2010 Ridge Geyserville
Community Tasting Note
forceberry wrote:
Saturday, November 27, 2021 - A blend of organically farmed Zinfandel (64%), Carignan (20%), Petite Sirah (12%), Alicante Bouschet (2%) and Mourvèdre (2%) from the Geyserville vineyard in Alexander Valley. The harvest started on 18th of September and ended on 14th of October. Fermented spontaneously, macerated with the skins for 8 days. Aged in American oak (10% new, 12% second and third use and 78% fourth and fifth use) for 12 months. 14,3% alcohol. Tasted in a mini-vertical of Geyserville 2016, 2012, 2011 and 2010.
Dark, somewhat translucent and still surprisingly youthful deep garnet color. Very intense, concentrated and characterful nose with intense aromas of juicy blackcurrants and elderberries, some ripe black cherry, light succulent notes of dark plums, a little bit of savory wood spice, fragrant hints of garrigue, violets and elderflowers, a touch of licorice root and a sweet whiff of strawberry jam. Lots of everything going on here! The wine is ripe, juicy and surprisingly concentrated on the palate, yet it never comes across as weighty or clumsy but instead surprisingly light on its feet despite its full body. Intense flavors of ripe blueberries and soft dark plums, some boysenberry tones, a little bit of peppery spice, light sweet notes of black cherries, a hint of elderberry juice and a touch of savory wood. The wine has a wonderfully tactile yet silky texture and impressive structure, thanks to its bright, high acidity and quite ample, firm and grippy tannins. The finish is rich, quite grippy and rather intense with lengthy, complex flavors of ripe boysenberries and blackberries, some cherry marmalade, light blueberry tones, a little bit of savory wood spice, a hint of licorice root and a touch of sun-baked earth. The alcohol remains surprisingly well-hidden throughout.
This is easily one of the most impressive vintages of 2010's Geyserville - if not The Most Impressive - and although it has always been a wonderful wine, its brilliance really becomes obvious in a vertical tasting tasting. This vintage was easily the best of the Geyservilles we tasted and especially comparing to the relatively mature 2011 vintage, its remarkably youthful overall character was really accentuated. Furthermore, the wine has lost a great deal of the sweetest fruit and oak character, coming across as more savory and structure-driven old-world style, compared to how the wine tasted like 8 years ago, when it exhibited more ripe fruit notes and less integrated oak influence. This wine is definitely going in the right direction and I'd say that from the four vintages we had, this was the furthest away from from its optimal drinking window. Geyserville should start peaking at around 10 to 15 years of age, but this seemed like at least 10 years away from its apogee. Let this vintage wait, it really benefits from any further cellaring it can get. Terrific value at 40,30€.
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