No real difference from my note in August when I mentioned the wine’s “[a]bundant cherry, plum, Draper perfume, molasses, coffee and mocha.” It’s all there with perhaps the mocha more dominate in the finish. Very much like a claret with its near-seamless transition from attack to mid-palate to long finish. Excellent fruit on the attack. Balanced with round, integrated tannins. 78% Zinfandel, 16% Carignane, 4% Petite Sirah, 1% Alicante Bouschet, 1% Mourvedre. Throwing some sediment. 14.8% alc., but without a trace of heat. With roasted pork tenderloin under a glaze of Dijon with mushrooms. 12.14.23. Recommended.
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Found a bottle at Safeway, of all places, nearly 10 years after I drank my last one...
Don't know if it's a library release or if it's been at Safeway for 10 years.. the lady at the wine section didn't know.
But I can say that it's just as good, if not better than 10 years ago.
Reading my notes, and remembering my experience, this is quite similar... Maraschino cherries, blueberries... gives the feeling of warm berry compote. Tannins are resolved, soft and silky. Body is medium, acidity present but quite soft. This is elegant, refined, with no sharp edges. Just a stunning example of a classic wine.
"Bad" years separate the wheat from the chaff, and it's evident that you need someone like Paul Draper to craft something so special and elegant in a year like 2011.
This wine is developing nicely particularly for the challenging year that 2011 presented. Abundant cherry, plum, Draper perfume, molasses, coffee and mocha. Nose and palate track well. The fruit is lively, and the tannins are resolved. Balanced and with a lasting, claret-like finish. 78% Zinfandel, 16% Carignane, 4% Petite Sirah, 1% Alicante Bouschet, 1% Mourvedre. Throwing some sediment. 14.8% alc., but without a trace of heat. With seared boneless pork chops with mustard and shallot sauce. 08.10.23. Recommended.
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Right out of the bottle is the same Geyserville bramble, ink, red flowers, but palate turned over mature quickly - once again proved cannot use Grassl 1855 on older bottles Switched to riedel On the palate, dates, fig and tiny bit strawberry left, tabacco leaves Long finish
Nov last year was better lol
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Bottle purchased at auction. Decanted about 30ish minutes before tasting. Deep ruby-garnet in color. First sniff comes off real heavy on sweet American oak. Give it a few swirls, then the fresh strawberries, bramble, light blueberries, and herbs come though. As soon as the glass sits for a few minutes, the heavy oak emerges into the glass again.
Heavy bodied, a bit flabby, and overall disorganized. Palate is light with plums, bramble, and strawberry. A bit of blue fruit eventually shows though. Then there’s an artificial sweetener aspect to the mid-palate that was hard to pin down. Tannins can’t make up their mind if they are velvetly smooth or sharp. Long dill dominated American oak herbal finish with black licorice, a bit of tar, stewed blackberries, and graphite. A persisting fig and graphite note lingers on for minutes after the finish.
As I sip on the wine more, that artificial sweetener note evolves into grapefruit oil and zest.
This is just not doing it for me. Fails to come together and has some real jarring tastes that make it unpleasant for me.
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Short decant to remove sediment. Complex aromas of green bell pepper, black cherry, and something like creamy licorice. Light-to-medium weight with sappy black cherry and pronounced cola notes in the mouth. Lacked persistence, however, and left me wanting more depth and power. The terroir shines through (as it almost always does with Ridge) but missing some stuffing. May evolve more in the bottle but will likely not bulk-up. Drink now or soon.
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Did a blind at home with a few burgs with same age, this is NOT shy!! Cedar right off the bat, dried flowers, beautiful red fruits to follow Nice nuttiness and bramble
Smell like old library - fascinating
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Fantastically gulp-friendly, easy drinking, flattering, BUT lacks depth. Starting to feel a little sorry for these $30 pigs when they have now run off to pretend to be $70 pigs. In Japan, the latest vintage actually demands over $100 per bottle.
There are a hell of a lot of wines produced every single vintage at this quality level and above, that carry better price tags... Early finders reap magical pleasures. Those who jump on the hype-trane late, they need to pay a premium.
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Fantastiskt klunkvänlig, lättdrucken, insmickrande, MEN saknar djup. Börjar bli lite leds på dessa 300-kronorsviner när de nu sprungit iväg till att låtsas vara 700-kronorsviner. I Japan kostar senaste årgången tom över 1000 pix.
Det finns faen i mig en fjädra massa viner som är bättre för prislappen... Men, vill man haka på en trend sent, Jamen: FAN TA FÖR DIG!
Vi kommer rikta våra blickar mot att jaga fram mer plånboksvänliga dunderviner. Dessa produceras varje dag. De som hittat tidigt skördar magisk njutning. De som hoppar på hajpen sent får, som sagt, betala premium...
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Could have been the star of the night. Competition was from 6 quite disparate bottles. Aged very well, great drinking window. In general a fan of Ridge wines, this hit the spot.
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A blend of organically farmed Zinfandel (78%), Carignan (16%), Petite Sirah (4%), Alicante Bouschet (1%) and Mourvèdre (1%) from the Geyserville vineyard in Alexander Valley. The harvest started on 21st of September and ended on 2nd of October. Fermented spontaneously, macerated with the skins for 7 days. The wine was blended using 12 separate fermentation lots, selected from a total of 24 different ferments. Aged in American oak (24% new, 50% second and third use and 26% fourth and fifth use) for 12 months. 14,2% alcohol. Tasted in a mini-vertical of Geyserville 2016, 2012, 2011 and 2010.
Slightly evolved and moderately translucent ruby-red color with a faint brick-red hue. Ripe, rich and very juicy nose of sweet dark fruits and slightly wizened plums, some boysenberry tones, a little bit of blackcurrant juice, light earthy notes, oaky hints of vanilla, cloves and toasty mocha character, an evolved touch of something meaty and a whiff of red cherries. The wine is ripe, silky and somewhat soft on the palate with a full body and somewhat sweetish flavors of wizened dark berries, some evolved meaty character, a little bit of cherry marmalade, light jammy notes of raspberries, oaky hints of toasty mocha and vanilla and a touch of dark pruney fruit. The wine is a bit on the soft side with its medium-to-moderately high acidity and quite ripe and mellow medium-minus tannins. The finish is ripe, juicy and slightly sweet-toned with nary a tannic bite and slightly brief flavors of raspberry jam and juicy dark plums, some vanilla oak, a little bit of boysenberry, light blueberry juice tones, a toasty hint of mocha oak and a touch of peppery spice. The alcohol makes the wine end on a subtly warming note while the tannins lend a bit of grip towards the end of the aftertaste.
A pleasant and surprisingly soft vintage of Geyserville that is quite nice on its own, but suffers a bit from comparison to the surrounding vintages of Geyserville. Although Ridge's style is often quite "old world" when it comes to winemaking, this wine had a relatively "new world" feel to it when tasting it next to more savory, structure-driven and less oaky vintages. Here the oak use feels surprisingly pronounced and even after 10 years of aging the wine still exhibits quite a bit of vanilla and toast. Furthermore, the acidity feels surprisingly soft for a Geyserville (I wonder why - according to the data sheet - they had to use calcium carbonate to moderate the wine's acidity, when it feels this is the lowest-acid vintage we tasted?) with very mellow tannins. All the other Geyservilles we tasted were still surprisingly youthful and brimming with further potential, whereas this wine felt markedly more evolved in character and perhaps closer to its apogee than any other vintage - so I guess the cooler, more rainy vintage shows here. Although the oak could use many more years to integrate better with the fruit, I don't feel the wine will benefit much from further aging in any other way. All in all, I have a feeling this wine was a bit better in its exuberant youth than it was now. Feels a tad pricey for the quality at 40,70€.
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Magic from a magnum. Purchased at Montebello during a trade visit and tasting with Eric Baugher. Consumed at Sophie and Cecilia's wedding in Oxfordshire. Had already found great favour with Sophie's father on the top table! You cannot go wrong with Ridge. Nothing formal to say except this was delicious and I wish I had more.
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Quite berry forward still. Some blackberry rather than redder Zinberry. The fruit is still quite fresh even if the palate feel is less fleshy now. In a good spot for a more mellow drink versus the exuberance of younger Zin blends.
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This was our least favorite of the five vintages that we drank. Definitely the lightest, this wine seems to have peaked. Wow it improved some over the few hours that we were drinking it never matched the other wines in the group. Certainly not bad and probably typical of this rainy cold year.
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This wine had been properly cellared and decanted for 30 minutes. Complex nose of dark berries, licorice and mint jumped out of the glass. Fine, moderately dry, resolved tannin balanced with ample acidity. Palate of dark and red berries, mint, graphite, chalk and lead. Long finish. Sweetness and more complexity emerged as the wine opened up in the glass. This wine went well with angel hair pasta marinara with Italian sausage.
I believe this vintage has another 10 years or so of enjoyable life ahead. Impressive winemaking again and again from Ridge. What a treat. I wish I had more of this vintage.
The wine continues to be delicious on Day 2
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Medium, rich ruby color. An absolutely ravishing nose of bright, fresh, ripe red fruit—like perfect cherries and raspberries, just picked. But there's also a lovely spices sweetness of cinnamon sticks and vanilla pods, as well as a subtle and surprising hint of peppermint, which I'm not sure I have ever found in a wine before. And finally, with a little air, there is an undercurrent of savory smoked meat hiding behind the fruit. And then with a bit more air, a very distinct note of black tea leaves. And then maybe some other herbs—dill, perhaps, and sage. Just one of those fascinating wines that gives you something more and different each time you put your nose back in the glass.
Wow—on the palate, it's a knockout. An explosion of fruit and spice that manages nevertheless to be fresh and poised, and not heavy or overbearing in any way. Medium-full bodied but with plenty of acidity, and pleasantly "foresty" tannin, if that makes any sense. And despite how refined and classy it is, it manages to retain a compelling wildness—which is maybe the greatest strength of good zinfandel, and of field blends, for that matter. It's been made so well and with such care that it seems not to be "made" at all. Hats off.
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Really nice bottle and in a good place now. Still plenty of fruit, but this has really come into a nice balance. Lively acidity makes it food friendly too. Good stuff from Ridge and the drinking window goes for at least a few more years. But I see little reason to wait longer.
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Wow. This ten year old field blend dominated by Zinfandel was beautiful. Decanted for an hour, the wine still had its fruit — blackberry and cherry — and was showing secondary flavors of herbs and spices. Well worth the wait.
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Decanted 3 hours, no significant sediment. Very elegant and smooth with blackberry, earth, licorice; no formal notes. Even the white wine drinkers finished their glasses. Great with the braised short ribs. Won't get any better, may start declining soon.
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Another lovely bottle of Geyserville with lots of black fruit, bramble, cola, some vanilla, spice, and forest floor. It has a medium to long finish with nice acidity to balance out the sweet fruit. This is fully mature and I think it is best to consume this vintage in the near term.
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Another great bottle of this wine which is fully mature, even middle aged. It has nice dark red fruits, bramble, forest floor and a medium finish. It is a very delicious zin.
After enjoying the 2nd half of this bottle the next day, I would agree with a previous taster that these should be drunk sooner than later.
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Excellent, mature, Geyserville. I would drink soon, i.e. within the next year or two. Tannins fullly resolved, smooth and velvety. Delicious brambly fruit, spicy notes, oak fully integrated and not in the way at all, a tad short of acidity. Alcohol not in the way either. Paired great with five spice Chinese braised pork shoulder.
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Excellent, mature, Geyserville. I would drink soon, i.e. within the next year or two. Tannins fullly resolved, delicious brambly fruit, spicy notes, oak fully integrated, a tad short of acidity, alcohol not in the way.
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Opened for 3 hours. Color is lovely ruby red and not showing any material aging. On the nose red and black berries, vanilla and spice. On the palate: Currant, raspberry, vanilla, menthol and spice. Nice length and complexity. This is an excellent Geyserville. I think it has a lot of years to age as well.
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Classy, elegant, smooth, perfectly balanced, and more. I drank this over 5 consecutive evenings, using Vacu Vin to seal bottle each night. Upon immediate opening, the wine was a bit tannic on the edges and dark cherry fruit was obvious, but in a muted sense. It started to open on day 2, but really came into balance on day 3 and day 4, before falling a bit on day 5. The wine was medium bodied and became lighter, with both red and dark fruits, some floral characters, and a perfect finish. So so elegant and a pure joy to drink.
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W smoked pork butt with Korean spiced sauces. Excellent combination. Excellent wine and super example of Geyserville. Great color (some age on it), good nose. On palate wonderful fruit and spice, good length. Yummy with some life left.
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Decanted for two hours. Notes of raspberries, blackberries, cherries, forest floor, spice and vanilla. Medium bodied with moderate acidity and mildly dusty tannins. Long finish of bright red fruit.
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Dekantert og luftet i 1 time. Mørk, tett rubinrød farge. Fin duft av mørke bær og fat. Plommer, bjørnebær, litt vanilje og sødmefullt krydderpreg, og noe i retning grønne urter. Litt lær og mørk sjokolade i en laang og god finish. Veldig fine, integrerte tanniner og fortsatt god friskhet. Ikke stor og vulgær som forventet i en amerikansk Zin, men mer elegant og subtil i retning «Old World». God struktur og flere lag med kompleksitet. Satt som et skudd til hjemmelaget cheeseburger!
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This is a blend of 78% Zinfandel, 16% Carignane, 4% Petit Sirah, 1% Alicante Bouschet, and 1% Mataro (Mourvedre) with relatively modest (for Zin) 14% ABV. 2 coravin pours. Opaque dark garnet. Nose is jammy and a little oak influenced with vanilla, along with some herbs, spice and a touch of menthol. Palate is smooth and easy to drink with decent acidity and low tannin. Black fruited on the whole with blackberry, black currant and some mineral notes. Moderately long finish. Nicely balanced. Better with more air.
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Crimson in color. 14% ABV. 78% Zinfandel, 16% Carignane, 4% Petite Sirah and 1% Alicante Bouschet and Mataro. Savory nose of black fruits, licorice, plums and earth. Medium to full bodied with ample acidity. Traditional, Claret style field blend. Blackberry, black cherry, cassis and pepper on the palate. Medium length on the finish. Geyserville has a record for aging gracefully but I would be inclined to drink this sooner rather than later. Best over the next several years.
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Second Sunday Group: Ridge Geyserville Vertical (2008-2015) (R&D's): Double blind. Deep garnet/crimson color. Initially a bit reticent- perhaps some mixed fruit and something towards the woody end of things. Not as structured as the first two, with cherry, raspberry and orange rind flavors. Shows more cherry and raspberry as it opens, along with a bit of alcohol. Somewhat tannic; ripe red berry fruit. The most approachable and balanced of the wines in this lineup.
My #1, Domino's #2 Group #2, 38 pts
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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 2011 Geyserville was very good. Plenty of fruit, oak is integrating and good nose. Probably not at its best quite yet but worth drinking now.
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Bay Area Wine Tour; 1/11/2019-1/15/2019 (Bay Area, CA): Tiny glimpse of brick under the purple. Fruit and raw tobacco on the nose, with a touch of leather, anise, blackberry. Softened tannins on the palate but could still use 1-2 years. Lovely.
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I'm relationship with Geyserville is conflicted. I want to love it. The bottle is cool, love the label, Draper is a stud, but I've had 10 vintages and I never fell in love. Just friends with benefits. Dark cherry color. Aroma is very attractive with black licorice and raspberries. The palate is built on an oak platform and that might be the problem. Cherry fruit flavor is good.
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Opened 2 hours, no decant. Deep red/purple. Lots of beautiful berry on the nose with light to medium body. Smooth with minimal tannins. Good acid. Some cocoa, earth with the fruit on the palate. Medium finish with more berry. Light enough zin to go great with the Thanksgiving turkey dinner.
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Has totally opened up since the last bottle I tried three years ago. Nice dark blackberry fruit with a silky texture; very fine tannins. Delicious, but not the most complex Geyserville I’ve had. Can certainly go a few more years, but doesn’t seem like a very long-lived vintage of this wine.
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While this wine is still in excellent shape, the best days are past. I think that a zinfandel is best in its youth and this one is either in a transitionary stage into something earthy or it is going to be red vanilla water with time. The good news is that this is only 14% ABV. I would drink this now. DRINK
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Always one of my favorites. Aged well. This one 7 years old and could go longer. Loosing a bit of fruit but pick up secondary tastes. Wonderful wine with food
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Mørk lillarød. Plommer, mørk sjokolade, anis og noe floralt på nese. Frisk, nokså rik og sødmefull frukt, samme smaker med pent integrert fat i munnen. Sitter lenge. Flott balanse og konsentrasjon.
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Purple-tinged red with high optical density and high specular reflectivity. Appealing nose that is rich in red and purple fruits, with sage and brushy forest providing an aromatic character. Lots of herbs and spices as well, in a light and playful way. Medium plus to full body on the palate, with fresh acidity that is delightful. The density and concentration are good, with some richness and a polished, fine texture with fine-grained and integrated tannins. Flavours of plum and garriuge on the attack, with some savory spice. Really rich with fruits here, packed with some blueberry jam and blackberries, but is not sticky, so it maintains a sense of elegance. The midpalate shows a depth and range of fruits, such as black raspberry, plums, and other mixed berries, before the earthy oak spices take over toward the finish, which is lengthy, and has savory notes of roasted nuts and some coconut.
This is a really nice, well-made, rich and flavourful wine. It has some age showing in a really nice way, with depth and yet freshness showing through a bit of vinous character. Still plenty of fruit and seems a thoroughly modern wine, but in a tasteful and wonderful way, such that the vineyard shows through. This is not generic Zin, it is very much a sense of place and terroir. Really excellent all the way around, and drinking really well. Can last longer for sure, but really tasty and balanced and elegant! Excellent- really love Ridge Wines!
78% Zinfandel, 16% Carignane, 4% Petite Sirah, 1% Alicante Bouchet, 1% Mataro. Decanted 1-1/2 hours, some sediment. Mahogany to edge, translucent center. If I did not know better, I would have pegged this as a med-high end cab. Light perfumed nose, dark fruit. Medium body, great balance, nice finish. Took an hour and half of drinking this to begin to get notes of typical Ridge Geyserville spice notes. This is an exceptional wine that has a long life ahead. No harm, no foul if you drink it now, it is yummy.
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Popped and poured, with notes of vanilla and sweet mulberry on the nose. Flavors of oaky vanilla and plum dominate the palate, with a faraway bramble note. Somewhat monolithic, but the melt-away mouthfeel provides considerable lift. Hedonistic.
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Traveled to Cape Cod for vacation, opened and drunk over 2 hours. Could have used a little more breathing time. Medium to dark garnet color with a fragrant and enticing nose with lots of vanilla, black fruit and floral and herbal notes. great mouth feel with moderate youthful fine tannin but chewy and rich. Bright flavors of black plum, blackberry, black cherry, racy spices and a long chocolatey and floral finish. Moderate alcohol at 14% for a dominant Zin based wine, perfectly balanced and probably with room to still improve with time
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Ruby hue that opens with violet and vegetal aromas leading to blackberry and spice on the palate. Full-bodied with great acidity/fruit balance that finishes with a lingering intensity of licorice and cedar.
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Yup, it's a Ridge Geyserville, which I'm starting to prefer to my old favorite Lytton Springs. It's also one of the few zins which seems to hold up more than 5 years (your mileage may vary). Still, it's drinking well now, so drink up.
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I generally really like this wine and this vintage is no exception. This wine has dark berry, is fruit forward yet elegant, and really, really sexy. I'd do her/him/it again : )
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just right bramble and wild berry; plenty of stuffing. Good acidity and a bit of heat on the finish (that is covered up well in the long finish). The carignan seems to be more prominent this vintage. Always a spectacular pairing with left over Zachary's deep dish pizza. Add five points because i finished a 72hr shift at 8am today, where it rained the whole time, and got to sit out on our back porch (after a brief nap) in full sun, with nothing else to do but drink wine at noon, knowing i had a small day ahead of me. The QPR of this (and the pizza) is marginal, but hey, today it's worth it.
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Brick red with medium plus to high optical density. Hugely intense nose, with bramble, dark fruit (plum, blackberry, cassis) and American oak character of toasted coconut and toffee, along with some aromatic florals for lift. Full body and medium acidity on the palate with a round, dense texture that stops just short of jammy, but does give a sense of concentration. Tannins are ripe but structured, providing a clean and elegant framework. Flavours of toffee coated dark fruit on the attack, with some aromatic compounds and juniper filling in toward midpalate. Fairly straight-forward, but certainly delicious. The finish shows good length, with roasted fruits and savory black pepper. Easy to drink wine, with nice balance and styled in a tasteful, elegant profile. Shows medium complexity, and drinks well now, with freshness and pizzaz. A great California Zin!
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Vindredi (Ridge Cellar Night) (Bellevue, WA): Nose of smoke and spice. Lush and lovely, so elegant. Purple flowers, black cherry, spice. Densely packed body, with soft, fine tannins and medium-plus acidity.
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Seamless with dark fruit, tobacco, bright acid and a bit of vanilla. Rich and smooth and full bodied with just a little bit of brambly fruit. In a good place that I'll call early mid-adolescence. Very good but perhaps a bit more wild and a little less suave than some vintages of Geyserville.
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A very nice wine; the wine has settled into a beautifully balanced place right now. What you would expect from this vineyard. Forward fruit but in check. Has a lot left to give.
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Served blind. And, as blind tasting will do, it forces my palate to think and work with what is inside the glass. That said, I was pretty disappointed when the bag came off this bottle and it was Ridge. Why? First off, the smell of oak--what to me seemed like oak, as it showed 5 spice and clove all over the aromatic. I dug this kind of aromatic 5 years ago, not anymore. The palate? Heavy, fruit laden and ponderous, missing the balance of the parts that were not working well together. Finished with light chocolate. Man, this was all about fruit, wood and nothing much else to enjoy. I tasted it a few times then dumped it out. Yuck.
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Book Club - my turn (Neapolitan Pizza - Laguna Beach, CA): Served blind to a group of friends. Wow, this landed with a thud. Nose has a little zin fruit poking through the sweet and heat. Very juicy mouthfeel with dark plum and red fruit. Seems light on the acid and syrup feel at the end, there's no cleanliness to the wine. Probably over run by the oak/vanilla. As someone noted "this seems manipulated" and my first impression was there are wines that taste like this for much less money. Fully disclosure: I have lots of geyserville in the cellar and typically like them very much. Time to go back and revisit older vintages.
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Quite firm, drying oak tannins for first hour in decanter, and improved a lot during the second hour, went from feeling too young, to a nice developing Zin in it's youth. My first experience with the wine, paired beautifully with grilled (rare) marinated Flank steak. However I felt this had tons of complexity for the years to unleash. Although it was better after decant, I would have waited a year or two before opening it had I known it was in this slightly awkward phase
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Clear, deep ruby color. Attractive, nuanced nose with aromas of ripe, almost jammy red fruit, that still doesn't feel overdone or excessively ripe; lovely notes of blackberries, raspberries, cherries, sweet plum compote, cranberry jam, ground aromatic herbs, some brroding Zinfandel spice and a hint of American oak vanilla. Definitely more American than old world nose. Full-bodied, intense and somewhat sweet palate with brooding, dark-toned flavors of ripe, dark-skinned berries, dark cherries, peppery spice, some bitterness and a hint of minerality. Very modest, integrated nuances of savory wood spice and some sweet vanilla. Surprisingly high, bright acidity. Quite ample, ripe and dusty tannins start to feel only later on, making the wine appear quite soft and smooth at first, but making it feel more firm and grippy after awhile. Rich, powerful and grippy finish with some tannic astringency and ripe flavors of sweet, dark-skinned berries, juicy blackberries, intense peppery spice, some tart cranberries, a little savory old wood and faint nuances of vanilla and anise. A faint touch of alcohol (14,2%) warmth.
One of the most sophisticated, balanced and interesting Zinfandel-driven blends there is. Stylistically a lot softer and sweeter than the 2010 with more pronounced vanilla characteristics and jammier fruit. Nevertheless, the wine sports that classic Ridge structure of acidity and tannins, giving the wine unrivaled balance and persistence. This vintage is definitely more new than old world, but still the wine drinks wonderfully now and most likely will keep easily for a decade. Recommended and definitely worth its price at 32,59€.
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Lovely blue fruit and velvety tannis. A cab-blend imposter, and wonderfully so. Fruit of the zin is balanced against the dryness of cab franc and carignan. High alcohol works well. Some herb notes balance the fruit. Paired with grilled kebabs. Perfect.
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Not impressed by this bottle bought at LAX airport. Normally, I am not lucky buying wine at airports. After reading good reviews on this 78% Zinfandel from the Western edge of Alexander Valley, Sonoma County I resisted buying more bottles because I couldn't have more carry-ons. For me, not equilibrated. To much alcohol and acidity in the end. Ruby color with som bramble fruit, mint, sweet cherry fruit, medium chalky tannins and nothing else extraordinary, Again, I am not lucky buying wines at airports....Because of all the good reviews on the one, I will try to get another bottle and maybe change my opinion.
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Subtle nose with ripe cherry, florality and pronounced va. Full-bodied with fantastic depth on the mid-palate, sweet fruit, velvety tannins, balanced and long.
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78% Zinfandel, 16% Carignane, 4% Petite Sirah, 1% Alicante Bouschet, and 1% Mourvedre. Dried cherry, dill, and violet on the nose. A medium bodied, elegant offering. Drink now through 2019.
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Medium to full body. Spicy nose of clove, black pepper, cola, and dark fruit. Dark fruit, vanilla flavors. Great wine. Nice balance. Lovely now, but has very good aging potential.
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From 375. Slow ox'd around an hour. The nose, as always is expressive & powerful. Blackberries & underbrush. Gorgeous black & red fruit w/some black pepper & baking spice. Texturally, I can't imagine more enjoyment. Beautiful structure, but perfectly enjoyable now. An American Classic.
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Half bottle, eaten with grilled ribeye. Vanilla, touch of exotic spice on the nose. Unexpectedly refined palate with kirsch, a bit too much sweetness for me. A little heat and good balancing acidity on the mid-palate and then medium finish. Bitter on the end. Good with sturdy food, not great on its own. Not good value.
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Similar review to the last one I wrote almost a year ago. This mellowed out a little with a year in the cellar. It's not quite as harsh straight out of the bottle as it was last winter. It could certainly cellar for much longer, but is still really excellent right now. I love most of the Ridge wines as they have that ability to constantly change in the glass over time. The Geyserville seems to be the best representation of this constant change in the glass out of all the Ridge wines I have enjoyed. Cheers!
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Consumed without food and it was excellent. Ready to consume upon open, but continues to get better with air. Not in need of a longer decant like the 08 or 09.
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Red and black berry fruit, nice herbal touches, plenty of creamy vanilla oak but the oak doesn't poke out texturally. Good concentration for the vintage, medium bodied, good acid, well balanced and not overripe, delicious. I don't see this being a super-long aging Geyserville as it's not as structured as some, but an very good rendition all the same. I preferred it to the Lytton Springs alongside.
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Dark ruby color with lifted kirsch, bramble, lavender and spice aromas. On the palate it's medium-bodied and balanced with wonderful acidity and tart black cherry, balck raspberry and mineral flavors. Lingering finish. (78% Zinfandel, 16% Carignane, 4% Petite Sirah, 1% Alicante Bouschet, 1% Mataro; 14% alcohol)
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Decanted for 3 hours. When we first opened the wine it was coming across very hot but this subsided with decanting.
Dark rich fruit berry blend on the nose with a subtle oak influence . Dark, ripe concentrated berry fruit on the palate with soft tannins. The wine has excellent lively acidity (well balanced with the fruit level) which makes it a great choice for our meal (steak) and keeps the wine exciting on the mid palate. The wine coats the palate and has an excellent silky, concentrated mouth feel. The finish is very long.
This is a beautiful bottle of wine and I imagine it would age very gracefully. Our first Ridge wine and did not disappoint.
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Initially opened at Anvil with friends, and then finished two days later at Home Bistro with CWM. Black fruits with a bit of lavender/herb on the finish. Another nice effort that is drinking well right now, but will age with grace.
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Sour cherry, baking spice nose. Juicy palate that leads to a rather thin finish. Nice wine, but comes in well short of its price point as most Cali '11 have.
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Bought a bottle to try. This is a very nice effort. It drinks very well right from the get-go, although it does open up some with air. Loads of crushed raspberry fruit, with that typical zin quality, and some little hints of spice (though not much at this stage). The balance here is impeccable for such a young wine. I expected this to be pretty rough around the edges and in need of a few years, but it really is not. Terrific acidity gives it lift and keeps it from feeling heavy and makes it food-friendly. The '11 zins I have had so far (mainly Ridge and Carlisle) are impressing me -- I like the great acidity and balance of this vintage. The wines are not coming across as overripe or overextracted -- fresh and lively. Must get some more of these! I'm sure these will do fine in the cellar for some years, but it is very enjoyable now.
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So much going on with this wine; not terribly dissimilar from my note on 7/30/13 but a little more ripe fruit and a little less darker, heavier profile than my first bottle; possilby a bit more feminine this go-round; regardless, this is one of my favorite wines of recent memory.
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Toasty, with sappy oak and black fruit nose. Med-full with good fresh acidity. Long, toasty finish. This is a Zin I would almost describe as elegant, another fine feature of 2011. 4/5
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Decanted for around an hour before tasting. Purple core, pink rim. At first a little restrained, but opens up after a while displaying a fairly complex bouquet of black cherries, plums, raspberries, crushed rocks, bell peppers, cinnamon stick, vanilla-toffee, mocha and wood. Concentrated, sweet fruit balanced beautifully by a healthy dose of acidity and pronounced mineral undertones. Fresh and food-friendly despite its appearance and 14% alcohol. Still on the young side, but can be enjoyed today provided it’s given a little air. Very nice!
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Crimson in color. 14% ABV. The 2011 Geyserville is 78% Zinfandel, 16% Carignane, 4% Petite Sirah, 1% Alicante Bouschet and 1% Mataro. Brambly red fruits, pepper, vanilla and lavender on the nose. Medium bodied with nice acidity. Blackberry, raspberry, licorice, menthol and tar on the palate. Chalky, dusty tannins. Perfectly balanced, this wine is approachable now but will no doubt age for upwards of a decade.
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Very inviting nose with ample red berry fruit, cinnamon and vanilla - ample but not overdone. The palate is generous and joyously fruity, whilst retaining balance. Just so acidity, a sweet tang of oak and bags of red fruit, but also some serious structure and good length. The acidity helps the wine sing for a considerable time and the fruit is in no way overripe. Its a while since if tried this wine (from whatever vintage) but I should do so more often. Very appealing now, but one feels it could age for 10 years no problem.
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California Wine Fair - Toronto, ON (Fairmont Royal York): Between this and the Lytton Springs, this seems to be lighter and a tad more red fruited. Nose features a melange of berry fruit: cherry, strawberry, blackberry, blueberry, lavender, oak spice, and concrete dust. Actually a bit oak driven at this stage, but still balanced and should integrate. Palate is rich, round and plush. Almost a tad sweet. Finish is medium plus in length with purple and blue fruit notes. A nice wine: 90+.
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This vintage seems to be maturing, as this bottle was the best of the three I've already consumed. It expresses with a nice spice on the front end and finishes smoothly with some red licorice.
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From a half bottle. Decanted 1.5 hours. This has a lot less Zinfandel (64%) than in some years. I think the other grapes really show through. Nose of light Zinberry (fairly subdued), with a lot of spice and some vanilla and blueberry. Strikes me as, atypically, a bit hot. Great acidity with solid tannic grip here. Lots of aging structure in the mouth. More Zinberry, some vanilla, spice, heavier juicy blueberry, and integrated cacao. A touch astringent toward the back end. Nice finish here with concentrated prunes and dried apricots, a touch sweet.
No surprise, this needs a lot of time but very much has the structure to age.
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Great wine from start to finish. Beautiful cherry color. Red berries & vanilla on the nose. Fruity but well balanced palate. Tasted burnt caramel when first opened but mellowed out with time. Very smooth with light tannins and good acidity.
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Not the Ridge Geyserville of vintages past, but a good representation of the 2011 growing season. Balanced fruit but lean and simple. I am not sure this will get better with time as many other reviewers have suggested.
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Lovely colour, cherry nose. Something italian and vibrant. Strong fruit up front but lovely fullness in the mid-palate with strong peppery aftertaste. Paired with a roast duck and worked fabulously. Fantastic balance. No need to wait.
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dark purple/red, freshly opened it was a tiny bit harsh. Let it breathe a bit in the glass over 30 min. dark berries with light tannins on the back end. smooth and delightful. I'm curious to see how this would age.
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At this price level HKD288 , I have nothing to argue. Quite floral, rich fresh and good quality raspberry nose and palate, a hint of dark chocolate, vanilla, cinnamon, plenty of fine tannin with balanced acidity. Length is medium with liquorice finish.
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Firm structure. Lots of dried / candied cherries, lavender, & mineral nose. Flavors of berry fruit, leather / tar, & herbs. Drinking very well now but will develop beautifully with time
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WSET Level 3; 1/13/2014-1/17/2014 (WSET School, London): Pronounced nose of dark cherry, chocolate, spice, cinnamon. High acid, Med+ tannin, full body, pronounced palate of raisin, ripe cherry, spice, cinnamon, clove. Love it. Very good wine.
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Bjørnebær, moreller, mørk sjokolade, litt vanilje og pepper. Relativt kjølig frukt. Konsentrert, balansert og lang ettersmak. Den beste Zinfandel jeg har smakt.
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Very young but drinking brilliantly already. Very clean wine, no sediment at all. Rich berry flavour. Elegant now but will get better and better fro next 10 years I suspect. Introduced to it by a friend......one of the finds of 2013.
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Pours clear purple/ruby, looking almost like Pinot Noir. Aroma is of cherries and blackberry. It's medium/light body holds hints of maraschino cherries, dark chocolate and blackberries, and finishes off with a soft, velvety texture, an appetizing acidity and very soft tannins. Elegant, simple, classic.
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lovely nose; medium bodied and more light on its feet than most prior vintages that i recall; yet the mixed fruit (black raspberry and more), mineral, spice, cocoa and good acidity are all there. This is a real food wine which even worked with our savory salmon dish, and not just your usual BBQ and pizza. Quite drinkable already
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Deep, dark reddish-purple in color. Fragrant, attractive & youthful nose of dark fruit aromas of cherries, blackberries & plums with spice notes, loam, briary/bramble, earthy, a hint of mint, cocoa/coffee, minerals, a slight touch of vanilla and oak in the background. Full to medium-full bodied with a very good concentration of still balanced, developing, jammy, ripe dark fruit flavors of sweet cherries, boysenberries & plums with spices, earthy, cocoa, minerals and a hint of vanilla. Smooth lingering finish. Drinks quite well at present but will develop and benefit from several more years of further aging.
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This wine was a success on a couple levels. It paired well with the turkey and, my son in law actually noticed it was better than the wine they usually drink. Most thanksgivings my Cru Beaujolais and higher end Burgs goes relatively unnoticed. The abundant fruit and power in this wine caught Josh's attention. I handed over a couple 2010 Pride Cabernets, we bought together, to them afterwards so you can see how this classic Zin blend fit thier palates. I decanted it for 3 hours but there was still a bit of oakiness for my liking. But, overall this showed lovely balance, fruit, depth and vibrance. I'd love to try this in a few years to see where it goes. I think the blend and old vines makes this an interesting wine. Not a streal at $38 but worth it. Delicious and definitely decant as it has its share of oak upon opening.
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Jam on the nose at first. A bit muted an lacking definition on day 1. Day 3, spices, fruit, almost apples, but in a more subtle fashion than the 2010. Really enjoyed this.
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Color is a pale violet purple. A restrained nose with hints of crushed blueberries and reminds me of Char-Siu (Chinese BBQ pork).
Palette continues with subtle hints of blackberry and blueberry, but spiced asian meat and earthiness is what stands out.
Quite well balanced, the acid, body, alcohol, and tannins all compliment each other in each wonderful sip. Elegant tannins lead into a soft and luscious finish. Really quite enjoyable now.
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Medium red (light for Geyserville) color. Smoky nose, complex fruit (boysenberry, raspberry, cherry), slight mint. On arrival, medium-low tannin and medium acidity. Develops quickly in the mouth, ripe fruits repeated from the nose, restrained; a claret style. Finish is silky with good acid lift. To me, this release represents another House step back from high extract wines (yeah !). Some tasters thought it'd been over-filtered (color) but I'm thinking the wine color more reflected more of a judicious extraction of grapes from a cool vintage (many green grapes in most bunches).
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I rarely drink Zinfandel - this was full on spiced plum and rich cherry although the finish was just a tad short - still I must consider Zin a bit more often
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Enjoyable but underwhelming. Did not take detailed notes. Good structure and well-balanced. Flavors were pleasant, rather simple, and came with a dollop of oak.
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Love this bottle of wine. It will only improve with age. Dark fruit, perfectly balanced with light/medium mouth feel, but full flavored. Delicious. Light spice and will improve over the next 3-5 years
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Delicious and very nice for the price. The blended grapes add complexity from the normal zin. I easily notice the petit sirah which I love. Dark and brooding with mineral and floral notes inside the dark berry pie.
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Needed to work a lot with this wine before drinking. 8 hours before drinking, it was a young stallion. With air and some time in the decanter it really opens up. The wine was really delicate, with great red fruit, flowers and earth. You can feel the differents grape, really great wine!
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At Gary's Grand Tasting. Geyserville is one of the most consistent Zins from Ridge, IMO. Can be casual or more formal wine in pairings - works with hamburgers on the grill or a short ribs at a wine tasting...
Bright red fruits on the nose. Palate has tart blackberry, dark cherry, currants, oak well integrated, smoke, earth, coffee. This bottle was opened for about an hour. I suspect this would be more complex on day 2.
Still a baby, cellar for a few years
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Infanticide due to concerns about heat damage - thankfully no signs of it. Spicy red fruit, bright acidity, and none of the unripe green notes that I've noticed with some of the other 2011 Ridge Zins. Intensely flavored but the body is surprisingly lightweight. As usual the folks at Ridge were a bit heavy-handed with the American oak, but despite that I greatly enjoyed the wine, and I strongly suspect that it would have only improved for the next 4-5 years (properly stored of course).
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Caveat: I'm not a Zinfandel fan. This has a tart, blackcurrant fruit with a little oak. I don't know if it's the balance or just that its low alcohol but it's a very, very easy to drink red with a long finish. First night with pizza, second night on its own.
I've drunk this two nights in a row and I'm a convert.
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Dark ruby; nose of blackberry, dark cherry, cocoa, dust/minerals (all very muted by day 2); initial palate of tart blackberry,dark cherry, light tar, streaks of mineral, coffee, light smoke, then after approx. 3 hours after opening and even more pronounced on day 2, a really nice creaminess evolved on the mid-palate and finish; light, sweet tannins; wonderful weight; rich, toasty, medium + finish.
This is a delicious wine that's almost comforting to drink. One to consume on the porch swing as the sun sets.
Deep purple color. Restrained nose. Blackberry, dark cherry and black tea flavor. Very smooth with soft tannins and just enough acidity in the finish. Middle of the road weight and texture for a Zinfandel. Love that the alcohol is only at 14%. Drink now. It worked great tonight with a Greek pizza.
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good, old fashioned Ridge Geyserville. Great fruit, nice peppery spice, just enough oak, good sort of chewy fresh tannins on the finish. Should age well (for a zin)
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- Purple color with medium forming legs and aromas of raspberry, strawberry, cherry, violet and cedar. It's unbalanced and has flavours of cherry with a medium/full body. Bright texture with a long finish - Popped and poured. Delicious at first sip. Slightly tart with integrated dried red fruits and a touch of cedar. Very enjoyable now.
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From half bottle. Delicious. Dry as a bone, almost dusty. Complex, chewy black and blue backbone fruit. This Zin will age for many many years and better than most cabs. I need to go buy a case of this right now.
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Red fruits and baking spices, with hints of medicinal herbs and rocky earth. Medium-bodied with tart acidity. A great Zin to drink with food. Should peak in 2-3 years. My favorite vintage of Geyserville yet.
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Had with ribs and burgers on the 4th. Unlike previous vintages, this was surprisingly open right out of the bottle as a two year old. Really think the Carignan gives more complexity, making the fruit less obvious.
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Lovely nose...very 'deep' - you can get lost in it! The wine is actually just medium weight in body and has nice acidity. Classic zin flavors. Full of fruit but not at all flabby. Some fine grain tannins. Just a little hot (and a bit of a bite) on the finish. Very nice and a great value.
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Ridge wines with Paul Draper (Stockholm): Rather deep red colour with some purple notes. Nose with sweet red and dark berries, hints of dried fruit, some perfume nots. Slightly more discrete nose than Lytton Springs. Palate with ripe and sweet red berries, good concentration, medium(-) tannin, spice, hints of alcoholic fire. More balanced and polished on the palate than Lytton Springs. Accessible now, can definitely be cellared.
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Ridge Vineyards with Mr. & Mrs. Paul Draper: Slightly paler than the Lytton Springs, violet purple. Open, sweet fruit, more generous than LS, quite perfumed. Bubble gum fruit on the palate, a touch of sloe, and that medicinal Carignan note. Very good finish again, good acidity. More playful than the Lytton Springs but just a notch behind in structure and backbone. In the end it's a matter of taste; I prefer the LS but they are equal in terms of quality. Both need plenty of time. Paul Draper says 3 years but I wouldn't touch it for another six or seven. 89-92
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At a tasting with Paul Draper in Bergen, Norway. He calls the Geyserville the feminine counterpart of the Lytton Springs. He says it is elegant and lighter compared to the maskuline earthy structure of the Lytton. This one is soft, powerful, gentle and elegant. A lot of smoothness here. Really like this one.
50+5+9+17+8 (89p)
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As Zins go, this is outstanding. I'm drinking this way too young, but couldn't wait and had to try one before my magnum arrives. The nose on this is fragrant and complex, lots of deep dark fruit, and strong tannins on the backend. Too young to drink now, but this is one to purchase and lay down because it's as good or better than wines 3-4 times its price. Strongly recommend, cellar 2-10 years. EXCELLENT.
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Rich, dark red color. Abundant aromas of dark red fruit. Flavors followed suit with balance and little reminder of alcohol content. This is a full on, fruit forward California zin that is a treat by itself, or in this case, an excellent pairing with artisan pizzas baked on our grill. If you are looking for nuance and fine French style, look elsewhere. Should you be looking for a fruit forward, full bodied wine that pairs well with most things coming off the grill, this is your wine.
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Delicious. Celebrated the end of a vicious divorce of 42 months (without a drop of alcohol) with this bottle. Had planed to open a 2009 Geyserville to celebrate last March but the trial dragged on and on. 2011 did the trick. Complex, fine to drink now, fruity, explosion in my nose on the first whiff. Only drank one glass two nights in a row with dinner and family celebration. Alcohol was there. Free at last, free at last written on my ice cream cake.
Tasted along side of 09 and 10 Lytton and 10 geyserville. This wine was more approachable than the 10 Geyersville and finished 2 or 3 out of the 4 for the group. The 10 Lytton was the unanimous WOTN.
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Tasted at winery week of release. I wasn't fond of it, it seemed a bit sweet and needs some time. Fairly "plain" set of flavors, nothing stood out. It may get better, and I think if the sweetness mellows, it will be very good (maybe 92), if not, I would lower to 85 or so. I hate doing notes this early, on a few sips, but hey, we did just taste it.
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clear, ruby, in color. dark red fruit, blueberry, earth, spice, pepper, cocoa, on the nose. good mouthfeel, medium acid, low tannins, on this lingering finish. should be remarkable in a few more years.
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Rather faint nose that suggests blueberries and perhaps a little loam or forest floor. Spicy dark berry fruit at first that quickly translates to a more clear red plum flavor. Spicy and grippy but not overly tannic. Brightly acidic. Could be enjoyed now but I suspect it will be better integrated and richer with a bit of bottle age.
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Tasted at Plum Market Ridge Vineyards Tasting Event. #9 of 11 Ridge wines tasted, this was a pre-release tasting. Tasted back to back with '06 vintage. Has characteristics of dark berries, chocolate covered raisins, finishes medium with good balance of tannins and acidity. Much lighter than the '06 vintage, but shows similar characteristics, and the promise to mature to the same level with time. Will purchased a couple bottles for consumption once released.
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3/5/2024 - AK Wines wrote:
Amazing wine. Drank at 13 years
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12/14/2023 - timewithwine Likes this wine:
No real difference from my note in August when I mentioned the wine’s “[a]bundant cherry, plum, Draper perfume, molasses, coffee and mocha.” It’s all there with perhaps the mocha more dominate in the finish. Very much like a claret with its near-seamless transition from attack to mid-palate to long finish. Excellent fruit on the attack. Balanced with round, integrated tannins. 78% Zinfandel, 16% Carignane, 4% Petite Sirah, 1% Alicante Bouschet, 1% Mourvedre. Throwing some sediment. 14.8% alc., but without a trace of heat. With roasted pork tenderloin under a glaze of Dijon with mushrooms. 12.14.23. Recommended.
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11/5/2023 - CondorKhan wrote: 94 Points
Found a bottle at Safeway, of all places, nearly 10 years after I drank my last one...
Don't know if it's a library release or if it's been at Safeway for 10 years.. the lady at the wine section didn't know.
But I can say that it's just as good, if not better than 10 years ago.
Reading my notes, and remembering my experience, this is quite similar... Maraschino cherries, blueberries... gives the feeling of warm berry compote. Tannins are resolved, soft and silky. Body is medium, acidity present but quite soft. This is elegant, refined, with no sharp edges. Just a stunning example of a classic wine.
"Bad" years separate the wheat from the chaff, and it's evident that you need someone like Paul Draper to craft something so special and elegant in a year like 2011.
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10/29/2023 - Vascular46 wrote: 90 Points
Black cherry fruit on the nose and palate with pepper and spice on the finnish.
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8/20/2023 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drinking quite well. Integrated smooth fruit, ranks up there with similar vintage Lytton Springs.
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8/10/2023 - timewithwine Likes this wine:
This wine is developing nicely particularly for the challenging year that 2011 presented. Abundant cherry, plum, Draper perfume, molasses, coffee and mocha. Nose and palate track well. The fruit is lively, and the tannins are resolved. Balanced and with a lasting, claret-like finish. 78% Zinfandel, 16% Carignane, 4% Petite Sirah, 1% Alicante Bouschet, 1% Mourvedre. Throwing some sediment. 14.8% alc., but without a trace of heat. With seared boneless pork chops with mustard and shallot sauce. 08.10.23. Recommended.
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7/16/2023 - chicsucre wrote:
Right out of the bottle is the same Geyserville bramble, ink, red flowers, but palate turned over mature quickly - once again proved cannot use Grassl 1855 on older bottles
Switched to riedel
On the palate, dates, fig and tiny bit strawberry left, tabacco leaves
Long finish
Nov last year was better lol
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1/25/2023 - ChateauShiny Does not like this wine: 86 Points
Bottle purchased at auction. Decanted about 30ish minutes before tasting. Deep ruby-garnet in color. First sniff comes off real heavy on sweet American oak. Give it a few swirls, then the fresh strawberries, bramble, light blueberries, and herbs come though. As soon as the glass sits for a few minutes, the heavy oak emerges into the glass again.
Heavy bodied, a bit flabby, and overall disorganized. Palate is light with plums, bramble, and strawberry. A bit of blue fruit eventually shows though. Then there’s an artificial sweetener aspect to the mid-palate that was hard to pin down. Tannins can’t make up their mind if they are velvetly smooth or sharp. Long dill dominated American oak herbal finish with black licorice, a bit of tar, stewed blackberries, and graphite. A persisting fig and graphite note lingers on for minutes after the finish.
As I sip on the wine more, that artificial sweetener note evolves into grapefruit oil and zest.
This is just not doing it for me. Fails to come together and has some real jarring tastes that make it unpleasant for me.
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12/12/2022 - drmarclevine wrote: 90 Points
Short decant to remove sediment. Complex aromas of green bell pepper, black cherry, and something like creamy licorice. Light-to-medium weight with sappy black cherry and pronounced cola notes in the mouth. Lacked persistence, however, and left me wanting more depth and power. The terroir shines through (as it almost always does with Ridge) but missing some stuffing. May evolve more in the bottle but will likely not bulk-up. Drink now or soon.
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11/23/2022 - chicsucre Likes this wine: 95 Points
Did a blind at home with a few burgs with same age, this is NOT shy!!
Cedar right off the bat, dried flowers, beautiful red fruits to follow
Nice nuttiness and bramble
Smell like old library - fascinating
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11/16/2022 - deadwax Likes this wine: 92 Points
About what I expected. Hints of an aged Bandol
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11/3/2022 - StefanAkiko Likes this wine: 91 Points
Fantastically gulp-friendly, easy drinking, flattering, BUT lacks depth. Starting to feel a little sorry for these $30 pigs when they have now run off to pretend to be $70 pigs. In Japan, the latest vintage actually demands over $100 per bottle.
There are a hell of a lot of wines produced every single vintage at this quality level and above, that carry better price tags... Early finders reap magical pleasures. Those who jump on the hype-trane late, they need to pay a premium.
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Fantastiskt klunkvänlig, lättdrucken, insmickrande, MEN saknar djup. Börjar bli lite leds på dessa 300-kronorsviner när de nu sprungit iväg till att låtsas vara 700-kronorsviner. I Japan kostar senaste årgången tom över 1000 pix.
Det finns faen i mig en fjädra massa viner som är bättre för prislappen... Men, vill man haka på en trend sent, Jamen: FAN TA FÖR DIG!
Vi kommer rikta våra blickar mot att jaga fram mer plånboksvänliga dunderviner. Dessa produceras varje dag. De som hittat tidigt skördar magisk njutning. De som hoppar på hajpen sent får, som sagt, betala premium...
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5/17/2022 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Could have been the star of the night. Competition was from 6 quite disparate bottles. Aged very well, great drinking window. In general a fan of Ridge wines, this hit the spot.
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11/27/2021 - forceberry wrote: 89 Points
A blend of organically farmed Zinfandel (78%), Carignan (16%), Petite Sirah (4%), Alicante Bouschet (1%) and Mourvèdre (1%) from the Geyserville vineyard in Alexander Valley. The harvest started on 21st of September and ended on 2nd of October. Fermented spontaneously, macerated with the skins for 7 days. The wine was blended using 12 separate fermentation lots, selected from a total of 24 different ferments. Aged in American oak (24% new, 50% second and third use and 26% fourth and fifth use) for 12 months. 14,2% alcohol. Tasted in a mini-vertical of Geyserville 2016, 2012, 2011 and 2010.
Slightly evolved and moderately translucent ruby-red color with a faint brick-red hue. Ripe, rich and very juicy nose of sweet dark fruits and slightly wizened plums, some boysenberry tones, a little bit of blackcurrant juice, light earthy notes, oaky hints of vanilla, cloves and toasty mocha character, an evolved touch of something meaty and a whiff of red cherries. The wine is ripe, silky and somewhat soft on the palate with a full body and somewhat sweetish flavors of wizened dark berries, some evolved meaty character, a little bit of cherry marmalade, light jammy notes of raspberries, oaky hints of toasty mocha and vanilla and a touch of dark pruney fruit. The wine is a bit on the soft side with its medium-to-moderately high acidity and quite ripe and mellow medium-minus tannins. The finish is ripe, juicy and slightly sweet-toned with nary a tannic bite and slightly brief flavors of raspberry jam and juicy dark plums, some vanilla oak, a little bit of boysenberry, light blueberry juice tones, a toasty hint of mocha oak and a touch of peppery spice. The alcohol makes the wine end on a subtly warming note while the tannins lend a bit of grip towards the end of the aftertaste.
A pleasant and surprisingly soft vintage of Geyserville that is quite nice on its own, but suffers a bit from comparison to the surrounding vintages of Geyserville. Although Ridge's style is often quite "old world" when it comes to winemaking, this wine had a relatively "new world" feel to it when tasting it next to more savory, structure-driven and less oaky vintages. Here the oak use feels surprisingly pronounced and even after 10 years of aging the wine still exhibits quite a bit of vanilla and toast. Furthermore, the acidity feels surprisingly soft for a Geyserville (I wonder why - according to the data sheet - they had to use calcium carbonate to moderate the wine's acidity, when it feels this is the lowest-acid vintage we tasted?) with very mellow tannins. All the other Geyservilles we tasted were still surprisingly youthful and brimming with further potential, whereas this wine felt markedly more evolved in character and perhaps closer to its apogee than any other vintage - so I guess the cooler, more rainy vintage shows here. Although the oak could use many more years to integrate better with the fruit, I don't feel the wine will benefit much from further aging in any other way. All in all, I have a feeling this wine was a bit better in its exuberant youth than it was now. Feels a tad pricey for the quality at 40,70€.
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9/11/2021 - VinoVeloVinyl wrote: 94 Points
Magic from a magnum. Purchased at Montebello during a trade visit and tasting with Eric Baugher.
Consumed at Sophie and Cecilia's wedding in Oxfordshire. Had already found great favour with Sophie's father on the top table!
You cannot go wrong with Ridge. Nothing formal to say except this was delicious and I wish I had more.
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8/7/2021 - WetRock wrote:
Quite berry forward still. Some blackberry rather than redder Zinberry. The fruit is still quite fresh even if the palate feel is less fleshy now. In a good spot for a more mellow drink versus the exuberance of younger Zin blends.
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7/25/2021 - VinCA wrote:
This was our least favorite of the five vintages that we drank. Definitely the lightest, this wine seems to have peaked. Wow it improved some over the few hours that we were drinking it never matched the other wines in the group. Certainly not bad and probably typical of this rainy cold year.
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7/9/2021 - gkentm Likes this wine: 94 Points
This wine had been properly cellared and decanted for 30 minutes. Complex nose of dark berries, licorice and mint jumped out of the glass. Fine, moderately dry, resolved tannin balanced with ample acidity. Palate of dark and red berries, mint, graphite, chalk and lead. Long finish. Sweetness and more complexity emerged as the wine opened up in the glass. This wine went well with angel hair pasta marinara with Italian sausage.
I believe this vintage has another 10 years or so of enjoyable life ahead. Impressive winemaking again and again from Ridge. What a treat. I wish I had more of this vintage.
The wine continues to be delicious on Day 2
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6/30/2021 - fozzibaer wrote: 88 Points
This lacked a bit of structure. I remember Geyserville to hold up better over time.
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6/13/2021 - Presidio Wine Bunker wrote: 87 Points
fig. Well past peak. 86-87
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3/31/2021 - JVG wrote:
Medium, rich ruby color. An absolutely ravishing nose of bright, fresh, ripe red fruit—like perfect cherries and raspberries, just picked. But there's also a lovely spices sweetness of cinnamon sticks and vanilla pods, as well as a subtle and surprising hint of peppermint, which I'm not sure I have ever found in a wine before. And finally, with a little air, there is an undercurrent of savory smoked meat hiding behind the fruit. And then with a bit more air, a very distinct note of black tea leaves. And then maybe some other herbs—dill, perhaps, and sage. Just one of those fascinating wines that gives you something more and different each time you put your nose back in the glass.
Wow—on the palate, it's a knockout. An explosion of fruit and spice that manages nevertheless to be fresh and poised, and not heavy or overbearing in any way. Medium-full bodied but with plenty of acidity, and pleasantly "foresty" tannin, if that makes any sense. And despite how refined and classy it is, it manages to retain a compelling wildness—which is maybe the greatest strength of good zinfandel, and of field blends, for that matter. It's been made so well and with such care that it seems not to be "made" at all. Hats off.
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3/18/2021 - SpoochMan Likes this wine: 92 Points
Really nice bottle and in a good place now. Still plenty of fruit, but this has really come into a nice balance. Lively acidity makes it food friendly too. Good stuff from Ridge and the drinking window goes for at least a few more years. But I see little reason to wait longer.
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2/15/2021 - sirwine Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wow. This ten year old field blend dominated by Zinfandel was beautiful. Decanted for an hour, the wine still had its fruit — blackberry and cherry — and was showing secondary flavors of herbs and spices. Well worth the wait.
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1/24/2021 - chifred Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted 3 hours, no significant sediment. Very elegant and smooth with blackberry, earth, licorice; no formal notes. Even the white wine drinkers finished their glasses. Great with the braised short ribs. Won't get any better, may start declining soon.
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1/17/2021 - JM_MadTown Likes this wine: 92 Points
Another lovely bottle of Geyserville with lots of black fruit, bramble, cola, some vanilla, spice, and forest floor. It has a medium to long finish with nice acidity to balance out the sweet fruit. This is fully mature and I think it is best to consume this vintage in the near term.
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1/3/2021 - JM_MadTown Likes this wine: 92 Points
Another great bottle of this wine which is fully mature, even middle aged. It has nice dark red fruits, bramble, forest floor and a medium finish. It is a very delicious zin.
After enjoying the 2nd half of this bottle the next day, I would agree with a previous taster that these should be drunk sooner than later.
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11/27/2020 - bravo.solares Likes this wine: 91 Points
Excellent, mature, Geyserville. I would drink soon, i.e. within the next year or two. Tannins fullly resolved, smooth and velvety. Delicious brambly fruit, spicy notes, oak fully integrated and not in the way at all, a tad short of acidity. Alcohol not in the way either. Paired great with five spice Chinese braised pork shoulder.
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11/8/2020 - .M. wrote: 90 Points
godt moden, vet ikke hvor mye lenger dette bør ligge, men veldig godt nå.
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11/4/2020 - bravo.solares Likes this wine: 91 Points
Excellent, mature, Geyserville. I would drink soon, i.e. within the next year or two. Tannins fullly resolved, delicious brambly fruit, spicy notes, oak fully integrated, a tad short of acidity, alcohol not in the way.
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11/3/2020 - JM_MadTown Likes this wine: 92 Points
A very nice bottle of Geyserville. Lots of black fruits, cola, vanilla, spice and a medium finish.
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10/26/2020 - cobystilp wrote: 88 Points
This bottle was less exciting than my last one. The fruits have receded to the back. My preferred profile is a little more fruit forward.
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8/17/2020 - Q5 wrote:
Fantastic
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7/28/2020 - Brian of Mull Likes this wine: 93 Points
Opened for 3 hours. Color is lovely ruby red and not showing any material aging. On the nose red and black berries, vanilla and spice. On the palate: Currant, raspberry, vanilla, menthol and spice. Nice length and complexity. This is an excellent Geyserville. I think it has a lot of years to age as well.
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6/13/2020 - snowstrm Likes this wine: 95 Points
Classy, elegant, smooth, perfectly balanced, and more. I drank this over 5 consecutive evenings, using Vacu Vin to seal bottle each night. Upon immediate opening, the wine was a bit tannic on the edges and dark cherry fruit was obvious, but in a muted sense. It started to open on day 2, but really came into balance on day 3 and day 4, before falling a bit on day 5. The wine was medium bodied and became lighter, with both red and dark fruits, some floral characters, and a perfect finish. So so elegant and a pure joy to drink.
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6/7/2020 - MichielV wrote: 91 Points
W smoked pork butt with Korean spiced sauces. Excellent combination. Excellent wine and super example of Geyserville. Great color (some age on it), good nose. On palate wonderful fruit and spice, good length. Yummy with some life left.
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4/18/2020 - boredo Likes this wine:
Decanted for two hours. Notes of raspberries, blackberries, cherries, forest floor, spice and vanilla. Medium bodied with moderate acidity and mildly dusty tannins. Long finish of bright red fruit.
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3/29/2020 - _Alex_ Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dekantert og luftet i 1 time. Mørk, tett rubinrød farge. Fin duft av mørke bær og fat. Plommer, bjørnebær, litt vanilje og sødmefullt krydderpreg, og noe i retning grønne urter. Litt lær og mørk sjokolade i en laang og god finish. Veldig fine, integrerte tanniner og fortsatt god friskhet. Ikke stor og vulgær som forventet i en amerikansk Zin, men mer elegant og subtil i retning «Old World». God struktur og flere lag med kompleksitet. Satt som et skudd til hjemmelaget cheeseburger!
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2/5/2020 - oldwines Likes this wine: 92 Points
This is a blend of 78% Zinfandel, 16% Carignane, 4% Petit Sirah, 1% Alicante Bouschet, and 1% Mataro (Mourvedre) with relatively modest (for Zin) 14% ABV. 2 coravin pours. Opaque dark garnet. Nose is jammy and a little oak influenced with vanilla, along with some herbs, spice and a touch of menthol. Palate is smooth and easy to drink with decent acidity and low tannin. Black fruited on the whole with blackberry, black currant and some mineral notes. Moderately long finish. Nicely balanced. Better with more air.
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12/22/2019 - MDRwinos wrote: 91 Points
Decanted for :20. Well integrated. Shows the Zin blend. More black fruit than red. A group fave
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11/10/2019 - Renzloh Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted first. Very smooth and almost elegant. Beautiful with wild mushrooms and pasta. I would say this is drinking well now.
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10/22/2019 - tomlee wrote: 91 Points
Crimson in color. 14% ABV. 78% Zinfandel, 16% Carignane, 4% Petite Sirah and 1% Alicante Bouschet and Mataro. Savory nose of black fruits, licorice, plums and earth. Medium to full bodied with ample acidity. Traditional, Claret style field blend. Blackberry, black cherry, cassis and pepper on the palate. Medium length on the finish. Geyserville has a record for aging gracefully but I would be inclined to drink this sooner rather than later. Best over the next several years.
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10/13/2019 - AllRed wrote: 89 Points
Second Sunday Group: Ridge Geyserville Vertical (2008-2015) (R&D's): Double blind. Deep garnet/crimson color. Initially a bit reticent- perhaps some mixed fruit and something towards the woody end of things. Not as structured as the first two, with cherry, raspberry and orange rind flavors. Shows more cherry and raspberry as it opens, along with a bit of alcohol. Somewhat tannic; ripe red berry fruit. The most approachable and balanced of the wines in this lineup.
My #1, Domino's #2
Group #2, 38 pts
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8/3/2019 - LC17SMP Likes this wine: 93 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 2011 Geyserville was very good. Plenty of fruit, oak is integrating and good nose. Probably not at its best quite yet but worth drinking now.
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7/27/2019 - DFBW Likes this wine: 91 Points
Lovely deep, smooth and silky wine with great fruit forward flavour and lingers long in the mouth.
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7/4/2019 - peeno wrote: 88 Points
I am not as high on this wine as others. Recent Turley zins have also disappointed for the same reasons. Lack of character.
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1/31/2019 - angelo619 wrote: 88 Points
Way too much oak
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1/14/2019 - tak4 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Bay Area Wine Tour; 1/11/2019-1/15/2019 (Bay Area, CA): Tiny glimpse of brick under the purple. Fruit and raw tobacco on the nose, with a touch of leather, anise, blackberry. Softened tannins on the palate but could still use 1-2 years. Lovely.
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11/29/2018 - brigcampbell wrote:
I'm relationship with Geyserville is conflicted. I want to love it. The bottle is cool, love the label, Draper is a stud, but I've had 10 vintages and I never fell in love. Just friends with benefits. Dark cherry color. Aroma is very attractive with black licorice and raspberries. The palate is built on an oak platform and that might be the problem. Cherry fruit flavor is good.
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11/23/2018 - chifred Likes this wine: 92 Points
Opened 2 hours, no decant. Deep red/purple. Lots of beautiful berry on the nose with light to medium body. Smooth with minimal tannins. Good acid. Some cocoa, earth with the fruit on the palate. Medium finish with more berry. Light enough zin to go great with the Thanksgiving turkey dinner.
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11/18/2018 - KVM wrote: flawed
Lead pencil then must nose. Lacking fruit in mouth. BRETT?
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11/14/2018 - cjsadler Likes this wine: 91 Points
Has totally opened up since the last bottle I tried three years ago. Nice dark blackberry fruit with a silky texture; very fine tannins. Delicious, but not the most complex Geyserville I’ve had. Can certainly go a few more years, but doesn’t seem like a very long-lived vintage of this wine.
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11/4/2018 - Osiris021 wrote: 92 Points
No formal notes.
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9/29/2018 - SpoochMan Likes this wine: 91 Points
Consistent with previous notes. Drinking pretty well now.
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9/27/2018 - Purple Tooth wrote: 90 Points
While this wine is still in excellent shape, the best days are past. I think that a zinfandel is best in its youth and this one is either in a transitionary stage into something earthy or it is going to be red vanilla water with time. The good news is that this is only 14% ABV. I would drink this now. DRINK
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9/9/2018 - Eatmypixels Likes this wine: 89 Points
Always one of my favorites. Aged well. This one 7 years old and could go longer. Loosing a bit of fruit but pick up secondary tastes. Wonderful wine with food
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9/9/2018 - cobystilp wrote: 93 Points
Classic Zin drinking well.
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5/6/2018 - Mike Dildine Likes this wine: 93 Points
Medium bodied with excellent complexity, finesse and focus. Really nice balance. Coming along very gracefully.
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2/4/2018 - HTVinmann wrote: 91 Points
Mørk lillarød. Plommer, mørk sjokolade, anis og noe floralt på nese. Frisk, nokså rik og sødmefull frukt, samme smaker med pent integrert fat i munnen. Sitter lenge. Flott balanse og konsentrasjon.
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1/13/2018 - ajbergren wrote: 91 Points
Purple-tinged red with high optical density and high specular reflectivity. Appealing nose that is rich in red and purple fruits, with sage and brushy forest providing an aromatic character. Lots of herbs and spices as well, in a light and playful way. Medium plus to full body on the palate, with fresh acidity that is delightful. The density and concentration are good, with some richness and a polished, fine texture with fine-grained and integrated tannins. Flavours of plum and garriuge on the attack, with some savory spice. Really rich with fruits here, packed with some blueberry jam and blackberries, but is not sticky, so it maintains a sense of elegance. The midpalate shows a depth and range of fruits, such as black raspberry, plums, and other mixed berries, before the earthy oak spices take over toward the finish, which is lengthy, and has savory notes of roasted nuts and some coconut.
This is a really nice, well-made, rich and flavourful wine. It has some age showing in a really nice way, with depth and yet freshness showing through a bit of vinous character. Still plenty of fruit and seems a thoroughly modern wine, but in a tasteful and wonderful way, such that the vineyard shows through. This is not generic Zin, it is very much a sense of place and terroir. Really excellent all the way around, and drinking really well. Can last longer for sure, but really tasty and balanced and elegant! Excellent- really love Ridge Wines!
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12/30/2017 - timbobwhite Likes this wine: 92 Points
78% Zinfandel, 16% Carignane, 4% Petite Sirah, 1% Alicante Bouchet, 1% Mataro. Decanted 1-1/2 hours, some sediment. Mahogany to edge, translucent center. If I did not know better, I would have pegged this as a med-high end cab. Light perfumed nose, dark fruit. Medium body, great balance, nice finish. Took an hour and half of drinking this to begin to get notes of typical Ridge Geyserville spice notes. This is an exceptional wine that has a long life ahead. No harm, no foul if you drink it now, it is yummy.
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10/23/2017 - chatters wrote:
Born in the USA (The Great Hall, One Great George Street, Westminster): Slightly herbaceous, plums and cherry, vanilla, sweet spice. Juicy, soft, plummy with cherry elements, spicy and those herbaceous notes. Fine tannins. Yum
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8/13/2017 - ziavino wrote: 90 Points
Popped and poured, with notes of vanilla and sweet mulberry on the nose. Flavors of oaky vanilla and plum dominate the palate, with a faraway bramble note. Somewhat monolithic, but the melt-away mouthfeel provides considerable lift. Hedonistic.
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7/7/2017 - oldwines Likes this wine: 94 Points
Traveled to Cape Cod for vacation, opened and drunk over 2 hours. Could have used a little more breathing time. Medium to dark garnet color with a fragrant and enticing nose with lots of vanilla, black fruit and floral and herbal notes. great mouth feel with moderate youthful fine tannin but chewy and rich. Bright flavors of black plum, blackberry, black cherry, racy spices and a long chocolatey and floral finish. Moderate alcohol at 14% for a dominant Zin based wine, perfectly balanced and probably with room to still improve with time
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7/2/2017 - iDrum4Wine Likes this wine: 91 Points
Ruby hue that opens with violet and vegetal aromas leading to blackberry and spice on the palate. Full-bodied with great acidity/fruit balance that finishes with a lingering intensity of licorice and cedar.
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5/13/2017 - twoamps Likes this wine: 92 Points
Yup, it's a Ridge Geyserville, which I'm starting to prefer to my old favorite Lytton Springs. It's also one of the few zins which seems to hold up more than 5 years (your mileage may vary). Still, it's drinking well now, so drink up.
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5/12/2017 - PMNwine wrote: 95 Points
gorgeous, good bite plenty of berry
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4/20/2017 - rgujral Likes this wine: 91 Points
I generally really like this wine and this vintage is no exception. This wine has dark berry, is fruit forward yet elegant, and really, really sexy. I'd do her/him/it again : )
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3/8/2017 - wabi47 Likes this wine: 92 Points
just right bramble and wild berry; plenty of stuffing. Good acidity and a bit of heat on the finish (that is covered up well in the long finish). The
carignan seems to be more prominent this vintage. Always a spectacular pairing with left over Zachary's deep dish pizza. Add five points because i finished a 72hr shift at 8am today, where it rained the whole time, and got to sit out on our back porch (after a brief nap) in full sun, with nothing else to do but drink wine at noon, knowing i had a small day ahead of me. The QPR of this (and the pizza) is marginal, but hey, today it's worth it.
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11/10/2016 - Cag4 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Brilliant effort after the herbaceous 2010. Excellent and drinking very well now (decent or leave open for an hour). Many years of maturation left.
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11/5/2016 - Duderino Likes this wine: 93 Points
Needed to open up for about an hour, then....just another wonderful Ridge Zin!
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10/21/2016 - unrelenting Does not like this wine: 89 Points
sophmoric and past its prime. Worth $20, not $40.
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10/2/2016 - ajbergren wrote: 90 Points
Brick red with medium plus to high optical density. Hugely intense nose, with bramble, dark fruit (plum, blackberry, cassis) and American oak character of toasted coconut and toffee, along with some aromatic florals for lift. Full body and medium acidity on the palate with a round, dense texture that stops just short of jammy, but does give a sense of concentration. Tannins are ripe but structured, providing a clean and elegant framework. Flavours of toffee coated dark fruit on the attack, with some aromatic compounds and juniper filling in toward midpalate. Fairly straight-forward, but certainly delicious. The finish shows good length, with roasted fruits and savory black pepper. Easy to drink wine, with nice balance and styled in a tasteful, elegant profile. Shows medium complexity, and drinks well now, with freshness and pizzaz. A great California Zin!
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9/30/2016 - chbeaumont wrote: 91 Points
Jammy, briary, grand, imposing. Not subtle, full on. At its peak. A smasher.
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8/5/2016 - Fugu Me wrote:
From 375. Ready to drink on opening. Ripe and jammy. Nothing wrong with this, but ultimately not a style I enjoy.
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7/17/2016 - AllRed wrote: 89 Points
38th Annual Zinfandel Retrospective - the 2011s (R&D's): A touch on the ripe and pruny side of things. Finishes well, but it's a bit more ripe than I would like.
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7/3/2016 - unrelenting wrote: 89 Points
way past its prime. Drink 2 years ago when i rated a 93 a few yrs ago. Zin isn't ageworthy.
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6/10/2016 - dpolivy wrote:
Vindredi (Ridge Cellar Night) (Bellevue, WA): Nose of smoke and spice. Lush and lovely, so elegant. Purple flowers, black cherry, spice. Densely packed body, with soft, fine tannins and medium-plus acidity.
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6/4/2016 - Osiris021 wrote: 93 Points
No formal notes.
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5/1/2016 - MRichman wrote:
Seamless with dark fruit, tobacco, bright acid and a bit of vanilla. Rich and smooth and full bodied with just a little bit of brambly fruit. In a good place that I'll call early mid-adolescence. Very good but perhaps a bit more wild and a little less suave than some vintages of Geyserville.
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4/17/2016 - MRichman wrote:
Tasting at Ridge Lytton Springs: Smooth, silky, rich almost lush. Dark fruit, orange peel. Drinking great right now, early adolescence. Excellent.
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11/11/2015 - DSR wrote: 92 Points
Juicy, lots of fruit, delicious!
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10/22/2015 - mactheknife Likes this wine: 92 Points
A very nice wine; the wine has settled into a beautifully balanced place right now. What you would expect from this vineyard. Forward fruit but in check. Has a lot left to give.
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10/9/2015 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Served blind. And, as blind tasting will do, it forces my palate to think and work with what is inside the glass. That said, I was pretty disappointed when the bag came off this bottle and it was Ridge. Why? First off, the smell of oak--what to me seemed like oak, as it showed 5 spice and clove all over the aromatic. I dug this kind of aromatic 5 years ago, not anymore. The palate? Heavy, fruit laden and ponderous, missing the balance of the parts that were not working well together. Finished with light chocolate. Man, this was all about fruit, wood and nothing much else to enjoy. I tasted it a few times then dumped it out. Yuck.
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10/9/2015 - brigcampbell wrote:
Book Club - my turn (Neapolitan Pizza - Laguna Beach, CA): Served blind to a group of friends. Wow, this landed with a thud. Nose has a little zin fruit poking through the sweet and heat. Very juicy mouthfeel with dark plum and red fruit. Seems light on the acid and syrup feel at the end, there's no cleanliness to the wine. Probably over run by the oak/vanilla. As someone noted "this seems manipulated" and my first impression was there are wines that taste like this for much less money. Fully disclosure: I have lots of geyserville in the cellar and typically like them very much. Time to go back and revisit older vintages.
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9/11/2015 - gifstad Likes this wine: 91 Points
Black berries, vanilla and spices. Drinking very well at the moment.
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8/8/2015 - WG198 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Great at the beach with grilled steak.
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7/31/2015 - obaenninger wrote: 91 Points
Quite firm, drying oak tannins for first hour in decanter, and improved a lot during the second hour, went from feeling too young, to a nice developing Zin in it's youth. My first experience with the wine, paired beautifully with grilled (rare) marinated Flank steak.
However I felt this had tons of complexity for the years to unleash. Although it was better after decant, I would have waited a year or two before opening it had I known it was in this slightly awkward phase
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7/14/2015 - forceberry wrote: 90 Points
Clear, deep ruby color. Attractive, nuanced nose with aromas of ripe, almost jammy red fruit, that still doesn't feel overdone or excessively ripe; lovely notes of blackberries, raspberries, cherries, sweet plum compote, cranberry jam, ground aromatic herbs, some brroding Zinfandel spice and a hint of American oak vanilla. Definitely more American than old world nose. Full-bodied, intense and somewhat sweet palate with brooding, dark-toned flavors of ripe, dark-skinned berries, dark cherries, peppery spice, some bitterness and a hint of minerality. Very modest, integrated nuances of savory wood spice and some sweet vanilla. Surprisingly high, bright acidity. Quite ample, ripe and dusty tannins start to feel only later on, making the wine appear quite soft and smooth at first, but making it feel more firm and grippy after awhile. Rich, powerful and grippy finish with some tannic astringency and ripe flavors of sweet, dark-skinned berries, juicy blackberries, intense peppery spice, some tart cranberries, a little savory old wood and faint nuances of vanilla and anise. A faint touch of alcohol (14,2%) warmth.
One of the most sophisticated, balanced and interesting Zinfandel-driven blends there is. Stylistically a lot softer and sweeter than the 2010 with more pronounced vanilla characteristics and jammier fruit. Nevertheless, the wine sports that classic Ridge structure of acidity and tannins, giving the wine unrivaled balance and persistence. This vintage is definitely more new than old world, but still the wine drinks wonderfully now and most likely will keep easily for a decade. Recommended and definitely worth its price at 32,59€.
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7/4/2015 - Scamber wrote: 93 Points
Lovely blue fruit and velvety tannis. A cab-blend imposter, and wonderfully so. Fruit of the zin is balanced against the dryness of cab franc and carignan. High alcohol works well. Some herb notes balance the fruit. Paired with grilled kebabs. Perfect.
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6/29/2015 - JohanEGS Likes this wine: 85 Points
Nice.
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6/24/2015 - BinVA Likes this wine: 90 Points
Interesting wine, the carignan and petite syrah add a nice dark berry element to the red fruit of the zin
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5/3/2015 - andreguima wrote: 87 Points
Not impressed by this bottle bought at LAX airport. Normally, I am not lucky buying wine at airports. After reading good reviews on this 78% Zinfandel from the Western edge of Alexander Valley, Sonoma County I resisted buying more bottles because I couldn't have more carry-ons. For me, not equilibrated. To much alcohol and acidity in the end. Ruby color with som bramble fruit, mint, sweet cherry fruit, medium chalky tannins and nothing else extraordinary, Again, I am not lucky buying wines at airports....Because of all the good reviews on the one, I will try to get another bottle and maybe change my opinion.
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3/5/2015 - Yiannis Likes this wine: 92 Points
Subtle nose with ripe cherry, florality and pronounced va. Full-bodied with fantastic depth on the mid-palate, sweet fruit, velvety tannins, balanced and long.
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2/3/2015 - rlove wrote: 90 Points
78% Zinfandel, 16% Carignane, 4% Petite Sirah, 1% Alicante Bouschet, and 1% Mourvedre. Dried cherry, dill, and violet on the nose. A medium bodied, elegant offering. Drink now through 2019.
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1/25/2015 - djarcara Likes this wine: 91 Points
Medium to full body. Spicy nose of clove, black pepper, cola, and dark fruit. Dark fruit, vanilla flavors. Great wine. Nice balance. Lovely now, but has very good aging potential.
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12/11/2014 - Mike Dildine Likes this wine: 93 Points
Good and on the ascent.
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12/9/2014 - Anthony Lombardi Likes this wine: 94 Points
From 375. Slow ox'd around an hour. The nose, as always is expressive & powerful. Blackberries & underbrush. Gorgeous black & red fruit w/some black pepper & baking spice. Texturally, I can't imagine more enjoyment. Beautiful structure, but perfectly enjoyable now. An American Classic.
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12/6/2014 - Mike Dildine Likes this wine: 93 Points
Like the '12, this should grow up to emerge as an outstanding Geyserville.
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11/21/2014 - Ricardohd wrote: 90 Points
Half bottle, eaten with grilled ribeye. Vanilla, touch of exotic spice on the nose. Unexpectedly refined palate with kirsch, a bit too much sweetness for me. A little heat and good balancing acidity on the mid-palate and then medium finish. Bitter on the end. Good with sturdy food, not great on its own. Not good value.
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11/8/2014 - snarfglk wrote: 89 Points
Either an off bottle or my taste buds are off for this one. Usually one of my favorites.
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10/25/2014 - Cadby Likes this wine: 91 Points
2011 Ridge Geyserville +++ $30
Rustic & sturdy. Softens hourly to entertaining deliciousness.
http://8wordsonwine.blogspot.com/2014/10/2011-ridge-geyserville-30.html
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9/29/2014 - alfaverde Likes this wine: 94 Points
Similar review to the last one I wrote almost a year ago. This mellowed out a little with a year in the cellar. It's not quite as harsh straight out of the bottle as it was last winter. It could certainly cellar for much longer, but is still really excellent right now. I love most of the Ridge wines as they have that ability to constantly change in the glass over time. The Geyserville seems to be the best representation of this constant change in the glass out of all the Ridge wines I have enjoyed. Cheers!
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9/14/2014 - unrelenting wrote: 93 Points
good maturation over the past year. I will hold the rest for a while. Haven't had much aged zin and this clearly has the structure for it. built well
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9/6/2014 - r&j Likes this wine: 94 Points
Consumed without food and it was excellent. Ready to consume upon open, but continues to get better with air. Not in need of a longer decant like the 08 or 09.
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9/1/2014 - coremill wrote: 90 Points
Red and black berry fruit, nice herbal touches, plenty of creamy vanilla oak but the oak doesn't poke out texturally. Good concentration for the vintage, medium bodied, good acid, well balanced and not overripe, delicious. I don't see this being a super-long aging Geyserville as it's not as structured as some, but an very good rendition all the same. I preferred it to the Lytton Springs alongside.
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8/27/2014 - Martin Redmond wrote: 92 Points
Dark ruby color with lifted kirsch, bramble, lavender and spice aromas. On the palate it's medium-bodied and balanced with wonderful acidity and tart black cherry, balck raspberry and mineral flavors. Lingering finish. (78% Zinfandel, 16% Carignane, 4% Petite Sirah, 1% Alicante Bouschet, 1% Mataro; 14% alcohol)
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8/9/2014 - wynja Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted for 3 hours. When we first opened the wine it was coming across very hot but this subsided with decanting.
Dark rich fruit berry blend on the nose with a subtle oak influence . Dark, ripe concentrated berry fruit on the palate with soft tannins. The wine has excellent lively acidity (well balanced with the fruit level) which makes it a great choice for our meal (steak) and keeps the wine exciting on the mid palate. The wine coats the palate and has an excellent silky, concentrated mouth feel. The finish is very long.
This is a beautiful bottle of wine and I imagine it would age very gracefully. Our first Ridge wine and did not disappoint.
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8/8/2014 - rwstorer wrote: 93 Points
Similar notes to previous. Never disappoints.
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7/18/2014 - thelostverse wrote: 92 Points
Initially opened at Anvil with friends, and then finished two days later at Home Bistro with CWM. Black fruits with a bit of lavender/herb on the finish. Another nice effort that is drinking well right now, but will age with grace.
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7/7/2014 - matro wrote: 90 Points
No detailed notes. Delicious right now.
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6/28/2014 - erwing wrote: 91 Points
Smooth velvety tannins, soft, vanilla and oak, a bit of black Cherry and dark berries. Good, but not Worth USD42.
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6/14/2014 - Wilkinas wrote: 84 Points
Super jammy with not much finish. Bad bottle?
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5/27/2014 - Sauvyfan wrote: 90 Points
Sour cherry, baking spice nose. Juicy palate that leads to a rather thin finish. Nice wine, but comes in well short of its price point as most Cali '11 have.
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5/25/2014 - rwstorer wrote: 91 Points
Similar note to previous. However- there is definitely bottle variation.
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5/19/2014 - SpoochMan Likes this wine: 92 Points
Bought a bottle to try. This is a very nice effort. It drinks very well right from the get-go, although it does open up some with air. Loads of crushed raspberry fruit, with that typical zin quality, and some little hints of spice (though not much at this stage). The balance here is impeccable for such a young wine. I expected this to be pretty rough around the edges and in need of a few years, but it really is not. Terrific acidity gives it lift and keeps it from feeling heavy and makes it food-friendly. The '11 zins I have had so far (mainly Ridge and Carlisle) are impressing me -- I like the great acidity and balance of this vintage. The wines are not coming across as overripe or overextracted -- fresh and lively. Must get some more of these! I'm sure these will do fine in the cellar for some years, but it is very enjoyable now.
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5/19/2014 - rwstorer wrote: 93 Points
Similar note to previous.
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5/16/2014 - tcufletch wrote: 93 Points
So much going on with this wine; not terribly dissimilar from my note on 7/30/13 but a little more ripe fruit and a little less darker, heavier profile than my first bottle; possilby a bit more feminine this go-round; regardless, this is one of my favorite wines of recent memory.
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5/13/2014 - Double-A Likes this wine: 90 Points
Toasty, with sappy oak and black fruit nose. Med-full with good fresh acidity. Long, toasty finish. This is a Zin I would almost describe as elegant, another fine feature of 2011.
4/5
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5/9/2014 - .M. wrote: 89 Points
Pen og fint balansert zinfandel, denne flasken fremstod noe tilbakeholden og knapp nå. Vent eller i det minste luft i vid karaffel før konsum.
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5/9/2014 - Lowridenn wrote: 88 Points
Dark briar patch, black cherries, dried herb and black tea. Well balanced acidity, a streak of wildness.
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4/26/2014 - Pebben wrote: 91 Points
Decanted for around an hour before tasting. Purple core, pink rim. At first a little restrained, but opens up after a while displaying a fairly complex bouquet of black cherries, plums, raspberries, crushed rocks, bell peppers, cinnamon stick, vanilla-toffee, mocha and wood. Concentrated, sweet fruit balanced beautifully by a healthy dose of acidity and pronounced mineral undertones. Fresh and food-friendly despite its appearance and 14% alcohol. Still on the young side, but can be enjoyed today provided it’s given a little air. Very nice!
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4/22/2014 - tomlee wrote: 93 Points
Crimson in color. 14% ABV. The 2011 Geyserville is 78% Zinfandel, 16% Carignane, 4% Petite Sirah, 1% Alicante Bouschet and 1% Mataro. Brambly red fruits, pepper, vanilla and lavender on the nose. Medium bodied with nice acidity. Blackberry, raspberry, licorice, menthol and tar on the palate. Chalky, dusty tannins. Perfectly balanced, this wine is approachable now but will no doubt age for upwards of a decade.
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4/20/2014 - Twinkles Likes this wine: 91 Points
Beautiful acidity, well integrated oak. Superb freshness. Love it.
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4/12/2014 - andycook66 wrote:
Very inviting nose with ample red berry fruit, cinnamon and vanilla - ample but not overdone. The palate is generous and joyously fruity, whilst retaining balance. Just so acidity, a sweet tang of oak and bags of red fruit, but also some serious structure and good length. The acidity helps the wine sing for a considerable time and the fruit is in no way overripe. Its a while since if tried this wine (from whatever vintage) but I should do so more often. Very appealing now, but one feels it could age for 10 years no problem.
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4/7/2014 - Wine Canuck wrote: 90 Points
California Wine Fair - Toronto, ON (Fairmont Royal York): Between this and the Lytton Springs, this seems to be lighter and a tad more red fruited. Nose features a melange of berry fruit: cherry, strawberry, blackberry, blueberry, lavender, oak spice, and concrete dust. Actually a bit oak driven at this stage, but still balanced and should integrate. Palate is rich, round and plush. Almost a tad sweet. Finish is medium plus in length with purple and blue fruit notes. A nice wine: 90+.
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4/5/2014 - Robertjohnkane wrote: 89 Points
This vintage seems to be maturing, as this bottle was the best of the three I've already consumed. It expresses with a nice spice on the front end and finishes smoothly with some red licorice.
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3/28/2014 - AMM3RD Likes this wine: 92 Points
Perfect balance of ripe fruit.
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3/1/2014 - sjr wrote:
From a half bottle. Decanted 1.5 hours. This has a lot less Zinfandel (64%) than in some years. I think the other grapes really show through. Nose of light Zinberry (fairly subdued), with a lot of spice and some vanilla and blueberry. Strikes me as, atypically, a bit hot. Great acidity with solid tannic grip here. Lots of aging structure in the mouth. More Zinberry, some vanilla, spice, heavier juicy blueberry, and integrated cacao. A touch astringent toward the back end. Nice finish here with concentrated prunes and dried apricots, a touch sweet.
No surprise, this needs a lot of time but very much has the structure to age.
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2/25/2014 - rwstorer wrote: 93 Points
Similar note to previous.
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2/23/2014 - Yaniv.abecassis Likes this wine: 90 Points
Great wine from start to finish. Beautiful cherry color. Red berries & vanilla on the nose. Fruity but well balanced palate. Tasted burnt caramel when first opened but mellowed out with time. Very smooth with light tannins and good acidity.
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2/19/2014 - chanote44 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Not the Ridge Geyserville of vintages past, but a good representation of the 2011 growing season. Balanced fruit but lean and simple. I am not sure this will get better with time as many other reviewers have suggested.
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2/16/2014 - ghobby wrote: 91 Points
Julie thought this was a little too sweet; I like it, not a classic Zin taste to me.
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2/11/2014 - OmiyaDrinker Likes this wine: 91 Points
Lovely colour, cherry nose. Something italian and vibrant. Strong fruit up front but lovely fullness in the mid-palate with strong peppery aftertaste. Paired with a roast duck and worked fabulously. Fantastic balance. No need to wait.
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2/9/2014 - alfaverde Likes this wine: 92 Points
dark purple/red, freshly opened it was a tiny bit harsh. Let it breathe a bit in the glass over 30 min. dark berries with light tannins on the back end. smooth and delightful. I'm curious to see how this would age.
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1/25/2014 - yiuwing_hk Likes this wine: 92 Points
At this price level HKD288 , I have nothing to argue.
Quite floral, rich fresh and good quality raspberry nose and palate, a hint of dark chocolate, vanilla, cinnamon, plenty of fine tannin with balanced acidity. Length is medium with liquorice finish.
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1/25/2014 - mlwhitfi wrote: 94 Points
Firm structure. Lots of dried / candied cherries, lavender, & mineral nose. Flavors of berry fruit, leather / tar, & herbs. Drinking very well now but will develop beautifully with time
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1/16/2014 - PT insurgent wrote:
WSET Level 3; 1/13/2014-1/17/2014 (WSET School, London): Pronounced nose of dark cherry, chocolate, spice, cinnamon.
High acid, Med+ tannin, full body, pronounced palate of raisin, ripe cherry, spice, cinnamon, clove. Love it.
Very good wine.
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1/11/2014 - laralh wrote: 91 Points
Bjørnebær, moreller, mørk sjokolade, litt vanilje og pepper. Relativt kjølig frukt. Konsentrert, balansert og lang ettersmak. Den beste Zinfandel jeg har smakt.
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1/3/2014 - Stu Williams Likes this wine: 89 Points
Very young but drinking brilliantly already. Very clean wine, no sediment at all. Rich berry flavour. Elegant now but will get better and better fro next 10 years I suspect. Introduced to it by a friend......one of the finds of 2013.
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1/2/2014 - CondorKhan wrote: 93 Points
Pours clear purple/ruby, looking almost like Pinot Noir. Aroma is of cherries and blackberry. It's medium/light body holds hints of maraschino cherries, dark chocolate and blackberries, and finishes off with a soft, velvety texture, an appetizing acidity and very soft tannins. Elegant, simple, classic.
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12/23/2013 - straw18 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Reliably excellent.
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12/13/2013 - BSA Likes this wine: 91 Points
(Klubben - especiale)
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12/11/2013 - wabi47 Likes this wine: 92 Points
lovely nose; medium bodied and more light on its feet than most prior vintages that i recall; yet the mixed fruit (black raspberry and more), mineral, spice, cocoa and good acidity are all there. This is a real food wine which even worked with our savory salmon dish, and not just your usual BBQ and pizza. Quite drinkable already
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12/7/2013 - MRichman wrote:
Firm and soft at the same time. Black slightly sweet core. Good dark tannins. Spicy. Lovely.
B+
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12/6/2013 - MWiking Likes this wine: 91 Points
on the nose, fruit, fruit and more fruit. a bit clumsy but I like it alot.
on the palete we got Blackberry, Vanilla licrice and power.
It´s zinfandel and still it´s great stuff!
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12/4/2013 - Vinnut Likes this wine: 91 Points
Deep, dark reddish-purple in color. Fragrant, attractive & youthful nose of dark fruit aromas of cherries, blackberries & plums with spice notes, loam, briary/bramble, earthy, a hint of mint, cocoa/coffee, minerals, a slight touch of vanilla and oak in the background. Full to medium-full bodied with a very good concentration of still balanced, developing, jammy, ripe dark fruit flavors of sweet cherries, boysenberries & plums with spices, earthy, cocoa, minerals and a hint of vanilla. Smooth lingering finish. Drinks quite well at present but will develop and benefit from several more years of further aging.
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11/28/2013 - chablis28 wrote: 90 Points
This wine was a success on a couple levels. It paired well with the turkey and, my son in law actually noticed it was better than the wine they usually drink. Most thanksgivings my Cru Beaujolais and higher end Burgs goes relatively unnoticed. The abundant fruit and power in this wine caught Josh's attention. I handed over a couple 2010 Pride Cabernets, we bought together, to them afterwards so you can see how this classic Zin blend fit thier palates. I decanted it for 3 hours but there was still a bit of oakiness for my liking. But, overall this showed lovely balance, fruit, depth and vibrance. I'd love to try this in a few years to see where it goes. I think the blend and old vines makes this an interesting wine. Not a streal at $38 but worth it. Delicious and definitely decant as it has its share of oak upon opening.
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11/10/2013 - Twinkles wrote: 90 Points
Jam on the nose at first. A bit muted an lacking definition on day 1. Day 3, spices, fruit, almost apples, but in a more subtle fashion than the 2010. Really enjoyed this.
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11/9/2013 - bottles.and.bites Likes this wine: 90 Points
Color is a pale violet purple. A restrained nose with hints of crushed blueberries and reminds me of Char-Siu (Chinese BBQ pork).
Palette continues with subtle hints of blackberry and blueberry, but spiced asian meat and earthiness is what stands out.
Quite well balanced, the acid, body, alcohol, and tannins all compliment each other in each wonderful sip. Elegant tannins lead into a soft and luscious finish. Really quite enjoyable now.
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11/5/2013 - tantotinto wrote: 90 Points
Consistent with previous note. We had it again with a Greek pizza, works great with the olives and feta.
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11/2/2013 - PSUSteve wrote: 91 Points
Pop and pour from a 375. Suprisingly open in its youth. Lots of deep red fruit with a small amount of spice.
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11/2/2013 - Hodby wrote: 90 Points
Medium red (light for Geyserville) color. Smoky nose, complex fruit (boysenberry, raspberry, cherry), slight mint. On arrival, medium-low tannin and medium acidity. Develops quickly in the mouth, ripe fruits repeated from the nose, restrained; a claret style. Finish is silky with good acid lift. To me, this release represents another House step back from high extract wines (yeah !). Some tasters thought it'd been over-filtered (color) but I'm thinking the wine color more reflected more of a judicious extraction of grapes from a cool vintage (many green grapes in most bunches).
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10/28/2013 - belfast taxman wrote: 90 Points
I rarely drink Zinfandel - this was full on spiced plum and rich cherry although the finish was just a tad short - still I must consider Zin a bit more often
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10/25/2013 - jshearer Likes this wine: 89 Points
Enjoyable but underwhelming. Did not take detailed notes. Good structure and well-balanced. Flavors were pleasant, rather simple, and came with a dollop of oak.
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10/23/2013 - AMM3RD wrote: 93 Points
Love this bottle of wine. It will only improve with age. Dark fruit, perfectly balanced with light/medium mouth feel, but full flavored. Delicious. Light spice and will improve over the next 3-5 years
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10/19/2013 - JustinHandlin87 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Delicious and very nice for the price. The blended grapes add complexity from the normal zin. I easily notice the petit sirah which I love. Dark and brooding with mineral and floral notes inside the dark berry pie.
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10/18/2013 - Andre Brattland Likes this wine: 92 Points
Needed to work a lot with this wine before drinking. 8 hours before drinking, it was a young stallion. With air and some time in the decanter it really opens up. The wine was really delicate, with great red fruit, flowers and earth. You can feel the differents grape, really great wine!
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10/3/2013 - walkerjfw wrote: 92 Points
At Gary's Grand Tasting. Geyserville is one of the most consistent Zins from Ridge, IMO. Can be casual or more formal wine in pairings - works with hamburgers on the grill or a short ribs at a wine tasting...
Bright red fruits on the nose. Palate has tart blackberry, dark cherry, currants, oak well integrated, smoke, earth, coffee. This bottle was opened for about an hour. I suspect this would be more complex on day 2.
Still a baby, cellar for a few years
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10/1/2013 - Itriolo Likes this wine:
Infanticide due to concerns about heat damage - thankfully no signs of it. Spicy red fruit, bright acidity, and none of the unripe green notes that I've noticed with some of the other 2011 Ridge Zins. Intensely flavored but the body is surprisingly lightweight. As usual the folks at Ridge were a bit heavy-handed with the American oak, but despite that I greatly enjoyed the wine, and I strongly suspect that it would have only improved for the next 4-5 years (properly stored of course).
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9/15/2013 - alohashirt Likes this wine: 93 Points
Caveat: I'm not a Zinfandel fan. This has a tart, blackcurrant fruit with a little oak. I don't know if it's the balance or just that its low alcohol but it's a very, very easy to drink red with a long finish. First night with pizza, second night on its own.
I've drunk this two nights in a row and I'm a convert.
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9/14/2013 - TC16 wrote: 91 Points
Echoing what else has been said here.
Palate has dark fruit with minerality and pepper. Some smoke and earthiness. I also get some oak as well. Built for the long haul.
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9/5/2013 - rwstorer wrote: 93 Points
Terrific wine with or without wine and a genuine bargain. Similar tasting notes to previous.
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7/30/2013 - tcufletch wrote:
Dark ruby; nose of blackberry, dark cherry, cocoa, dust/minerals (all very muted by day 2); initial palate of tart blackberry,dark cherry, light tar, streaks of mineral, coffee, light smoke, then after approx. 3 hours after opening and even more pronounced on day 2, a really nice creaminess evolved on the mid-palate and finish; light, sweet tannins; wonderful weight; rich, toasty, medium + finish.
This is a delicious wine that's almost comforting to drink. One to consume on the porch swing as the sun sets.
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7/25/2013 - topher2411 wrote: 92 Points
Fantastic now, but very young and tight. Juicy red fruit, spices, and earth. Good acidity, firm tannins, and long finish. Needs time.
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7/17/2013 - tantotinto wrote: 90 Points
Deep purple color. Restrained nose. Blackberry, dark cherry and black tea flavor. Very smooth with soft tannins and just enough acidity in the finish. Middle of the road weight and texture for a Zinfandel. Love that the alcohol is only at 14%. Drink now. It worked great tonight with a Greek pizza.
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7/16/2013 - twoamps Likes this wine: 92 Points
good, old fashioned Ridge Geyserville. Great fruit, nice peppery spice, just enough oak, good sort of chewy fresh tannins on the finish. Should age well (for a zin)
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7/14/2013 - rwstorer wrote: 93 Points
Similar note to previous
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7/13/2013 - rwstorer wrote: 94 Points
- Purple color with medium forming legs and aromas of raspberry, strawberry, cherry, violet and cedar. It's unbalanced and has flavours of cherry with a medium/full body. Bright texture with a long finish - Popped and poured. Delicious at first sip. Slightly tart with integrated dried red fruits and a touch of cedar. Very enjoyable now.
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7/12/2013 - Birorganic Likes this wine: 93 Points
From half bottle. Delicious. Dry as a bone, almost dusty. Complex, chewy black and blue backbone fruit. This Zin will age for many many years and better than most cabs. I need to go buy a case of this right now.
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7/11/2013 - cartime Likes this wine: 91 Points
Red fruits and baking spices, with hints of medicinal herbs and rocky earth. Medium-bodied with tart acidity. A great Zin to drink with food. Should peak in 2-3 years. My favorite vintage of Geyserville yet.
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7/5/2013 - Robert Pavlovich Likes this wine: 91 Points
Had with ribs and burgers on the 4th. Unlike previous vintages, this was surprisingly open right out of the bottle as a two year old. Really think the Carignan gives more complexity, making the fruit less obvious.
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7/5/2013 - jjtim Likes this wine: 92 Points
Sweet cherry cola, dark chocolate and vanilla baking spices, red currant. Delicious young zinfandel from old vines.
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6/26/2013 - christyler Likes this wine: 90 Points
Lovely nose...very 'deep' - you can get lost in it! The wine is actually just medium weight in body and has nice acidity. Classic zin flavors. Full of fruit but not at all flabby. Some fine grain tannins. Just a little hot (and a bit of a bite) on the finish. Very nice and a great value.
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6/25/2013 - Vintomas wrote: 89 Points
Ridge wines with Paul Draper (Stockholm): Rather deep red colour with some purple notes.
Nose with sweet red and dark berries, hints of dried fruit, some perfume nots. Slightly more discrete nose than Lytton Springs.
Palate with ripe and sweet red berries, good concentration, medium(-) tannin, spice, hints of alcoholic fire. More balanced and polished on the palate than Lytton Springs.
Accessible now, can definitely be cellared.
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6/23/2013 - Griffin5416 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very nice. Like this a lot.
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6/22/2013 - Timbalimba wrote: 89 Points
Ridge Vineyards with Mr. & Mrs. Paul Draper: Slightly paler than the Lytton Springs, violet purple. Open, sweet fruit, more generous than LS, quite perfumed. Bubble gum fruit on the palate, a touch of sloe, and that medicinal Carignan note. Very good finish again, good acidity. More playful than the Lytton Springs but just a notch behind in structure and backbone. In the end it's a matter of taste; I prefer the LS but they are equal in terms of quality. Both need plenty of time. Paul Draper says 3 years but I wouldn't touch it for another six or seven. 89-92
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6/21/2013 - Shiaxonna wrote: 89 Points
At a tasting with Paul Draper in Bergen, Norway. He calls the Geyserville the feminine counterpart of the Lytton Springs. He says it is elegant and lighter compared to the maskuline earthy structure of the Lytton. This one is soft, powerful, gentle and elegant. A lot of smoothness here. Really like this one.
50+5+9+17+8 (89p)
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6/20/2013 - BigTex22 Likes this wine: 94 Points
As Zins go, this is outstanding. I'm drinking this way too young, but couldn't wait and had to try one before my magnum arrives. The nose on this is fragrant and complex, lots of deep dark fruit, and strong tannins on the backend. Too young to drink now, but this is one to purchase and lay down because it's as good or better than wines 3-4 times its price. Strongly recommend, cellar 2-10 years. EXCELLENT.
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6/17/2013 - Lee Fining wrote: 93 Points
Rich, dark red color. Abundant aromas of dark red fruit. Flavors followed suit with balance and little reminder of alcohol content. This is a full on, fruit forward California zin that is a treat by itself, or in this case, an excellent pairing with artisan pizzas baked on our grill. If you are looking for nuance and fine French style, look elsewhere. Should you be looking for a fruit forward, full bodied wine that pairs well with most things coming off the grill, this is your wine.
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6/8/2013 - Birorganic Likes this wine: 92 Points
Delicious. Celebrated the end of a vicious divorce of 42 months (without a drop of alcohol) with this bottle. Had planed to open a 2009 Geyserville to celebrate last March but the trial dragged on and on. 2011 did the trick. Complex, fine to drink now, fruity, explosion in my nose on the first whiff. Only drank one glass two nights in a row with dinner and family celebration. Alcohol was there. Free at last, free at last written on my ice cream cake.
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6/7/2013 - CaliRice wrote: 91 Points
Tasted along side of 09 and 10 Lytton and 10 geyserville. This wine was more approachable than the 10 Geyersville and finished 2 or 3 out of the 4 for the group. The 10 Lytton was the unanimous WOTN.
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6/7/2013 - Silveradoup wrote: 92 Points
Elegant zinfandel, definitely one of the top Geyservilles's of recent memory. Not as complex as the 2009 but still very nice.
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6/3/2013 - seanb wrote: 92 Points
Fruity but not overpowering
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5/26/2013 - Fred44 wrote: 90 Points
Still young
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4/12/2013 - JM_IS wrote: 88 Points
Tasted at winery week of release. I wasn't fond of it, it seemed a bit sweet and needs some time. Fairly "plain" set of flavors, nothing stood out. It may get better, and I think if the sweetness mellows, it will be very good (maybe 92), if not, I would lower to 85 or so. I hate doing notes this early, on a few sips, but hey, we did just taste it.
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4/5/2013 - Griffin5416 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Great wine. Drank early will be much better in years to come.
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3/25/2013 - Zweder wrote: 89 Points
Spiciness, cherries, a lot of cherries, ripe dark fruits and pleasant sweet spices. A very good zinfandel.
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3/1/2013 - affordableCollector wrote: 91 Points
clear, ruby, in color. dark red fruit, blueberry, earth, spice, pepper, cocoa, on the nose. good mouthfeel, medium acid, low tannins, on this lingering finish. should be remarkable in a few more years.
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3/1/2013 - kosinski wrote:
Rather faint nose that suggests blueberries and perhaps a little loam or forest floor. Spicy dark berry fruit at first that quickly translates to a more clear red plum flavor. Spicy and grippy but not overly tannic. Brightly acidic. Could be enjoyed now but I suspect it will be better integrated and richer with a bit of bottle age.
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2/27/2013 - csillabu Likes this wine: 89 Points
Tasted at Plum Market Ridge Vineyards Tasting Event. #9 of 11 Ridge wines tasted, this was a pre-release tasting. Tasted back to back with '06 vintage. Has characteristics of dark berries, chocolate covered raisins, finishes medium with good balance of tannins and acidity. Much lighter than the '06 vintage, but shows similar characteristics, and the promise to mature to the same level with time. Will purchased a couple bottles for consumption once released.
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