black raspberry, red plum, oak, firm tannins. Day 2 was mildly better, the nose improved, showing cedar, tobacco, red plum, spice, oak. The palate was still thin but had a bit nicer mouthfeel, pepper, heat, kirsch, plum, oak. 87 may be pushing it. not quite sure what to make of this, hopefully an aberration with this bottle, we shall as there are more to come.
Tasted blind. Warm, ripe fruit, quite pronounced alcohol. Vanilla, opulent red berries and banana cake. High, integrated acidity and velvety tannins. A borderline wine - old or new world? Could have been Ribera-ish but the banana cake and somewhat bitter finish always points me to Zin and Ridge Vineyards. I went for Lytton blind, but should have paid more attention to the iron/rust notes from the Carignan. The 2009 Geyserville is as always a beauty with excellent drinkability.
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Happy Independence Day everybody! We are celebrating 4th of July with a Zinfandel blend tonight... I know, doesn't sound too festive, but Ridge Geyserville (and Lytton Springs) are some of the most expressive and interesting Zinfandel-blends I know... Especially in this price range. Expressive nose of blueberries, black cherries, some menthol, some minerals, balsamic notes and sweet spices. Medium-full body with good density, well integrated alcohol and oak, and a medium-acidity providing a nice freshness. Medium very silky tannins are making sure that it can age for quite a few years. This is a great, fruit-forward but at the same time structured wine of great depth and potential. Btw I just had the 2010 a few weeks ago at a tasting... In my honest opinion, it was overly sweet, burnt and lacked structure and acidity. Go with the 2009 or older vintages instead.
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Inky crimson color. Blackberry, plum, white pepper,and baking spice aromas. Medium-bodied featuring plum, blackberry and vanilla flavors with a medium+ finish. Develops aromas of blue fruit, rhubarb, coffee and lavender. Vanilla, spice and red fruit flavors expand on the palate. 91 for me, 92 for Domino.
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Expectations high, I'm opening a Ridge wine!(they've only disappointed me once). Very expressive and wide on the nose, with ripe dark berries and spices. The fruit is on the frame, but it's so beautiful and not at all overdone. Nicely balanced by acids and tannins, this one's got the structure to age as well. I somehow get a feeling that this wine has made itself, it's so effortless and not forced in any way. What a beauty.
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Dark garnet color with medium body. Explosive fruit on the nose - blackberries, strawberries, cherries, sage and cedar. Tart tannins and sour cherry finish. 5+13+16+7=91
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Best Ridge Zin I've tasted in a while. Decanted only about 30 minutes and this was big and fruity right out of the bottle. Thought it would be some dark berry but actually a heavy influence of pomegranate and spice. Really nice finish.
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In a word, wow! Right out of the bottle this wine was explosive with brambly red fruit, cherries, black pepper, some sweet pipe tobacco and a touch of dark chocolate on the nose. Similar flavors on the palate with juicy red fruits dancing on the tongue and a bit of a spicy, peppery bite on the back end. Fine, sweet tannins, juicy acidity, a silky smooth mouthfeel and a long finish. This is excellent zin and a definite rebuy if I can find more. One of the better zins I have had and drinking incredibly well right now for an 09.
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PnP at Brian's house. Consistent with previous notes, this wine was outstanding again. However, it did take a good 20-30 min to open up and show its best so I wished that I had decanted it for a little while. Wish I could still get this as I would buy more in a heartbeat.
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74% zin, but it doesn't taste like almost any other zin I can think of. It must be the 17% carignane. It's like a very good Rhone blend with zin instead of syrah and grenache. I'm writing this while drinking the last glass of the bottle 48 hours after opening (vacuum-stopped in between). The fruit is still pretty nice. Brambly and spicy. Exciting the sides of my tongue. Pretty good finish also.
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As always, a nice zin. Dark violet color. Destinctive zin nose and palate. Dark plum, some earth, spice, and cocoa. Good balance of acid, firm tannins, and a splash of acid. Should age well. Noticeable wood notes and pushing the boundaries with heat on the finish. Not everyone's cup of tea but a fun and complex wine.
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Have ranked it a little higher than it should be because of the potential of this wine. It is still a little too tannic and I wish I had not uncorked it but this will be a stellar wine. Masses of berry on the nose and not a all Zinfandel like in the traditional sense - ridge has balanced the fruitiness well to make this a very much grown up wine. Needs another three years.
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- Violet color with medium forming legs and aromas of strawberry and violet. It's somewhat balanced and has flavours of ethanol, strawberry and oak with a medium body. Narrow texture with a medium finish - Opened 2 bottles. One with noticeably more fruit than the other both were light on tannin Decanted the wines together 3 hours before a dinner of leg of lamb. The wine had settled down a bit by then but just wasn't able to stand up to the meat as well as hoped. Inadequate spice and just too light bodied. In my opinion nowhere near the average rating of 91 posted here.
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First of 5 bottles. Brought to 2Vine for a faculty candidate dinner. Decanted briefly and drank over 2.5 hours. This was really excellent. Rich and fresh red fruits on the initial attack with a nice full and velvety mouthfeel. Toward the finish, spice notes come into play. Really well balanced with no heat and fairly smooth tannins. I think this has some upside in the cellar but it is drinking very well now. Glad I have 4 more (and wish I had bought even more) as this is an outstanding QPR at the $30 I paid. Really nice. I hope the 2010 is close to this
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Blindly tasted. Superb nose for us, European tasters, of vanilla, caramel and ripe black fruits. No burned or any tobacco clues, but a good amount of sap; our signature of a Zin'. Mouth explosive, seductive and fruity, clustered with a good freshness, and well crafted tannins. A powerful wine, energetic and refreshing. The only critic could be an exclusive style, even a caramelised breast pork is just enough fit to face it. A great choice at a restaurant in Paris.
Utterly lovely stuff. Enjoyed with barbecued Turkey at an early family Christmas dinner - loads going on, Californian exuberance but backbone and length - oak clearly present but not overpowering, same can be said for the alcohol. Some acid, certainly not flabby, great mouth-feel.
Opened about an hour before serving and decanted - in no way is this too young, although I think it would certainly reward cellaring for another decade or more.
Had at Thanksgiving dinner with friends. Try to sneak in a Zin for tradition on T-day, only indigenous American grape. Our European friends loved this bottle, their first experience with American Zinfandel
From a magnum, double decanted, about an hour before the first pour, turned out to be about right for the wine to open.. Deep purple color. Soft mouth feel. Plum, red fruits, raspberry, spice, pepper. Great Zin I have come to expect from Ridge. Will hang in to remaining bottles for a while, has a long life ahead of it.
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Dark garnet to purple color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of camphor, currants and berries. Flavors of berries, currants and toffee. Medium acidity, medium tannins, full bodied. Drink or hold.
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Deep color with aromas of boysenberry, plum, raspberry liqueur and white pepper. Full-bodied, with lots of spice and ripe red fruit on the palate. Firm, fine-grained tannins have a sweet edge; finishes with hints of vanilla.
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If I had to drink and share only one reasonably priced bottle this might be it. Elegant style. Not at all hot, especially for a Zin. Medium+ bodied with delicious cherry and black fruit flavor. Complex with tons of spice...nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves. I noticed my glass emptied quicker than usual. Equally good on day 2.
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Beautiful, structured, nuanced, what a great nose...great with ribs. Strange though, how much it fell apart on Day 2. Is this a sign that it is not destined to last too many years longer?
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Decanted for 90 minutes. Fantastic wine. Nose dominated by fruit, but with some spice and herbaceous notes. Mouth is similar, with great structure and beautiful soft tannins. Evolved nicely in the glass over an hour.
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Non-blind. Had immediately at Bistro au Miel (Tobe). Impression: Outstanding with up-side. Like previous notes but evolving. Showing a rich, rounded, velvety character (not unlike VCC) with buttery components and fantastic balance. Like (some would imagine) kissing young Greta Garbo. The taste of wife and I require tannins, and this wine falls a little short of the minimum requirement level. But apart from that, this wine is a strong contender for the scores of the Extraordinary wines. There's no self-discipline to hold us back from drinking these. Maybe I need to move away the case (OCC - Original Cardboard Case) from next to the entrance of the wine cellar... Me 93p, wife 92p. 9 btls to go.
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Last bottle was 11 months ago. It is amazing how much weight this wine put on in that time frame. Still not jammy or syrupy, just a lot of fruit, with some of the eucalyptus components moving from front/center to a supporting role. Will probably revisit in 2 years...but a nice progression.
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1 hr. decant. Ridge is still the gold standard when it comes to Zin. This wine shows how it is possible to make a great varietally correct zin without being over the top or losing it's varietal character like the Prisoner. Prior experience also indicates these wines age but who cares if they taste so good now.
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Popped and poured. Dark, vibrant purple/ruby hue. Initially, the pronounced nose shows a overt notes of sweet, toasted oak and clearly needs more time to aerate. Within 30 minutes, the aromas expand to show ripened bramble fruits, spicy raspberry/kirsh, and a touch of plum. The fruit is heightened with secondaries of oolong tea, sweet tobacco, fresh dill, and a subtle impression of earth/clay throughout. Medium-plus body. On the palate, jammy black raspberry fruit leads the way along with more toasted oak, crushed pepper, and a touch of green. The tannins are moderately astringent on the lengthy close. Although showing young, this wine paradoxically shows notes which would seemingly indicate a certain matureness, which could be misconstrued as being worrisome with regards to aging. However, there's so much good in this bottle that rather it's simply disjointed roughly 1 year out of bottle after release. Probably best to wait 1-2 years before opening one up, 3-4 even better.
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The first taste, especially just out of the bottle, is of some remarkably blue, really tasty, fruit, similar to a Syrah from the nearby Yorkville Highlands. Some nice acidity, a bit of spice, and some quite smooth tannins complete the picture. This is a very good food wine even now, but I can see it getting a lot better.
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Rich ripe fruit, relatively smooth at this young age but has some burly tannins and heat. A well made wine that will probably be better in a decade or so, although this is still certainly a big and powerful California wine that is not really my favorite these days.
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Quite a pleasant wine after decanting and a few hours in the open. Well-balanced, but not exciting. Definitely would leave it in the bottle longer however.
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I am lucky enough to have 3 cases of this wine and I do love Ridge. This needs more time. Very smooth almost elegant. Just needs to develop more in the bottle.
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Had two of these in last week. One w/ Baby Back Ribs, other with sweet onion & cheddar burgers from Harris Teeter butcher (which you've got to try if you have one of these stores near by....trust me!). Wine a solid 94. Opened about an hour before drank and consumed over about 3 hours. Nice berries on nose and palate. Not a hot wine like so many zins can be. One of the best mostly Zins I've had. No problem drinking now.
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Deep purple color. More restrained nose right now that needs time to open up. Getting more brown sugar and some minerality as it opens. Very complex palate which has exquisite balance and a nice finish.
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Halfway though a six-pack and this was the first bottle that wasn't outstanding. This was hot. On the nose and palate. It interfered with the beautiful fruit this wine contains. Could be a bad bottle or a bad stage. Can't believe the fruit could fade this soon.
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Best Ridge Zin I've tased in a while. Decanted only about 30 minutes and this was big and fruity right out of the bottle. Thought it would be some dark berry but actually a heavy influence of pomegranite and spice. Really nice finish and he;ld up well with a big grilled NY Strip.
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Yep, this one's got that Ridge magic going for it. Rich mix of dark and briary fruits and really profound spices that work together to keep what would be an otherwise ripe, borderline raisiny, bomb of a wine in check. It's plush yet sleek, rounded yet very laserlike in its pinpoint focus. And the nose becomes more and more beguiling the longer this young beauty sits in the glass. If I didn't know it was a zin I would think that we had a very rich and plush CdP in hand. Definitely a winner from Monsieur Draper and co. Ninety two plus now but only going to improve the longer its stays on the rack.
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74% Zinfandel, 17% Carignane, 6% Petite Sirah, 2% Alicante Bouschet and 1% Mourvedre......very purple, berry pie fruit...a little too sweet for what I like, but it is what it is. Knowing this is Zin for the most part, it doesn't distract...more along the lines on Port for me. With that in context.....this wine is sweet, yet it has a killer balance of plushness, and wonderful complexities.....enough wood spice, crushed rock, charcoal...to go along with the liqueur dark berry fruit. Waffs of cold smoke, wintergreen tobacco leaves, dark chocolate covered blueberries, white pepper spice. If this was served blind along with dryer wines like cabs...this would repulse me with the sweetness....but as a known wine of context....it is REALLY pleasing! Sips well with bbq pulled pork! Will seek out more!
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This was incredible! blueberry pie, marionberry pie, floral notes, vanilla, and sweet tobacco. Smooth entry with vivid blue and red berry stuffings on the midpalate. Excellent finish with muscular grippy tannins. I like the structure here as well. there's so much complexity, depth and freshness to the wine. Sometimes you cant believe you're drinking a zin - only Ridge!!
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Nose of cigar smoke & cedar box. Intense flavors of boisenberry, bramble, & rhubbard compote. Slightly tannic and will improve with a couple more years of cellaring.
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Good zinfandel flavors with a nice mouthfeel and floral smell. WAY better on second day after opened, first day was tight and constrained, second day had opened up and really blossomed in taste.
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I doftväg så möts man av mörka blåa bär. Det är inget övermoget men i balans men med en viss syltighet som sig bör. Smaken är ren med mörka björnbär. Tanniner som smeker en medhårs med torrt avslut. Att en zinfandel får mig att tycka att avslutet är friskt är inte illa pinkat.
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Non-blind. Drank immediately and over several hours. As so many others say: Crazily good, still young wine. I can't see how I perceived this as a wine low on acids last time? Fabulous! Ah, the lack of self-discipline... Next bottle planned for in 5 years time, but the discipline part is so difficult for me with this wine.
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What a gorgeous offering here from Ridge. So plush and opulent with old world sophistication beneath new world primary characteristics. Such a solid play under $30. Would buy more.
Strong alcohol on the nose at pop, but quickly dissipates to a Nice fruity nose. The taste follows a similar pattern, gradually evolving into a balanced, fruity, and savory wine. This bottle is well worth the price, especially for zin fans.
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Oh baby, oh baby. The nose alone is worth the price tag. Plums, 5 spice, rasberries, incense???? Crazy good nose. Tasted alongside an 09 Lytton Springs and this one was much more ready, much more open for business. Soft and sliky in the mouth, so elegant. I think this is only going to get better with a few years of sleep. This is such a fabulous Zinfandel. $36 and well worth it. Went perfect with a big ole crusty rare trip tip. 93.
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Deep dark drenching fruit, plum blackberry, with cocoa, tar, chalk, dust, more chocolate and lingering spice. My first Ridge and certainly the most polished Zin I've ever tasted. Slight heat on the finish.
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It'd been a million years since I'd had any Ridge (which I blame, in part, to zin-phobia), so I thought it time to do so. I was not disappointed. There's plenty of smoky fruit, of course, but it feels effortless in the mouth, unlike your typical thunder lizard zin, and is beautifully textured. The American oak, with its faint suggestion of dill, works well here, and the licorice note from the carignan (17%) adds complexity and interest.
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Popped and poured at a restaurant. Expressive nose of red berries, slightly dried fruit, savory spices. Palate pulls back the ripeness that the nose showed, with fresh red fruits, herbs, with fine tannins. Lengthy berry finish. A lovely balanced refine zin style red. Very nice. Wish more zin was like this.
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Great wine with layered flavors and a long finish. Vanilla, berry. Smooth mouth feel. Great with food. When I opened it the wine needed to breathe for a bit. The next day the wine was even better. The flavors were more complex. I'm adding this to my wish list.
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I found this pretty approachable. Vanilla and blueberry on the nose. Sweet forward fruit that is super thick but well delineated. Fortunately there is admirable length and acidity that gains strength giving just a hint of tartness as it wanes. There are some nuances I can't see through the concentration here, and it's not my style, but it's good and surely wants 2-3yrs rest. Although I was looking forward to the vacu-vin and refrigerated remainder on day two and yet it only grew a bit tired with no evolution. Bit of a question mark. 91+?
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opened friday night - drank 2-3 glasses. Good - fruity, nice Zin blend. Saturday night - poured a monster glass - had a few sips and put press and sealed it into the fridge. Sunday night - retreived the glass from the fridge. The sips on saturday were by far the best. Got more depth - vanilla, dark fruit, a little flavor of the oak. Sunday...ehhh. Rating is based on Saturday
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Big and tannic. Much improved on day 2. This is definitely in keeping with the outstanding track record of the Ridge Geyserville but needs a few years to strut its stuff.
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14.3% ABV. Ripe berry and cherry nose with some nuances variously of mocha, menthol, and baking spice. Medium-full bodied with sweet juicy berry fruit. This confounded my expectations by being very open knit and approachable. Late acidity keeping it in check. Nice. 92-93.
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Out of 375. Drinking very well but with promising structure. Dark red fruit on the forefront with a very distinct port like flavor. Very good and an interesting contrast to the 09 Lytton that followed. I would say more approachable than the Lytton at this time.
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Popped and poured. Deep, dark garnet...almost looked purple in the light. Beautiful bouquet of lush, sweet brambles and vanilla. Lots of structure in this one. Firm tannins. I would say this has a long future ahead of it with its best years yet to come. A completely different wine in style and character when compared to the '09 East Bench we consumed afterwards.
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4hr decant. Deep red/purple. Ripe, sweet dark fruits, blackberry jam, plum, cassis, earth. Very elegant, satiny mouthfeel. Big but not heavy or ponderous. Sweet, simple, but satisfying finish showing well-integrated American oak.
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Vinen føles noe ung, men har stort potensiale. Likevel - dette var veldig godt nå. Daniel ga vinen 89 poeng, jeg ønsket å gi den 91. Vinene til Ridge er mye mer delikate enn rene Zinfandel-viner.
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This is cassis galore! Very promising nose but somewhat over my top jammy on the palate. This wine struck us as "cute". Acids slightly under medium. The tannins don't attack until right at the finish, but they do it with class. This is enough complex, concentrated and layered for me to accept that the King will come in 5-10 years from now. Amazingly enjoyable today. Requires a lot of self discipline to let it be!
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This is really good. On the nose, there is a complex bouquet of wild blackberry, bramble, strawberry, vanilla, forrest floor, and a little mint. On the plate the wine is very sophisticated, with very good structure and acidity and almost a little bit of French character, but with California fruit. Very nice finish of red fruit.
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Old Vine Sonoma Zinfandels (Vin Vino Wine, Palo Alto, CA): Strange nose of fresh cut apple, vanilla and a touch of v.a. Light to medium bodied with low acidity. Black cherry and raspberry fruit and vanilla on the palate. A bit flat and like the Lytton Springs, oaky. Weird nose makes me wonder if this was an uncharacteristic bottle.
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Ripe yet not over the top. Sweet fruit yet not artificial. Lovely example of a Zinfandel dominated blend. Not terribly showy and made in a classic style. Bravo!
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Deep garnet color with a sweet, rough nose. Young wine with lots of black cherry, blackberries, leather, cigar, black pepper, clove and some sweet cassis. Little earth and restrained tannins make this pretty drinkable right now, though this should improve greatly as the fruit layers out over the next 2 - 10 years. Long finish. High QPR.
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Wild berry with bramble. Pipe tobacco on nose, very fragrant. Tannins a bit tight initially but leveled out after 2 hours. Perfect acidity, with lush, rich fruit.
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Hmm. Corked. I love Ridge wines, but more than any other producer, I seem to run into corked bottles (at least one) every vintage, with verticals of Geyserville and Lytton Springs (in lots of at least three each) going back to the late 90s.
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Restrained nose, but rich fruit on the palate. Not overheated. Cigarbox, blackberry flavors. Some tannic structure. Very nice. Only 14.3 alcohol, which is a plus. Great QPR.
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Full garnet color. Nose: currant, dried cherry, and Boysenberry fruit with accents of baking spices, red and black licorice, orange peel, and hints of vanilla and dill. Medium/full body on the palate: combination of juicy crushed strawberry/cherry/Boysenberry fruit framed by orange peel, baking spices, red and black licorice, graphite, and a tiny bit of tomato leaf. Medium+ acidity. Moderate/lighter fine-grain tannins. Lingering licorice, berry skin, and sweet dusty graphite on the long finish. Flawless balance, good complexity, and exuding tremendous class. Another '09 Ridge knock-out. World-class fruit sources and winemaking. If you don't like this, you don't like Zin. Drink over the next 10 years.
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Terrific wine from start to finish. Wonderful nose, depth of flavor thet challenges the palate. Balance, nuanced oak, acidity and satin-like texture. Have to find more of this. @ $28, it's killer juice.
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A big vegetal, but not necessarily in a bad way - part of the wine's character. I did prefer the Lytton Springs of the same vintage, but this is quite rich and fleshy. Will be interesting to see how it evolves.
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Lite red that reflects the light beautifully. Red fruits on the nose. Sweet strawberries on the front palate. Sweet raspberries dominate generally. Strong tannins. I expect this will evolve for a good 10 years or so. Almost too sweet with excellent tannic structure.
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Boysenberry, black licorice, black berry jam, on the nose. This is lush, but also structured, with layers of black fruit, ripe blackberry must notably, but also black plum, and a fifteen second finish that has ripe tannins and acidity. A fine zin, the best Geyserville I've had by quite a margin.
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--- COLOR: Purple-garnet with light purple-ruby rim NOTE: Wonderful field blend that transcends most 100% Zins I've had. Nose has blackberry/blueberry pie components but no "brambliness" that I almost always get from pure Zin (not a bad thing). A little heat, hints of anise and raspberry licorice. Mouth is only medium+ weight, and tart pomagranate and underripe strawberry dominate into the finish. That element makes it less enjoyable by itself but lovely with pepperoni pizza! Stacy dug it with food.
DECANT: 1 hr GLASS USED: Zin TASTE: 9.2 OTHER: COST: 33 VALUE: 7.8 PREVIOUSLY TASTED: n/a TRY AGAIN: 2012-2016 PAIRING: Ameci's pepperoni pizza. Inquiries can be addressed to troypeterson@usa.net ---
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Zinfandel Tasting: 2009 Ridge, Biale, Bogle (Winestreets): Very dark red/purple color. The nose is lush with ripe fruit, black cherry, a little smokey. The palate has excellent concentration, elegance, good tannic structure, with pepper and mineral on the finish. Really good, great balance. This is the stuff. Needs some time to evolve.
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Intriguing and complex flavors showing wild berry, smoke, spice and trace oak. Finish is in balance and has nice length. Drinking well now but shows promise in short term cellaring as well.
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Drank over two nights. Very youthful with intense bright fruit on the attack. Bears little resemblence to most CA zins. Not very stitched together right now and the finish is lacking but a couple of years in the bottle will transform this wine. Time to put the others to sleep.
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I've been gradually adding these to my collection, and decided one needs to be sacrificed in order to justify buying more. Justification granted!
You could tell this was a baby, but a 2 hours decant helped flesh out some really nice components. Nice fruity nose that isn't very developed yet, that menthol/eucalyptus thing I like so much developed over the 2 hours in the decanter. On the palate more red fruit/menthol, nice acidity. This was delicious, and any others I buy will get a deep sleep. My wife could hardly believe this was a zin, very elegant.
.
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This blend of 74% Zinfandel, 17% Carignane, 6% Petite Sirah, 2% Alicante Bouschet and 1% Mourvèdre was splash-decanted and serially tasted over the ensuing two hours. The nose is immediately expressive of assorted black fruits, espresso, tar and vanilla. Full-bodied on the palate, with low acidity, big sweet tannins and well-integrated alcohol (which is listed as 14.3%). The flavors are luscious black fruit-dominated and the middle palate is rock-solid. The finish is long and smooth. I suspect that the brilliance in this wine is a combination of Mother Nature's gift (the vintage) with some skilled winemaking at Ridge. Bravo! Drink now-12/18.
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Dark Red Ruby with good shine, not opaque in the glass. Strong bright berries and effusive fruit. Really nice on the nose. Refreshing red berry and cherry, hints of oak, and a boost of dark currant with some cedar on the finish. That finish lasts for a good 45+ sec. This has alot of depth, and is very enjoyable! Would seek this one out again.
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This was on a local restaurant list for $45 (Ohio) which seemed pretty good especially considering the recent WA score. It is very young but drank well. I think it will improve a bit from here and obviously flesh out a bit. The nose has lots of black cherries, some raspberries, a bit of pomegranate too. There is also a dusty charcoal component. On the palate, this is not a fruit bomb and worked very well with our dinners. Nice red fruits, good acidity. I like these with a few years on them, and for the right price, this one will be an addition to my cellar.
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Splash decanted into glass for 20 minutes. Initial impression good. Nose of raspberry and maybe blackberry. On the palate, dark berry, pepper, and some vanilla notes. Good acid on the finish with spice and dark berries. This has balance and big zin fruit. A real winner!
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Blackberry liquor, black plum preserves, a floral note, black licorice on the nose. This is ripe and lush, with plenty of acidity and tannin as well, fresh blackberry flavors are pure and layered. This could use some time to relax the considerable structure, and this is has pure and fresh black fruit despite the ripeness on the nose. Outstanding Geyserville.
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Day 5 on the counter at room temp and these three Ridge wines are all holding wonderfully. Most liveliness on the nose. Shows some red fruit aromas. Dark cherry and raspberry aromas. Palate is on fire tonight! Suave texture, but the elegant side of Ridge Zin. This shows the acid that the Lytton 08 does not have. Again for $36 and 15-20yrs ahead of it, this wine is a steal.
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Popped and poured. Medium-plus purple/ruby, quite youthful in appearance as expected. Forward nose redolent of dark fruits...think black raspberry, bramble fruits, and certainly a bit of plum. The fruit is complimented by ground pepper, graham cracker, and a touch of coconut/dill from American oak. Medium to medium-plus body. On the palate, the fruit is forward and stays true to nose, showing a true Zinfandel expression of ripe, forward bramble fruits and black raspberry jam. The fruit is is tinged with herbaceous notes and spice. The oak shows a bit more prominently on day 1 but after 24 hours is toned down to showcase the pure fruit. Medium acidity and soft tannins on the moderate-plus close. A tasty, delicious Geyserville...perhaps a bit more soft and less structured but delightful drinking at present. If not opening now, probably best to cellar for 3-5 years and drink before the fruit fades away. Tasty juice.
Added note: This is still going strong on day 3. Still shows the expressive fruit but maybe even more exotic, like bramble fruit cocktail. Also shows an intriguing cedar note not initially present and a mushroom/earth character. Anyway, pretty amazing for a Zin wine with mellow tannins from a softer vintage to still show so fresh on the 3rd day. Then again, this is Ridge, so why am I even surprised?? ;)
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Black tea, menthol, black licorice, dark berry and dark cherry nose. Sweet fruit, juicy, mild pepper and spice, a bit jammy (which I liked), mid-bodied but plush, terrific front and mid-palate fruit, long finish. Tannins are soft to not present. Terrific, mouth-watering acidity from first sip to finish. Perfect wine for summer grilling, enjoyable sipping alone.
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Medium plus acid, palate shows pronounced fruit, sexy body. Black raspberry, a wet kiss. Medium tannin, a little menthol flavor. Med plus ABV, full body. Varnish, earth and underbrush. Wow, buy some now.
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Fresh Raspberry and strawberry with a licorice and earthy quality. Palate is medium weight, with surprisingly approachable structure. Juicy red fruits and ripe, velvety tannins. Good now but that said it has all the components to go 10 or more years, and get better and better
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Darker and spicier than the Lytton Springs (gravel plays clay in the 2 vineyards). Rather plummy and a little raisined with some strong notes of black licorice. I preferred this to the even sweeter and seemingly more flighty Lytton Springs. Acidity? 90+
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10/12/2023 - blanquito wrote:
Wow, it took an hour or two to pull together, but this 09 Geezer is gorgeous. Sweet, yes… a touch heady and lifted with eucalyptus and menthol, check… some charred notes (barrel toast?), still there… but overall this is mostly about brightness and a lithe frame with great sappy charm. There is a raspberry coulis that is enchanting. Good grip on a finish. Pretty amazing a 14.3% wine with plenty of fruit avoids any boozy notes and presents as a crystalline form.
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8/4/2023 - rocknroller wrote: 94 Points
Dark red color. PNP, drank a couple glasses over 3 hours. This has a wonderful perfume of red and dark berries, plum, raspberries, mushroom, dried wood, black cherry and violets. The palate is sublime, raspberry, dark cherry, wood, mushroom, earth, tangy with great acids, and a mediu, body with nearly lush tannins and silky texture. Loved it, gotta be at or near the apex! 94+pts.
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7/24/2023 - markcic Likes this wine: 92 Points
Opened an hour and half before dinner. Red fruit on the nose. The palate was cherry, plums, orange peel and hints of spice leading to a moderately long finish.
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6/18/2023 - Mbad77 wrote: 93 Points
Half Century Magnum Lunch (La Trompette) (London): From magnum again and consistent. Open, rich and easy to enjoy. Was shown up a little next to the Verite but given the value difference that’s fine. Loved it and sort of wine can open at any event.
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6/17/2023 - lozatron Likes this wine:
Magnum Mike's Half Century Blow Out (La Trompette): Yee haw. I'm on a bit of a Ridge tip at the moment but even so, this was on song. The nose just draws you in, all the spice you want and something, maybe blueberries? that give it a little lift. On the palate - it's big but the acidity keeps in check, no flab here, a kind of chocolatey note perhaps, this is really in the zone just now.
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6/16/2023 - DAN BAILEY wrote:
Quite sweet, even syrupy. Not my thing!
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6/16/2023 - NickA Likes this wine: 93 Points
Magnum Mike's Magnificent Half Century (La Trompette): Magnum. The gorgeously deep, layered, plummy nose was the wine's best feature - come on and dive in! Still delicious though, with deep red fruit, carbon and espresso, and a streak of salinity. Somehow opulent without being soft, and a lovely savoury finish. This is a wine I've loved over previous years and I wonder if it's now very slightly past its peak, or if the precision of the Muse left the Geyser feeling a bit unsubtle by comparison.
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5/17/2023 - VAGenius wrote: 93 Points
Nose of red raspberries with notes of cotton candy and a hint of latex. Ripe raspberry palate with other bright red fruits, maraschino cherry, and strawberry-rhubarb pie. The rhubarb expresses itself on the finish more strongly, riding over resolved tannins, old oak, vanilla, and the burnt sugar of Crème Brûlée.
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4/16/2023 - FoMoCo Likes this wine: 92 Points
We enjoyed this - in a very good drinking window now. Pours dark, slow legs, red fruit aromas, minimal tannins and well integrated oak. I wish we had more of these set aside.
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2/15/2023 - ginfizz wrote: flawed
corked. Horrible.
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1/25/2023 - VAGenius Likes this wine: 91 Points
PnP. Nose shows rustic raspberry and purple fruits with a bit of pencil eraser. Rich blackberry and black olive on the palate with some saline notes. Dry black fruit, full bodied and round tannins, vanilla, oak and sweet maple and hard candy notes on the finish. Drink to 2027.
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1/20/2023 - Frijole wrote:
deep dark burgundy, little clarity, leather ruby hue
Nose: plum, black cherry, sweet cherry, licorice, leather, caramel, black pepper, cola, touch dirt, oak
Pal: plum, black cherry, licorice, leather, tar, caramel, black pepper, cola, minerals, touch dirt, minerals, integrated tannins, oak
Feel: medium, round
Finish: medium
T9 (could be an 8)
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12/24/2022 - nzinkgraf wrote:
Fresh and zippy Zin. Ahh, this has loads of life in front of it. Shows some American Oak coconut oil kinda note to the nose. Lots of sweet berry fruit to the palate. Seriously, drink to 2035ish at least I’d say…
Modest Zin-y spice on the palate. Some ripe xylem notes. I mean, gorgeous Zin.
In serious competition tonight, ‘10 Costanti BdM, 18 Dauvissat Vaillons, 18 Silex. The two reds are out of sight.
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7/27/2022 - walla_wallou Likes this wine: 93 Points
great wine!
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6/21/2022 - maxima wrote: 89 Points
Mieux que dans mes souvenirs.
Souple et satiné, assez fruité et extrait,
acidité basse mais savoureux et sur
les épices. Passablement long et
persistant.
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6/20/2022 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Has aged quite well. Smooth complex dark fruit, still with a youthful spice, decent finish. One of the better Ridge's.
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6/19/2022 - hesnctrl Likes this wine: 92 Points
PnD for 3 hrs.. Deep maroon in color. Ripe cherries in the nose with secondary notes of spice, orange peel, and vanilla. Rich and dense flavors of ripe cherries and berries on the palate but not cloying. Fully resolved tannins and a nice long finish. Very nice. Be sure to serve at about 55F as 65F made it quite fat and heavy.
Enjoyed in a Riedel Vinum Chianti Classico glass at 55F.
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4/23/2022 - Rich S Likes this wine: 93 Points
Brief decant for sediment. Medium crimson color. Just bursting with ripe cherry and raspberry fruit, chocolate covered cherries, a bit of cherry liquer with the oak firmly in background and playing a nice supporting role to all of the pretty fruit. Similar flavors on the palate with an outright deliciousness to the fruit. Slightly jammy but not baked or over ripe. Medium acid at best. Tannins pretty much resolved at this point. The wine will likely continue to hold for a bit but it is drinking fantastic right now.
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1/23/2022 - Veg Likes this wine:
Absolutely delicious. Great shame it’s my last bottle. I’m sure it will be good for a few years yet.
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1/1/2022 - ginfizz wrote: 92 Points
I see the smoky, woody tones to the fruit (some mention "port") but wine is dry, touch disjointed at first then comes together. In this bottle, touch of heat which dissipated. Solid dark fruit spectrum but not overblown...distinctive!
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12/25/2021 - Agunner23 Likes this wine: 93 Points
This wine is at its sweet spot, very juicy fruit forward and almost port like. Very well rounded acidity. Beautiful wine.
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11/25/2021 - Blinfas Likes this wine: 91 Points
Enjoyed. Less black fruit than typical zinfandel
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11/11/2021 - forceberry wrote: 90 Points
According to the label, this is a blend of Zinfandel (74%), Carignan (19%) and Petite Sirah (7%), but according to the website, this is a blend of Zinfandel (74%), Carignan (17%), Petite Sirah (6%), Alicante Bouschet (2%) and Mourvèdre (1%). Aged for 15 months in American oak barrels (20% new, 47% 1-2 years old, 33% 3-4 years old). Fermented spontaneously. 14,3% alcohol, 105 mg/l total SO2. Tasted blind.
Quite dense and almost fully opaque figgy-red color with an evolved dried-blood hue. The nose is sweet, fragrant and moderately oak-forward with aromas of sweet, toasty oak spice and mocha, some boysenberry jam, a little bit of dark plummy fruit, light cherry marmalade tones, a hint of coconut and a subtly lifted touch of nail polish. The wine is juicy, full-bodied and quite ripe on the palate with a silky texture and lush, subtly sweet-toned flavors of boysenberry jam and cherry marmalade, some evolved notes of wizened figs, light oaky notes of vanilla and coconut, a little bit of toasty mocha character, a succulent hint of dark, plummy fruit and a fresh, fruity touch of bramble. The overall feel is rather big, but also enjoyably firm and balanced, thanks to the moderately high acidity and well-managed medium-minus tannins that slowly pile up on the gums. The finish is rich, ripe and juicy with gently grippy tannins and lengthy flavors of boysenberry jam, some wizened figs, a little bit of mocha oak, light raisiny tones, a hint of ripe dark plums and a touch of coconut. The high alcohol lends a little bit of warmth to the aftertaste.
A surprisingly rich and oak-driven vintage of Geyserville. Although Ridge is known for their use of American oak, I've never before found Geyserville particularly oaky - at most they've shows only a little bit of vanilla, whereas the emphasis has been on the vibrant Zin-driven fruit. However, this wine showed more emphasis on the brooding notes of toasty oak spice and coconut, competing with the fruit for the attention. Although not an oaky blockbuster by any means, this was nevertheless a bit too soft, sweet-toned and oak-heavy for my taste. The wine really didn't seem to speak that much of the house style either, as we guessed virtually every new world wine country (and even some old world countries) before somebody managed to correctly guess California. Although a nice and enjoyable Zin blend, this didn't really hit the heights the best vintages of Geyserville can reach. Hopefully with some age the wine will integrate its somewhat noticeable oak influence better with the fruit - at least the wine seems to hold some promise for future development, although it is starting to show the first signs of tertiary complexity.
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10/22/2021 - askoje wrote: 92 Points
Consistent with previous bottle taste earlier this year,
Deep, dark forest berries and baking spice with Madagascar vanilla on the nose. With air, notes of espresso.
Great structure and depth on the palate. More dark berries such as wild raspberries, blackberries and blueberries. Geyserville balances the richness of the fruit with a delicate approach all at the same time. Very long and seamless finish. 92+++
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9/4/2021 - rjt986 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Primary fruit has transitioned to secondary flavors, but still has plenty of life left.
Wonderful nose with hints of chocolate covered coffee beans with herbal notes.
Plum and prune on the palate make for an interesting finish.
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7/28/2021 - AMG4RPM Likes this wine: 88 Points
Still hanging in with dark fruit and mild tannins.
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7/25/2021 - VinCA wrote:
Of the five inches of guys of real we drink this evening this ranked right in the middle for me. As with the 2007 the fruit is starting to fade but it's still a well-balanced wine which developed nicely over the course of the evening.
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7/24/2021 - drmarclevine wrote: 91 Points
Brambly raspberry and a hint of raspberry creme on the nose with a pronounced licorice aroma that got more intense with air. Unsweetened raspberry jam with charcoal/barbecue grill in the mouth. Bitter chocolate notes began to emerge on our last glass. Medium weight and medium finish. Probably a tiny bit past peak but remains a charming late middle-age Zin.
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7/9/2021 - jgreco Likes this wine: 95 Points
Bramble fruit, earth, chocolate, pepper. One of the best Zinfandels I've ever had. This is the 4th time I've had this and I have yet to be disappointed.
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6/11/2021 - bayareadodgerfan Likes this wine: 93 Points
Really delicious and ready to drink. Decanted 45m - jammy and chocolate aromas on the nose, plums and dark red fruit on the palate with notes of dark chocolate and black pepper. Silky smooth and nice long finish.
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5/25/2021 - Neecies wrote: 87 Points
My experience matches CHRISINCOWICHE with this bottle which I've owned since release: not tired, but ever so lightly oxidized ripe plum flavors and alcohol are out in front. It's been years since I've had a Geyser that's like what I loved back in the old days; probably over Ridge zins once and for all.
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5/24/2021 - ChrisinCowiche wrote: 87 Points
Hot, disjointed. Perhaps past prime.
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5/20/2021 - pkatz Likes this wine: 93 Points
Youthful, varietal and delicious.
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3/20/2021 - Handy1 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very nice bottle tried to match the zinfandel with corn beef and cabbage and it worked. Resolved tannins nice red/black berries and some licorice and smokey. Glad i waited on this bottle but definitely ready to drink
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3/19/2021 - jgreco Likes this wine: 98 Points
2009 Ridge Geyserville is one of the most gorgeous bottles of Zinfandel that I have ever had and sets the benchmark for what you can achieve from this site. Bramble fruit, violets, menthol, cedar, earth. Silky smooth with the tannins fully resolved and a smokey finish. At it's best over the next few years.
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3/10/2021 - pigdaddy wrote: 91 Points
decanted 30 min. this has been money throughout its lifespan (16 bottles), slightly warmer version while still retaining some verve. only a couple left, will drink sooner.
griddled pork cheeseburger w/manchego & pickled fresno chilies; rio zape beans w/avocado & crema
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3/2/2021 - maxima wrote: 88 Points
Un peu mieux que mes dernières mais c'est pas les gros chars.
Peu acide et un brin joufflu.
Assez long mais un peu trop de tout,
j'aime de moins en moins ce genre de vin.
Petit proverbe pour qui le chapeau fait: Une personne jalouse
ne souffre pas que de ce qu'elle voit,
mais surtout de ce qu'elle imagine!
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3/1/2021 - gjv115 Likes this wine:
Pnp. Out of magnun. It was a crowd pleaser but I thought it was not in a good place. Fruit gone, secondary flavors not there. I'm not convinced it will develop any either. Seemed a little stewed. It did improve as it breathed but it got finished off before I found out how much that was going to help. Just OK
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2/22/2021 - askoje wrote: 92 Points
Very approachable with little air, nice delicate nose of dark berries and baked pie crust/cinnamon.
Bursting with dark berries, predominately dark raspberries, blackberries and blueberries. Carries a lot of depth and weight without overpowered by alcohol or oak. Outstanding vintage of Geyserville. 10 years since last bottle, still young and much life left. Consume remaining within a few years
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12/12/2020 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very nice zin drunk with grilled barbecue chicken. Good fruit and balance. I think this will get better, Drink or hold.
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10/17/2020 - Mbad77 wrote:
No real notes or score as was drank from mag in middle of a meal. Very favourable impression and nowhere near finished. Suggest it has easily 8-10 years and will still be great. Loads of fruit oak and good acidity will see to that. Good stuff indeed.
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9/7/2020 - Winiac wrote: 91 Points
Went well with smoked meat. Fruity but well made. Somewhat over-oaked.
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9/4/2020 - JM_MadTown Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nice soft red fruit, bramble and supple tannins. It’s time to drink this vintage up.
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7/5/2020 - DonDon wrote: 93 Points
My best bottle of this - was just drinking so well! Tertiary flavours now alongside the brambly fruit. Was a treat
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6/20/2020 - mfriedman12 wrote: 92 Points
Going strong. Jammy blackberries with slight notes of spice box. Smokey finish. Great.
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6/3/2020 - BHRH Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted one hour and kept around 65 degrees. Wow - now this is the Geyserville I grew up on! So different from recent bottles. Beautiful dark ruby color - no brown edges. Exuberant raspberry/brambleberry nose with a dose of cedar. Really nicely structured with great black cherry fruit, tannin/acid balance, some minerals and oak. Seemingly at the peak of maturity, but well stored bottles should yield another 2-5 years of pleasure. Best Ridge Zin I've had in a couple of years!! 93+
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5/29/2020 - soumamae wrote: 88 Points
Glad we opened today. Seems mature now.
Deep garnet color.
Flavors balanced between spice and fruit. Finishes with a strong caramel/sherry flavor.
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5/2/2020 - BHRH Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted a full 2 hours this time. Reduced some of the ripe plumminess from last bottle. Still, a very fruit forward version of Geyserville. Good spiciness, plenty of oak and sweet fruit, but didn't have the structure that I use to associate with these wines. Maybe stylistic change from the new winemaker? Maybe the P.S. use to be much higher % (only 6% here), yet there's a whopping 17% Carignane. Anyhow, still a very satisfying Geyserville with a nice brambly finish.
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4/29/2020 - Doblk wrote: 91 Points
Beautiful sweet pepper and vanilla nose. Still lots of very ripe fruit, with the jammyness well offset by the acidity. Lots of secondary notes - char, cedar, green pepper. For me this is the ultimate barbecue wine. It’ll keep a bit longer.
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4/16/2020 - jgreco wrote: 94 Points
The 2009 Ridge Geyserville is at the point in its evolution that I love to drink Zinfandel. The tannins have softened, secondary characteristics have begun to emerge, but there is still plenty of fruit remaining. Intoxicating notes of violets, cool menthol, and licorice, along with plums, boysenberry, blueberries, and cedar waft from the glass. The wine’s soft, velvety texture is supported by the underlying acidity that Geyserville is famous for. This is much more evolved than I would have expected for a Geyserville at only 11 years of age. Most Geyservilles at 20+ years taste younger so I would consider drinking these up over the next few years.
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4/3/2020 - soumamae wrote: 92 Points
Nice spicey component in a beautifully crafted wine. Mature now in April 2020
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3/28/2020 - cweiss wrote:
Ebullient fruity Zin, remaining on a nice drinking plateau. Good match with Moussaka as well as grilled burgers.
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3/27/2020 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 94 Points
had a bottle with grilled brats. Delicious Zin with concentrated dark fruits. Happy to have a few more for later. Drink or hold.
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3/16/2020 - BHRH Likes this wine: 90 Points
Decanted 30 minutes before serving. Initial plummy/pruney aromas blew off revealing a much softer than expected palate. Definitely some jamminess, earth and oak - but the brambly, black raspberry that I associate with this wine was very subdued. Followed progression over four hours. Definitely plush with deep fruit and a good finish that includes a dollop of oak - but missing the spiciness, acidity, tannins that I expected. This bottle seemed to be fully mature. not sure if I'm going to wait much longer to drink the rest of this inventory...90+
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3/5/2020 - JM_MadTown Likes this wine: 92 Points
The wine has lots of blackberry fruit, bramble, forest floor and other savory tastes. It is very mature, but has a few years ahead. A great Zin!
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2/25/2020 - NoWineWiz Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted 1/2 hour. Great balance of brambly black raspberries, cherry, sandalwood, and mocha notes. Soft tannins and enjoyable finish.
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2/22/2020 - AllRed wrote: 92 Points
4th Saturday Group: Old vs Young (T&L's): Double blind. Opens with candied red fruit notes followed by raspberry and chocolate. Really great bright red fruit on the palate. Medium-bodied, with subtle soice undertones. A bit of a fooler at first, it took me a minute to get to zin, and then guessed that it was a Geyserville. Easily the best showing of this wine that I have experienced. 92+ pts.
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2/9/2020 - brigcampbell wrote:
Much improved since 2013. Still a moderately prevalent wood base but the fruit had mitured beautifully. Terpin and dark fruit aromas while still holding it's color. Ripe raspberry and dill, lightly astringent. Long finish and the American oak hangs along for the ride.
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1/27/2020 - MLipton wrote:
Reminiscent of Geezers gone by, this wine was freshly fruity, coolly minty/eucalyptusy, smooth with just a vestige of the "Draper perfume" in evidence. Still young, this wine has probably another decade of enjoyable drinking ahead of it. Enjoy it with red meat, if possible.
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1/25/2020 - JM_MadTown Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is a terrific Zinfandel! The color is bright red with an orange rim and the nose gives you an interesting bramble scent. On the palate, it has very nice dark red fruit, bramble, some garrique, almost like a Chateauneuf du Pape, and a savory finish.
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1/4/2020 - williamswhine Likes this wine: 94 Points
Terrific bottle! Dark berry nose. Dark purple hue. Smooth, velvety, nicely developed wine. Perfect with ribeye. Great with or without food.
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12/31/2019 - Rich S Likes this wine: 90 Points
Popped and poured. No formal notes taken but certainly did not wow me like the first bottle from a few years ago. A bit more restrained and the oak is definitely integrated but missing a little something. Not sure this is destined for long term aging as the acidity was a bit on the low side. Still, quite enjoyable.
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11/18/2019 - Whistler Whino Likes this wine: 92 Points
Pop and Pour, drinking at its apex right now with no immediate signs of slowing down.
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11/17/2019 - Oechsle Likes this wine: 91 Points
Took 30 minutes for nose to open full, nice mix of berry fruit. Oak, Alcohol and tertiary back notes, Palate of velvety mixed berry fruit which was really enjoyable but, also came across hot, oaky and lacking enough acidity. There are some flavor profile hints that this is fading and wondering if it should have been opened sooner. This was better with a slight chill 60-65 which tamped down the 14.3%. Touch of powdery crunchy sediment. From Magnum, purchased winery direct and stored accordingly… Na zdrowie
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10/13/2019 - AllRed wrote: 86 Points
Second Sunday Group: Ridge Geyserville Vertical (2008-2015) (R&D's): Double blind. Dark fruit, plum and spice notes. Tannic, with red berry fruit dominating. Turns pruny and raisiny in the bouquet and on the palate. 86-.
My #8, Domino's #3
Group #3, 44 pts
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10/2/2019 - Castle Peak wrote: flawed
Sadly not drinkable.
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10/1/2019 - WetRock wrote:
Lovely classic build. Elegant marriage of acid and fruit. Not the most expressive Geyserville but goes down very easily. That big chuck of Carignan really helps guide the Zin fruits in this blend. This one is in a nice place. I doubt it gets better from here.
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9/30/2019 - timewithwine wrote:
Unlike the ‘08, the color of this wine is a bit further along, but young, nonetheless with pomegranate from the rim to the core. The nose is big and fullsomme with pomegranate, coffee, Draper perfume, rhubarb and mocha with just a touch of brown sugar. This is a rich, ripe and deep wine that can be thoroughly enjoyed now or held a bit longer. Some slight sediment about the shoulder. 74% Zin., 17% Carignane, 6% Petite Sirah, 2% Alicante Boushet. 14.3% alc. Recommended.
For fun and comparison, we also pulled:
Ridge Vineyards Zinfandel Geyserville Alexander Valley Sonoma Valley Ca. 2008
Much like the ‘07 Geyeserville, the color is a brilliant plum purple. Loads of Draper perfume, with a dollop of coffee, plum and rhubarb, yet the nose is a touch - or more - tight. The palate shows the same olfactory profile - same flavors and same tightness. While an excellent wine, it has a nervous reserve suggesting that the a touch of patience will reward in the years to come. Maybe give this another 5 years of slumber, although Eric Barger’s comments on the back label suggest that we are in the heart of its drinking window (2018 through 2023). Some slight sediment. 72% Zin., 20% Carignane, 6% Petite Sirah. 14.8% alc. Recommended.
DD and PM enjoyed the ‘08 the most while I preferred the ‘09. With beef London Broil while PM is home.
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8/5/2019 - konadog wrote: 90 Points
As some others have noted, the initial nose and taste skews toward roasted fruit. After letting the wind breathe for an hour you start to see more black raspberry, brambles, and classic geezer notes. Don’t know if it will get any better so probably drink up
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8/3/2019 - LC17SMP Likes this wine: 94 Points
We went to Ridge with another couple this weekend. After the tour and tasting I asked about older vintages of Geyserville and Lytton Springs. Our host was kind enough to open a 2009 & 2011 Geyserville and 2010 Lytton Springs. All three were very good. The 2009 Geyserville was unanimously the best of the group and the tasting. Polished tannins, still plenty of fruit. No reason to hold but should last a while imo. Bottle variation, storage temp or something else? Seems like some are not have very good luck with this wine.
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7/7/2019 - PIntag wrote: 87 Points
Seems this is a polarizing wine. As usual, I find myself somewhere in the middle. I found this to be somewhat enjoyable, with nice mouthfeel and some pleasing Zin aromas and flavors. On the other hand, there was a prominent roasted note and a beam of sweet oaky fruit that was somewhat heavy and with a liqueur feel to it. I see where RICARD is coming from, for sure.
This has been cellared by me in a wine fridge since purchase, so no issues with storage. I don't have much experience with Ridge, but a 2007 Lytton Springs that I opened one year ago was so much more enjoyable than this Geyserville - pretty much outclassed this in every way.
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6/19/2019 - ricard Does not like this wine:
Mint, eucalyptus, blackberry jam on the nose. But... Ribena with alcohol. Lots of alcohol. Seriously, what is the fuss all California Zin all about? It's very polished, but almost grotesquely sweet. A Mickey Mouse wine, and expensive to boot. For children. Intense, inky, alcoholic, unbalanced. And no, it was not flawed. I had two glasses from two separate magnums, both impeccably cellared. I just have no love for this sort of stuff. Utterly lacking in either charm, subtlety or intelligence.
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5/29/2019 - DonDon wrote: 90 Points
I can’t believe my last note on this wine was in 2013 as I’ve drink it so often since! I bought 3 cases on release (as I did for the Lytton Springs too). Have enjoyed them all and my notes over the last few years would have been around 92 points. However I have to report that for the first time this is on the decline. Starting to pick up noticeable tawney notes which are just starting to affect the balance of the wine. I’m not talking nice tertiary flavours - I mean this wine seems to be fading a little. It’s the second bottle I’ve had this year with the same notes. Time to drink up I think.
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5/23/2019 - maxima wrote: flawed
Déviante/Funky!
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5/22/2019 - Mike Dildine Likes this wine: 96 Points
14.3% abv. Dark ruby, explosive, room filling aromatics. Black raspberry, ripe plum, white pepper, and sage highlight a deep, intense and long palate impression. Outstanding power, focus and expression combined with lightness and precision. Appears to be in the early stages of a long and glorious plateau. Wonderful!
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4/30/2019 - Veg Likes this wine:
I agree with RocknRoller- absolutely lush.
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4/13/2019 - rocknroller wrote: 92 Points
Pizza Experiment Night (Rocknroller's (Kevin & Vicki's Place)): Very dark red/purple color. PNP, drank a glass plus over 2 hours. Boy, its been a long time since having this - almost 4 years. This was quite impressive for me tonight. This was all about the fruit, gorgeous dark fruit, but everything was so perfectly integrated that it just stood out; ridiculously smooth and easy drinking. Juicy blackberries, black raspberry, black cherry, pepper, gravel, tar and plush tannins with a satin texture. Very enjoyabe bottle. Drank this next to an '11 Lytton Springs and there was no comparison. 92+ to 93 pts.
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4/1/2019 - bravo.solares Likes this wine: 91 Points
This is entering its maturity, and should drink well for at least 5 more yrs. The nose was truly exhilarating. Red fruits, brambly notes, spice notes, hints of leather and dried leaves. Oak has integrated very well and is barely noticeable at all. On the palate the fruit still dominates, with good acidity keeping this fresh. My guess is that the fruit will recede a little bit more in the next 2-3 yrs, making for an even more balanced wine.
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3/22/2019 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is actually my first bottle of this wine. PnP and drank with Thai meatballs. The wine had amazing aromatics and a fruit forward palate. The fruit was bold but was starting to show some of the elegance that I love in these Geyservilles. Drink or hold.
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3/2/2019 - bluedog Likes this wine: 93 Points
Subtle, soft, nose. Absolutely at its peak. Delicious medium cherry, integrated tannins, still carrying a nice medium finish. Wonderful.
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1/17/2019 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 93 Points
ZAP TRADE TASTING, from magnum, a treat to enjoy, nose of black berry, cranberry, and earth, same on the palate, showing it's age today, time to drink up if you own it, big body, long finish.
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12/25/2018 - NickA Likes this wine: 94 Points
Yummy - perfect levels of oak and fruit, rich dark flavours, probably at its peak
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12/19/2018 - maxima wrote: 87 Points
Encore boisé et assez lourd, pas certain que ça
va se replacer...bonne chose que j'ai arrêté
d'acheter cette cuvée depuis leur 2010!
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12/19/2018 - prof b wrote: 83 Points
Well, I've been buying Geyserville for years based on some well aged bottles I've had in the past. This wine did not show like a younger version of those. The oak is heavy-handed and distracting from what would otherwise be a very nice wine.
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11/13/2018 - guitar guy Likes this wine: 92 Points
We enjoyed a well aged bottle of Ridge Geyserville this weekend with some Italian fare. We opened and let it breath for about an hour. Upon pouring the wine into a wineglass, it showed deepening ruddy color, with more brownish hues around the edges of the glass. The nose was very inviting, showing dark berry and vanilla, followed by some mild earthiness. This wine still had some firm, but resolving tannins which showed very nice acid balance for an older Zinfandel blend. The flavors were full of rhubarb, dark berry fruit, and luscious juiciness (not jammy at all) There were perceptible notes of oak, and mild earthiness. (Of note, the Ridge note on the bottle said it would show well for 10 to 15 years.) I would say that the wine certainly would be enjoyable for another 3-5 years if kept in a wine fridge. It is showing quite well now. If you prefer more fruit, I would drink this wine in the next year or two. As it ages, I imagine there will be less fruit, and softer tannins. This wine was excellent.
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10/7/2018 - cweiss Likes this wine:
Big sweet fruit but very poised at this stage. Delicious. Drink or hold.
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8/26/2018 - Thief Likes this wine: 94 Points
Rich luscious aromas of dark fruits and black cherry pipe tobacco. It coats the mouth with deep flavors of blueberry and blackberry pie, mission figs, and silky milk chocolate. Still has a surprising amount of fruit and the tannins are nice and soft. Some of the flavors are starting to become more tertiary, such as a bit of stewed prune, but I have noticed this in other zinfandel-predominant wines/ blends that have some substantial age on them. A real treat.
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6/24/2018 - Yagil wrote: 90 Points
sweet flavours
balanced & harmonised
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4/29/2018 - radumas Likes this wine: 93 Points
Rich, red fruit, plum, soft tannins, long finish. Good acid balance. Long life ahead
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4/13/2018 - ptm Likes this wine: 94 Points
Thank goodness Ridge decided to release this from the "library". Jumped at the chance to acquire more. This is an excellent, well-balanced zin that has matured nicely with less "in your face" fruit, but more elegance and just the right amount of acidity and tannin. I believe it's near or at its peak, but there is no need to hold on to. Drink and enjoy now.
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4/10/2018 - jgreco Likes this wine: 95 Points
What a beautiful wine. At 9 years old, this wine is still rather young with lots of fruit and floral notes. Super dry, very alcoholic.
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4/4/2018 - Winegeek83 wrote: 92 Points
Pnp with notes of raisins and red licorice that transform and open to more BlackBerry, black licorice and barrel spice. The finish is medium. You wonder where it’s going to go as it opens, but wisely it saves its best for the patient. Beautiful as it opens up after a couple of hours.
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3/27/2018 - chatters wrote:
Cellartracker in the flesh with Stefan, Mats & Tomas (L'Effervescence, Tokyo, Japan): Funky, spicy, sour smelling fruit with herbaceous notes over cream and vanilla. Strawberry & cherry, slightly gritty tannins, warmly spicy and plenty of vanilla. I called Rioja 2005
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2/26/2018 - maxima wrote: flawed
Léger bouchon et réduction.
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1/22/2018 - navybrat Likes this wine: 91 Points
With short ribs. Excellent.
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12/28/2017 - ifishtoo Likes this wine: 93 Points
Wish we had more.............
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12/25/2017 - gjv115 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Pnp. Drank over 12 hours. Was best at about the three hour mark. Complex and elegant. Beautiful wine. Probably near peak.
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12/22/2017 - radumas Likes this wine: 94 Points
This is a rich, complex more-than-zin and well balanced wine. With the bramble, anise, blackberry, raspberry, vanillin and morel with a long finish. It takes about 15-20 min to open up, is just coming into its prime.
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11/23/2017 - diggydan wrote: 88 Points
Quite rich ripe and plush sweet blackberry and oak.
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11/23/2017 - NostraBacchus Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is a bottle I forgot in the cellar and what a nice surprise! We are having Thanksgiving turkey today with black truffle mac & cheese, oven roasted vegetable and cranberry sauce, as well as some Barolo Chinato gravy.... I can't think of a much better pairing to all these flavors than a powerful Zinfandel or Zin blend (which I am usually not the biggest fan of). It's singing out of the glass, with notes of blueberries, sweet plum, some black cherries, tobacco, sweet spices, also some balsamic notes. It's medium-full bodied with medium acidity and medium tannin that has integrated nicely. Very good length. A superbly slightly aged Geyserville that still has a few very good years ahead.
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11/5/2017 - walla_wallou Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nice evolution, less jammy, good integration of tannins, nice fruit. Great with pulled pork.
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11/3/2017 - NoWineWiz Likes this wine: 90 Points
Good at opening and improved with time in the glass.
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10/25/2017 - aruddy wrote: flawed
corked
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10/16/2017 - Night Train Likes this wine: 89 Points
Opened about 45 minutes before tasting. A little fruit and a lot of smoke on the nose. Mostly plums on the palate, without the residual sugar I had previously noted. Medium body, but the fruit produced a very good finish. Probably about time to drink up.
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10/14/2017 - pkatz Likes this wine: 91 Points
Good balanced varietally correct. Needed a little breathing time to open. I think it is time to drink this one up.
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9/21/2017 - Rick 4 Wine Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nice wine. Drank as a PnP w/ Bison meatloaf wrapped in bacon. Paired beautifully!! Drinking well here. Super integrated and all jammyness has subsided leaving round tannins.
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9/21/2017 - Lilja wrote: 87 Points
Usually quite impressed with Ridges Zins, but this was over the top butterscotch, vanilla, bourbon and sweet fruit. Came out quite one-dimensional.
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8/14/2017 - Hargate Likes this wine: 93 Points
Better than the Geyserville, which I really like as well. I don't find it overly "sweet" as some reviewers do, and I am someone who hates jammy wines.
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7/2/2017 - Janstan Likes this wine: 92 Points
Cherry licorice, elderberry - brairiness. Excellent with slow roasted/grilled baby back ribs with a garlic-honey BBQ
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5/31/2017 - SadEdjo Likes this wine: 92 Points
Lovely dark fruit, cedar, floral, spice; rich but not cloying.
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5/24/2017 - appel54 wrote:
Mediumröd färg, tunn kant
Svarta vinbär, ekat, choklad, whiskey (rökig), vanilj
Torr, sträv, tanninrik, medium+ längd
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5/14/2017 - Miceri Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark red; lovely fruity licorice nose; rounded, soft, sweetness, licorice; lovely
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5/13/2017 - Night Train Likes this wine: 88 Points
Consistent with a bottle about eight weeks ago. Big and bold, with explosive fruit, great mouthfeel, and a very good finish. Still a little too sweet for me, even with the BBQ ribs that it accompanied. More time in the bottle might help, but I'm saving my one remaining bottle for buffalo wings.
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5/7/2017 - ProfBainbridge Likes this wine: 93 Points
At age 8~ish, this is still a dark, big wine with considerable concentration. Perhaps nearing its peak, but still has the stuffing to improve a bit with additional age (sadly, however, this was my last bottle). Blackberries, black cherries, prunes, spice, pepper.
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4/23/2017 - RichardP wrote: 90 Points
Strawberry and camphor on the nose. On the palate, candied cherry, blackberry, and strawberry, with spicy/earthy notes and light tannins on the medium finish; good acidity. The candylike taste gives an impression of jammy sweetness, although the fruit is not overripe and the wine is dry. Although this is tasty and complex, I might have preferred it a few years ago when the extra tannins gave it more of a bite. Very good value at a bit over $30.
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4/18/2017 - mmh wrote: 90 Points
Lots of dark fruit here but also a good acidity and a hint of red, juicy freshness. Not a particularly elegant wine but excellent with babyback ribs!
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4/17/2017 - EMTAME wrote: 91 Points
This is still excellent, but earlier bottles I had were even more impressive. These last two bottles, including this magnum, were just a touch less fresh. For this vintage, at least, I seemed to like it best at 5-6 years post-vintage.
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3/25/2017 - Night Train Likes this wine: 88 Points
Dark color, with no signs of age. Really nice nose - miscellaneous dark fruits. Fairly rich, with a very nice finish. Not port-like or raisiny, but it was still a little too sweet for my tastes these days. Minimal oak, earth, or funk. Probably best to drink with BBQ. Don't know where it is with respect to its peak, but tannins suggest it's good for at least another couple years.
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3/19/2017 - skp88 wrote: 93 Points
This starts with a delicious hit of blackberry and fig and ends with a long finish of mouthwatering and finely integrated tannins. Really good juice!
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2/23/2017 - Mike Dildine Likes this wine: 95 Points
14.3% abv. 74% Zin, 17% Carignane, most of the remainder Petite.
Dark ruby, very aromatic. On the palate, black cherry, plums, refreshing mint, pomegranate and Zin spice. Deep and long, with emerging complexity.
Is Ridge Geyserville the world's best fine wine value?
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12/18/2016 - vino vidi vici Does not like this wine:
this bottle tastes like cough syrup - what a difference from two years ago... poured down the drain
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12/16/2016 - g-man wrote: 88 Points
My last bottle of 09' and this was my least enjoyable bottle. It definitely needed food to go with it. The fruit was barely visible and it just seemed tired. Time to move on,
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11/27/2016 - cubswinws Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nice but a bit muted.
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11/24/2016 - EMAZurich Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dunkles, dichtes uns etwas trübes Rubin. In der Nase ein klein bisschen oxydativ aber nicht störend - es macht den Wein noch interessanter. Honig, supersüss/rotfruchtig. Am Gaumen breitschultrig, samtig und sehr auf der restsüssen Seite. Gute Balance, toll & interessant....
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9/13/2016 - shank wrote: 90 Points
Nice structure, can last 5 more years
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8/15/2016 - timbobwhite Likes this wine: 90 Points
Second .375 of a a pair. Notes almost the same a 1-1/2 ago. After 1hr. decant a bit port like and woody. Geyserville profile but a bit rustic. Cherry, blackberry, plum on the nose with a bit of perfume. Flavors came together much better over time in glass. I had an '05 a few years back that had aged perfectly, a mature version of what these are young. This had neither the charm or youth or the sublime maturity of age. I am thinking to drink younger or age bottles with impeccable sourcing.
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7/31/2016 - weisinc wrote:
- Brick color with medium forming legs and aromas of licorice anise and cloves. It's balanced and has flavours of licorice anise with a medium/full body. Round texture with a medium finish.
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7/23/2016 - rocknroller wrote: flawed
Gary's Mini BBQ Ribs Event (Judith's House, WI): I'm going with this was a flawed bottle here. A complete disaster from the get go. This had gotten about an hour and half of air. Nose has no fruit, just wood and alcohol. The palate is about identical, wood, oak, alcohol, devoid of fruit. There was no sign cork taint. the '09 Geyserville was in the same vein. Disappointing. I had a previous bottle that was similar a few years back too. I don't have good explanation of what's up here. I have a couple of these myself and we'll revisit both of them at a BBQ next month and see if they're ok. Undrinkable.
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7/16/2016 - jshearer Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dusty, brambly zin fruit, and something like mint or eucalyptus on the nose. Dark fruit in the mouth. Well balanced. Good structure. Tasty stuff.
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5/24/2016 - Quarked wrote: 92 Points
Smooth and delicious!
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5/17/2016 - Rick 4 Wine Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nice wine as a pop and poor. It's drinking well here. Zin is definitely a dominant flavor, however this is not a jammy wine. There is lots going on that integrates the flavors of the fruit with good spice. I think the wind will develop well over the next few years, but I don't think it will benefit from additional Aging.
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4/13/2016 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drank over two nights. This is a lighter styled Zin with more red fruit than dark fruits, some earth and grilled beef and good staying power.! Excellent food wine.
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3/26/2016 - darrenv Likes this wine: 91 Points
This had a beautiful, elegant nose. I've loved every vintage of Geyserville. This was a good one. It actually stood up to a Mollydooker! Different, but not diminished. Great wine. Enjoy now.
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3/20/2016 - christyler wrote:
Was interesting to try after having a 96 Geyserville a few months ago. While this was good, it was a little sweet and primary. I definitely prefer them with age, and they do age effortlessly!
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2/14/2016 - VAD wrote: 92 Points
Great flavor and balance. Very rich and sweet. Really enjoyed this bottle.
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2/7/2016 - pdemaio wrote: 93 Points
big, rich and sweet. Great mouth texture and easily accessible. Blueberry and plum. Solid acid with a long rising finish.
PDQ92+
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2/5/2016 - WestCoast Likes this wine: 93 Points
in a good place, but no rush. Had the classic Geyserville rustic flavor of better years. smooth, dry red fruit, smoke/dry tobacco
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1/18/2016 - EMTAME wrote: 92 Points
Not quite the equal of some earlier bottles, but still excellent.
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12/28/2015 - ifishtoo Likes this wine: 93 Points
Had with Christmas day ham. We have never had a Ridge wine that we didn't like. This was mature but with years left. Hit all the right spots.
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12/19/2015 - ajbergren wrote: 92 Points
Deep ruby toward purple with medium plus optical density with slowly forming, clear, medium width tears. Medium plus intensity nose with excellent complexity along with underlying elegance. Aromas of cherry pit, brambles, plum, dark berries, and some aromatic tarry forest floor. Medium acidity, full bodied, and dry on the palate with tannins that are pretty much melted away. Dense flavours of red and black fruits on the attack,with a nice full and savoury mid-palate that maintains the fruit, but starts to bring in some spices and earth. Finishes long, with lingering pipe tobacco and black pepper and not much trace of alcohol. Very good example of an elegant Zin that can reveal layers of delicious flavours that should be savoured. Seems to be in a very good window now, with a nice balance of freshness and elegance.
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11/26/2015 - walkerjfw wrote: 92 Points
Thanksgiving at Chez Walker w/Jeroen,Isobel and family (Princeton, NJ): Serving a Zin for tradition on T-day, only (truly) indigenous American grape. Slow oxed for 2+ hours, drank next to a 99 Delas Freres Hermitage "Les Bessards". Nice contrast for our European guests... From a magnum, slow oxed for 2+ hours, served with the Turkey and sides
Holding a deep purple color. Big nose of "sweet" fruits and spice. Great aromatics, jumps out of the glass. Palate is ripe and fruit forward at this stage, showing plum, dark and red fruits, raspberry, spice, pepper, savory and some herbal notes on back palate.
This is a lush wine without being too heavy. Drinks beautifully right now. Many of these wines drink best within their first 10 years. This should hold at this level for a little while, my guess is after 10+ years it starts to loose a bit of its ripe character and may not add nuance. (Just a guess). Would drink over next 5 years.
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9/24/2015 - tplskylrk wrote:
A great wine, a relief among the endless stream of poor wines I have had to drink living in Indonesia due to tax issues. If only loved the domestic beer more. Didtto all the fine reviews below, add that any nitpicking is wrong, this is a great , no amazing wine for the price. Even at the silly 75usd I am paying. Gobs of refined sweet Zin, depth, structure, tannins with the blend and a nice long complex finish.
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9/4/2015 - twoamps Likes this wine: 90 Points
yup, it's a Ridge Zin. Good balance of bright dark fruit (does that make sense?), peppery spice, and smokey wood; blackberry, cranberry, and, well, grape. I'm not seeing this getting better with more age, actually, looking at my notes, I liked it better new. Drink now.
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8/30/2015 - mhauser Likes this wine:
Deep purple, clear. Giant, sweet nose, although some alcohol on the bouquet. Very aromatic in a lush, attractive way. Medium tannins and acidity, less than expected. Very lush on the palate, but in a light way, not heavy. Lots of primary, suite fruit, with savory and herbal notes. Really coming together, but still tastes young. Delicious.
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8/29/2015 - mtred Likes this wine: 94 Points
This wine has been getting better each year, and should last at least thru 2020. Very rich and balanced, with plenty of ripe berry aroma and flavor. The cork was stained dark purple, and the glasses got a purplish tint too.
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8/18/2015 - galewskj wrote: 88 Points
Gary's Famous Ribs (Judith's House): Drank a small glass over about 45 minutes. This was the hottest day of the year so far, and the heat wasn't doing this wine any favors. Others at the tasting liked this wine more than me. I found it to be quite alcoholic, and big in a heady zinfandel way. Although it's clearly a well-made wine, it was not working tonight, and I would like to try again in 3-5 years.
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8/17/2015 - KVM wrote:
Looks like blackberry juice and tastes like it , too. Still primary and loveable for the juiciness.
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8/15/2015 - rocknroller wrote: 91 Points
Gary's Famous BBQ Ribs Event (Judith's House, WI): Very dark purple/red color. Decanted for a couple hours; drank 1 glass over 45 minutes. Deep black fruit flavors arise from the glass, tar, black plum, pepper, and oak. The palate is dense with chewy ripe blackberry, black cherry and a loads of glycerin giving this heft, pepper, ripe, soft tannins, oak. Striking a better midpoint than the last bottle that was completely disjointed and the first bottle that showed so much promise; this will likely settle toward the latter in a few years. I can wait.
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7/30/2015 - laralh wrote: 91 Points
Bjørnebær, moreller, litt vanilje, pepper, jordbær og salvie. Nedslipte tanniner, fin frukt., balansert. Lang, fyldg smak. Meget god vin.
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6/16/2015 - EMTAME wrote: 94 Points
Just super. Still young but my bottles won't see old age, they're so good now.
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6/13/2015 - DRS-Inc wrote: 93 Points
PnP and consumed over next 6+ hours. Rich, structured and complex claret. Notes of deep dark fruit, notably black cherry and plum, herbs, spice, and cedar box. Some glycerol feel to it, but not OTT. Full-bodied with chewy drying tannins nicely balanced with good amount of acidity. Ends with a long dry finish. Overall found this as a real delight and well made, showing well and quite approachable at this stage, yet with good enough structure to go for at least another 10 years, maybe more.
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6/12/2015 - americanstorm wrote: 85 Points
Nice nose and great color but the flavor profile of this wine is just not for me. Seems kind of harsh and the alcohol really shows. I have had many wines that had a higher listed alcohol that did not seem anywhere near as hot and heavy as this wine. I typically like zins but I am crossing this blend off my list.
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6/4/2015 - StefanAkiko Likes this wine: 94 Points
After a bit of air: Superbly pure, rich and elegant wine. Early maturity. Fabulous!
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4/25/2015 - KVM wrote:
Black fruit, vanilla. Creamy red and black fruit. No rough edges, maturing very nicely. No hurry, though.
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3/15/2015 - Janstan Likes this wine: 92 Points
silky sweet cherry and blackberries, mocha, vanilla, caramel. Great nose
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3/9/2015 - SpoochMan Likes this wine: 92 Points
Last bottle, brought to grad recruiting dinner at Lento. This wine has really smoothed out and is drinking very well. The fruit is still decently lively, acidity is adequate, and there are some nice spice notes. These should keep for a couple of more years, but I don't think they will get any better. The CT drinking window seems about right. No reason to wait.
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3/7/2015 - nzinkgraf wrote:
Blackberry and red cherry Kool-Aid aromas. Rainwater. Wow. One of the best spots I've ever found a Geyserville.
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2/27/2015 - vino vidi vici Likes this wine:
Bright and beautifully spiced. Good fruit over wood - real nice. Yum.
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2/23/2015 - Chariot1 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Cherry fruits and spice, some smoke. Medium bodied. Drank over 2 days.
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2/15/2015 - Rick 4 Wine wrote: 88 Points
As a pop And pour this wine was decently structured. After an hour the zin dominated with a sappy fruit. I don't see how this wine carries another 14 years a la Parker. Seriously? No. Drink soon and don't decant this fruit bomb.
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1/12/2015 - Ed B wrote:
Decanted thru aerator and strainer for 45 minutes and drank over next 4 hours. No detailed notes but recall full body, earthy and dark fruit. Drinking well now but will improve with time.
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1/7/2015 - ews3 wrote: 89 Points
Nose is a bit thin, with some light fruit flavors and spice. Palate is acid-driven, with some light red fruit and smoke. shortish finish. Not up to the class I expect here, but still tasty and reasonable for the price.
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12/25/2014 - timbobwhite Likes this wine: 91 Points
From 375. Decanted 45 min. Dusky, dark, port like nose and flavors - but not flawed. At the same time, there were some very interesting fruits (cherry) and baking spices in the background. Almost smoky overtone - from the barrels? Good structure and very good with food. Full and rich, nice finish. It seems to me that this was too old to be "young" and too young to be mature. Second 375 is going to back of cellar for a few more years. Very curious now to see what these are like just after release as well as at 8-10 years.
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12/22/2014 - cubswinws Likes this wine: 92 Points
Always so nice and reliable. Just a great wine with nice complexity and smooth tannins.
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12/20/2014 - EMTAME wrote: 93 Points
Such a great QPR wine. Great balance, smooth as can be, and full of pleasure. This was a big hit at our holiday dinner party the other night.
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12/19/2014 - Mike Dildine Likes this wine: 92 Points
a good Geezer now, but it's just getting warmed-up.
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12/2/2014 - Kevdog Likes this wine: 90 Points
always pleased by this wine. good fruit and structure, compliments a filet well
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12/1/2014 - Bryan004 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Fantastic, from magnum. Short note, sorry....after an hour was singing!
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11/28/2014 - wineshaman wrote: 89 Points
Big, rich extracted, but not overdone, currants, cassis, raspberry, licorice, cloves, a bit tart, plenty of life left.
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11/24/2014 - djdaqm wrote: 88 Points
Fairly monotone in smell and palate. Fruity and little in the way of secondary flavors.
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11/14/2014 - Nealefisher Likes this wine: 90 Points
Decanted for 1 hour. Nice, but not remarkable. Dinner with Barges.
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10/9/2014 - redz wrote: 89 Points
May be a bad bottle, but heavy on currant, bordering on prunes. Drink up?
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10/7/2014 - Baron Slick wrote: 93 Points
Deep garnet. The ripe and plummy nose reveals nuances of black fruit, licorice, minerals, herbs, and spices. The generous and complex palate is full bodied and balanced, savory and fruity, showing high-toned minerality and a wonderful texture. Its exceptionally long core of rich black, blue, and purple fruit flavors drive onward to a fine tuned and nicely wrapped finish. Tremendously focused and very complete. Outstanding.
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9/27/2014 - SpoochMan Likes this wine: 91 Points
A very nice bottle of Geyserville. This has nice red fruits, good/adequate acidity, and some spice notes that add some complexity. It has a very nice mouthfeel and it drinking pretty smoothly right now. Can pair well with a variety of foods, and went well with some BBQ. Another nice value from Ridge.
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9/15/2014 - pkatz Likes this wine: 92 Points
Consistent with prior notes.
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8/31/2014 - raydawgone Likes this wine: 95 Points
Toasted oak, fresh rose pedals & violets on nose. Minerals, wet shale rock. Medium red, clear color. Medium sweet with smooth, tart acidity. Soft, fine tannins. Flavors of red raspberry, cardamom & rhubarb. Last bottle & best one of the group!
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8/22/2014 - StefanAkiko Likes this wine: 93 Points
Tonight's show: like a refined, pure, berry driven and elegant Carignane from Priorat. This is a chamaelion and has showed quite dramatically different between occasions. Tonight: no PS and no Zin... Loveable. Sommeliers loved it as well.
Only 5 btls to go...
At * La Rochelle in Aoyama (Tokyo).
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8/20/2014 - Mike Dildine Likes this wine: 93 Points
The usual old field blend of 3/4 Zin, 1/4 Carignane and other. 14.3% abv. Dark ruby red. Expressive red and blue fruit aromas. On the palate, raspberry, blueberry, some black fruit overtones and spice. Deep and penetrating with a lingering aftertaste. I sense this wine is just now entering a long and pleasing drinking window. Really nice.
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8/12/2014 - wadcorp Likes this wine: 89 Points
Very slight sediment thrown on the side of the bottle. Deep garnet color. Notes of bramble fruits & some strawberry, light black pepper, and spices. Not experiencing any strong tannins others have mentioned. Drinking really well right now, but could hold for another year or two. Enjoyed with pork ribs.
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7/10/2014 - BobMilton Likes this wine: 92 Points
Strawberry and other red fruits on the palate. Smooth, with the usual Geyserville complexity from the mix of grape varieties.
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7/7/2014 - eniskonuk wrote: 94 Points
- Garnet color. It's somewhat balanced and has flavours of black currant, blackberry, fig and molasses with a medium/full body. Polished texture with a long finish - Outstanding. It does need more cellaring but already showing well.
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7/5/2014 - monomonlite Likes this wine: 91 Points
The wine looks ruby colored. The legs are medium. There is no sediment in the bottle. It smells like strawberry and blueberry. The body is medium. The wine has smooth texture. The wine finishes medium. The wine has medium acidity.
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6/16/2014 - jasonh wrote:
Drank out of a 375. I am hoping this was an off bottle. The nose is super ripe and a little stewed. Elements of EA as well. I let the wine get some air as well as leaving a small pour in the bottle over night. It did clean up a bit but overall was uncharacteristically ripe and stewed. Bought from a reputable source and kept in my fridge but maybe had some heat damage along the way. Tempted to check in on one of my 750s.
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6/16/2014 - jkvedar wrote: 92 Points
Terrific blend. Drinking well right. Now. Pepper and dark fruit on the nose. Cherry and cassis on the palate. Nice long finish.
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6/9/2014 - shank wrote: 91 Points
Much better than 08. Well balanced with nice finish.
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6/8/2014 - Pour Boy wrote: 89 Points
A tannic beast! Those of you who are cellaring this, keep it on its side for at least another year. Potential here, but needs time.
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5/27/2014 - Sauvyfan wrote: flawed
Flawed.
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5/25/2014 - AllRed wrote: 88 Points
36th Annual Zinfandel Retrospective - the 2009s (Rich & Dana's): Aromas of acetone, cherry and red berry fruit. The acetone quality eventually blew off, but long after I turned in my ranking. Flavors of red fruit, cloves and pepper with a nice finish. Good, but not special tonight. This received two 1st place votes so it had some fans.
My #5, Domino's #6
Group #3, 45 pts (tie broken by 1st place votes as this had two)
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5/4/2014 - jshearer Likes this wine:
No formal notes. Dark berry and zin fruit. Dense but not overly ripe. Some spice.
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4/1/2014 - alfaverde Likes this wine: 92 Points
We enjoyed this just as much as other vintages of this wine. It really seems to favor cellaring as we noticed with the 2007 vintage, but the 2009 is also very drinkable now. It needs time to open up, and will reward you with more black fruit and smoother tannins with more time in the glass. It should also be noted that it pairs well with everything from pizza to tomato based pasta sauces. We had it with a plain old pizza last night, that really brought out the fruit notes, and diminished any tannins or astringency. The Ridge Geyserville continues to be a consistant favorite for us. We will purchace many more in the future.
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3/29/2014 - pigdaddy wrote: 90 Points
decanted 45 min. deep purple, garnet red highlights; blowzy, fruit confiture on the stovetop nose, evoking soft-cooked red plums & marionberries, soil & black pepper; full-bodied & sweetish; still mostly primary, fruit is more orchard-ey than bramble, & more red than black; in general, seems to be at that in-between, halfway stage for Geyserville developmentally, plenty of stuffing, so will watch it for another year or so before the next one. great w/the ribs, though!
slow-cooked, hickory-smoked pork ribs w/pimenton rub & vinegar-chile baste, broccoli rabe & baked potato
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3/26/2014 - SpoochMan Likes this wine: 91 Points
Consistent with previous notes. Still benefits from some air time. Not quite as good as the previous bottle.
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3/3/2014 - wilypod Likes this wine: 90 Points
The remainder 375 mil on day 2 seemed a more complete wine. Earlier I missed the telltale brambly quality that is so prized in DCV Zins. This spicy, spiky lively quality I associate with high quality Zin (and possibly the tendency of clusters to ripen unevenly) was definitely apparent on day 2. The wine is opulently load with fruit but still remains understated in the peppery mouth-burst notes I seek in Ridge Zinfandel and find to varying degrees in Zins from DCV and other fine Zin growing areas (Mauritson, Bedrock, Valdez, Carlisle, Seghesio, Truett Hurst, Hendry). I also noticed a similar reticence in the 2011 Ridge Pagani -- not to say it lacked allure, but the allure is less exuberant. I drank the Geyserville with BBQ ribs, a classic pairing that met expectations.
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3/1/2014 - wilypod Likes this wine: 87 Points
One response is drink up. Another is wait two more years. There is a lot of inky fruit here still, but jammy and flat on the palate for my taste -- intense blackberry without the bramble. It could simply be evolving and in an adolescent funk at present. Gratefully there is a background of tannin for development. Two more bottles. I want to see if the shedding of its jammy "baby fat" takes us somewhere more exciting. Must have tasted great in the barrel. Perhaps a little more acidity and tighter french oak would have added some missing zest. 87-92
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2/22/2014 - Rick 4 Wine wrote: 90 Points
Excellent wine for food. Drinking full of flavor and still with nice structure.
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2/15/2014 - mainpoint wrote: 91 Points
Alt for ung. Vil vinde ved ekstra lagering.
Godt produceret Zinfandel.
91-92+
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1/18/2014 - elshml@verizon.net wrote: flawed
Corked, unfortunately.
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1/12/2014 - mlwhitfi wrote: 93 Points
Nose of blackberry, currants, chalky mineral, hint of menthol. Taste of cherries & blackberries, cedar. Long finish of earthy leather & tobacco. At the moment, not as opened & developed as the 08 but with more depth. One more year & this should be perfect.
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1/6/2014 - affordableCollector wrote: 87 Points
dark red, in color. menthol, pepper, dark fruit, on the nose. plum, currants, cherry, earth, on the palate. medium acid, medium tannins, on the finish.
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12/27/2013 - Birged wrote: 90 Points
Red fruit and herbal flavors, medium dry and balanced finish, very easy drinking with nice tannins, wish I had a few more bottles of this one.
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12/17/2013 - maxima wrote: 88 Points
Nez sur les fruit noirs et la vanille, un peu chimique.
En bouche, ample et un peu confituré, texture de soie avec une finale sur une légère chauffe.
Bien mais nette préférence pour les ZIN de Seghésio!
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12/16/2013 - Rob and Meg wrote: 91 Points
Double decanted prior to consumption. Excellent, vivid aromas of dark berries, forest floor, savory spice, and worn cedar. The palate is medium bodied, precise, and layered with dark berry fruit, underbrush, and spice box. The finish is more red fruited, with excellent acidity and framing tannins. This is delicious, but will undoubtedly improve in the cellar. Hold.
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12/7/2013 - maxima wrote: 88 Points
Nez qui fait un peu bonbon, fruits confits.
En bouche, gros fruits avec du boisé. Long et un peu sucré.
Bon mais saturant!
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12/6/2013 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very dark red. Blackberry, brambles, and minerals with some spice and menthol. Seems a little bit lighter than previous vintages . Good balance . Ready to drink.
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11/29/2013 - maxima wrote: 89 Points
Nez sur les fruit noirs et les bleuets.
En bouche, ample et riche, texture soyeuse avec une finale un peu sucrée.
Simple mais gouteux!
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11/28/2013 - wabi47 wrote: 90 Points
good mixed dark berry, earth; a bit of heat on the end; enough structure to hold, but in a good place right now, and i prefer these on the younger side.
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11/10/2013 - Janstan Likes this wine: 91 Points
Current, Blackberry very well balanced. Had with Marinated BBQ pork but it wasn't a very good pairing.
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11/8/2013 - DonDon Likes this wine: 91 Points
I had this 6 months ago and thought it not as good as the Lytton Springs. I can now report this is not the case! It is drinking beautifully and I am now feeling rather pleased I bought 3 cases of this on release. For the price of this wine it is a total
Master class on what to do. Great balance an length. Wonderful red fruit sweetness. A total delight
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10/30/2013 - kwachtv Likes this wine: 92 Points
Ripe, fleshy, and well balanced, no heat. A mouthful of raspberries, strawberries and violets, spices. Drinks well now after 30+ mins decantation.
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10/21/2013 - WDSteers wrote: 92 Points
settled down from previous port like intensity. Still dark fruit , rich and appealing with some slight raisony notes.
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10/15/2013 - farinas wrote: 91 Points
This was more graceful than I expected from a prior note and for Zinfandel in general. Dark wild fruits, spices, and good dose of new oak polishes this full body wine. It's thick in the palate and has a light to medium finish with ample fruit. This can use more cellaring but it's in a good place now.
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10/14/2013 - FLI Likes this wine: 89 Points
Consistent with previous notes.
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10/13/2013 - Castle Peak wrote: 90 Points
Smooth bruiser. Inky black with nose of fresh cedar, tobacco and bacon. Purple berry fruit flavors were somewhat muted, but emerged over a couple hours. Early heat blew off to round out what was a nice drinking Zinfandel.
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9/15/2013 - Sauvyfan wrote: 87 Points
One of the least impressive Geyserville's I've has. Muddled, hot nose. Disjointed on the palate, with unbalanced acidity.
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9/8/2013 - rocknroller wrote: 87 Points
Dark red color. PNP, followed 1 glass plus over 2-3 hours. To call this an utter disappointment would be a gross understatement. Upon opening this was an alcoholic nightmare. The nose reeked of alcohol and the palate was alcohol, oak and more oak. Placed in decanter and checked at various points over the next 2 plus hours in addition to the original glass. After about 40 minutes this improved to the point where the nose became better, somewhat Port-like with raisin, plum, kirsch and some earth with oak and spices. The palate became marginally better, thin on the palate, medium body at best, heat, pepper, black raspberry, red plum, oak, firm tannins. Day 2 was mildly better, the nose improved, showing cedar, tobacco, red plum, spice, oak. The palate was still thin but had a bit nicer mouthfeel, pepper, heat, kirsch, plum, oak. 87 may be pushing it. not quite sure what to make of this, hopefully an aberration with this bottle, we shall as there are more to come.
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9/7/2013 - peblin Likes this wine: 91 Points
Tasted blind.
Warm, ripe fruit, quite pronounced alcohol. Vanilla, opulent red berries and banana cake. High, integrated acidity and velvety tannins. A borderline wine - old or new world? Could have been Ribera-ish but the banana cake and somewhat bitter finish always points me to Zin and Ridge Vineyards. I went for Lytton blind, but should have paid more attention to the iron/rust notes from the Carignan. The 2009 Geyserville is as always a beauty with excellent drinkability.
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8/4/2013 - Uglypinga wrote:
all the spice and black pepper you would expect. the palate is sharp and delineated with delicious raspberry and coiled fruits. this will go forever
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7/31/2013 - slippytoad Likes this wine: 90 Points
Drinking really well - tons of concentration, if not complexity.
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7/29/2013 - Rick and Debra wrote:
Cheese dinner with Debra
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7/4/2013 - NostraBacchus Likes this wine: 93 Points
Happy Independence Day everybody! We are celebrating 4th of July with a Zinfandel blend tonight... I know, doesn't sound too festive, but Ridge Geyserville (and Lytton Springs) are some of the most expressive and interesting Zinfandel-blends I know... Especially in this price range. Expressive nose of blueberries, black cherries, some menthol, some minerals, balsamic notes and sweet spices. Medium-full body with good density, well integrated alcohol and oak, and a medium-acidity providing a nice freshness. Medium very silky tannins are making sure that it can age for quite a few years. This is a great, fruit-forward but at the same time structured wine of great depth and potential. Btw I just had the 2010 a few weeks ago at a tasting... In my honest opinion, it was overly sweet, burnt and lacked structure and acidity. Go with the 2009 or older vintages instead.
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6/3/2013 - AllRed wrote: 91 Points
Inky crimson color. Blackberry, plum, white pepper,and baking spice aromas. Medium-bodied featuring plum, blackberry and vanilla flavors with a medium+ finish. Develops aromas of blue fruit, rhubarb, coffee and lavender. Vanilla, spice and red fruit flavors expand on the palate. 91 for me, 92 for Domino.
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4/14/2013 - Isalasdad Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark color. It has flavors and aromas of blackberry and licorice. It is smooth and balanced. The tannins are strong, making for a long finish.
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4/12/2013 - Antti wrote:
Expectations high, I'm opening a Ridge wine!(they've only disappointed me once). Very expressive and wide on the nose, with ripe dark berries and spices. The fruit is on the frame, but it's so beautiful and not at all overdone. Nicely balanced by acids and tannins, this one's got the structure to age as well. I somehow get a feeling that this wine has made itself, it's so effortless and not forced in any way. What a beauty.
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4/10/2013 - WDSteers wrote: 91 Points
dark berry and fig flavor. long finnish
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4/5/2013 - Sauvyfan Likes this wine: 90 Points
Fruit giving way to the alcohol. drink em up.
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3/29/2013 - Lars-Erik wrote: flawed
Flawed, TCA
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3/24/2013 - 6831 wrote: 90 Points
A dry styled field blend that shows modest complexity with some dark fruit, wood and earthy notes. Balanced and pleasant finish.
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3/23/2013 - Delli Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dark garnet color with medium body. Explosive fruit on the nose - blackberries, strawberries, cherries, sage and cedar. Tart tannins and sour cherry finish. 5+13+16+7=91
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3/22/2013 - thatrick wrote: 93 Points
Paired with BBQ chicken and wow - really nice
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3/16/2013 - krhaugh Likes this wine: 90 Points
Best Ridge Zin I've tasted in a while. Decanted only about 30 minutes and this was big and fruity right out of the bottle. Thought it would be some dark berry but actually a heavy influence of pomegranate and spice. Really nice finish.
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3/8/2013 - navybrat Likes this wine: 92 Points
The wine looks Garnet colored. The legs are Medium. The body is Medium/Full. The wine has Smooth texture. The wine finishes Medium.
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2/8/2013 - Rich S Likes this wine: 94 Points
In a word, wow! Right out of the bottle this wine was explosive with brambly red fruit, cherries, black pepper, some sweet pipe tobacco and a touch of dark chocolate on the nose. Similar flavors on the palate with juicy red fruits dancing on the tongue and a bit of a spicy, peppery bite on the back end. Fine, sweet tannins, juicy acidity, a silky smooth mouthfeel and a long finish. This is excellent zin and a definite rebuy if I can find more. One of the better zins I have had and drinking incredibly well right now for an 09.
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2/7/2013 - Twinkles Likes this wine: 92 Points
Such a wonderful wine. Blew me away even more so than last time. Some oak but not overdone, balance of pepper and berries. Love it.
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1/26/2013 - SpoochMan Likes this wine: 92 Points
PnP at Brian's house. Consistent with previous notes, this wine was outstanding again. However, it did take a good 20-30 min to open up and show its best so I wished that I had decanted it for a little while. Wish I could still get this as I would buy more in a heartbeat.
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1/18/2013 - pickhardt wrote: 90 Points
74% zin, but it doesn't taste like almost any other zin I can think of. It must be the 17% carignane. It's like a very good Rhone blend with zin instead of syrah and grenache. I'm writing this while drinking the last glass of the bottle 48 hours after opening (vacuum-stopped in between). The fruit is still pretty nice. Brambly and spicy. Exciting the sides of my tongue. Pretty good finish also.
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1/13/2013 - brigcampbell wrote:
As always, a nice zin. Dark violet color. Destinctive zin nose and palate. Dark plum, some earth, spice, and cocoa. Good balance of acid, firm tannins, and a splash of acid. Should age well. Noticeable wood notes and pushing the boundaries with heat on the finish. Not everyone's cup of tea but a fun and complex wine.
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12/25/2012 - Spot Monkey wrote: 91 Points
Have ranked it a little higher than it should be because of the potential of this wine. It is still a little too tannic and I wish I had not uncorked it but this will be a stellar wine. Masses of berry on the nose and not a all Zinfandel like in the traditional sense - ridge has balanced the fruitiness well to make this a very much grown up wine. Needs another three years.
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12/24/2012 - crushzone wrote: 87 Points
- Violet color. It's somewhat balanced with a medium body. Round texture with a medium finish - See previous notes.
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12/24/2012 - crushzone wrote: 87 Points
- Violet color with medium forming legs and aromas of strawberry and violet. It's somewhat balanced and has flavours of ethanol, strawberry and oak with a medium body. Narrow texture with a medium finish - Opened 2 bottles. One with noticeably more fruit than the other both were light on tannin Decanted the wines together 3 hours before a dinner of leg of lamb. The wine had settled down a bit by then but just wasn't able to stand up to the meat as well as hoped. Inadequate spice and just too light bodied. In my opinion nowhere near the average rating of 91 posted here.
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12/20/2012 - SpoochMan Likes this wine: 93 Points
First of 5 bottles. Brought to 2Vine for a faculty candidate dinner. Decanted briefly and drank over 2.5 hours. This was really excellent. Rich and fresh red fruits on the initial attack with a nice full and velvety mouthfeel. Toward the finish, spice notes come into play. Really well balanced with no heat and fairly smooth tannins. I think this has some upside in the cellar but it is drinking very well now. Glad I have 4 more (and wish I had bought even more) as this is an outstanding QPR at the $30 I paid. Really nice. I hope the 2010 is close to this
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12/16/2012 - dead puddle Likes this wine: 92 Points
Blindly tasted. Superb nose for us, European tasters, of vanilla, caramel and ripe black fruits. No burned or any tobacco clues, but a good amount of sap; our signature of a Zin'. Mouth explosive, seductive and fruity, clustered with a good freshness, and well crafted tannins. A powerful wine, energetic and refreshing. The only critic could be an exclusive style, even a caramelised breast pork is just enough fit to face it. A great choice at a restaurant in Paris.
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12/1/2012 - lozatron wrote: 91 Points
Utterly lovely stuff. Enjoyed with barbecued Turkey at an early family Christmas dinner - loads going on, Californian exuberance but backbone and length - oak clearly present but not overpowering, same can be said for the alcohol. Some acid, certainly not flabby, great mouth-feel.
Opened about an hour before serving and decanted - in no way is this too young, although I think it would certainly reward cellaring for another decade or more.
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12/1/2012 - tfharris Likes this wine: 92 Points
Absolutely sensational. Wine opened up in 15 mins. Hints of spice with a very nice finish. I need to buy more!
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11/30/2012 - StefanAkiko wrote: 91 Points
Some wines from the USA and Downunder (Umeå, Sweden): Non-blind. Decanted 3 hrs.
Impression: outstanding
As prev TN's. Simply a delicious young wine.
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11/25/2012 - emf wrote:
Bottle was flawed.
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11/23/2012 - FLI wrote: 89 Points
Rich fruit, without being overheated. Not sweet or too cedar tasting. Good with food.
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11/23/2012 - FLI wrote: 89 Points
Well balanced. Nice full zin without being too sweet or cedar tasting.
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11/22/2012 - walkerjfw wrote: 92 Points
Had at Thanksgiving dinner with friends. Try to sneak in a Zin for tradition on T-day, only indigenous American grape. Our European friends loved this bottle, their first experience with American Zinfandel
From a magnum, double decanted, about an hour before the first pour, turned out to be about right for the wine to open.. Deep purple color. Soft mouth feel. Plum, red fruits, raspberry, spice, pepper. Great Zin I have come to expect from Ridge. Will hang in to remaining bottles for a while, has a long life ahead of it.
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11/9/2012 - Turn wrote: 94 Points
Extraordinary
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11/3/2012 - wineismylife wrote: 91 Points
Dallas 2nd Wednesday Group - November 2012 (Michael Byington's house in North Dallas): WIML91
Tasted non blind.
Dark garnet to purple color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of camphor, currants and berries. Flavors of berries, currants and toffee. Medium acidity, medium tannins, full bodied. Drink or hold.
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11/2/2012 - davudvl wrote: 92 Points
Excellent .
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10/26/2012 - AllRed wrote: 90 Points
Deep color with aromas of boysenberry, plum, raspberry liqueur and white pepper. Full-bodied, with lots of spice and ripe red fruit on the palate. Firm, fine-grained tannins have a sweet edge; finishes with hints of vanilla.
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10/1/2012 - tp096255 Likes this wine: 91 Points
No note.
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9/30/2012 - Morrillism Likes this wine: 94 Points
If I had to drink and share only one reasonably priced bottle this might be it. Elegant style. Not at all hot, especially for a Zin. Medium+ bodied with delicious cherry and black fruit flavor. Complex with tons of spice...nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves. I noticed my glass emptied quicker than usual. Equally good on day 2.
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9/29/2012 - Twinkles wrote: 91 Points
Smooth, delicious, balanced. Not overdone. Love it.
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9/28/2012 - ews3 wrote: flawed
corked
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9/25/2012 - aanderson wrote:
Beautiful, structured, nuanced, what a great nose...great with ribs. Strange though, how much it fell apart on Day 2. Is this a sign that it is not destined to last too many years longer?
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9/23/2012 - 99tollap wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for 90 minutes. Fantastic wine. Nose dominated by fruit, but with some spice and herbaceous notes. Mouth is similar, with great structure and beautiful soft tannins. Evolved nicely in the glass over an hour.
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9/17/2012 - Griffin5416 wrote: 89 Points
not as good as i remembered. definitely thinner than a turley. just ok.
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9/16/2012 - StefanAkiko wrote: 93 Points
Non-blind. Had immediately at Bistro au Miel (Tobe).
Impression: Outstanding with up-side.
Like previous notes but evolving. Showing a rich, rounded, velvety character (not unlike VCC) with buttery components and fantastic balance. Like (some would imagine) kissing young Greta Garbo. The taste of wife and I require tannins, and this wine falls a little short of the minimum requirement level. But apart from that, this wine is a strong contender for the scores of the Extraordinary wines.
There's no self-discipline to hold us back from drinking these. Maybe I need to move away the case (OCC - Original Cardboard Case) from next to the entrance of the wine cellar... Me 93p, wife 92p. 9 btls to go.
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9/14/2012 - Scott Butler Likes this wine:
Last bottle was 11 months ago. It is amazing how much weight this wine put on in that time frame. Still not jammy or syrupy, just a lot of fruit, with some of the eucalyptus components moving from front/center to a supporting role. Will probably revisit in 2 years...but a nice progression.
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8/30/2012 - anonymoose12345 wrote: 88 Points
Incredibly heavy handed oak.
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8/27/2012 - WDSteers wrote: 90 Points
paired against and '05 Turley zin, tasted thin in comparison but still fruit dark berry, less tannins
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8/24/2012 - tfharris wrote: 90 Points
lushious.
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8/21/2012 - peterk wrote: 91 Points
Delicious, big wine with loots of dark fruit - could wait, but why bother.
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8/5/2012 - pkatz wrote: 93 Points
1 hr. decant. Ridge is still the gold standard when it comes to Zin. This wine shows how it is possible to make a great varietally correct zin without being over the top or losing it's varietal character like the Prisoner. Prior experience also indicates these wines age but who cares if they taste so good now.
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7/28/2012 - flea wrote: 92 Points
Showing incredibly well young without decanting. While more time could be useful, it's delicious even now.
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7/25/2012 - WDSteers wrote: 94 Points
cocoa, spice and black raspberry paired well with hoisin short ribs
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7/24/2012 - *Vine* wrote:
Popped and poured. Dark, vibrant purple/ruby hue. Initially, the pronounced nose shows a overt notes of sweet, toasted oak and clearly needs more time to aerate. Within 30 minutes, the aromas expand to show ripened bramble fruits, spicy raspberry/kirsh, and a touch of plum. The fruit is heightened with secondaries of oolong tea, sweet tobacco, fresh dill, and a subtle impression of earth/clay throughout. Medium-plus body. On the palate, jammy black raspberry fruit leads the way along with more toasted oak, crushed pepper, and a touch of green. The tannins are moderately astringent on the lengthy close. Although showing young, this wine paradoxically shows notes which would seemingly indicate a certain matureness, which could be misconstrued as being worrisome with regards to aging. However, there's so much good in this bottle that rather it's simply disjointed roughly 1 year out of bottle after release. Probably best to wait 1-2 years before opening one up, 3-4 even better.
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7/23/2012 - missionpk wrote: 92 Points
The first taste, especially just out of the bottle, is of some remarkably blue, really tasty, fruit, similar to a Syrah from the nearby Yorkville Highlands. Some nice acidity, a bit of spice, and some quite smooth tannins complete the picture. This is a very good food wine even now, but I can see it getting a lot better.
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7/16/2012 - kleng wrote: 89 Points
Rich ripe fruit, relatively smooth at this young age but has some burly tannins and heat. A well made wine that will probably be better in a decade or so, although this is still certainly a big and powerful California wine that is not really my favorite these days.
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7/14/2012 - Richard123 wrote: 86 Points
Quite a pleasant wine after decanting and a few hours in the open. Well-balanced, but not exciting. Definitely would leave it in the bottle longer however.
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7/14/2012 - dlstrauss wrote: 91 Points
Needs more time, has potential to be better.
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7/10/2012 - DonDon wrote: 89 Points
I am lucky enough to have 3 cases of this wine and I do love Ridge. This needs more time. Very smooth almost elegant. Just needs to develop more in the bottle.
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7/4/2012 - Seweint wrote: 92 Points
This has a lot of potential but is just starting to drink well now. Brambly, dark fruit, nice and juicy--great wine with grilled meats.
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6/26/2012 - WDSteers wrote: 93 Points
Powerful fruit laden delight. Good backbone and acidity with dark berry fruit to balance alcohol. Benchmark Zinner. Not as overpowering as Turley.
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6/25/2012 - Nebuchadnezzar1974 wrote: 94 Points
Had two of these in last week. One w/ Baby Back Ribs, other with sweet onion & cheddar burgers from Harris Teeter butcher (which you've got to try if you have one of these stores near by....trust me!). Wine a solid 94. Opened about an hour before drank and consumed over about 3 hours. Nice berries on nose and palate. Not a hot wine like so many zins can be. One of the best mostly Zins I've had. No problem drinking now.
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6/22/2012 - thatrick wrote: 92 Points
Decanted just under an hour. I like this a little better than the Lytton Springs at this point. Very nice Zin blend 92+
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6/17/2012 - td1836 wrote: 92 Points
Deep purple color. More restrained nose right now that needs time to open up. Getting more brown sugar and some minerality as it opens. Very complex palate which has exquisite balance and a nice finish.
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6/7/2012 - Sauvyfan Likes this wine: 88 Points
Halfway though a six-pack and this was the first bottle that wasn't outstanding. This was hot. On the nose and palate. It interfered with the beautiful fruit this wine contains. Could be a bad bottle or a bad stage. Can't believe the fruit could fade this soon.
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6/6/2012 - krhaugh wrote: 90 Points
Best Ridge Zin I've tased in a while. Decanted only about 30 minutes and this was big and fruity right out of the bottle. Thought it would be some dark berry but actually a heavy influence of pomegranite and spice. Really nice finish and he;ld up well with a big grilled NY Strip.
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5/7/2012 - Mr.Overhill wrote: 92 Points
Yep, this one's got that Ridge magic going for it. Rich mix of dark and briary fruits and really profound spices that work together to keep what would be an otherwise ripe, borderline raisiny, bomb of a wine in check. It's plush yet sleek, rounded yet very laserlike in its pinpoint focus. And the nose becomes more and more beguiling the longer this young beauty sits in the glass. If I didn't know it was a zin I would think that we had a very rich and plush CdP in hand. Definitely a winner from Monsieur Draper and co. Ninety two plus now but only going to improve the longer its stays on the rack.
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5/7/2012 - DPMc wrote:
Quite ripe for Ridge and slightly sweet. Saved by great tannic structure. Drinking well now, but probably better with some age.
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4/26/2012 - Mrbuzz Likes this wine: 92 Points
74% Zinfandel, 17% Carignane, 6% Petite Sirah, 2% Alicante Bouschet and 1% Mourvedre......very purple, berry pie fruit...a little too sweet for what I like, but it is what it is. Knowing this is Zin for the most part, it doesn't distract...more along the lines on Port for me. With that in context.....this wine is sweet, yet it has a killer balance of plushness, and wonderful complexities.....enough wood spice, crushed rock, charcoal...to go along with the liqueur dark berry fruit. Waffs of cold smoke, wintergreen tobacco leaves, dark chocolate covered blueberries, white pepper spice. If this was served blind along with dryer wines like cabs...this would repulse me with the sweetness....but as a known wine of context....it is REALLY pleasing! Sips well with bbq pulled pork! Will seek out more!
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4/23/2012 - MaggsFamily wrote: 88 Points
Medium body, high acidity. Needs some age to smooth it out. But overall, good.
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4/20/2012 - mattyboy_ Likes this wine: 93 Points
This was incredible! blueberry pie, marionberry pie, floral notes, vanilla, and sweet tobacco. Smooth entry with vivid blue and red berry stuffings on the midpalate. Excellent finish with muscular grippy tannins. I like the structure here as well. there's so much complexity, depth and freshness to the wine. Sometimes you cant believe you're drinking a zin - only Ridge!!
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4/14/2012 - raydawgone wrote: 92 Points
Nose of cigar smoke & cedar box. Intense flavors of boisenberry, bramble, & rhubbard compote. Slightly tannic and will improve with a couple more years of cellaring.
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4/9/2012 - bobpsi wrote: 90 Points
From 375. Expressive nose of black raspberry, cocoa and herbs. Great body smooth, red and black raspberry, herbs and a hint of vanilla.
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4/8/2012 - RobertTassi wrote: 90 Points
Good zinfandel flavors with a nice mouthfeel and floral smell. WAY better on second day after opened, first day was tight and constrained, second day had opened up and really blossomed in taste.
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4/7/2012 - Carolus81 wrote: 91 Points
I doftväg så möts man av mörka blåa bär. Det är inget övermoget men i balans men med en viss syltighet som sig bör. Smaken är ren med mörka björnbär. Tanniner som smeker en medhårs med torrt avslut. Att en zinfandel får mig att tycka att avslutet är friskt är inte illa pinkat.
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4/1/2012 - bbcc66 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nice berry & herb tastes. Really enjoyed tasting the other wines in the blend in addition to zin.
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3/31/2012 - wabi47 wrote: 90 Points
nice full mixed dark berry, earth; good fruit density; just right with deep dish pizza
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3/30/2012 - axplayer wrote: 91 Points
Sensory assault.
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3/25/2012 - 6831 wrote:
This bottle was extremely tight and backward. Will hold my remaining for quite some time. Not rated.
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3/17/2012 - cooberp wrote: 88 Points
Very ripe, clearly delineated sweet blueberry fruit. Quite full-bodied. Not much structure, or finesse.
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3/16/2012 - StefanAkiko wrote: 94 Points
Non-blind. Drank immediately and over several hours.
As so many others say: Crazily good, still young wine. I can't see how I perceived this as a wine low on acids last time? Fabulous! Ah, the lack of self-discipline... Next bottle planned for in 5 years time, but the discipline part is so difficult for me with this wine.
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3/15/2012 - Miceri wrote: 91 Points
Dark red; powerful nose, pepper; soft, full, chocolate, candy, hint of bacon; lingering aftertaste
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3/11/2012 - J Dogg wrote:
Delicious. Still pretty young. Started with some medicinal taste but with air, became quite nice.
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3/11/2012 - Oenophile 27518 wrote: 91 Points
A very drinkable Zin. Strong aromas of Plum and Berries.
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3/10/2012 - RobertDwyer Likes this wine: 93 Points
What a gorgeous offering here from Ridge. So plush and opulent with old world sophistication beneath new world primary characteristics. Such a solid play under $30. Would buy more.
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3/7/2012 - Sauvyfan Likes this wine: 93 Points
Consistent with prior notes.
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3/5/2012 - ernie237 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Strong alcohol on the nose at pop, but quickly dissipates to a Nice fruity nose. The taste follows a similar pattern, gradually evolving into a balanced, fruity, and savory wine. This bottle is well worth the price, especially for zin fans.
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2/27/2012 - phillyboyP wrote: 93 Points
Oh baby, oh baby. The nose alone is worth the price tag. Plums, 5 spice, rasberries, incense???? Crazy good nose. Tasted alongside an 09 Lytton Springs and this one was much more ready, much more open for business. Soft and sliky in the mouth, so elegant. I think this is only going to get better with a few years of sleep. This is such a fabulous Zinfandel. $36 and well worth it. Went perfect with a big ole crusty rare trip tip. 93.
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2/26/2012 - ChrisinCowiche wrote: 90 Points
Deep dark drenching fruit, plum blackberry, with cocoa, tar, chalk, dust, more chocolate and lingering spice. My first Ridge and certainly the most polished Zin I've ever tasted. Slight heat on the finish.
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2/25/2012 - Wicker Parker wrote:
It'd been a million years since I'd had any Ridge (which I blame, in part, to zin-phobia), so I thought it time to do so. I was not disappointed. There's plenty of smoky fruit, of course, but it feels effortless in the mouth, unlike your typical thunder lizard zin, and is beautifully textured. The American oak, with its faint suggestion of dill, works well here, and the licorice note from the carignan (17%) adds complexity and interest.
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2/25/2012 - Nutty08 wrote: 92 Points
Popped and poured at a restaurant. Expressive nose of red berries, slightly dried fruit, savory spices. Palate pulls back the ripeness that the nose showed, with fresh red fruits, herbs, with fine tannins. Lengthy berry finish. A lovely balanced refine zin style red. Very nice. Wish more zin was like this.
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2/24/2012 - svpandae wrote: 92 Points
PlumpJack Squaw. Half bottle. Delicious. Very nice zin, with good balance and flavor.
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2/20/2012 - crmcbrid wrote: 93 Points
Great wine with layered flavors and a long finish. Vanilla, berry. Smooth mouth feel. Great with food. When I opened it the wine needed to breathe for a bit. The next day the wine was even better. The flavors were more complex. I'm adding this to my wish list.
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2/14/2012 - wabi47 wrote: 91 Points
full ripe mixed berry and bramble, well integrated structural components; more open than last year but still young
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2/10/2012 - yhn wrote: 93 Points
Nose - deep intense plum, purple fruit, quite heady, marachino.
Lovely intense plum and marachino, fine dusty tannin, wild huckleberry.
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2/5/2012 - Poggio Al vento wrote:
Wont give this a score, not at all my type of wine! candy-sweet and way too hot:-(
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1/19/2012 - nclinton wrote: 98 Points
Delightful fruit; raisins and dark cherries.
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1/17/2012 - WDSteers wrote: 92 Points
Cassis and dark berry not over ripe or hot
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1/15/2012 - kenhoeve wrote: 91 Points
I found this pretty approachable. Vanilla and blueberry on the nose. Sweet forward fruit that is super thick but well delineated. Fortunately there is admirable length and acidity that gains strength giving just a hint of tartness as it wanes. There are some nuances I can't see through the concentration here, and it's not my style, but it's good and surely wants 2-3yrs rest. Although I was looking forward to the vacu-vin and refrigerated remainder on day two and yet it only grew a bit tired with no evolution. Bit of a question mark. 91+?
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1/15/2012 - fdizzy wrote: 93 Points
Very solid zin! has the expected fruit and oak. an excellent value on a great wine.
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1/13/2012 - ardria wrote: 92 Points
opened friday night - drank 2-3 glasses. Good - fruity, nice Zin blend. Saturday night - poured a monster glass - had a few sips and put press and sealed it into the fridge. Sunday night - retreived the glass from the fridge. The sips on saturday were by far the best. Got more depth - vanilla, dark fruit, a little flavor of the oak. Sunday...ehhh. Rating is based on Saturday
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1/11/2012 - cubswinws wrote: 91 Points
Big and tannic. Much improved on day 2. This is definitely in keeping with the outstanding track record
of the Ridge Geyserville but needs a few years to strut its stuff.
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1/10/2012 - OneLastSyrah Likes this wine: 92 Points
14.3% ABV. Ripe berry and cherry nose with some nuances variously of mocha, menthol, and baking spice. Medium-full bodied with sweet juicy berry fruit. This confounded my expectations by being very open knit and approachable. Late acidity keeping it in check. Nice. 92-93.
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1/6/2012 - miller3324 wrote:
Out of 375. Drinking very well but with promising structure. Dark red fruit on the forefront with a very distinct port like flavor. Very good and an interesting contrast to the 09 Lytton that followed. I would say more approachable than the Lytton at this time.
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1/5/2012 - thesternowl wrote: 92 Points
Popped and poured. Deep, dark garnet...almost looked purple in the light. Beautiful bouquet of lush, sweet brambles and vanilla. Lots of structure in this one. Firm tannins. I would say this has a long future ahead of it with its best years yet to come. A completely different wine in style and character when compared to the '09 East Bench we consumed afterwards.
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1/5/2012 - Brianblair Likes this wine: 95 Points
Bold and Fruity. Not as fruity as the Lytton Springs -- more heavy. Very delicious. Smooth and non acidic. Dark fruits.
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1/3/2012 - Riccardo Malocchio wrote: 90 Points
4hr decant. Deep red/purple. Ripe, sweet dark fruits, blackberry jam, plum, cassis, earth. Very elegant, satiny mouthfeel. Big but not heavy or ponderous. Sweet, simple, but satisfying finish showing well-integrated American oak.
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1/2/2012 - AndersAnd wrote: 90 Points
Vinen føles noe ung, men har stort potensiale. Likevel - dette var veldig godt nå. Daniel ga vinen 89 poeng, jeg ønsket å gi den 91. Vinene til Ridge er mye mer delikate enn rene Zinfandel-viner.
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12/30/2011 - jtinto wrote: 90 Points
Enjoyed this zin blend. There is nothing really standing out about it, but generally nice.
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12/26/2011 - Rick and Debra wrote:
- Purple color and has flavours of chocolate - With filet roast for Christmas dinner. Carried well
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12/25/2011 - StefanAkiko wrote: 93 Points
This is cassis galore!
Very promising nose but somewhat over my top jammy on the palate. This wine struck us as "cute". Acids slightly under medium. The tannins don't attack until right at the finish, but they do it with class. This is enough complex, concentrated and layered for me to accept that the King will come in 5-10 years from now. Amazingly enjoyable today. Requires a lot of self discipline to let it be!
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12/22/2011 - Patches wrote: 93 Points
This is really good. On the nose, there is a complex bouquet of wild blackberry, bramble, strawberry, vanilla, forrest floor, and a little mint. On the plate the wine is very sophisticated, with very good structure and acidity and almost a little bit of French character, but with California fruit. Very nice finish of red fruit.
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12/20/2011 - zscheiner wrote: 86 Points
Old Vine Sonoma Zinfandels (Vin Vino Wine, Palo Alto, CA): Strange nose of fresh cut apple, vanilla and a touch of v.a. Light to medium bodied with low acidity. Black cherry and raspberry fruit and vanilla on the palate. A bit flat and like the Lytton Springs, oaky. Weird nose makes me wonder if this was an uncharacteristic bottle.
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12/9/2011 - fdizzy Likes this wine: 93 Points
solid nose + solid body + solid finish = solid wine. nice.
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12/3/2011 - Dbrane wrote: 88 Points
Ripe yet not over the top. Sweet fruit yet not artificial. Lovely example of a Zinfandel dominated blend. Not terribly showy and made in a classic style. Bravo!
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11/29/2011 - dmatley wrote: 92 Points
loads of fruit and structure and drinking surprisingly well.
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11/28/2011 - vine20 wrote: 92 Points
Deep garnet color with a sweet, rough nose. Young wine with lots of black cherry, blackberries, leather, cigar, black pepper, clove and some sweet cassis. Little earth and restrained tannins make this pretty drinkable right now, though this should improve greatly as the fruit layers out over the next 2 - 10 years. Long finish. High QPR.
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11/27/2011 - twoamps wrote: 89 Points
like a ridge, but with more fruit and sharper acid than normal, but good with leftover turkey. Better with food than alone.
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11/23/2011 - raydawgone wrote: 93 Points
Wild berry with bramble. Pipe tobacco on nose, very fragrant. Tannins a bit tight initially but leveled out after 2 hours. Perfect acidity, with lush, rich fruit.
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11/21/2011 - cybergod wrote: flawed
Hmm. Corked. I love Ridge wines, but more than any other producer, I seem to run into corked bottles (at least one) every vintage, with verticals of Geyserville and Lytton Springs (in lots of at least three each) going back to the late 90s.
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11/20/2011 - FLI Likes this wine: 91 Points
Restrained nose, but rich fruit on the palate. Not overheated. Cigarbox, blackberry flavors. Some tannic structure. Very nice. Only 14.3 alcohol, which is a plus. Great QPR.
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11/15/2011 - jsums wrote: 93 Points
Full garnet color. Nose: currant, dried cherry, and Boysenberry fruit with accents of baking spices, red and black licorice, orange peel, and hints of vanilla and dill. Medium/full body on the palate: combination of juicy crushed strawberry/cherry/Boysenberry fruit framed by orange peel, baking spices, red and black licorice, graphite, and a tiny bit of tomato leaf. Medium+ acidity. Moderate/lighter fine-grain tannins. Lingering licorice, berry skin, and sweet dusty graphite on the long finish. Flawless balance, good complexity, and exuding tremendous class. Another '09 Ridge knock-out. World-class fruit sources and winemaking. If you don't like this, you don't like Zin. Drink over the next 10 years.
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11/9/2011 - Sauvyfan Likes this wine: 93 Points
Terrific wine from start to finish. Wonderful nose, depth of flavor thet challenges the palate. Balance, nuanced oak, acidity and satin-like texture. Have to find more of this. @ $28, it's killer juice.
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11/9/2011 - John McCabe wrote: 92 Points
A big vegetal, but not necessarily in a bad way - part of the wine's character. I did prefer the Lytton Springs of the same vintage, but this is quite rich and fleshy. Will be interesting to see how it evolves.
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11/8/2011 - wabi47 wrote: 90 Points
great mixed dark fruit earth, mineral; still somewhat closed; great structure and balance; nice upside
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11/7/2011 - TexasBob wrote: 92 Points
Lite red that reflects the light beautifully. Red fruits on the nose. Sweet strawberries on the front palate. Sweet raspberries dominate generally. Strong tannins. I expect this will evolve for a good 10 years or so. Almost too sweet with excellent tannic structure.
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11/6/2011 - FieldingYost wrote: 92 Points
Boysenberry, black licorice, black berry jam, on the nose. This is lush, but also structured, with layers of black fruit, ripe blackberry must notably, but also black plum, and a fifteen second finish that has ripe tannins and acidity. A fine zin, the best Geyserville I've had by quite a margin.
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11/5/2011 - indiscriminate palate wrote:
A very nice Geyser, with deep concentration of red and black fruits. Excellent acidity. Needs a lot o time to integrate and let the ripe fruit settle.
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11/1/2011 - tp096255 wrote: 92 Points
---
COLOR: Purple-garnet with light purple-ruby rim
NOTE: Wonderful field blend that transcends most 100% Zins I've had. Nose has blackberry/blueberry pie components but no "brambliness" that I almost always get from pure Zin (not a bad thing). A little heat, hints of anise and raspberry licorice. Mouth is only medium+ weight, and tart pomagranate and underripe strawberry dominate into the finish. That element makes it less enjoyable by itself but lovely with pepperoni pizza! Stacy dug it with food.
DECANT: 1 hr
GLASS USED: Zin
TASTE: 9.2
OTHER:
COST: 33
VALUE: 7.8
PREVIOUSLY TASTED: n/a
TRY AGAIN: 2012-2016
PAIRING: Ameci's pepperoni pizza.
Inquiries can be addressed to troypeterson@usa.net
---
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10/25/2011 - dacomovi wrote: 90 Points
Bang for buck! Smooth
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10/24/2011 - rocknroller wrote: 93 Points
Zinfandel Tasting: 2009 Ridge, Biale, Bogle (Winestreets): Very dark red/purple color. The nose is lush with ripe fruit, black cherry, a little smokey. The palate has excellent concentration, elegance, good tannic structure, with pepper and mineral on the finish. Really good, great balance. This is the stuff. Needs some time to evolve.
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10/16/2011 - maxmanx wrote:
Full bodied with good acidity to keep the fruit in check. Decent QPR at $30.
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10/16/2011 - jdabrowski1027 wrote: 91 Points
Delicious - bold and spicy. No formal notes taken.
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10/15/2011 - SMG wrote: 92 Points
Decanted 2 hours.
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10/14/2011 - 6831 wrote: 91 Points
Intriguing and complex flavors showing wild berry, smoke, spice and trace oak.
Finish is in balance and has nice length. Drinking well now but shows promise in short term cellaring as well.
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10/11/2011 - bmwcarl wrote:
Drank over two nights. Very youthful with intense bright fruit on the attack. Bears little resemblence to most CA zins. Not very stitched together right now and the finish is lacking but a couple of years in the bottle will transform this wine. Time to put the others to sleep.
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10/10/2011 - Scott Butler wrote:
I've been gradually adding these to my collection, and decided one needs to be sacrificed in order to justify buying more. Justification granted!
You could tell this was a baby, but a 2 hours decant helped flesh out some really nice components. Nice fruity nose that isn't very developed yet, that menthol/eucalyptus thing I like so much developed over the 2 hours in the decanter. On the palate more red fruit/menthol, nice acidity. This was delicious, and any others I buy will get a deep sleep. My wife could hardly believe this was a zin, very elegant.
.
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10/9/2011 - La Cave d'Argent wrote: 93 Points
This blend of 74% Zinfandel, 17% Carignane, 6% Petite Sirah, 2% Alicante Bouschet and 1% Mourvèdre was splash-decanted and serially tasted over the ensuing two hours. The nose is immediately expressive of assorted black fruits, espresso, tar and vanilla. Full-bodied on the palate, with low acidity, big sweet tannins and well-integrated alcohol (which is listed as 14.3%). The flavors are luscious black fruit-dominated and the middle palate is rock-solid. The finish is long and smooth. I suspect that the brilliance in this wine is a combination of Mother Nature's gift (the vintage) with some skilled winemaking at Ridge. Bravo! Drink now-12/18.
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10/9/2011 - mpricher wrote: 92 Points
Dark Red Ruby with good shine, not opaque in the glass. Strong bright berries and effusive fruit. Really nice on the nose. Refreshing red berry and cherry, hints of oak, and a boost of dark currant with some cedar on the finish. That finish lasts for a good 45+ sec. This has alot of depth, and is very enjoyable! Would seek this one out again.
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9/27/2011 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 92 Points
This was on a local restaurant list for $45 (Ohio) which seemed pretty good especially considering the recent WA score. It is very young but drank well. I think it will improve a bit from here and obviously flesh out a bit. The nose has lots of black cherries, some raspberries, a bit of pomegranate too. There is also a dusty charcoal component. On the palate, this is not a fruit bomb and worked very well with our dinners. Nice red fruits, good acidity. I like these with a few years on them, and for the right price, this one will be an addition to my cellar.
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9/26/2011 - gabereilly wrote: 87 Points
Hella oak
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9/18/2011 - PatLee wrote:
Splash decanted into glass for 20 minutes. Initial impression good. Nose of raspberry and maybe blackberry. On the palate, dark berry, pepper, and some vanilla notes. Good acid on the finish with spice and dark berries. This has balance and big zin fruit. A real winner!
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9/17/2011 - sterin wrote: 93 Points
Popped and poured. So silky and smooth already. Great balance and purity of fruit.
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9/16/2011 - Frijole wrote:
plum red, lots of clarity, tannish hue
Nose: berries, plum, oak, mustard, smoke, cigars, earthy
Pal: berrries, plum, fruity, oak, mustard, smoke, white pepper, cigars, earth
Feel: full, savory
Finish: very long
TC9
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9/16/2011 - FieldingYost wrote: 92 Points
Blackberry liquor, black plum preserves, a floral note, black licorice on the nose. This is ripe and lush, with plenty of acidity and tannin as well, fresh blackberry flavors are pure and layered. This could use some time to relax the considerable structure, and this is has pure and fresh black fruit despite the ripeness on the nose. Outstanding Geyserville.
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7/18/2011 - nzinkgraf wrote:
Day 5 on the counter at room temp and these three Ridge wines are all holding wonderfully. Most liveliness on the nose. Shows some red fruit aromas. Dark cherry and raspberry aromas. Palate is on fire tonight! Suave texture, but the elegant side of Ridge Zin. This shows the acid that the Lytton 08 does not have. Again for $36 and 15-20yrs ahead of it, this wine is a steal.
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6/21/2011 - *Vine* wrote:
Popped and poured. Medium-plus purple/ruby, quite youthful in appearance as expected. Forward nose redolent of dark fruits...think black raspberry, bramble fruits, and certainly a bit of plum. The fruit is complimented by ground pepper, graham cracker, and a touch of coconut/dill from American oak. Medium to medium-plus body. On the palate, the fruit is forward and stays true to nose, showing a true Zinfandel expression of ripe, forward bramble fruits and black raspberry jam. The fruit is is tinged with herbaceous notes and spice. The oak shows a bit more prominently on day 1 but after 24 hours is toned down to showcase the pure fruit. Medium acidity and soft tannins on the moderate-plus close. A tasty, delicious Geyserville...perhaps a bit more soft and less structured but delightful drinking at present. If not opening now, probably best to cellar for 3-5 years and drink before the fruit fades away. Tasty juice.
Added note: This is still going strong on day 3. Still shows the expressive fruit but maybe even more exotic, like bramble fruit cocktail. Also shows an intriguing cedar note not initially present and a mushroom/earth character.
Anyway, pretty amazing for a Zin wine with mellow tannins from a softer vintage to still show so fresh on the 3rd day.
Then again, this is Ridge, so why am I even surprised?? ;)
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6/18/2011 - jschmeling wrote: 92 Points
Black tea, menthol, black licorice, dark berry and dark cherry nose. Sweet fruit, juicy, mild pepper and spice, a bit jammy (which I liked), mid-bodied but plush, terrific front and mid-palate fruit, long finish. Tannins are soft to not present. Terrific, mouth-watering acidity from first sip to finish. Perfect wine for summer grilling, enjoyable sipping alone.
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6/5/2011 - hubas wrote: 88 Points
Stor och kryddig med fin fruktighet och ganska syrlig eftersmak.
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5/23/2011 - nzinkgraf wrote:
Medium plus acid, palate shows pronounced fruit, sexy body. Black raspberry, a wet kiss. Medium tannin, a little menthol flavor. Med plus ABV, full body. Varnish, earth and underbrush. Wow, buy some now.
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5/7/2011 - J Dogg wrote:
Vibrant, fruit forward. Excellent wine.
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5/4/2011 - vine20 wrote: 93 Points
Garnet color. A little sweet, smooth and buttery with some spice. Well-balanced. Will develop to 2025.
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4/23/2011 - troutmonster wrote:
Fresh Raspberry and strawberry with a licorice and earthy quality. Palate is medium weight, with surprisingly approachable structure. Juicy red fruits and ripe, velvety tannins. Good now but that said it has all the components to go 10 or more years, and get better and better
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4/17/2011 - Steve Brickley Likes this wine: 91 Points
Oak notes on the nose as if you are in the barrel room; purple; pepper, plum, cherry, not jammy, decent acid. Drinking well now but could cellar.
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3/26/2011 - Khamen wrote: 90 Points
Darker and spicier than the Lytton Springs (gravel plays clay in the 2 vineyards). Rather plummy and a little raisined with some strong notes of black licorice. I preferred this to the even sweeter and seemingly more flighty Lytton Springs. Acidity? 90+
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3/23/2011 - askoje wrote: 92 Points
Aromatic nose with fresh raspberries, floral notes and a hint of smoked wood. Elegant and rounded tannins with wet rocks lingering on the finish.
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3/22/2011 - pjaines wrote:
Ridge Montebello Tasting & subsequent drinks; 3/22/2011-3/24/2011 (Berry Brothers, London): Raisins, liquorice and spices. Serious, deep palate - very sweet fruit though - probably too sweet right now. Milky soft finish - much softer now than the Lytton Springs 2009. Reminds me of an Amarone.
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3/4/2011 - kosinski wrote:
Classic Ridge Zin. Cherry aromas. Characteristic flavors of jammy fruits, spice and woody notes. Drinkable now but clearly ageworthy.
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1/30/2011 - bambam wrote: 92 Points
ZAP 2011 20th Annual Grand Tasting; 1/29/2011-1/31/2011 (San Francisco, Fort Mason): This was one of the best wines at ZAP this year for me. Almost the whole '09 Ridge lineup was impressive.
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5/6/2010 - yhn wrote: 93 Points
Barrel sample.
Nose - deep primary smoky purple fruit, lime, good zest and herbal quality.
Rich, passionfruit, plum, vanilla, peach, smoky and savory, lime. 93+ pts
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