Quick decant. Nose of mulled cider and cooked plum with light licorice, charcoal, and applewood aromas. Black raspberry and damson palate rides on a firm structure of tannins and acidity. A peppery wave builds into the finish, fading into rocks, black fruit, spice, and a long, lingering American Oak finale.
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Revisited for a birthday dinner... Super enjoyable for the style! Full bodied with big fruit just a touch of nuance with enough acid to keep it afloat. A really great QPR and overall just a pleasant drinking experience!
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Dark chocolate, tobacco, bramble, very faint wisp of eucalyptus. Such a good wine. Opened the same night as a Tempier single vineyard and this easily won (which is crazy to me).
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HL žema; 2/28/2024-3/4/2024 (Marbakkabraut): Hér var nokkuð spennandi lykt í gangi, sólber, rakettur (aka púður), núggat, Kahlua, sætt píputóbak "Prince Albert", frábær lykt. Í bragði var nefnt að það vantaði einhverja fágun, mátti greina bylgjupappa, kaffi, lítil tannín, hvítur pipar. Að mörgu leyti fínasta vín en vantaði jafnvægi milli nefs og bragðs.
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This is pretty ripe and in your face, as usual, I prefer the Lytton Springs next to it. Notes of jammy plum, some wild cherries, smoke, vanilla, also some minty notes. It‘s full-bodied and rich, with medium+ acidity and the alcohol just being a touch recognizable. Medium+ tannin adding structure. Good length. This is a little rper than I like my Ridge… nevertheless a unique and fascinating wine. Maybe everything will come together with a few years more in bottle. (91+)
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Fairly graded, I think by the CT community. Pnp'd with a pepperoni pizza and enjoyed most of the bottle over 2+ hours. Solid blackberry fruit, pepper/spicebox and briar components. Well made, integrated and solid. Nothing on the downside, nothing very extraordinary either, just a solid zin wine.
Addendum: 2nd night, one glass left on the bottle under cork only, no gas, no vacuum.
This wine held together exceptionally well. The singular difference? All the other varietals that make up this field blend came to the forefront, while the zin profile essentially disappeared. Juicy black fruits emerged, again with excellent balance to the overall wine and no degradation at all, on the 2nd night.
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I find this to be drinking very well. PnP last night - finished the bottle second night. I didn’t find the oak or tannins to be overwhelming at all; seemed to have integrated nicely.
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After a string of disappointing Ridges (both new and old), I felt it was time to pop open our other bottle of the 2018 Geyserville.
Decanted for an hour. The nose is light but balanced - Bramble, vanilla, tarragon, dill, perfume/violets, and a dash of black pepper. Laser focused and precise. Medium bodied, bright to almost high acidity, and light to moderate structure (seems to gain some weight as it got more air). For the most part, the palate follows the nose with the addition of some blue fruits. Medium tannins bring in graphite and black tea. Medium to long finish of graphite, granite, tarragon, rosemary, black tea, berry skins and a slight hint of mushroom-leaning umami.
To me - this is drinking in a beautiful place.
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14.7% abv. Dark ruby, moderate aromatics. Ripe plum, black raspberry, black pepper and cinnamon highlight a fresh and lively palate impression. Excellent balance, depth and length. Probably a year or two premature for this wine, but extremely enjoyable. Will drink well for years to come.
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Wow. This was one of the best zinfandels I have had in recent history and I drink a decent amount of zinfandel! Dark fruit, rich and fullbodied with a long sweet finish. So well balanced, there was no heat anywhere--the alcohol was finely integrated. On the palate, it was just rich with a velvety weight to it. Plums but not too much which can often take away from a good zin. I would say it is in a nice drinking window. I should have bought a case. I just bought two. Which means I have another one!
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This is drinking quite well right now. I am not getting the oak emphasis others have mentioned, but then I don't have the aversion to oak that others do. What I do get is a strong blackberry liqueur character, along with Christmas spice and earth. The tannins are silky. This can be consumed now without guilt or held for many more years.
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Very nice. Berry and bramble right up front, with a long finish. Very smooth and nicely integrated. Maybe benefit from a few years yet but you won’t be sad you drank it now. Paired beautifully with short ribs, roast carrots and polenta
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Blackberry and spices on the nose. Vanilla and cedar, while very elegant and integrated, oak is the most dominant aroma on the nose. Sweet ripe plum, back cherry, dark berries, cinamon on the palate. Medium body, with its spice and sweet elements, it paired well with jerk babyback ribs. Tannins are soft after a couple hours of air. A point better than my first bottle 13 months ago. Overall an elegant wine with ripe California fruit. 91-92
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A robust vintage, with the Rhone varietals poking through (See SunShip flavor description). The Zin sneaks in, caresses, sweetens the pie. An outstanding showing for this California classic.
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Dark cherry, prune, cola, brambles, with touches of leather and liquorice. Seductive, but at times coming across a bit overblown and raisiny. Deep and rich mouthfeel, dark sweet fruit, medium, velvety body and melt in your mouth tannins. Some vanilla from the oak, but better integrated than expected. Super drinkable.
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PnP. very aromatic. Plum, licorice, spice, raspberry aromas and flavors. Smooth tannins. Not nearly as good as the last bottle. Didn't seem flawed. Starting to shut down? Plan to wait a few years before opening the next bottle.
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Medium garnet in color spicy fruity nose with sweet black fruit taste and a bit of tannins finished fruity, sweet and very smooth-tasted from half bottle
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Not aging as well as anticipated. Oak now evident, as well as inadequate acidity. Fruit saves this wine, and it went well with Italian sweet sausage and peppers sandwiches. Pagani Ranch is now my favorite Ridge Zin bottling.Addendum: Better on day three.
1 hr air. Slightly earthy with concentrated fruit and good structure. Raspberry, red currant, light cocoa, white pepper. complex with long finish. Drinking well, but clearly time for improvement.
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Taste: big but balanced. Nice, inviting fruit. Juicy ripe cherry, currant, even watermelon. Moves from the condensated fruit to cedar and clove. Plus acid and medium body keeps it from being cloying, despite the fruit.
After an hour, a bit more yeast and bramble on the nose.
Really balanced, enjoyable, and engaging wine.
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Med+ ruby. 68% Zin, w/ 20% Carignane, 10% Petite Sarah, 2% Alicante Bouschet. Intense black berry, blueberry, black plum, preserve, with pleasant oak spice. Dry, but fruit-forward, with med acidity, med tannins, high alcohol (14.7%). Full-bodied, with a rounded mouthfeel, with great flavor intensity and length, it shows remarkable balance. Still a baby, with potential for improving with further aging. Solid value.
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Drunk with dinner a week ago and I didn't take notes, but this was spectacular, textbook Dry Creek / Alexander Valley Zin. Great fruit / tannin / acid balance, fruit subtle and complex - no strawberry bombs here, I remember cherry, young plum, blueberry? I bought this at a charity auction, in a package put up by a collector, would not know where to buy more - but wow did I get a deal!
Consistent prior notes. Day 1 was a bit more closed, Day 2 was much more expressive. I think this will age well and I will try to wait a while on my other 2 bottles
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My first Cali Zin & an enjoyable one to boot. Wasn’t sure quite what to expect but found a very expressive wine: chock full of exotic berries, hints of liquorice and plum(?). Like nothing I’ve had before - very interesting & full of life. Loved those tannins as well.
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The extra time in the bottle since my first bottle definitely improved this wine. Much smoother and more integrated than the first bottle I had 2 years ago. 68% Zin, 20% Carignane, 10% Petite Sirah, 2% Alicante Bouschet. The additional grapes give this wine a unique and pleasant palate and not very Zin like. blackberry, plum, cherry, chocolate, baking spice, coffee.
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This drank well, but did not live up to the Geyserville hype! Muted nose and had to really concentrate to pinpoint aromas. I feel it was either slightly flawed or just shut down.
The score is my overall experience trying over 3 days. At its best (day 2 and 3) it was brawny but very tasty with lots going on. At its worst, not as much body and rather simple. Probably young at this stage.
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Big, jammy, rich black fruit. Exactly what you expect in terms of power and ripeness but the blend prevents it from being over the top. There is enough body and depth and earthiness to keep the Zinfandel in check. Very good for what it is but still a little to hot at 14.7% abv. Could improve with time- although true Zinfandel fans may not view a more tame wine as an improvement.
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Opened by a friend from magnum. 68% Zinfandel, 20% Carignane, 10% Petite Sirah, 2% Alicante Bouschet. Too over the top for my tastes. Some bitterness on the finish. 82 points.
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I really liked it. Young, needed some air and decant time. Was really interesting to see how it evolved over two hours. Dark color, plum and dark fruits nose. Spice, long finish. Really waiting to see how it will do in the next few years.
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Definitely getting better in just four months later than last tasting. New oak, cassis and bursting fruit aromas on the nose. Plum, black cherry and spices on the palate. Long leathery finish. Glad I have four more bottles to age. Recommend two hour decant.
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P&p; best with 2+ hours of air in the bottle and at its most expressive after 4 or 5 hours. Nice dark red fruit, rich and concentrated while staying fresh and lively. Spicy, toasty oak, complementary, perhaps a bit much at this young age, but contributing to a seductive incense-like character. Rich, smooth texture but lifted by good acidity. Tannins are already approachable but provide good structure. Fun to open a bottle young, quite open, expressive, tasty and enjoyable, but clearly will be even better left in the cellar for several years. In any case, seems like a very nice vintage of this.
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This is a wondeful wine. Not extracted or spicy but beautiful fruit, well integrated tannins and wonderful but short finish. I did give this a couple hours to open. Delicious and ready with some air.
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Couldn’t resist opening another bottle and was rewarded accordingly. Gave it a 45 min decant and it was lovely. I just love the overall balance and finish of this wine and vintage. I’ll try to hold off on opening another bottle for another year to see how it develops further. No promises
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First to declare my bias I like Geyserville each year. First half hour or so this seemed lighter and I got more of the Carignan flavors. Then it gained intensity/complexity. I will decant for 1 hr next time. Anyways it was a great match w teriyaki flank steak and fun to drink as always.
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14.7% abv. Medium scarlet, very aromatic. This young Geezer is very approachable and very good. Has the stuffing to go the distance. Going to be good one!
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A little flat when first opened, but kept getting better with air and by hour 2-3 it was gorgeous. Loads of fruit, minerality, and as mentioned an elegant style with a long finish. Drink now with a 2+ hour decant, or give it another couple of years to come together.
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Decanted. Two hours in it was all fruit - red berries to deeper, richer blackberry and plum notes. Still tight but three hours later it was singing. The fruit gave way and the wine was much softer and floral, adding cocoa and spice notes. Just as good on night two. Our first of three.
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Really nice Zin, the Carignane makes this a very "elegant" Zin blend. Fantastic QPR, lots of great fruits, rich blackberry, plum balance, very juicy, Definitely give this a shot!!
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Think it has developed some, or just another case of bottle variation. More flowery and yielding nose-wise. Dark fruit. There is depth. No sharp tannins and aftertaste is pleasant if not a century long.
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As other people have mentioned it takes a whille to come together. A bit of a fruit bomb upon opening, not very enjoyable. By second day it started to come together. Nice black & blue fruit, enough acidity and tannins to make it enjoyable with food.
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First bottle since my note of 2/14/21. This one had no Brett but, like the last bottle, was extremely tight and unyielding on pop and pour. 2 hours in the decanter opened it up slightly, but the oak and fruit weren't well integrated at that point, and it wasn't until a full 24 hours in the decanter that this really started to come together. One thing that all my tastings of this vintage have confirmed is that the 2018 is uncommonly powerful, dense and chewy. My recommendation would be to wait 5-10 years but I'll probably open one a year to follow along. Anticipated drinking window 2025-2040.
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Just very tasty. Classic ridge, and a great bottle. Tons of fruit, decent amount of oak, although well incorporated. Will likely improve with age, but wow is it good now. Need to buy more.
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Need a few hours air to open and integrate the oak keep it from being too toasty on the finish. Dense and concentrated, but silky texture. Nice blend of reds and blacks with spice notes on the nose and finish. Excellent, but could use a couple years to integrate.
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Medium purple color with slow legs. Light oak, cassis and mixed berry on the nose. Plum, cherry and black tea on the palate. Long velvety finish. Should get better with more time.
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Three hour decant. Smooth, well balanced and well made wine that shows nice fruit and spice and holds its alcohol level well. Paired very well with pulled pork.
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This is just such a classy wine. Drank over 2 hours. Light leather, black fruits and spice on the nose.
Silky, light mouthfeel with a bite at the end. Notes of cocoa, black fruits and pepper. The acidity and fruit are very well balanced though it is a tad hot on the finish and they could have gone a touch lighter on the American oak.
It may not be the most exciting wine because it is understated in many ways, but this is the quintessential American wine.
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A delicious zinfandel. Fresh dark / red berries on the palate with the typical spicy, peppery finnish. Nice acidity. Smewhat soft tannins. My wife really loves this wine. 95 from her, 91 from me, so 93 :) Drinks really well now.
Ridge “Geyser” never disappoints, lots of hammy fruit red berry, lots of depth, baked goods and good nose. Went really well with deep dish Chicago style pizza and spinach salad.
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Pretty closed mysterious nose at first. Oxygenation opened up a whole bouquet of scents. Leather, orange, fudge, currant, black cherry. Beautiful color.
Palate - a heavy chocolate flavor with a shimmering citrus flavor that comes in the middle. A brooding dark fruit flavor and pepper supports the very otherwise light wine. Impeccably balanced. A very unique flavor overall. A little thin for me if I had to find criticism. Wonderful.
I rate 94 gf rates 96 so 95.
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Not the best vintage of Geyserville, sorry. Fairly ripe, too ripe to my taste, with only mild to moderate acidity. Tasted over several hours of decanting. Drink up over the next few years.
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I was surprised how soft, friendly and ready this was. Nice brambly fruit, decent acidity, mild tannins, not much oak. Straightforward and tasty. I wonder if it will develop more layers as it ages but I wouldn’t hesitate to open another one soon.
Drinking well with a couple hours in the decanter. Dark fruited, mulberry, plum, with spice jumping out, pepper, menthol, some floral notes. Big and rich, but definitely in balance. This is really good and will be fun to follow.
Garnet color pushing into purple, ripe raspberry with loam nose. Dry black and red fruit via plum. Spiciness hits right away, with oak, mineral salinity and a low-level acidic brightness. The tannins grip early and let go but their astringency is obvious throughout. Slight green streak present. This seems “big” but also still “tight.”
Solid wine, followed over 3 nights. Oak integrated after night 1. Dark berry fruits, mostly blacks but red and blue highlights. Lovely caressing texture on the palate, but there freshness/vibrancy ans a bit of tannin here. Lengthy finish, some spice notes on the back of the palate. Very concentrated wine. Should age but delicious now.
About 10 years into learning about wine, I've realized there are some varietals I'd be okay with a one-and-done example. This qualifies as my preferred zin, and if it were the only kind in my cellar I'd be cool with that - I was introduced to the varietal via Turley, and wasn't fond of that bigger style - this is also thunderous and bold, as the kids say (don't they?), but it's got structure to it and enough length to make it interesting. I really like Bedrock and Carlisle too, but this noses those out . Speaking of which, great nose, too. Need I mention how well it went with our Rao-based pasta sauce? Yes I do.
Full bodied wine with oakiness, ripe fruit dark like plums, thick mouthfeel and some tannins. Dominated by zinfandel off cours lacks some acidity. Very good wine but not my preffered type.
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Like the producer and respect the label; unfortunately, none of the offerings to date have blown me away. Decanted. Shy aromatics, lots of tannin with ripe red and black fruits at entry. Youthful, with lots of potential. Plan to hold my remaining bottle for a couple of years to gauge development. Very good; hold or decant.
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Still very young with great things ahead. PnP, very aromatic. Plum, licorice, spice, raspberry aromas and flavors. Smooth tannins. Extremely good for a young Geyserville.
Purple-crimson color. Zinfandel dominated nose with wood notes. Way too young, of course, but the purity of fruit and the wine's overall balance are impressive; score should rise 2-4 points with time. Buy more and revisit in 5-6 years.
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We picked this as a celebratory wine, hence, no detailed notes taken. But my overall impression was similar to G-MAN's note below. Fantastic and unique rendition of Geyserville. Glad to have a few more! (93-94)
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Deep ruby purple Spicy peppery nose and rich black raspberry flavors with a quite spicy finish with tannins on the back end. Quite flavorful, but a bit raw at this point, by no means elegant. Seemingly huge potential as this comes together over the next five years or so. This needs a decant or a fair amount of time
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Among many others, I buy Geyserville every year since it's such a consistently great wine. 2018 stands out as having so much potential. It drinks so well already with great balance, red fruit and a touch of earth making it one of my favorite recent vintages.
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Let this breathe about an hour, and that made a big difference. Translucent dark ruby. Black cherry, pepper, eucalyptus, spicy. A lot of oak at this stage. Long, long finish. Pretty serious; more steak wine than BBQ wine. Cab drinker zin. Outstanding value under $40. Loads of potential here but very ready now with a little air. 93
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2021: Top Ten Wines; 1/1/2021-12/31/2021 (Redwood City, CA): Was a big fan of the 2017 Ridge Pagani, so wanted to sample more of their repertoire. Gave 4h air to this blend of 68% Zinfandel, 20% Carignane, 10% Petite Sirah and 2% Alicante Bouschet. Medium ruby/purple color. Strawberry, brambles and blackberry, BBQ meat, white pepper and hickory on the nose. Smooth texture, full bodied, sinewy tannins, seriously robust. Succulent red and black fruit on the palate, with a hint of blueberry and pepperiness to the finish. Very enjoyable!
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For a young wine this darling has some serious living already. Rich fruits and wonderfully enticing tannins with a beguiling bramble and spice cake finish. It feels like its going to be a long term keeper and a winner of a vintage for the old geezer.
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Deep inky color with violent hints on the rim. Very muted on the nose, perhaps a hint of plum. Medium-to-medium-plus body with medium tannins and low acid. Bold fruits on the front of the palate (blueberries, raspberries) intermixed with some earthiness and some very strong cigar notes mid-palate and into the finished. Dinged a bit on the score due to the nose, but really delicious otherwise.
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Red cherry, prune, banana, and floral nose. Quite interesting. Dry, light to medium body, medium+ tannins and medium+ acidity. Nice balance. The palate is red fruit and toasty. A little astringent and hot on finish but also fruity and lingering. Overall, nice effort. 89 pts
This wine reminds me why I used to hate California wines. It is extremely ripe with inadequate balancing acidity. It tastes like fruit syrup for an ice cream sundae. Okay, it offers more than that — lovely aromas of black cardamom, lavender, and black tea. And the concentration is admirable. But it is so lifeless on the palate. This is a style I do not support.
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I've tasted the 2018 Geyserville twice before but this was the first bottle I've consumed and followed over a night. There is tremendous power and finesse in this wine, but this bottle was a bit all over the place. Opening quite Bretty and awkwardly sharp, it took 2 hours in a decanter for the quality of this wine to show. But oh boy did it make an appearance after that. What I love so much about Geyserville, year after year, is how gracefully this wine handles its abundant fruit, how well that fruit tempers the generous oaking, and how elegant and restrained the whole package manages to be, considering the blend here. Others here have noted how well it is drinking now. Not our experience tonight, though my previous tastings have been much more impressive from the get-go. But this will go for decades, and I hope to have enough bottles to follow its journey. 14.7%.
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Agree completely with the review below. IMO, this is a wine I would be content drinking all the time. Great QPR and I am glad I have a few in the cellar. If I find anymore for a good deal in the future I may even snag some more
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Why I love this: it’s the complexity and all the herbal and spicy (cinnamon) notes coupled with the juicy fruit (not heavy - but complex) and long interesting finish, just enough acidity to make you keep wanting more. It’s sophisticated, elegant, big, but not too much.
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Dark, black - purple color. Scent of French vanilla, mocha, plum and a touch of oak. Big, smooth and silky in the mouth. Ripe black fruit hides the structure of the wine right now. Very nice balance on the long finish with a bit of a French kiss - that creamy, vanilla, wood and catnip type flavor that drinks so tasty and finishes long on its supple tannins. Good balance to this wine. Drink now for its pure pleasure and cellar a few bottles for long term development and complexity.
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Feb 6, 2021: Smell of rasberry. Good balance. Tasty. Drank with whiskey burger. Good pairing. Aa far as people saying this is amazing wine, I dont see it. But definitely a good wine. Would buy again but it's not something I need to load up on when I prefer to have variety.
Feb 15, 2021: I had some saved in few Boston Round bottles. Tonight right after pouring the wine tastes slightly jammy but not in a bad way.
Feb 25, 2021: finally finished the last boston round bottle of this. Went well with rotisserie chicken.
Bright red fruit and flowers on the nose. Raspberry, cherry fruit and spice on the palate. Enough acidity, soft tannins, balanced, long finish. This is a new world wine that tastes a little old world.
I have a strong prejudice about Californian wines. My short-sighted belief was that you couldn't get great CA wines under $50. This wine disproves this. Great QPR.
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revisit with 2+hour decant n: caramel and raspberry. sometimes strong ink p: sharp acid with raisins following and really coming through hot. Acid is good but alcohol is not (for me). 3+ hour: Hit of spice and stone fruit, oak has chilled out. More decant is better!
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Needs at least a 90 minute decant at this young age. Any less and you will miss out on what this wine has to give.
Nose of blueberry, boysenberry, vanilla, violets and some faint oak. There is a bit of an umami note on the nose as well that comes and goes. Palate of blueberry, black currant, vanilla, a dash of pepper and spice. A bit of rosemary and tarragon develops mid palate. Chewy to round tannins. Long pepper, vanilla, mineral finish. Gained more red fruit notes after 5 hours exposed to air. Well structured and evolved nicely over the evening.
Great now, but will be better with some age. I am waiting till at least 2025 before opening more bottles of this vintage.
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pnp Med, dark purple N: spicy paella. lower intensity blood/iron P: buttery vanilla initial, med body+tannin. Raisins, baking spice like nutmeg? pepper on the back First Ridge ever, was expecting more brightness. Will check back in with some air
Drank alongside the 2018 Lytton Springs and 2018 Three Valleys. While we certainly enjoyed all 3, the Geyserville was the consensus favorite. Great balance of fruit acidity and structure. Glad we have 11 more bottles as this should only get even better.
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The nose is full of rich dark fruit, a hint of dill. The palate is expansive, with delicious red and black fruits, substantial structure, spice, and vanilla. Definitely opens up with air, and I expect this has a long life ahead. Probably my favorite young Geyserville vintage I’ve had.
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Like some other tasters mentioned, be sure to give this a healthy decant. Has lovely aromas, but it builds on the palate with some air.
Pepper, tart red berries, sweet black cherries, tobacco, and a ton of vanilla oakiness. Fairly unbalanced for now due to the heat (the 14.7% abv really shows) and the intense oak. This gets a lot of hype and, IMO, it’s not really warranted, at least at this stage.
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If opening this bottle now do yourself a favor and decant for at least an hour. After it has some time to breath the (maybe unpleasant) earthy notes fade on the nose give way to blue and red fruits. Was getting red fruits on the palate with vanilla and spice. If drinking now I'd prefer a bottle of Lytton Springs to the Geyserville, but I do think the Geyserville will evolve pleasantly with time.
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Unbalanced now. Dark sweet fruit, black currants, blackberries and raspberries, full-bodied, spicy, vanilla, tobacco. Fuller and perhaps more jammy than previous vintages. More power than elegance. Hold. From a half bottle.
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Drank with no decant over the course of the night. Initially the nose was marked by overpowering earthy and animal notes with a slightly muted palate. Eventually the animal mellowed and the nose/palate showed borderline ripe. Sweet red fruit, blueberry, dusty earth, gamey grilled meat (lamb?), and mineral. Certainly drinkable now but needs some time to open. Overall good for the price but not my favorite. Not sure how much this improves with time but my hope is the animal not dissipates.
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Dark plum, nutmeg, cast iron and some nougat. Evident tannins and striking alcohol is covered rather well by the high intensity of each note on the palette.
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Honest love here for this wine. Third bottle thus far and I can't find anything wrong with it- classic dusty bramble and spice from Sonoma zinfandel, though Alexander Valley, not Dry Creek. Great structure and mouthfeel from Carignan and PS. We've bought for 40-46$ depending on the shop. Worth it, should age well but totally drinkable now.
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Interesting wine. Over the course of an evening, we tasted ripe and fresh fruit, smoked meat, vanilla, and yeasty bread, and the profile seemed to change every hour or so. Sturdy structure to support this complexity. Young tannins but not unpleasant.
Medium-bodied and balanced. Clearly new-world, but old-new-world not new-new-world. Blackberry and blueberry and umami with a long finish. Very good, especially if you appreciate class over size.
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A little hesitant at first but boy do you sense the power of the dark fruit (force). Gunpowder, licoric, leather and a slightly spicy oak touch at the end. A little warm but I have tried worse primitivos from Italy. A lot worse. What intrigues me is the sheer depth of the taste. And this bottle didn’t start to sing before it had been opened for a week
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Let decant for about an hour and a half. Nose of cedar, vanilla from the oak, slight menthol, dark red cherry, and maybe some rose petals. Palate was dark cherries, plum, cigar box. Delicious. Needs time still. Definitely one to hold off for another 2-3 years and will probably go 10-15.
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This was great, paired with Italian sausage and linguini. Leather, cinnamon, and embers on the nose, licorice, and dark cherry on the palate. Incredibly smooth, not overly complex, medium finish, ruby color
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This was great, but the last glass was the best suggesting either decant or hold. Still, lots of pleasure now with the warm (not alcohol warm) red fruits, subtle spice and youthful verve. Served in GlassVin stems.
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Anton’s Wine Tasting Notes Ridge Geyserville 2018 Winery: Ridge Varietal: 68% Zinfandel, 20% Carignane, 10% Petite Sirah, 2% Alicante Bouschet Area/Appellation: Cal., Sonoma County, Alexander Valley, Geyserville. Vintage: 2018 Price: $50/Auburn Spirits West Kansas Color: Dark purple, rich dark ruby on the sides. Legs: slow Nose: raspberries, blackberry jam, blueberries, plum, sage, vanilla, Palate: rich and fruit driven with raspberry, blackberry, blueberry, oak, Finish: silky smooth, fairly balanced, rich and deep, Comments: This a Geyserville that is soo user/food friendly. It has everything. Rich nose, voluptuous texture, beautiful fruit, integrated balance. The finish is, however, just a tad bit short, like others in CT have stated. Which keeps it out of the 92-94 range. Maybe in 2-4 years. Pairing Suggestions: When Pigs Fly BBQ, Rich meats with spicy sauces, pork tenderloin, Score in terms of Vintage: 90 Score for the Wine: 91.9-92 Value for the Money: Excellent Date Tasted: 11/28/2020 Tasted by: ACK
This was a crowd pleaser. Berry driven and concentrated with black fruits and lovely spicy notes scattered in for depth. Not as tannic as a recent ‘18 Lyton Springs. Given the history, I’m sure this with age well.
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60% Zin, cut with 20% Carignane, 10% Petite Syrah and a few bits of other varietals. Very claret like and not over the top like many Zins. Complex and well balanced. Drinks well young. Begs for one more sip! Nice long finish. Carries it's 14.7% alcohol really well.
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Supple brambly deliciousness with delightful structure and mouthwatering acidity. Nose for days and (too) drinkable so best post your notes early in the tasting lest you ramble like this :)
I think this only gets better and a case is not enough.
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We do not drink a lot of Zinfandel. This one though has been a repeat purchase for more than a decade and it does not disappoint in 2018. Modest nose but rich fruit with a touch of sweetness and spice on the palate. No idea if time will improve it but very tasty now.
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Prune and pen ink on the nose. On the palate, blackberry, black cherry, plum, cocoa, and pepper on the medium to long finish, with strong tannins and strong acidity. This is young and disjointed; although it's good now, a few years should improve this greatly. The Cellartracker drinking window looks about right. This was a good value at a little under $40.
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This is flat out a gorgeous wine that I can’t keep my mitts off of. It’s the Everlasting Gobstopper of noses lol, with smoked meat, barrel spice and cocoa leading the charge amidst the black fruits. Medium bodied and just perfect right now, plenty of acidity keeps what seems like a dark and dense wine fresh and vibrant. Tastes like 12.7% not 14.7%.
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Admittedly drank too young but I had 2 bottles and wanted to see what this wine was all about. 2nd bottle will be left to sleep for at least 3 years. 68% Zin, 20% Carignane, 10% Petite Sirah, abd 2% Alcante Bouschet. Dark ruby, intense fruits and tannins. Black cherry, black plum, gravel, oak spices.
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Intoxicating nose you could bottle and sell in Paris, ripe peach dominant. Palate adds tart plum, some graphite. I say tart, but acidity is well-balanced, just enough to be mouthwatering. Long, long finish. A tad hot yet, tannins poised, young, already beautiful, but loaded with potential. I must not open more bottles of this anytime soon, though it won’t be easy.
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Deep purple color. Medium full body. Still very primary. Pronounced tannins and acidity. Dark fruit predominates with a touch of vanilla. Also has a bit of alcohol heat. Needs time. Revisit in 2022.
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3 of 6 Something is special about this year. IMO the best ever right out of the gate for enjoyment this young. It is pretty tasty drinking right now. Seamless structure, savory fruit, & such a clear hint at the complexity to come. The Carignane adds so much to the blend this vintage. There is almost an umami character to the nose, that is hard to define, and it does seem more Euro in nature. Getting more for now & later. Long+ time fan, it should age very well.
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Yes this is young, but it is lovely and has the makings to be great with age. Bramble fruit and plush mouthfeel. Lengthy finish. Jammy notes, but not overwhelming. Shining even more after some time in the glass.
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Opened for a Zoom tasting with Thomas Keller, which was immensely interesting. I can see why this wine has gotten some early rave reviews. Decanted for 5 full hours and enjoyed over another 90 minutes. Dark fruit, cherry and bramble on the nose, with a hint of alcohol showing. Red and black fruit on the palate, without a hint of jammy-ness. Nice umami note, too. Great mouthfeel, long finish. Medium high acid and moderate tannin. I definitely need to buy a case of this.
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I have to join the chorus singing the praises of the 2018. This has a very classic build. I'm sure it's going to age fantastically. There is plenty of fruit but it's just kinda of simmering. Notes of old barrel hanging around as spice. Well balanced in terms of acidity. Drinks like an old world stalwart. Terrific. Must bury the rest.
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I’ve tried this Geeser eight times now. Just went back for nine more. I’ve been drinking Ridge Zins since the mid 1970’s as it is near us to visit. Today I decided, for me, yes, this is the best Geyserville I have ever had. It has that balance of not too much fruit, not subtle or weak, hidden alcohol, lovely dark fruits and spectacular coating mouth feel. Dynamite juice and its only a two year old.
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Seeing through the glass darkly ... 1st day - my view - this is a lesser of the 2016, better than the 2017, excellent except lacked laser flavors of the 2016 and less richness overall. 2d day, soft tannins in a much more subdued experience. worth drinking but minimal interest. My counsel, if you drink, decant and do the whole bottle. Comparisons: 2016 richer with complex flavors and long finish, 2017 richer however, strong tannin overprint evident on day 2 (I dumped it out after storing with Argon). If not the virus to go to the store, I would be tempted to pay more and buy 2016's I know about to add to my stash. Passed on 2017's and will drink the 2018's young (right stuff to improve although not the top, problem is a now 100 bottle storage and need to filter). If you can store hundreds, good wine to buy and hold.
7/12 No change to this review but since have drunk several since available. Gville is a wine to pursue and hold. For me the 2016 is the wine (I think the '05 was the last one, not sure). I am puzzled at reviews that place '17, '18 higher because I don't see it relative to my experience with serious red wines aging to being interesting. What is missing to me for a zin is "richness" in the middle and a longer finish, having not experienced any wine develop a long finish. No mistake, I like wine and am not done with it.
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A killer Geyserville, very old world in style which I know is weird to say about a Zin blend. Great earthy component, can drink now or hold for 20 years.
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Very impressive showing. The flavors, acid, and tannin are all really well balanced. Young, but open. I would imagine this has some good aging potential judging from its structure.
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A classic but sophisticated zin. Excellent smoky plum fruit with a hint of pepper and granite. Very very pleasant finish. This wine was superb with BBQ.
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This wine exudes class. Cherry, Dr. Pepper and lots of spice. Velvet mouthfeel. World Class Zinfandel that I think a European would enjoy. Very good value for money IMO.
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Deceptively light on its feet, the dazzling 2018 Geyserville delivers a kaleidoscope of red and black fruits, Asian spice and flowers. It delivers enormous pleasure today but I’m looking forward to its evolution over the next several years.
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4/29/2024 - VAGenius wrote: 91 Points
Quick decant. Nose of mulled cider and cooked plum with light licorice, charcoal, and applewood aromas. Black raspberry and damson palate rides on a firm structure of tannins and acidity. A peppery wave builds into the finish, fading into rocks, black fruit, spice, and a long, lingering American Oak finale.
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4/22/2024 - pmik Likes this wine: 91 Points
Store Vinnørd i Holte. Min vin
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3/26/2024 - akspres wrote: 90 Points
Lovely now but keep for another 5-8 years. Paired nicely with onglet and green pepper sauce.
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3/21/2024 - Bgropp4 wrote: 93 Points
Revisited for a birthday dinner... Super enjoyable for the style! Full bodied with big fruit just a touch of nuance with enough acid to keep it afloat. A really great QPR and overall just a pleasant drinking experience!
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3/8/2024 - scorbett Likes this wine:
Dark chocolate, tobacco, bramble, very faint wisp of eucalyptus. Such a good wine. Opened the same night as a Tempier single vineyard and this easily won (which is crazy to me).
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3/7/2024 - 2loyal wrote: 93 Points
Phenomenal QPR anywhere near $40. Drinking very well.
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3/4/2024 - Botli wrote: 90 Points
HL žema; 2/28/2024-3/4/2024 (Marbakkabraut): Hér var nokkuð spennandi lykt í gangi, sólber, rakettur (aka púður), núggat, Kahlua, sætt píputóbak "Prince Albert", frábær lykt. Í bragði var nefnt að það vantaði einhverja fágun, mátti greina bylgjupappa, kaffi, lítil tannín, hvítur pipar. Að mörgu leyti fínasta vín en vantaði jafnvægi milli nefs og bragðs.
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1/19/2024 - LingonTuvan Likes this wine: 89 Points
Had 2016 and 2018 side by side. Very similar and windows wide open. A lot of dried fruit, reminding of a good ripasso/amarone.
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11/25/2023 - NostraBacchus Likes this wine: 91 Points
This is pretty ripe and in your face, as usual, I prefer the Lytton Springs next to it. Notes of jammy plum, some wild cherries, smoke, vanilla, also some minty notes. It‘s full-bodied and rich, with medium+ acidity and the alcohol just being a touch recognizable. Medium+ tannin adding structure. Good length. This is a little rper than I like my Ridge… nevertheless a unique and fascinating wine. Maybe everything will come together with a few years more in bottle. (91+)
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11/23/2023 - Collector1855 wrote: 90 Points
Nose of plum, vanilla, cake. This was much richer than the Lytton Springs, which I preferred.
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11/15/2023 - ScottyDux Does not like this wine:
Not ready or bad bottle. Usually LOVE Ridge wines.
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10/8/2023 - Bob23 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nicely savory, well balanced, tasty bottle of juice.
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8/22/2023 - Mark1npt Likes this wine: 92 Points
Fairly graded, I think by the CT community. Pnp'd with a pepperoni pizza and enjoyed most of the bottle over 2+ hours. Solid blackberry fruit, pepper/spicebox and briar components. Well made, integrated and solid. Nothing on the downside, nothing very extraordinary either, just a solid zin wine.
Addendum: 2nd night, one glass left on the bottle under cork only, no gas, no vacuum.
This wine held together exceptionally well. The singular difference? All the other varietals that make up this field blend came to the forefront, while the zin profile essentially disappeared. Juicy black fruits emerged, again with excellent balance to the overall wine and no degradation at all, on the 2nd night.
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7/18/2023 - FoMoCo Likes this wine: 91 Points
I find this to be drinking very well. PnP last night - finished the bottle second night. I didn’t find the oak or tannins to be overwhelming at all; seemed to have integrated nicely.
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6/26/2023 - VinCA wrote:
Elegant with notes of black raspberry, nice acid backbone and fine tannins. 5 years may be the golden time!
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6/1/2023 - ChateauShiny Likes this wine: 94 Points
After a string of disappointing Ridges (both new and old), I felt it was time to pop open our other bottle of the 2018 Geyserville.
Decanted for an hour. The nose is light but balanced - Bramble, vanilla, tarragon, dill, perfume/violets, and a dash of black pepper. Laser focused and precise. Medium bodied, bright to almost high acidity, and light to moderate structure (seems to gain some weight as it got more air). For the most part, the palate follows the nose with the addition of some blue fruits. Medium tannins bring in graphite and black tea. Medium to long finish of graphite, granite, tarragon, rosemary, black tea, berry skins and a slight hint of mushroom-leaning umami.
To me - this is drinking in a beautiful place.
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5/16/2023 - adamanko wrote: 89 Points
Not the best Geyserville as I remember it. 89-90
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4/30/2023 - snarfglk Likes this wine: 90 Points
good but not what was expected
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4/26/2023 - VinCA wrote:
Nice black raspberry, great balance, good structure. Normally would wait longer on the Geyserville, but this was prime drinking.
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4/23/2023 - Mike Dildine Likes this wine: 94 Points
14.7% abv. Dark ruby, moderate aromatics. Ripe plum, black raspberry, black pepper and cinnamon highlight a fresh and lively palate impression. Excellent balance, depth and length. Probably a year or two premature for this wine, but extremely enjoyable. Will drink well for years to come.
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4/16/2023 - Swan 60 wrote: 89 Points
Not ready. Tannins and acid out of balance. Needs at least a couple more years. It mellowed out after a couple hours of breathing.
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4/8/2023 - unc0rked Likes this wine: 95 Points
Wow. This was one of the best zinfandels I have had in recent history and I drink a decent amount of zinfandel! Dark fruit, rich and fullbodied with a long sweet finish. So well balanced, there was no heat anywhere--the alcohol was finely integrated. On the palate, it was just rich with a velvety weight to it. Plums but not too much which can often take away from a good zin. I would say it is in a nice drinking window. I should have bought a case. I just bought two. Which means I have another one!
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3/14/2023 - Necowine wrote: 88 Points
Ripe, smooth, and Californian, but for me short of my other wonderful Ridge experiences.
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3/11/2023 - PNIELSEN Likes this wine: 92 Points
This is drinking quite well right now. I am not getting the oak emphasis others have mentioned, but then I don't have the aversion to oak that others do. What I do get is a strong blackberry liqueur character, along with Christmas spice and earth. The tannins are silky. This can be consumed now without guilt or held for many more years.
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2/11/2023 - MattFultz wrote: 91 Points
Very nice. Berry and bramble right up front, with a long finish. Very smooth and nicely integrated. Maybe benefit from a few years yet but you won’t be sad you drank it now. Paired beautifully with short ribs, roast carrots and polenta
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2/5/2023 - ewasowicz Likes this wine: 88 Points
Raisins and some dark chocolate. I thought it might open up better with time but it didn’t.
It was ok but not great.
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1/14/2023 - jmottern Likes this wine: 92 Points
Deep dark red full wine (14.7%). Great nose. Black cherry and plum fruit with a hint of licorice and spice. Lasting finish.
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1/8/2023 - JoeMe Likes this wine: 92 Points
Blackberry and spices on the nose. Vanilla and cedar, while very elegant and integrated, oak is the most dominant aroma on the nose. Sweet ripe plum, back cherry, dark berries, cinamon on the palate. Medium body, with its spice and sweet elements, it paired well with jerk babyback ribs. Tannins are soft after a couple hours of air. A point better than my first bottle 13 months ago. Overall an elegant wine with ripe California fruit. 91-92
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1/1/2023 - Henry Miller Likes this wine: 95 Points
A robust vintage, with the Rhone varietals poking through (See SunShip flavor description). The Zin sneaks in, caresses, sweetens the pie. An outstanding showing for this California classic.
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12/26/2022 - Sun_Ship Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dark cherry, prune, cola, brambles, with touches of leather and liquorice. Seductive, but at times coming across a bit overblown and raisiny. Deep and rich mouthfeel, dark sweet fruit, medium, velvety body and melt in your mouth tannins. Some vanilla from the oak, but better integrated than expected. Super drinkable.
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12/24/2022 - gharter Likes this wine: 88 Points
PnP. very aromatic. Plum, licorice, spice, raspberry aromas and flavors. Smooth tannins. Not nearly as good as the last bottle. Didn't seem flawed. Starting to shut down? Plan to wait a few years before opening the next bottle.
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12/5/2022 - jmottern Likes this wine: 94 Points
Medium big body (14.7%) deep red wine. Nice nose followed by plum and cherry fruit with a hint of spice. Very long finish.
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12/4/2022 - mru12000 wrote: 94 Points
Medium garnet in color spicy fruity nose with sweet black fruit taste and a bit of tannins finished fruity, sweet and very smooth-tasted from half bottle
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11/22/2022 - melzar wrote: 89 Points
Not aging as well as anticipated. Oak now evident, as well as inadequate acidity. Fruit saves this wine, and it went well with Italian sweet sausage and peppers sandwiches. Pagani Ranch is now my favorite Ridge Zin bottling.Addendum: Better on day three.
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10/29/2022 - drmilkweed Likes this wine: 93 Points
1 hr air. Slightly earthy with concentrated fruit and good structure. Raspberry, red currant, light cocoa, white pepper. complex with long finish. Drinking well, but clearly time for improvement.
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8/20/2022 - jonh1 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Pnp.
Nose: tart black cherry, vanilla.
Taste: big but balanced. Nice, inviting fruit. Juicy ripe cherry, currant, even watermelon. Moves from the condensated fruit to cedar and clove. Plus acid and medium body keeps it from being cloying, despite the fruit.
After an hour, a bit more yeast and bramble on the nose.
Really balanced, enjoyable, and engaging wine.
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8/14/2022 - TannicBeast Likes this wine: 93 Points
Med+ ruby. 68% Zin, w/ 20% Carignane, 10% Petite Sarah, 2% Alicante Bouschet. Intense black berry, blueberry, black plum, preserve, with pleasant oak spice. Dry, but fruit-forward, with med acidity, med tannins, high alcohol (14.7%). Full-bodied, with a rounded mouthfeel, with great flavor intensity and length, it shows remarkable balance. Still a baby, with potential for improving with further aging. Solid value.
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8/13/2022 - tautlinehitch Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drunk with dinner a week ago and I didn't take notes, but this was spectacular, textbook Dry Creek / Alexander Valley Zin. Great fruit / tannin / acid balance, fruit subtle and complex - no strawberry bombs here, I remember cherry, young plum, blueberry? I bought this at a charity auction, in a package put up by a collector, would not know where to buy more - but wow did I get a deal!
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8/2/2022 - redz wrote: 91 Points
similar to last tasting, need to age last bottle more.
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7/7/2022 - WineJ2019 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Consistent prior notes. Day 1 was a bit more closed, Day 2 was much more expressive. I think this will age well and I will try to wait a while on my other 2 bottles
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6/28/2022 - Magicviking Likes this wine: 92 Points
2018 stadig lidt ung, men fornemmer tanniner pakket i silke og med en dejlig lang eftersmag
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6/27/2022 - brodien wrote: 93 Points
My first Cali Zin & an enjoyable one to boot. Wasn’t sure quite what to expect but found a very expressive wine: chock full of exotic berries, hints of liquorice and plum(?). Like nothing I’ve had before - very interesting & full of life. Loved those tannins as well.
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6/16/2022 - tedcholl Likes this wine: 91 Points
The extra time in the bottle since my first bottle definitely improved this wine. Much smoother and more integrated than the first bottle I had 2 years ago. 68% Zin, 20% Carignane, 10% Petite Sirah, 2% Alicante Bouschet. The additional grapes give this wine a unique and pleasant palate and not very Zin like. blackberry, plum, cherry, chocolate, baking spice, coffee.
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6/12/2022 - daveste Likes this wine: 91 Points
Smooth, rich, acid fading a bit but still adequate. V.g. W steak. Drink up!
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6/6/2022 - Stephen Rash Likes this wine:
This drank well, but did not live up to the Geyserville hype! Muted nose and had to really concentrate to pinpoint aromas. I feel it was either slightly flawed or just shut down.
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5/9/2022 - jmottern Likes this wine: 90 Points
Good but not as good as the previous bottles. Fruit was more muted and not as pleasant. Long finish.
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5/9/2022 - iamandyc Likes this wine: 90 Points
The score is my overall experience trying over 3 days. At its best (day 2 and 3) it was brawny but very tasty with lots going on. At its worst, not as much body and rather simple. Probably young at this stage.
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4/26/2022 - WinoRick wrote: 89 Points
Consumed over a week ago, and I only remember that it wasn't at all memorable. 89-90, but I like to submit reviews and scores.
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4/3/2022 - vinorsk Likes this wine: 89 Points
Big, jammy, rich black fruit. Exactly what you expect in terms of power and ripeness but the blend prevents it from being over the top. There is enough body and depth and earthiness to keep the Zinfandel in check. Very good for what it is but still a little to hot at 14.7% abv. Could improve with time- although true Zinfandel fans may not view a more tame wine as an improvement.
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3/20/2022 - Vino Me wrote: 82 Points
Opened by a friend from magnum. 68% Zinfandel, 20% Carignane, 10% Petite Sirah, 2% Alicante Bouschet. Too over the top for my tastes. Some bitterness on the finish. 82 points.
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2/12/2022 - snarfglk Likes this wine: 91 Points
91-92
never seems to disappoint
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2/12/2022 - thoughtdujour wrote: 93 Points
Drank like a champ. Paired beautifully with fried chicken. Wow
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2/11/2022 - Rudolph Schmidt Likes this wine:
68% Zinfandel, 20% Carignane, 10% Petite Sirah, 2% Alicante Bouschet (a cross of Petit Bouschet & Grenache).
Raspberry, earthy minerality, plum, cigar humidor, coffee beans, Asian 5 spice.
Even with a two-hour decant - I feel that I'm doing this wine a disservice by opening it up so young. This still has a lifetime ahead of it.
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2/9/2022 - erwanlemoing Likes this wine: 93 Points
I really liked it. Young, needed some air and decant time. Was really interesting to see how it evolved over two hours.
Dark color, plum and dark fruits nose. Spice, long finish. Really waiting to see how it will do in the next few years.
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2/5/2022 - jmottern Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark red full wine (14.7%). Excellent nose followed by black cherry, raisin and plum fruits. Enjoyable finish with spice.
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1/29/2022 - Goofienewfy Likes this wine: 92 Points
Heavy nose of plum. Taste is mineral with black fruit. Complex wine blend. Really unique.
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1/28/2022 - scorbett Likes this wine:
A beauty now, can only imagine what it will become.
That nice Ridge minty, licorice, dusty full-fruit-spectrum happiness.
I had a bunch of stuff to cook tonight so it performed equally well on its own, with steak, and with Margherita pizza.
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1/22/2022 - Twopawsup Likes this wine: 94 Points
Definitely getting better in just four months later than last tasting. New oak, cassis and bursting fruit aromas on the nose. Plum, black cherry and spices on the palate. Long leathery finish. Glad I have four more bottles to age. Recommend two hour decant.
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1/22/2022 - Beerzebub Likes this wine:
P&p; best with 2+ hours of air in the bottle and at its most expressive after 4 or 5 hours. Nice dark red fruit, rich and concentrated while staying fresh and lively. Spicy, toasty oak, complementary, perhaps a bit much at this young age, but contributing to a seductive incense-like character. Rich, smooth texture but lifted by good acidity. Tannins are already approachable but provide good structure. Fun to open a bottle young, quite open, expressive, tasty and enjoyable, but clearly will be even better left in the cellar for several years. In any case, seems like a very nice vintage of this.
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1/18/2022 - tadams66 Likes this wine: 91 Points
This is a wondeful wine. Not extracted or spicy but beautiful fruit, well integrated tannins and wonderful but short finish. I did give this a couple hours to open. Delicious and ready with some air.
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1/14/2022 - Thebigbaby Likes this wine: 92 Points
Couldn’t resist opening another bottle and was rewarded accordingly. Gave it a 45 min decant and it was lovely. I just love the overall balance and finish of this wine and vintage. I’ll try to hold off on opening another bottle for another year to see how it develops further. No promises
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1/12/2022 - Renzloh Likes this wine: 92 Points
Powerful.
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1/6/2022 - redz wrote: 91 Points
Tight, shoulda decanted. Still young.
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12/13/2021 - WineJ2019 Likes this wine: 92 Points
First to declare my bias I like Geyserville each year. First half hour or so this seemed lighter and I got more of the Carignan flavors. Then it gained intensity/complexity. I will decant for 1 hr next time. Anyways it was a great match w teriyaki flank steak and fun to drink as always.
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12/12/2021 - Mike Dildine Likes this wine: 94 Points
14.7% abv. Medium scarlet, very aromatic. This young Geezer is very approachable and very good. Has the stuffing to go the distance. Going to be good one!
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12/9/2021 - chrischap01 Likes this wine: 93 Points
A little flat when first opened, but kept getting better with air and by hour 2-3 it was gorgeous. Loads of fruit, minerality, and as mentioned an elegant style with a long finish. Drink now with a 2+ hour decant, or give it another couple of years to come together.
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11/24/2021 - Theodore S Butts Likes this wine: 93 Points
Seriously, what’s not to like? Very good with braised short ribs and roasted vegetables.
Great ruby color. Strong peppery cherry nose. Pleasant tart black fruits and chewy tannins with a bit of wet stone.
Always a great go-to wine.
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11/22/2021 - GeoCab wrote:
Not a huge surprise that the ‘19 made WS’s top 100 list
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11/20/2021 - Ewhite30 Likes this wine:
Decanted. Two hours in it was all fruit - red berries to deeper, richer blackberry and plum notes. Still tight but three hours later it was singing. The fruit gave way and the wine was much softer and floral, adding cocoa and spice notes. Just as good on night two. Our first of three.
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11/10/2021 - GeoCab wrote: 93 Points
Really nice Zin, the Carignane makes this a very "elegant" Zin blend. Fantastic QPR, lots of great fruits, rich blackberry, plum balance, very juicy, Definitely give this a shot!!
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11/9/2021 - tjin Likes this wine: 90 Points
Ripe blackberry and blueberry on the nose. Notes of cherry and chocolate, with an elegant graphite finish.
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11/7/2021 - Shiv K Likes this wine: 92 Points
Too young. Wait.
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11/6/2021 - Eriklainen wrote:
Think it has developed some, or just another case of bottle variation. More flowery and yielding nose-wise. Dark fruit. There is depth. No sharp tannins and aftertaste is pleasant if not a century long.
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11/4/2021 - jps3@columbia.edu Likes this wine:
As other people have mentioned it takes a whille to come together. A bit of a fruit bomb upon opening, not very enjoyable. By second day it started to come together. Nice black & blue fruit, enough acidity and tannins to make it enjoyable with food.
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11/1/2021 - pakabear Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drinking really well right now, an obvious Zin blend, perfect balance great qpr. love it.
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10/23/2021 - Benj wrote:
First bottle since my note of 2/14/21. This one had no Brett but, like the last bottle, was extremely tight and unyielding on pop and pour. 2 hours in the decanter opened it up slightly, but the oak and fruit weren't well integrated at that point, and it wasn't until a full 24 hours in the decanter that this really started to come together. One thing that all my tastings of this vintage have confirmed is that the 2018 is uncommonly powerful, dense and chewy. My recommendation would be to wait 5-10 years but I'll probably open one a year to follow along. Anticipated drinking window 2025-2040.
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10/15/2021 - sfochild Likes this wine: 92 Points
Just very tasty. Classic ridge, and a great bottle. Tons of fruit, decent amount of oak, although well incorporated. Will likely improve with age, but wow is it good now. Need to buy more.
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9/30/2021 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Need a few hours air to open and integrate the oak keep it from being too toasty on the finish. Dense and concentrated, but silky texture. Nice blend of reds and blacks with spice notes on the nose and finish. Excellent, but could use a couple years to integrate.
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9/29/2021 - Twopawsup Likes this wine: 92 Points
Medium purple color with slow legs. Light oak, cassis and mixed berry on the nose. Plum, cherry and black tea on the palate. Long velvety finish. Should get better with more time.
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9/11/2021 - Thebigbaby Likes this wine: 92 Points
Three hour decant. Smooth, well balanced and well made wine that shows nice fruit and spice and holds its alcohol level well. Paired very well with pulled pork.
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9/10/2021 - winecadence Likes this wine: 92 Points
Fantastic. Much improved in a year.
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9/9/2021 - guillermo- Likes this wine: 94 Points
This is just such a classy wine. Drank over 2 hours. Light leather, black fruits and spice on the nose.
Silky, light mouthfeel with a bite at the end. Notes of cocoa, black fruits and pepper. The acidity and fruit are very well balanced though it is a tad hot on the finish and they could have gone a touch lighter on the American oak.
It may not be the most exciting wine because it is understated in many ways, but this is the quintessential American wine.
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9/9/2021 - mortenaa Likes this wine: 93 Points
A delicious zinfandel. Fresh dark / red berries on the palate with the typical spicy, peppery finnish. Nice acidity. Smewhat soft tannins. My wife really loves this wine. 95 from her, 91 from me, so 93 :) Drinks really well now.
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9/6/2021 - mpricher wrote: 91 Points
Ridge “Geyser” never disappoints, lots of hammy fruit red berry, lots of depth, baked goods and good nose. Went really well with deep dish Chicago style pizza and spinach salad.
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9/4/2021 - jmottern Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very nice big zinfandel (14.7%). A balanced mouthful of black cherry, licorice with some plum fruit. Nice spice finish. This will age for sometime.
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8/31/2021 - Discobiscuits42 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Pretty closed mysterious nose at first. Oxygenation opened up a whole bouquet of scents. Leather, orange, fudge, currant, black cherry. Beautiful color.
Palate - a heavy chocolate flavor with a shimmering citrus flavor that comes in the middle. A brooding dark fruit flavor and pepper supports the very otherwise light wine. Impeccably balanced. A very unique flavor overall. A little thin for me if I had to find criticism. Wonderful.
I rate 94 gf rates 96 so 95.
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8/31/2021 - Slaz wrote: 91 Points
Not the best vintage of Geyserville, sorry. Fairly ripe, too ripe to my taste, with only mild to moderate acidity. Tasted over several hours of decanting. Drink up over the next few years.
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8/22/2021 - sdr Likes this wine: 91 Points
I was surprised how soft, friendly and ready this was. Nice brambly fruit, decent acidity, mild tannins, not much oak. Straightforward and tasty. I wonder if it will develop more layers as it ages but I wouldn’t hesitate to open another one soon.
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8/22/2021 - RichardP wrote: 93 Points
These are definitely improving over time. The Cellartracker drinking window may be a little short.
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8/21/2021 - dadsdrinkwinetoo Likes this wine:
Drinking well with a couple hours in the decanter. Dark fruited, mulberry, plum, with spice jumping out, pepper, menthol, some floral notes. Big and rich, but definitely in balance. This is really good and will be fun to follow.
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8/17/2021 - Sashimie Likes this wine:
Garnet color pushing into purple, ripe raspberry with loam nose.
Dry black and red fruit via plum. Spiciness hits right away, with oak, mineral salinity and a low-level acidic brightness. The tannins grip early and let go but their astringency is obvious throughout. Slight green streak present. This seems “big” but also still “tight.”
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7/15/2021 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Solid wine, followed over 3 nights. Oak integrated after night 1. Dark berry fruits, mostly blacks but red and blue highlights. Lovely caressing texture on the palate, but there freshness/vibrancy ans a bit of tannin here. Lengthy finish, some spice notes on the back of the palate. Very concentrated wine. Should age but delicious now.
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7/10/2021 - ledocq Likes this wine:
About 10 years into learning about wine, I've realized there are some varietals I'd be okay with a one-and-done example. This qualifies as my preferred zin, and if it were the only kind in my cellar I'd be cool with that - I was introduced to the varietal via Turley, and wasn't fond of that bigger style - this is also thunderous and bold, as the kids say (don't they?), but it's got structure to it and enough length to make it interesting. I really like Bedrock and Carlisle too, but this noses those out . Speaking of which, great nose, too. Need I mention how well it went with our Rao-based pasta sauce? Yes I do.
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7/10/2021 - Ulveström Likes this wine: 90 Points
Full bodied wine with oakiness, ripe fruit dark like plums, thick mouthfeel and some tannins. Dominated by zinfandel off cours lacks some acidity. Very good wine but not my preffered type.
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7/3/2021 - theoaronson wrote:
Pizza at LBI w Jacob
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5/30/2021 - PJM0208 Likes this wine: 90 Points
This has all the component parts to become a very nice wine but it’s too young and too tannic for now.
I will try again in a few years.
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5/15/2021 - wmccone54 wrote: 91 Points
Like the producer and respect the label; unfortunately, none of the offerings to date have blown me away. Decanted. Shy aromatics, lots of tannin with ripe red and black fruits at entry. Youthful, with lots of potential. Plan to hold my remaining bottle for a couple of years to gauge development. Very good; hold or decant.
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5/14/2021 - gharter Likes this wine: 93 Points
Still very young with great things ahead. PnP, very aromatic. Plum, licorice, spice, raspberry aromas and flavors. Smooth tannins. Extremely good for a young Geyserville.
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5/8/2021 - stoneb Likes this wine: 90 Points
Purple-crimson color. Zinfandel dominated nose with wood notes. Way too young, of course, but the purity of fruit and the wine's overall balance are impressive; score should rise 2-4 points with time. Buy more and revisit in 5-6 years.
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5/8/2021 - Sijan Likes this wine:
Excellent red w/ good acidity
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5/6/2021 - PNIELSEN Likes this wine: 93 Points
We picked this as a celebratory wine, hence, no detailed notes taken. But my overall impression was similar to G-MAN's note below. Fantastic and unique rendition of Geyserville. Glad to have a few more! (93-94)
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5/3/2021 - cos65 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Fairly deep ruby purple
Rich blackberry flavors
Moderate tannins
Still a bit raw and better with time, but quite impressive at this point
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4/15/2021 - cos65 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Deep ruby purple
Spicy peppery nose and rich black raspberry flavors with a quite spicy finish with tannins on the back end.
Quite flavorful, but a bit raw at this point, by no means elegant. Seemingly huge potential as this comes together over the next five years or so.
This needs a decant or a fair amount of time
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4/14/2021 - snarfglk Likes this wine: 91 Points
Really great on first pour, leveled off to a 91 after that.
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4/14/2021 - g-man Likes this wine: 92 Points
Among many others, I buy Geyserville every year since it's such a consistently great wine. 2018 stands out as having so much potential. It drinks so well already with great balance, red fruit and a touch of earth making it one of my favorite recent vintages.
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4/7/2021 - Bob Bimon wrote: 90 Points
Mycket mörk frukt och söt ek. För mycket för min smak. Alla andra tyckte om det. Vänta på nästa flaska.
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4/1/2021 - BrendanMcS wrote: 92 Points
Nose of strong raspberry. Nice spice and fruits. Really quality Zin
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3/25/2021 - vespasian wrote: flawed
Blackcurrant skin and leaf, quite intense. VA here too. Reminds me of raspberry vinegar; rancio on the palate, not representative.
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3/24/2021 - michigan dogs Likes this wine: 92 Points
I have had a number of different vintages of Ridge Geyserville with consistent excellent results. a great value too.
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3/21/2021 - Skrutt (Formerly RotHead) Likes this wine:
I don't know, it felt a little more conventional this time I had it. But all the parts measure up and the balance is undisputable. (92)
Of course, I should have given it air, but there wasn't time. And that's almost blasphemous.
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3/20/2021 - jmull Likes this wine: 93 Points
Let this breathe about an hour, and that made a big difference. Translucent dark ruby. Black cherry, pepper, eucalyptus, spicy. A lot of oak at this stage. Long, long finish. Pretty serious; more steak wine than BBQ wine. Cab drinker zin. Outstanding value under $40. Loads of potential here but very ready now with a little air. 93
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3/20/2021 - EtOHphile wrote:
Tasty, easy drinker
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3/13/2021 - daveyk39 wrote: 93 Points
2021: Top Ten Wines; 1/1/2021-12/31/2021 (Redwood City, CA): Was a big fan of the 2017 Ridge Pagani, so wanted to sample more of their repertoire. Gave 4h air to this blend of 68% Zinfandel, 20% Carignane, 10% Petite Sirah and 2% Alicante Bouschet. Medium ruby/purple color. Strawberry, brambles and blackberry, BBQ meat, white pepper and hickory on the nose. Smooth texture, full bodied, sinewy tannins, seriously robust. Succulent red and black fruit on the palate, with a hint of blueberry and pepperiness to the finish. Very enjoyable!
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3/11/2021 - Mr.Overhill Likes this wine: 93 Points
For a young wine this darling has some serious living already. Rich fruits and wonderfully enticing tannins with a beguiling bramble and spice cake finish. It feels like its going to be a long term keeper and a winner of a vintage for the old geezer.
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3/9/2021 - Slaz Does not like this wine:
This bottle tasted overly soft and ripe, during 2 hours of decanting.
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3/6/2021 - timothynbond Likes this wine: 90 Points
Deep inky color with violent hints on the rim. Very muted on the nose, perhaps a hint of plum. Medium-to-medium-plus body with medium tannins and low acid. Bold fruits on the front of the palate (blueberries, raspberries) intermixed with some earthiness and some very strong cigar notes mid-palate and into the finished. Dinged a bit on the score due to the nose, but really delicious otherwise.
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3/5/2021 - IrvineCellar Likes this wine: 89 Points
Red cherry, prune, banana, and floral nose. Quite interesting. Dry, light to medium body, medium+ tannins and medium+ acidity. Nice balance. The palate is red fruit and toasty. A little astringent and hot on finish but also fruity and lingering. Overall, nice effort. 89 pts
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2/25/2021 - Birorganic Likes this wine: 93 Points
Blockbuster. Bought a case after tasting it. Drink now or for the next 10+ years.
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2/25/2021 - rmalloy wrote: 89 Points
This wine reminds me why I used to hate California wines. It is extremely ripe with inadequate balancing acidity. It tastes like fruit syrup for an ice cream sundae. Okay, it offers more than that — lovely aromas of black cardamom, lavender, and black tea. And the concentration is admirable. But it is so lifeless on the palate. This is a style I do not support.
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2/25/2021 - JCGuthrie wrote:
Similar experience to last bottle. Really nice, balanced wine, in the top tier of zins/zin blends I've had.
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2/14/2021 - Benj wrote:
I've tasted the 2018 Geyserville twice before but this was the first bottle I've consumed and followed over a night. There is tremendous power and finesse in this wine, but this bottle was a bit all over the place. Opening quite Bretty and awkwardly sharp, it took 2 hours in a decanter for the quality of this wine to show. But oh boy did it make an appearance after that. What I love so much about Geyserville, year after year, is how gracefully this wine handles its abundant fruit, how well that fruit tempers the generous oaking, and how elegant and restrained the whole package manages to be, considering the blend here. Others here have noted how well it is drinking now. Not our experience tonight, though my previous tastings have been much more impressive from the get-go. But this will go for decades, and I hope to have enough bottles to follow its journey. 14.7%.
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2/11/2021 - Bgropp4 wrote: 93 Points
Agree completely with the review below. IMO, this is a wine I would be content drinking all the time. Great QPR and I am glad I have a few in the cellar. If I find anymore for a good deal in the future I may even snag some more
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2/11/2021 - BMWclarinet wrote: 93 Points
Why I love this: it’s the complexity and all the herbal and spicy (cinnamon) notes coupled with the juicy fruit (not heavy - but complex) and long interesting finish, just enough acidity to make you keep wanting more. It’s sophisticated, elegant, big, but not too much.
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2/8/2021 - Pinotfanbg Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark, black - purple color. Scent of French vanilla, mocha, plum and a touch of oak. Big, smooth and silky in the mouth. Ripe black fruit hides the structure of the wine right now. Very nice balance on the long finish with a bit of a French kiss - that creamy, vanilla, wood and catnip type flavor that drinks so tasty and finishes long on its supple tannins. Good balance to this wine. Drink now for its pure pleasure and cellar a few bottles for long term development and complexity.
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2/6/2021 - 10xM Likes this wine:
Feb 6, 2021:
Smell of rasberry. Good balance. Tasty. Drank with whiskey burger. Good pairing. Aa far as people saying this is amazing wine, I dont see it. But definitely a good wine. Would buy again but it's not something I need to load up on when I prefer to have variety.
Feb 15, 2021:
I had some saved in few Boston Round bottles. Tonight right after pouring the wine tastes slightly jammy but not in a bad way.
Feb 25, 2021: finally finished the last boston round bottle of this. Went well with rotisserie chicken.
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2/4/2021 - melzar wrote: 92 Points
Ditto previous notes.California comes through
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2/2/2021 - rc@ughey wrote: 91 Points
Great vintage of this wine. Well-balanced an a bit more restrained that some years. Drinkable now with ample room to improve.
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1/28/2021 - alohashirt Likes this wine: 93 Points
Bright red fruit and flowers on the nose. Raspberry, cherry fruit and spice on the palate. Enough acidity, soft tannins, balanced, long finish. This is a new world wine that tastes a little old world.
I have a strong prejudice about Californian wines. My short-sighted belief was that you couldn't get great CA wines under $50. This wine disproves this. Great QPR.
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1/26/2021 - pakabear Likes this wine: 92 Points
Bright red cherry, strawberry, raspberry, roasted meats, cinnamon, vanilla, great balance and silky profile. Really nice.
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1/24/2021 - RichardP wrote: 92 Points
Still very young, but my wife likes it as it is; I'm glad I have more.
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1/23/2021 - munktun Likes this wine: 90 Points
revisit with 2+hour decant
n: caramel and raspberry. sometimes strong ink
p: sharp acid with raisins following and really coming through hot. Acid is good but alcohol is not (for me).
3+ hour: Hit of spice and stone fruit, oak has chilled out. More decant is better!
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1/22/2021 - ChateauShiny Likes this wine: 93 Points
Needs at least a 90 minute decant at this young age. Any less and you will miss out on what this wine has to give.
Nose of blueberry, boysenberry, vanilla, violets and some faint oak. There is a bit of an umami note on the nose as well that comes and goes. Palate of blueberry, black currant, vanilla, a dash of pepper and spice. A bit of rosemary and tarragon develops mid palate. Chewy to round tannins. Long pepper, vanilla, mineral finish. Gained more red fruit notes after 5 hours exposed to air. Well structured and evolved nicely over the evening.
Great now, but will be better with some age. I am waiting till at least 2025 before opening more bottles of this vintage.
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1/22/2021 - munktun Likes this wine: 87 Points
pnp
Med, dark purple
N: spicy paella. lower intensity blood/iron
P: buttery vanilla initial, med body+tannin. Raisins, baking spice like nutmeg? pepper on the back
First Ridge ever, was expecting more brightness. Will check back in with some air
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1/22/2021 - Don Roberto Likes this wine: 95 Points
Drank alongside the 2018 Lytton Springs and 2018 Three Valleys. While we certainly enjoyed all 3, the Geyserville was the consensus favorite. Great balance of fruit acidity and structure. Glad we have 11 more bottles as this should only get even better.
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1/19/2021 - Skrutt (Formerly RotHead) Likes this wine: 93 Points
I simply agree with TD1836’s description. This has a certain flowering richness to it, even though its youth keeps it compact. 375 ml bottle.
We’ll see about the air & where it’s necessary - if aught remains!
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1/18/2021 - td1836 Likes this wine: 93 Points
The nose is full of rich dark fruit, a hint of dill. The palate is expansive, with delicious red and black fruits, substantial structure, spice, and vanilla. Definitely opens up with air, and I expect this has a long life ahead. Probably my favorite young Geyserville vintage I’ve had.
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1/18/2021 - Satoshi Nakamoto wrote:
Like some other tasters mentioned, be sure to give this a healthy decant. Has lovely aromas, but it builds on the palate with some air.
Pepper, tart red berries, sweet black cherries, tobacco, and a ton of vanilla oakiness. Fairly unbalanced for now due to the heat (the 14.7% abv really shows) and the intense oak. This gets a lot of hype and, IMO, it’s not really warranted, at least at this stage.
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1/17/2021 - boozebythecreek Likes this wine: 90 Points
If opening this bottle now do yourself a favor and decant for at least an hour. After it has some time to breath the (maybe unpleasant) earthy notes fade on the nose give way to blue and red fruits. Was getting red fruits on the palate with vanilla and spice. If drinking now I'd prefer a bottle of Lytton Springs to the Geyserville, but I do think the Geyserville will evolve pleasantly with time.
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1/15/2021 - sdonahue Likes this wine: 90 Points
needs more time to mellow
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1/14/2021 - Bodwigg Likes this wine: 92 Points
Unbalanced now. Dark sweet fruit, black currants, blackberries and raspberries, full-bodied, spicy, vanilla, tobacco. Fuller and perhaps more jammy than previous vintages. More power than elegance. Hold. From a half bottle.
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1/12/2021 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 92 Points
Drank with no decant over the course of the night. Initially the nose was marked by overpowering earthy and animal notes with a slightly muted palate. Eventually the animal mellowed and the nose/palate showed borderline ripe. Sweet red fruit, blueberry, dusty earth, gamey grilled meat (lamb?), and mineral. Certainly drinkable now but needs some time to open. Overall good for the price but not my favorite. Not sure how much this improves with time but my hope is the animal not dissipates.
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1/11/2021 - Adamb2 wrote: 90 Points
Yum
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1/8/2021 - Marckus wrote: 92 Points
Dark plum, nutmeg, cast iron and some nougat. Evident tannins and striking alcohol is covered rather well by the high intensity of each note on the palette.
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1/2/2021 - DrinkofKells Likes this wine: 93 Points
Honest love here for this wine. Third bottle thus far and I can't find anything wrong with it- classic dusty bramble and spice from Sonoma zinfandel, though Alexander Valley, not Dry Creek. Great structure and mouthfeel from Carignan and PS. We've bought for 40-46$ depending on the shop. Worth it, should age well but totally drinkable now.
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12/31/2020 - Winowhyno Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very nice Zin Blend. Ridge never disappointing. Good deal at $34
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12/24/2020 - melzar wrote: 92 Points
Ditto previous notes.
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12/21/2020 - jonh1 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Interesting wine. Over the course of an evening, we tasted ripe and fresh fruit, smoked meat, vanilla, and yeasty bread, and the profile seemed to change every hour or so. Sturdy structure to support this complexity. Young tannins but not unpleasant.
Medium-bodied and balanced. Clearly new-world, but old-new-world not new-new-world. Blackberry and blueberry and umami with a long finish. Very good, especially if you appreciate class over size.
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12/21/2020 - Eriklainen wrote:
A little hesitant at first but boy do you sense the power of the dark fruit (force). Gunpowder, licoric, leather and a slightly spicy oak touch at the end. A little warm but I have tried worse primitivos from Italy. A lot worse. What intrigues me is the sheer depth of the taste. And this bottle didn’t start to sing before it had been opened for a week
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12/13/2020 - dhp. Does not like this wine:
Grumpy bottle. Not much fruit, mostly acid with some tannin. Not giving much pleasure. Assuming this is a sound bottle, I'd say you need to hold.
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12/4/2020 - catowne1 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Let decant for about an hour and a half. Nose of cedar, vanilla from the oak, slight menthol, dark red cherry, and maybe some rose petals. Palate was dark cherries, plum, cigar box. Delicious. Needs time still. Definitely one to hold off for another 2-3 years and will probably go 10-15.
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12/4/2020 - CubFan4Life Likes this wine: 95 Points
This was great, paired with Italian sausage and linguini. Leather, cinnamon, and embers on the nose, licorice, and dark cherry on the palate. Incredibly smooth, not overly complex, medium finish, ruby color
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12/4/2020 - BRR Likes this wine:
This was great, but the last glass was the best suggesting either decant or hold. Still, lots of pleasure now with the warm (not alcohol warm) red fruits, subtle spice and youthful verve. Served in GlassVin stems.
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11/29/2020 - redhead6971 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Anton’s Wine Tasting Notes Ridge Geyserville 2018
Winery: Ridge
Varietal: 68% Zinfandel, 20% Carignane, 10% Petite Sirah,
2% Alicante Bouschet
Area/Appellation: Cal., Sonoma County, Alexander Valley, Geyserville. Vintage: 2018
Price: $50/Auburn Spirits West Kansas
Color: Dark purple, rich dark ruby on the sides. Legs: slow
Nose: raspberries, blackberry jam, blueberries, plum, sage, vanilla,
Palate: rich and fruit driven with raspberry, blackberry, blueberry, oak,
Finish: silky smooth, fairly balanced, rich and deep,
Comments: This a Geyserville that is soo user/food friendly. It has everything. Rich nose, voluptuous texture, beautiful fruit, integrated balance. The finish is, however, just a tad bit short, like others in CT have stated. Which keeps it out of the 92-94 range. Maybe in 2-4 years.
Pairing Suggestions: When Pigs Fly BBQ, Rich meats with spicy sauces, pork tenderloin,
Score in terms of Vintage: 90
Score for the Wine: 91.9-92
Value for the Money: Excellent
Date Tasted: 11/28/2020
Tasted by: ACK
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11/26/2020 - Mastro56 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Very nice. Balanced and well out together. Dark fruit and a hint of spice.
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11/20/2020 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 92 Points
This was a crowd pleaser. Berry driven and concentrated with black fruits and lovely spicy notes scattered in for depth. Not as tannic as a recent ‘18 Lyton Springs. Given the history, I’m sure this with age well.
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11/20/2020 - melzar wrote: 92 Points
60% Zin, cut with 20% Carignane, 10% Petite Syrah and a few bits of other varietals. Very claret like and not over the top like many Zins. Complex and well balanced. Drinks well young. Begs for one more sip! Nice long finish. Carries it's 14.7% alcohol really well.
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11/18/2020 - cjsadler Likes this wine: 92 Points
Wow, really drinks well young. More “delicious” than “complex” right now, but will be tough to keep my hands off this.
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10/26/2020 - mlutsky67 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Deep purple in the glass. Nose of blueberries and raspberries. Taste of dark fruits, but the finish was short. Very young.
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10/25/2020 - rtewh Likes this wine: 90 Points
Fantastic but really tight. Plum and raspberries with a tanic dark finish with layers of oak. Needs time to integrate. Best on day two right now.
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10/22/2020 - gratefulbbq Likes this wine: 93 Points
Supple brambly deliciousness with delightful structure and mouthwatering acidity. Nose for days and (too) drinkable so best post your notes early in the tasting lest you ramble like this :)
I think this only gets better and a case is not enough.
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10/21/2020 - mdvillaverde wrote: 91 Points
Oct 11, 2020- tight.
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10/11/2020 - jmull Likes this wine: 92 Points
A little mustiness at first, which blew off after an hour of air. Very pure fruit here, wonderful balance and evident structure. 92+
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10/7/2020 - tantotinto wrote: 91 Points
We do not drink a lot of Zinfandel. This one though has been a repeat purchase for more than a decade and it does not disappoint in 2018. Modest nose but rich fruit with a touch of sweetness and spice on the palate. No idea if time will improve it but very tasty now.
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9/27/2020 - RichardP wrote: 90 Points
Prune and pen ink on the nose. On the palate, blackberry, black cherry, plum, cocoa, and pepper on the medium to long finish, with strong tannins and strong acidity. This is young and disjointed; although it's good now, a few years should improve this greatly. The Cellartracker drinking window looks about right. This was a good value at a little under $40.
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9/18/2020 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
With some wild electric green and smoke. And quick and tight on the palate.
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9/18/2020 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Ripe cinnamon and bramble fruit. Smells great. And then powerful and structured.
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9/17/2020 - spacewrangler Likes this wine: 96 Points
This is flat out a gorgeous wine that I can’t keep my mitts off of. It’s the Everlasting Gobstopper of noses lol, with smoked meat, barrel spice and cocoa leading the charge amidst the black fruits. Medium bodied and just perfect right now, plenty of acidity keeps what seems like a dark and dense wine fresh and vibrant. Tastes like 12.7% not 14.7%.
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9/5/2020 - triplecwine wrote: 95 Points
I have now had 4 375's of this...one of the best zin based wines from Ridge I have ever had. Beautiful nose of rich fruit, smooth entry, long finish.
It is young now with a moderate tannic backbone that tells me to give it anywhere from 10-15 years.
I love this wine, wow!
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8/23/2020 - tedcholl Likes this wine: 89 Points
Admittedly drank too young but I had 2 bottles and wanted to see what this wine was all about. 2nd bottle will be left to sleep for at least 3 years. 68% Zin, 20% Carignane, 10% Petite Sirah, abd 2% Alcante Bouschet. Dark ruby, intense fruits and tannins. Black cherry, black plum, gravel, oak spices.
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8/21/2020 - Zafer Likes this wine: 93 Points
Intoxicating nose you could bottle and sell in Paris, ripe peach dominant. Palate adds tart plum, some graphite. I say tart, but acidity is well-balanced, just enough to be mouthwatering. Long, long finish. A tad hot yet, tannins poised, young, already beautiful, but loaded with potential. I must not open more bottles of this anytime soon, though it won’t be easy.
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8/15/2020 - djarcara wrote: 90 Points
Deep purple color. Medium full body. Still very primary. Pronounced tannins and acidity. Dark fruit predominates with a touch of vanilla. Also has a bit of alcohol heat. Needs time. Revisit in 2022.
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8/13/2020 - stokeme Likes this wine: 93 Points
3 of 6 Something is special about this year. IMO the best ever right out of the gate for enjoyment this young. It is pretty tasty drinking right now. Seamless structure, savory fruit, & such a clear hint at the complexity to come. The Carignane adds so much to the blend this vintage. There is almost an umami character to the nose, that is hard to define, and it does seem more Euro in nature. Getting more for now & later. Long+ time fan, it should age very well.
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8/9/2020 - winecadence Likes this wine: 93 Points
Yes this is young, but it is lovely and has the makings to be great with age. Bramble fruit and plush mouthfeel. Lengthy finish. Jammy notes, but not overwhelming. Shining even more after some time in the glass.
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8/5/2020 - Phillip.Panda wrote: 91 Points
Dark fruit forward, leather, spice, pepper, oaky, tobacco, young
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7/31/2020 - JCGuthrie wrote: 93 Points
Opened for a Zoom tasting with Thomas Keller, which was immensely interesting. I can see why this wine has gotten some early rave reviews. Decanted for 5 full hours and enjoyed over another 90 minutes. Dark fruit, cherry and bramble on the nose, with a hint of alcohol showing. Red and black fruit on the palate, without a hint of jammy-ness. Nice umami note, too. Great mouthfeel, long finish. Medium high acid and moderate tannin. I definitely need to buy a case of this.
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7/15/2020 - WetRock wrote:
I have to join the chorus singing the praises of the 2018. This has a very classic build. I'm sure it's going to age fantastically. There is plenty of fruit but it's just kinda of simmering. Notes of old barrel hanging around as spice. Well balanced in terms of acidity. Drinks like an old world stalwart. Terrific. Must bury the rest.
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7/14/2020 - spacewrangler Likes this wine: 93 Points
One of the best young Geezers I’ve tasted. Stacked but delightfully delish now.
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7/4/2020 - WineJ2019 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Plum, raspberry/blueberry, well balanced, acidity counters the fruit and oak notes. I always enjoy Geyserville and this is no exception.
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7/3/2020 - Steve Brickley Likes this wine: 96 Points
I’ve tried this Geeser eight times now. Just went back for nine more. I’ve been drinking Ridge Zins since the mid 1970’s as it is near us to visit. Today I decided, for me, yes, this is the best Geyserville I have ever had. It has that balance of not too much fruit, not subtle or weak, hidden alcohol, lovely dark fruits and spectacular coating mouth feel. Dynamite juice and its only a two year old.
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6/28/2020 - Chris@77 Likes this wine:
Seeing through the glass darkly ... 1st day - my view - this is a lesser of the 2016, better than the 2017, excellent except lacked laser flavors of the 2016 and less richness overall. 2d day, soft tannins in a much more subdued experience. worth drinking but minimal interest. My counsel, if you drink, decant and do the whole bottle. Comparisons: 2016 richer with complex flavors and long finish, 2017 richer however, strong tannin overprint evident on day 2 (I dumped it out after storing with Argon). If not the virus to go to the store, I would be tempted to pay more and buy 2016's I know about to add to my stash. Passed on 2017's and will drink the 2018's young (right stuff to improve although not the top, problem is a now 100 bottle storage and need to filter). If you can store hundreds, good wine to buy and hold.
7/12 No change to this review but since have drunk several since available. Gville is a wine to pursue and hold. For me the 2016 is the wine (I think the '05 was the last one, not sure). I am puzzled at reviews that place '17, '18 higher because I don't see it relative to my experience with serious red wines aging to being interesting. What is missing to me for a zin is "richness" in the middle and a longer finish, having not experienced any wine develop a long finish. No mistake, I like wine and am not done with it.
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5/30/2020 - spacewrangler wrote: 92 Points
A killer Geyserville, very old world in style which I know is weird to say about a Zin blend. Great earthy component, can drink now or hold for 20 years.
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5/24/2020 - jh773 wrote: 90 Points
Nutty cherry kirsch, cocoa, bright, full-bodied, very much alive and well; a bit warm. Leave it for another year.
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5/1/2020 - BrendanMcS wrote: 93 Points
Very impressive showing. The flavors, acid, and tannin are all really well balanced. Young, but open. I would imagine this has some good aging potential judging from its structure.
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4/21/2020 - jmottern Likes this wine: 93 Points
A classic but sophisticated zin. Excellent smoky plum fruit with a hint of pepper and granite. Very very pleasant finish. This wine was superb with BBQ.
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4/20/2020 - Brian of Mull Likes this wine: 93 Points
This wine exudes class. Cherry, Dr. Pepper and lots of spice. Velvet mouthfeel. World Class Zinfandel that I think a European would enjoy. Very good value for money IMO.
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4/15/2020 - cbleary Likes this wine:
Deceptively light on its feet, the dazzling 2018 Geyserville delivers a kaleidoscope of red and black fruits, Asian spice and flowers. It delivers enormous pleasure today but I’m looking forward to its evolution over the next several years.
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