Been drinking this wine for over 20 years now and it never fails to disappoint. Unlike a lot of European wines like Bordeaux blends, Ridge zins are great right from the bottle, no breathing time needed. Still good on Day 2, but starts to decline on Day 3.
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Wow. Absolutely no rough edges to this wine whatsoever. Med-full with great balance and integration. Smokey black fruit, black pepper, sweet raspberry, cherry, mint and earthy spice. Glides into a long graceful finish. Outstanding. These age so very well. Dbl decanted
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Drinking beautifully now at age 7. Mature berry and prune fruit, slate and spice balanced by medium acidity and softened medium tannins. What stands out is a wonderful density.
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Deep purple. Decanted for about 30 minutes, but it needed for more. Tried 2 different bottles from the same case. Nose took about 45 more minutes to develop. This is still a very young wine. Perhaps 3-5 years until this is in a better drinking window. Loads of black fruits, chocolate, some sage and tarragon. This is a big wine.
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opened this for my wife's bday. ...she generally prefers younger, more fruit fwd reds with some weight. the geyserville typically checks those boxes. the nose here is punchy, with blackberry, bing cherry, plum. but there's spice too and i'm definitely getting notes of cola and vanilla as well. definitely lighter on its feet than some of its predecessors... the palate is bright, more medium in weight, with lively acidity. fun on its own and nice with bbq. will hold but this is open for business.
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Coming back to this after 3 years. PnP. Color is garnet. On the nose: Plum, vanilla, cola, spice , cherry and blackberries. Really beautiful nose. On the palate: Blackberry liquor, plum, cherry, Dr. Pepper, a hint of vanilla, cinnamon and other spice notes. Sensuous mouthfeel, long and elegant finish. This is sensational. Need a couple of cases to see how it would age. No problem to have this at a Michelin star restaurant or at home with a backyard BBQ.
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This is drinking really well and I wish I had more. Not showing signs of aging. I would say 93 on Day 1 and 91 on Day 2 for an average of 92. On day 1 the oak was better counterbalanced by fresh fruit flavors. Anyways I am splitting hairs a bit as it was really good throughout and this worked great both sipping and with food
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Tout est parfait Excellent équilibre entre un fruit sucré et mûr. Sans aucune lourdeur, long en bouche, très parfumé, aucun excès. Vraiment exceptionnel.
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I opened the wine 1 hour before drinking. Beautiful nose with berries and leather. The taste was smooth with great balance of tannins and acid. I wish I had more in my cellar!
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Side by side with the 15 Geyserville - this edged the former ever so slightly. While others preferred the hedonistic immediacy of the 15, AFWE that I am preferred the tad more structure and acid here.
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I have been sampling Ridge Zins for 50 years. I remember the early ones as being mind blowers. Was that my youth or was it their over-the-top style? Today's Ridge Zins drink easily as soon as they're released and peak just a few years later, depending on their source. This one is 73% Zin, 17% Carignane, 7% Petite Sirah, 3% Alicante Bouschet. Good fruit plus vanilla from American oak aging, but too soft in the finish, which also shows a bitter, almost corked, taste. I hate to label Ridge this way, but it kind of reminds me of the Algerian reds we used to buy in the early 1970s — fat, fruity and alcoholic. Tho this wine is much better made. One can find better Zins (or Zin-based blends) for the same or lower prices.
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To me, the 97pt score is very generous. Tasted blind.
Nose was a bit confusing to me. I did think there was some noticeable alcohol. Initially there was a minty-menthol note that settled down, and had some fruit that I couldn't describe. It was definitely dark, maybe dark purple or dark red, something cassis like. The palate was medium full and voluptuous, but the fruit didn't blast you or blow you away. Finish was quite long lived with plenty of fruit and acid/tannin structure.
Was pretty surprised to see this was a Zin. Definitely not a big, rich, extracted style, but not quite as light and fragrant as the Pagani Ranch. Nice wine that could go a few more years in the cellar.
Drink now or hold for a few years.
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Vanilla extract, acetone, raspberry, muddling red and black fruits on the nose. Very unique palate; medium + body, medium acid and medium - tannin, good length for zin. Alcohol is a bit prominent on the palate and nose as well. Really tastes like nothing I've had before, has this interesting medicinal characteristic and the fruit profile is very unique, very obviously new world but varietal and region would be hard to get blind. I do enjoy this though, even at the price. I would maybe recommend a few more years of cellaring as well.
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Dark crimson in color. 14.5% ABV. 73% Zinfandel, 17% Carignane, 7% Petite Sirah and 3% Alicante Bouschet. Riveting nose of red and black fruits, licorice and flowers. Full bodied with mouth watering acidity. Rich and lush with tons of dark fruit. Black cherry, raspberry liqueur, anise and pepper on the palate. Exceptional length on the finish with prominent, gritty tannins. Awesome Geyserville with a long life ahead of it. Best over the next 6-8 years.
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The wine looks rosy colored. The legs are slow. There is no sediment in the bottle. It tastes like cherry and light toast. The body is light. The wine has narrow texture. The wine finishes short. The wine has low acidity.
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This is really excellent and much better than the Lytton of the same vintage. Strong with good grip and density but also has a pretty, light floral, dark and spicy side. A fantastic vintage of this wine.
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Drank the 2015 and 2016 side-by-side (from magnums): the 15 was singing, markedly older than the 16. But the 16 had more going on, hidden under the youth.
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Pretty much typical Geyserville, with ripe berry fruit and dusty, warm herbs. Every sip just makes me want another. It does have notable tannic structure, so with the ample fruit it can certainly evolve for many more years. I just have a hard time keeping my hands off of my stash of half bottles.
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had the 2016 Ridge Lytton Springs and Geyserville side by side over 2.5 hours. both were slow oxed for 5 hours before tasting. the lytton springs was better out of the gates but over the course of 2.5 hours, the geyserville caught up and ended edging the LS by a smidge. bramble and blackcurrant. lovely.
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What a smooth and tasty Geyserville from Ridge. Blackberries and dark cherry fruit with spicy pepper on the finish. Drank from magnum, was well received from all who tasted it. Yum.
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This has really integrated nicely over the last 1-2 years. Blackberry, pepper, vanilla, cola and nice acidity. A bit on the hot side but that seems to give it some oomph.
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Pop and pour. Tasted on its own. Dark purple color. Primary grape notes with some pepper spice notes. Rich fruits. Primary grape flavor. Has some nice blackberry and pepper notes.
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Maybe I got a not so good bottles, as my review of this wine is not as sanguine as that of others. Yes, the fruit was there, but there was also a good dollop of alcohol ever present. That detracted from the overall experience. Other than that, it is an interesting blend, and overall drinkable. But really nothing special.
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A blend of organically farmed Zinfandel (73%), Carignan (17%), Petite Sirah (7%) and Alicante Bouschet (3%) from the Geyserville vineyard in Alexander Valley. The harvest started on 6th of September and ended on 30th of September. Fermented spontaneously, macerated with the skins for 9 days. Aged in American oak (20% new, 6% second use, 9% third use and 65% older) for 12 months. 14,5% alcohol. Tasted in a mini-vertical of Geyserville 2016, 2012, 2011 and 2010.
Slightly translucent black cherry color with a youthful, subtly blueish hue. Cool and surprisingly green-toned nose with sappy aromas of stemmy greenness and green peppercorns, ripe blackberries, some juicy red plums, a little bit of woody oak spice, light crunchy notes of fresh red berries, a hint of garrigue and a touch of sweet yet peppery Zinfandel spice. The wine feels ripe, juicy and silky on the palate with a full body and vibrant flavors of brambly black raspberries, some toasty wood spice, light sweet notes of blackberry marmalade and ripe bilberries, a little bit of succulent dark plummy fruit, a hint of vanilla oak and a sappy touch of slightly herbaceous greenness. The overall feel is quite structured with the rather high acidity and firm, moderately grippy tannins, while the somewhat alcohol lends a bit of warmth to the palate. The finish is ripe, slightly sweet-toned and gently grippy with a long aftertaste of boysenberries, some blueberry tones, a little bit of savory wood spice, light oaky notes of vanilla and sweet, toasty wood, a hint of savory brown spices and a touch of fresh bramble.
A classically built, firm and quite enjoyable Geyserville - even if there was a subtle green note that lend a slightly atypical, yet not distracting nuance of herbaceous greenness. I don't know if it was just slightly herbaceous fruit, some stemmy character, slightly green-toned American oak or something else, but there was definitely something slightly green-toned amidst all the ripe yet surprisingly fresh and precise fruit. Overall the wine shows good balance between the vibrant fruit, nice sense of structure and judiciously restrained oak character, but there's no denying that this is a very young wine. While drinking really well already now, this wine is bound to improve with age, based on how youthful it still is and how it feels like it is brimming with aging potential. I'd let the wine age for at least another 5-8 years more. Good stuff, solid value at 35,96€.
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A rousing, elegant, mid-weight Zin. The seductive palate comes off smoky, squeezable, and plush right up to the finish, where a sharp turn offers sudden, tart energy, suggesting this still has a couple of years to smooth out before peak plateau. 2023-2028
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Blind, almost purple, blueberry pie, vanilla, oak, dark berries explode on the nose. Very ripe and full bodied with a long finish, this seems like it will hold a decade. Very well done.
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Nice wine but, for me, it needs more time. I decanted the wine and it improved over time as it opened up. With a drinking window to 2030 I don't see any rush to get after my remaining bottles. I will probably wait 2-3 years before opening another bottle.
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I wondered if this would need more time (and indeed I have not opened any of my bottles yet), but very glad my friend brought this to our steak night, as it was excellent. Full bodied and packed with flavour, including lots of herbal-accented black cherry fruit, but with a surprisingly pure and weightless feel. Very, very drinkable; I immediately stocked up with more.
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Martel Tour des Vins 2021 Day 1: This was really impressive. Superb structure and balance. Fine tannins, well integrated into the core of ripe dark fruit. Gorgeous mouthfeel and texture, particularly on the finish. And it's just so damn delicious. I guess this is just entering it's drinking window, but still has many years to go. Top buy.
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Excellent. Robust tannins but mostly matched by acidity, freshness and lift. Young and will improve and better integrate with time but no reason not to have this now, ideally decanted and with food. Fantastic wine and fantastic value.
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Double decanted a 375ml 24 hours in advance to avoid mid-life closed in syndrome. After letting it warm up from cellar temp it’s ripe Saskatoon berry with spice, a little bit of popcorn, and sun-drenched earth. Balanced fruit and structure (somewhat drying on the finish, but not out of proportion for being so young), a finishing dose of leathery funk, and it’s all Geyserville. Just so darned good.
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This was excellent. The additional time in the bottle was exceptionally well spent. Raising it to 92 Points. It was even nicer, more rich, but still exceptionally smooth. I’m sure this vintage is gone, but I’m going to make a point of getting more of this wine soon. Ridge does makes excellent Zin-based blends and Geyserville is no exception.
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Drank at Villanelle (NYC). Tasty and very expressive already, but could use a couple more years to come together. Nose is full of ripe spiced plums and cherries. Palate is ripe and full, but has enough acidity to keep it from being cloying. Black cherries, wild blueberries, cocoa nibs. Medium body with a really nice finish that accentuates the notes of cocoa and spice.
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Beautiful bramble fruits on nose! Bright red berries with well balanced acidity and tannins! Really drinking well! Served with mushroom Gouda burgers! Doesn’t get much better!
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8 hrs air. High acid and a lot of tannins. Nice and intriguing fruit and spices. Start to open up. Will likely improve further with more years in cellar
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Bottled Dec 2017. 14.5% abv. 73% Zinfandel, 17% carignane, 7% petite sirah, 3% alicante bouschet
Indigo violet. Nose plummy dark fruit, deep. Palate smooth dark fruits, a mineral edge. Good depth if a bit ripe, nonetheless with the track record, would want to see this again after a few years for more secondary development. 90 pts with upside
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From 375ml. Opened five hours ahead. The first scent is rose, then some green pepper, and some chocolate covered cherries and also fresh raspberries. All there on the palette, the juicy chocolate cherries just wonderful, and some lovely cracked black pepper. Some cherry juice soaked pastry as well later on on the nose and pallette. A little dusty tannic grip that I like. Perfect acidity, great balance
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375ml. Opened five hours prior to tasting. Opaque, medium purple fading to a medium ruby outer edge. Black pepper, grilled green peppers, fresh violets, dark chocolate, black cherry, and red plum skin all reveal themselves on a slightly surprising nose that’s far less fruit forward than I expected from a 73% Zinfandel dominant blend, which is pleasing to see. The palate - counter to the nose - is packed with ripe black fruit coated in milk chocolate and rolled in sweet baking spices.
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Perfect partner for spicy Thai basil chicken. Bold, jammy, but great structure. Long finish
Update: just finished it a week later (forgot I had opened it-vacuum sealed- it was even better, open, silky smooth and still great compliment to pork tenderloin
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Not a detailed note but great consistent food wine. Always tasty with dark fruit and medium finish. Some currant and spice - very balanced. Great QPR! Paired well with herbal basted filet mignon and grilled asparagus. Skipped night 2 but on night 3 still delicious - I’m getting plump raisins and balsamic vinegar- what a delight!
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A couple years since my last bottle. This geezer was initially very tightly wound- so unforthcoming at first was the fruit I thought it might be mildly corked. Well, after a couple hours of air, and some taut blueberry fruit emerges, butressed with grapefruit peel, mild coco-vanilla, moderately rustic tannins, and a creamy mouthfeel. Despite a tart aspect to the acid, the oak treatment still seems a bit tiring at present. By day 2, tannins have softened, with grapefruit peel becoming dominant.
Good, but not as crazy about this as last time... perhaps it’s in a bit of an awkward phase.
Opened and drank over two nights. Backstory -- in May 2019 I had the 2013 Geyserville, and it stole the show with minimal TLC (open bottle to air about 3 hours, no decant). We opened the 2016 this week, when it would be roughly a year younger than the 2013 was a the time we drank that.
First night: decanted half the bottle into small decanter, sat 1.5 hours. Very nice nose at first. My wife (the hard one to please) liked it. For me, I found it closed and hot. Muted flavors and nose weakened by the time of drinking it with food (Cioppino). I was not feeling well so not sure whether to chalk it up to me being off, or the wine.
Second night: remainder of bottle having been stored under vacuum and refrigerated, opened and decanted 3 hours before eating (with flank steak). Better experience second night, smoother, less heat, and more or less enjoyable this night. Still not the "blow me away" experience I had with the 2013 2 years ago.
One bottle left, and planning to leave this until 2023 before opening. I noticed another taster had indicated this wine had started tightening up recently, and I suppose this wine might be going through a "dumb phase" at the moment. Hopefully time will improve it to what one would normally expect from Geyserville.
Dark berry aromas, medium to full body, mild tannins, slightly acidic with flavors of blackberry, dark cherry, nice balance and moderately long finish.
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decanted 30 min. displays the youthful purple expected, all the fruit bowl of mulberries, blackberries, sweet spice & black pepper in the forefront; med +palate weight; quite ripe & intensely present after 2 hours, this has tightened up since the last one nearly a year ago; will be very good mid-term, at 8 - 10 years from vintage.
Dark burgundy, garnet rim Stewed dark fruit, rubbery tire, some bone marrow Thick, viscous, grippy, medium plus finish. Some savory notes. Red apples. Fruit leather.
A decent wine with a good QPR.
cactus club delivery
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Light crimson color. Strong aromas of asphalt, cherries and peaches. Dry with medium acid. Medium tannin. Well balanced. Strong flavors of red cherry and green apple skin. Nice.
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After a recent Zoom where Tegan Passalacqua was explaining the importance and historical significance of this vineyard, I decided it was time to check in on this. Carries the elegance of (most) Ridge wines, though still a baby. Red fruits with some baking spices (cinnamon?) and a barely-ripe plum note. Tasty with a bit of air but really needs a few more years in the cellar.
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Assyrtiko from Santorini vs Old Vine Swartland Chenin Blanc (Online Tasting): From half bottle and decanted for a good hour. A great crowd pleaser as always but also a serious well made wine. Young at this stage with bright red fruits and a good helping of oak that given time should be assimilated and allow for more complexity. A wine no one will ever not like. 90
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First sips I don't like. But it comes around. A tad jam. Some delicious spiceyness at the end. Some pepper. Plums and blueberrylike. Ginger biscuit? As I remember it I loves -15. This is not as good but still good. 90?
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The nose: Plum, blackcurrant, red fruits, juniper, gravel/graphit, heat, banana, chocolate, herbs.
The palate: Fruit forward, plum and blackberry are primary, so comes raspberry and strawberry, gravel/graphit, chocolate, pepper.
Tannin medium acidity medium Body medium+ The finish is short.
Its a more complex zinfandel, buts its alto a blend. I would say that this wine needs time. It still feels a little shaky. Give 2-5 years. Otherwise this one actually gets better from decanting. at least 1.5 hour. You couldn't do that with a Primitivo (italian)
If I tasted this blind, Geyserville could have fooled me and I would call this Italian. Overall this wine taste fresher on the fruits, than Primitivo, which actually lifts the palate up.
91 solid - wait 2-5 years or decant 1.5 hour.
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Loved this. The wine looks garnet colored. The legs are medium. There is no sediment in the bottle. It smells like black currant (cassis), red currant, flint, stoniness and alcohol/hot. It tastes like black currant (cassis), red currant, plum, stoniness, coffee, lead pencil, tobacco and black pepper. The body is medium/full. The wine has smooth texture. The wine finishes medium. The wine has medium acidity. Wine needs time, decanted for 2h and tasted every 30 min. Became more rounded as time passed. Really fantastic and complex wine. Ok to drink now but will improve and become more balanced with age
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Decanted for an hour, decanted back into the bottle and tasted an hour later. Clearly this wine isn't meant to be rushed so I missed out on the better part of half the bottle.
Revisited 5 days later and good lord. No bizarre or particularly unique sensory notes (the usual mint/menthol, spice/pepper, *rich* mocha) but the clarity of expression and depth of articulation this far into the lifetime of this open bottle makes totally apparent the inevitable reward for long-term patience.
With hamburgers and greed beans. Deep garnet, good color to the rim, young. Raspberry, cherry nose. Acid and tannin up front and personal on the palate. Needs some time to chill out! Wine grew after a couple of hours - promise of things to come.
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I've wanted to drink more bottles of this have restrained myself until now. It was so inviting, complex, enjoyable. Also refrained in the covid era from picking up a few more at 20% more because of having to walk in. I waited too long. This is still enjoyable. I changed the rating only upon reflecting on the last bottle. The tannins are now evident, initial baby fat dissipating, nose more subdued. The wine more closely resembles the 2018 now although the blend difference is noticeable even if slight.
I'm going to drink it over 2-3 nights, will revise if useful. The previous notes on this page are relevant, unchanged. Beautiful wine. Suggest waiting a couple years. Window for drinking now is gone.
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Opened 2 hours. On the nose pronounced plums and some spice. On the palate: rich ripe plums, blackberries, cassis, tar and spice with just a hint of alcohol heat. This is a great Zinfandel. Very elegant and complex. I think a year or two of age will improve it but its great now.
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A little bit of heat on the open, but smoothed out nicely in the glass over time. Maybe needs a bit more time to truly dazzle, but there's no doubt that Geyserville is a great choice for an old reliable.
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A very pleasant surprise. Dark berries but earthy and woody notes. Ripe fruit taste but plenty of good acidity and tannin to give great texture and depth.
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Deep Burgundian colour. The nose is toasty, with damson and blackcurrant fruit. The palate is big, full and rich, fruit cake, blackcurrant fruit, charcoal, well balanced, soft and rich, with a lovely long finish. Overall, a superb wine, which we thoroughly enjoyed drinking. Certainly approachable now, but will surely keep 5-10 years.
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A profound and complex bouquet full of black fruits, white pepper and earthy clove, smoked sausage, river stones and old leather. Not the usual fruit forward Zin that we often get from California, more like a good Bordeaux in its aromatic profile. Palate is dry, spicy and balanced, with a deep and long mid-palate A full-bodied wine but it has a polished structure with all the elements checked in line, no one step out to compete for attention. Transitions from entry to finish is seamless with some bite at the very end. This is not a BBQ wine. It deserves to be paired with a good but simple steak or to be slowly drank on its own to appreciate its evolving personalities. Drink this over 2-3 hours from the bottle if you are not aging it further. This wine will drink well into 2030 with proper storage.
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We opened this for a small glass each to wrap up a pizza dinner then recorked to enjoy the following day. Both experiences were fantastic and it was probably better on day two. This will age very well but is a lot of fun now. Probably one of my top 2 or 3 Zinfandel experiences ever. Love Ridge
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I came across a recommendation to match the Ridge Geyserville with corned beef and cabbage, and it worked wonderfully. While predominately Zin, the field blend of other varietals makes for a tamer wine with nuanced flavors.
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Very youthful, with lots of brambly fruit up front and a violet like note on the finish. I think I’d probably prefer this with a bit of age, but with a short half-hour decant it was still quite nice. The alcohol and fruit are a bit heavy at the moment, for my taste at least, but air helped.
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pnp. in that really fun early stage before it sometimes locks up; don't know if this one will, I think less likely in this vintage but a delightful example of consistency, & yes, qpr at its price point.
cannellini beans w/whipped lardo; pizza w/soppresata, hot honey & arugula
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2hr slow ox. Cherry & berry on the nose. Palate initially of red fruit that got darker over the course of the evening, spice, some complexity with integrated tannins and structure. Will be hard to leave laying on its side, drinking delightfully now. Feels more polished than many zin field blends, maybe less rustic or more easygoing personality.
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Wow, just wow. So much character and substance here. Loads of cherries, blackberries, and plums to go along with pungent whiffs of licorice and spices. Mid-to-full bodied, ripe and succulent, with tremendous depth, structure, purity, and a personality that never stops evolving. This is as enduring as a wine gets and the best Ridge Geyserville I've ever had.
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- Wife:98 ! - me:ARE YOU SERIOUS ??? - ok...96 ! - What ?! - I had a tough week: but.... 95 at least !
For me: 93-94. So good. Ripe and oaky of course but there is complexity and finesse rarely seen in a zin. Excellent lenght. Paired well with duck magret served with porto, blueberry and thyme sauce.
Not a lot of experience w this blend. It's youthful now, lots of bright reddish fruit, a bit of spice and a healthy dose of vanilla. For my palate it was sweet(ish). Not cloying at all, just pushing the envelop. Too much vanilla, too much RS??? I dunno, probably for some. To me, It's really tasty and drinkable. I'd be interested in how this develops.
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Saturday ... I drank 2 bottles of this before buying 6, all I could get. Not having any interesting wines I wanted to drink and wondering of this one, purchased early 2019, I grabbed one. Initially the wine seemed tannic, significant soft tannins but the nose was huge for a wine of this age. Tannins softening after airing to a wine of huge flavors. Having been open a while the tannin is now more evident. Having targeted this for extinction with enjoyment I'm now questioning my decision. I note the ambiguity of those who offer it is above average and not exceptional maybe with too much oak, and those who label it as a singular wine. I'm in the latter camp (with my nose in the glass). I'm enjoying it a lot, a field blend that works for me unlike the jammy zins which don't. I prefer the restrained and balanced wines of Ridge. The not overly berryish notes and vanilla appeals to me. To me, this is very well made, one I should keep. Second half of the bottle on Monday (this is Saturday, dinner out tomorrow).
Sunday ... I thought this would be Monday but home early. Today is much the same as yesterday, certainly toned down a little - vanillin notes from judicious oak (oak is in the nose of the drinker, for me too much acceptable in chardonnays and more tolerance (dissapative) in reds. What sets this wine apart relative to many zins (and the Lytton Springs) is the nose, balance (significant friendly, soft tannins), and long finish. In my view any great wine must have a long finish. To me this is an excellent wine. Wish I could have bought more. (I did this with the 2010 Chateau Musar, bought 15 bottles to enjoy over time.) To put the second day in perspective I drank a number of bottles of Lytton Springs over 2 days (a wine for me of lesser quality). The first day for each was enjoyable jammy, brambly fruit, well done in a balanced and restrained way. The second day was invariably fairly hard tannins and wine a lot less enjoyable. What's different? The 'soft' with Geyserville vs 'hard' for Lytton was not the only metric. There is also nose, palate, and finish. However, I suggest Geyserville has ample tannin, maybe comparable, but guarantees both long life and enjoyment within the entire lifeline envelope. You decide. For me, the dilemma on enjoyment near term or hold long.
With the recent Geyserville fires we decided to open up a bottle. Drinking much better than my last one about 6 months ago. Dark fruit and herbal aromas. Medium body with cherry cola effervescence to lead off. Bright acidity with mint and cayenne spice on a decently long finish.
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From a half bottle. Pop n pour. Deep purple colour. Pronounced on the nose - lots of ripe red and blue fruit, bramble, black cherry plus milk chocolate and toasted coconut, presumably from American oak. Bit of a 'black forest gateau' feel. Aromas following on the palate with a velvet, fine, chocolatey texture. There is some complexity here, with some herbal/thyme notes and the definition of fruit is excellent but the toasted coconut overwhelms a touch at the moment. The alcohol is high but very well balanced and the finish is long with a touch of metallic minerality.
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Bright ruby red, blackcurrant and black cherry. Oak and vanilla though not heavy. Tannins are sweet and balanced. Decanted for an hour and drank over another hour. Could be better if consumed after a total two hours of decant.
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Pop and pour and tasted with food (chicken fajitas, with quinoa and roasted vegetables, in case you were wondering). Dark purple color. Nose of black cherries. This is quite approachable with sweet black cherry core and slight Concord grape fruit note, but with sufficient acidity that carries the wine. Delicious.
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Drank like a solid backyard BBQ Zin / red blend, a notch above a guest's quick grocery store buy, but otherwise not that interesting. It had good energy with high notes presumably coming in from the field blend components. Nice Zin spice and bramble. This is a bit "sweet" from oak and the ripe fruit and I have to wonder if in addition to those non-sugar "sweet" factors whether there is a touch of RS.
I've read comments about this being best years down the line and the CT drinking window currently shows beginning 2020, so bad on me for opening too early. For now, a solid good wine with questionable QPR.
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This is a great wine. Wife gives it 95. I will give it only 94 because I am a snob... Super ripe cherry, plum, blackberry all mixed with spices (think steak spices). Long finish with menthol notes. Ok, its very obvious, like a Lady Gaga hit. I enjoy « just dance » as much as « England » by the National, but because I’m snob, I will rate the latter one point higher...
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Not a fan of this wine. To me, tasted overripe and lending almost towards slightly fortified. Purchased at winery, stored properly so don't think it was a storage issue.
Call me not that impressed. It's just ok, this bottle.....it's a nice briar, black fruit on the nose and there's the requisite dark black in the glass and fruit profile in the mouth. There's some weight some acidity and some peppery notes. But it feels like an entry level zin from an inferior producer, not Ridge. I expected just a touch more power, more ZIN. Didn't get it.
Ripe black fruits, but not a fruit bomb. Balanced oak, a bit of spices. Very good overall balance with enough acidity & tannin to balance fruit (but not too much). Need at least 2 hours aeration at this stage. Likely to further improve over next 3 to 5+ years.
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1/6. Pretty, pretty wine. I drink more Bedrock and Carlisle than Ridge these days, and I’m not sure why that is. By contrast with Bedrock and Carlisle heritage blends, this Ridge is restrained, almost classical in proportion. Less red fruit, less concentration, more baking spice, orange peel and a bit of deft American oak (in that way that Ridge always seems to get right), and a sneaky finish that goes on for a long time. This is at least as good as the 2015 at the same stage... really look forward to these in another 3-4 years if I can avoid drinking them all.
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Had this alone (sigh) over 2 nights with a couple of savory meals. Recorked the 1/2 bottle immediately. It was simply lovely both nights. Smooth. Intense aromatics of ripe blue/black fruits; briary/brambly/dusty. Long smooth finish. Worth a repurchase, although I hesitate to lay out this kind go dough on wine anymore. Then again, it's hard to pull those pricey bottles from the cellar as well. Jesus, old"er" age is turning me more Scottish than I actually am...
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Deep purple, ripe red fruit and fresh baked strawberry pie on the nose. Full bodied lush texture. Red fruit fills your mouth with an incredibly silky texture on the attack. The mid palette is filled with spice that sticks around through the very long finish. Extremely silky texture and very well integrated tannins for such a young wine. Missing some of the earthy leathery characteristics that I love in Ridge wines but I’m assuming that’s because of its youth. Will definitely gain complexity depth and become an amazing wine with time, but delicious to drink even this early.
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Really struggled with this on day 1, the rating is for day 2. First of all, did not want to drink this so young but had limited options for Christmas dinner on vacation. Also, we are at altitude and that’s never an ideal wine scenario—I’m not sure if it is our sensory abilities or the wine—probably both. So on day 1 very closed aromatics, really had to work to get anything on the nose. Even after a 2 hour decant. Disjointed on the palate, like the blend had not blended. Very lean. And although it was just fine, not an amazing wine for Christmas dinner. 1/4 of the bottle was left on the table overnight (further testament to our lack of interest in drinking this wine). Corked and fridged it in the morning and tried again in the evening. Really nice aromatics, everything has come together. Plums and cherries and Christmas spice that would have been wonderful the night before. Conclusion—most certainly needs a few more years.
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Wow, this was just excellent. Great balance between Spicy and Jammy. May need to see if I can find more. For the price paid, $36, it was also a Very Good QPR.
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This is a great field blend, does not taste like a zin, well balanced, smooth, tasty and a great value for $40.00. guess I'll have to add some more. One thing that I really appreciate from Ridge is their label on the back of the wine. They suggest that the wine will not " reach full maturity within the next 15 years" This is certainly unusual for a Zin, but being ageable is something that sets Ridge apart from other wineries (for zin)
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5th TN...day 10...final 1 oz from 375ml. Smells like a fruity lady's perfume today. Still maintains a decent and firm taste of what it is even with the slightly off characteristics from serious airtime and evolution of all since day 1. Maintains seamless form, has grape juice lingering aftertaste. Getting decimated with each minute of air. Unbelievable potential, gathering some more to cellar as the score given now will surely climb with age. Test = Success
4th TN...day 8...cannot help but keep a test wine until it dies, so kept 2 oz corked in the 375ml. Still going. Has developed to a nose of some oak but now more dark sweet fruit shows. Has become super thin like a well aged St. Julien at peak, very fine in the mouth, not like water but like a delicate wine about to die with minimal airtime out of bottle. Taste is still pleasing, not great, not very expressive or long, but like a perfected grape juice. Have 3 in cellar & now thinking not enough. Truly thought it was going to be poured down the sink, now we go 2 more days for a Sunday small nightcap if holds, however after 10 minutes of solid air this tiny test pour is souring ultra-fast as expected.
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3rd TN...day 5 @ 100 hrs from 375ml bottle open, kept corked. I did not toss the remaining part, was only able to get back to it now (keep in mind this is exploratory test). No joke, it is drinkable still and held up, I am finishing the 5 oz glass. The nose is not as pleasant, yet the fruit and flavors upon sip are calmer, more integrated and sweeter now showing me some future profiles hidden the first couple days, even though some other taste factors have been decreased by air. The form is now more seamless with little legs. In my book, a younger wine that can hold over and develop for 5 days like this will be pretty darn good with some cellar time when fully together. This will age wonderfully, just not certain of a time-frame.
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2nd TN...day 2 @ 30 hrs from 375ml bottle open, kept corked. Holding up but sense a fading out as if too much air has begun to decrease the wine; nose is better integrated but taste/flavor not so much. Informs me that if opening these now (not advised) then a good initial decant may be the most pleasurable as the 1st test glass yesterday was better @ hour 2-3. Plan is set; to buy and cellar a few (750ml & magnum) for future maximum satisfaction and to see how such will develop with time.
375ml PnP and drank hefty Zalto Bordeaux glass over 2.5 hours...testing if I am to buy more...Yes I am. Strong nose of what seems oaky but with fruit there hiding behind it, found dark cherry; cellar time should integrate the nose and maybe just some more air. The legs are nice to watch as form different shapes and drip over minutes, they just keep going as Johnvey mentioned. Mid-weight and rather smooth/lush in the mouth, just a great feel to hold in & swallow. The mid-sip is where the flavor begins right now, then slightly drying and not a long finish, but tasty. Taste is yummy and I am impressed upon PnP, now at end of glass I cannot stop sipping for that wonderful flavor. Will see tomorrow what air brings and if can hold until Sunday the 3rd glass.
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Deep, dark reddish-purple in color; essentially opaque. Full, fragrant, attractive nose of dark fruit aromas of cherries, blackberries & plums with overtones of spice & earthy notes, loam, briary/bramble, a hint of dark cocoa & coffee, minerals & a slight touch of vanilla in the background. Medium-full bodied with a very good concentration of well balanced & smooth textured, jammy, ripe dark fruit flavors of dark cherries, boysenberries & plums with spices, earthy, cocoa, minerals & a hint of vanilla. Lingering finish. Drinks quite well at present with decanting and extended airing but will develop and benefit from several more years of further aging. A blend of 73% Zinfandel, 17% Carignane, 7% Petite Sirah & 3% Alicante Bouschet.
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This showed very very well young. Nice juxtaposition of bright and lifted floral and cranberry/strawberry notes against a dark core of blackberry and plum fruit. Great texture and acidity, this Ridge is a keeper. Will refuel
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This bottle presented so much differently than my earlier review in May that I was compelled to write another.
The blackberry and vanilla noted in my earlier review are still present, but there is a strong note of crushed black pepper and a touch of red bell pepper that I didn’t detect before. The acidity and tannins shut down the finish pretty quickly.
Not sure if this is bottle variation or evolution.
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Showing a lot of its oak upfront at the moment, but given some air the oak fades a bit and this is really good underneath it, midweight and super silky with excellent lithe concentration intensity and acid. Could be a brilliant vintage of this wine if/when the oak integrates. I wouldn't bet against it.
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ZAP:STORIES FROM SONOMA COUNTY. This was a far cry from the 50th Anniversary Geyserville for me. Nose of black cherry, touch of heat, and berry tart, same on the palate, big body, tasty, maybe too young and needs cellar time-say two years, good acid, some soft tannins present, slightly inky fruit, and a medium/long finish.
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P: LM, poss Med, body; NICE frt met by some puckerish astringency (though with the frt always at LEAST in the background) as it fairly seamlessly transitions into quite a LONG, BALANCED, very, VERY SLIGHTLY bitterish finish with a refined swtness to the dusty tannins. DESERVES through '19, then certainly at LEAST approaching its 10th. Should be ELEGANT down the line! 14.5% ABV; My EXC, aging likely to raise that! 95 pts ea Jeb Dunnuck & WA, 91-94 Vinous, & "Very Highly Rec" CA Grapevine. [This vendor's $36.99 currently puts it in the top 20% of wine-searcher's already huge listing.]
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Zin blend. Light purplish color. Strong aromas of asphalt, cherries and peaches. Dry with medium acid. High tannin. Well balanced. Flavors of red cherry and green apple. Nice.
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Sonoma County May 29, 2018: Aromas of brambly earth, blueberry, cedar, dark spices and violets. Elegant blue fruit on the palate with layers of spice. Fine fleshy tannins and good overall depth and length.
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This vintage has a dark and rich profile of blackberries, figs, vanilla, and cream with moderate acidity and very smooth tannins.
It seems a bit primary at this early stage and it doesn’t quite have enough structure or acidity needed to support the richness of the fruit.
Edit: over the course of the evening, the fruit settled in and the structure became more evident.
Day 2 Edit: this has really come into focus after 24 hours. It’s now revealing more of the spice, bramble, and structure that it needs to balance the rich fruit.
Very delicious and I plan to buy a few more to stash away.
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The nose was dark, showing crushed blackberry, plums, Christmas spice, smoke, floral undergrowth and hints of tobacco. On the palate, I found soft textures with dark red and blueberry fruits, savory spice, inner florals, and minerals. It finished firm with grippy tannin giving way to tart red fruits and hints of savory herbs.
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Bright and a bit light. Lovely perfume & flowers, really beautiful. Bergamot, touch of earth. Strikes me as a very feminine Geyserville. Really lovely.
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Probably my least favorite vintage of tasting this wine in the last 10 years. Sort of thin, austere and lacks the tannins and structure of usual Ridge Geyserville. I usually buy a case of this wine every year but this year it is a pass for me.
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Aroma: cedar, black cherry, plum jam, pencil shavings. Palate: woody and jammy blackberry flavors with some mineral notes. Light to moderate tannin. Nicely balanced; could benefit from aging to integrate flavors.
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14.5% abv. Dark ruby, moderately expressive aromatics. Raspberry, plum, white pepper, cassis ad Zin spice. Excellent depth and length. This baby is bursting with intense flavor and potential. Looks to be a really fine Geyserville.
4/13/2024 - renwom Likes this wine: 90 Points
Went well with Cuban roast pork.
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3/19/2024 - Gr8penut Likes this wine: 91 Points
Always consistent.
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12/23/2023 - tourproto Likes this wine: 92 Points
Been drinking this wine for over 20 years now and it never fails to disappoint. Unlike a lot of European wines like Bordeaux blends, Ridge zins are great right from the bottle, no breathing time needed. Still good on Day 2, but starts to decline on Day 3.
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11/23/2023 - epbryant@yahoo.com wrote:
Incredible fruit, lucious body, excellent wine.... wish I had more!
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11/11/2023 - azwino wrote:
Excellent. Needed at least an hour to start opening. Great on day two for the last glass.
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11/11/2023 - 6831 wrote: 93 Points
Wow. Absolutely no rough edges to this wine whatsoever. Med-full with great balance and integration. Smokey black fruit, black pepper, sweet raspberry, cherry, mint and earthy spice. Glides into a long graceful finish. Outstanding. These age so very well. Dbl decanted
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7/30/2023 - BrunelloBob wrote: 90 Points
Ready to drink, though you'll still notice the alcohol
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7/27/2023 - Tomportwine Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drinking beautifully now at age 7. Mature berry and prune fruit, slate and spice balanced by medium acidity and softened medium tannins. What stands out is a wonderful density.
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7/16/2023 - PDavisMarble wrote: 89 Points
Deep purple. Decanted for about 30 minutes, but it needed for more. Tried 2 different bottles from the same case. Nose took about 45 more minutes to develop. This is still a very young wine. Perhaps 3-5 years until this is in a better drinking window. Loads of black fruits, chocolate, some sage and tarragon. This is a big wine.
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7/15/2023 - #1 or #2? Likes this wine: 92 Points
opened this for my wife's bday. ...she generally prefers younger, more fruit fwd reds with some weight. the geyserville typically checks those boxes. the nose here is punchy, with blackberry, bing cherry, plum. but there's spice too and i'm definitely getting notes of cola and vanilla as well. definitely lighter on its feet than some of its predecessors... the palate is bright, more medium in weight, with lively acidity. fun on its own and nice with bbq. will hold but this is open for business.
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6/24/2023 - CavWine wrote: 94 Points
Fantastic wine. Liked it much more than the 2015. Earthy deep flavor, enough complexity but still smooth. I know where I can get more and will do it.
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6/13/2023 - Brian of Mull Likes this wine: 95 Points
Coming back to this after 3 years. PnP. Color is garnet. On the nose: Plum, vanilla, cola, spice , cherry and blackberries. Really beautiful nose. On the palate: Blackberry liquor, plum, cherry, Dr. Pepper, a hint of vanilla, cinnamon and other spice notes. Sensuous mouthfeel, long and elegant finish. This is sensational. Need a couple of cases to see how it would age. No problem to have this at a Michelin star restaurant or at home with a backyard BBQ.
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5/29/2023 - WineJ2019 Likes this wine: 92 Points
This is drinking really well and I wish I had more. Not showing signs of aging. I would say 93 on Day 1 and 91 on Day 2 for an average of 92. On day 1 the oak was better counterbalanced by fresh fruit flavors. Anyways I am splitting hairs a bit as it was really good throughout and this worked great both sipping and with food
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5/8/2023 - sdonahue Likes this wine: 95 Points
This is really drinking beautifully after two hour decant
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4/17/2023 - Vince_chip Likes this wine: 94 Points
Tout est parfait
Excellent équilibre entre un fruit sucré et mûr. Sans aucune lourdeur, long en bouche, très parfumé, aucun excès. Vraiment exceptionnel.
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4/16/2023 - Swan 60 Likes this wine: 93 Points
I opened the wine 1 hour before drinking. Beautiful nose with berries and leather. The taste was smooth with great balance of tannins and acid. I wish I had more in my cellar!
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4/14/2023 - MRichman wrote:
Excellent. Firm fruit. In a great spot right now.
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4/2/2023 - soumamae Likes this wine: 95 Points
So intense, spicey, fruity, rich and dense.
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3/27/2023 - asparagus Likes this wine: 92 Points
Side by side with the 15 Geyserville - this edged the former ever so slightly. While others preferred the hedonistic immediacy of the 15, AFWE that I am preferred the tad more structure and acid here.
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2/9/2023 - LingonTuvan wrote: 88 Points
Surpricingly, a bit short and flat. Beyond the peak or too young?
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1/26/2023 - oakville72 Likes this wine: 90 Points
I have been sampling Ridge Zins for 50 years. I remember the early ones as being mind blowers. Was that my youth or was it their over-the-top style? Today's Ridge Zins drink easily as soon as they're released and peak just a few years later, depending on their source. This one is 73% Zin, 17% Carignane, 7% Petite Sirah, 3% Alicante Bouschet. Good fruit plus vanilla from American oak aging, but too soft in the finish, which also shows a bitter, almost corked, taste. I hate to label Ridge this way, but it kind of reminds me of the Algerian reds we used to buy in the early 1970s — fat, fruity and alcoholic. Tho this wine is much better made. One can find better Zins (or Zin-based blends) for the same or lower prices.
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11/22/2022 - Rbhan12 Likes this wine: 91 Points
To me, the 97pt score is very generous. Tasted blind.
Nose was a bit confusing to me. I did think there was some noticeable alcohol. Initially there was a minty-menthol note that settled down, and had some fruit that I couldn't describe. It was definitely dark, maybe dark purple or dark red, something cassis like. The palate was medium full and voluptuous, but the fruit didn't blast you or blow you away. Finish was quite long lived with plenty of fruit and acid/tannin structure.
Was pretty surprised to see this was a Zin. Definitely not a big, rich, extracted style, but not quite as light and fragrant as the Pagani Ranch. Nice wine that could go a few more years in the cellar.
Drink now or hold for a few years.
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11/22/2022 - Acove Likes this wine: 91 Points
Vanilla extract, acetone, raspberry, muddling red and black fruits on the nose. Very unique palate; medium + body, medium acid and medium - tannin, good length for zin. Alcohol is a bit prominent on the palate and nose as well. Really tastes like nothing I've had before, has this interesting medicinal characteristic and the fruit profile is very unique, very obviously new world but varietal and region would be hard to get blind. I do enjoy this though, even at the price. I would maybe recommend a few more years of cellaring as well.
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11/20/2022 - Djfermentation Likes this wine: 97 Points
Phenomenal Zinfandel which should continue to mature gracefully. Sadly we have enjoyed our final bottle.
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10/17/2022 - tomlee wrote: 94 Points
Dark crimson in color. 14.5% ABV. 73% Zinfandel, 17% Carignane, 7% Petite Sirah and 3% Alicante Bouschet. Riveting nose of red and black fruits, licorice and flowers. Full bodied with mouth watering acidity. Rich and lush with tons of dark fruit. Black cherry, raspberry liqueur, anise and pepper on the palate. Exceptional length on the finish with prominent, gritty tannins. Awesome Geyserville with a long life ahead of it. Best over the next 6-8 years.
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10/9/2022 - Jag76 wrote: 90 Points
The wine looks rosy colored. The legs are slow. There is no sediment in the bottle. It tastes like cherry and light toast. The body is light. The wine has narrow texture. The wine finishes short. The wine has low acidity.
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8/30/2022 - Tintenbach Likes this wine: 95 Points
So much going on here, primary, secondary and first tertiary aromas/flavours. Really complex wine.
Alcohol perfect interwoven into the body. A beauty!
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8/12/2022 - ROrmand Likes this wine: 91 Points
Exotic, fresh and nuanced. Fruits, spices and florals in polyamorous harmony.
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5/31/2022 - MRichman wrote:
This is really excellent and much better than the Lytton of the same vintage. Strong with good grip and density but also has a pretty, light floral, dark and spicy side. A fantastic vintage of this wine.
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4/27/2022 - BrunelloBob wrote: 91 Points
Big, with a booze load best managed by food. Great fruit, good tannin/body.
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4/6/2022 - phandel wrote: 95 Points
Drank the 2015 and 2016 side-by-side (from magnums): the 15 was singing, markedly older than the 16. But the 16 had more going on, hidden under the youth.
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3/26/2022 - Rieslingfan wrote:
Pretty much typical Geyserville, with ripe berry fruit and dusty, warm herbs. Every sip just makes me want another. It does have notable tannic structure, so with the ample fruit it can certainly evolve for many more years. I just have a hard time keeping my hands off of my stash of half bottles.
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2/19/2022 - asparagus Likes this wine: 91 Points
had the 2016 Ridge Lytton Springs and Geyserville side by side over 2.5 hours. both were slow oxed for 5 hours before tasting. the lytton springs was better out of the gates but over the course of 2.5 hours, the geyserville caught up and ended edging the LS by a smidge. bramble and blackcurrant. lovely.
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2/12/2022 - Renzloh wrote: 92 Points
Amazing bouquet. Great depth of flavor
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1/14/2022 - Dine&Vine Likes this wine: 93 Points
What a smooth and tasty Geyserville from Ridge. Blackberries and dark cherry fruit with spicy pepper on the finish. Drank from magnum, was well received from all who tasted it. Yum.
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12/28/2021 - DrBad Likes this wine: 91 Points
This has really integrated nicely over the last 1-2 years. Blackberry, pepper, vanilla, cola and nice acidity. A bit on the hot side but that seems to give it some oomph.
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12/23/2021 - t_moderne wrote: 90 Points
Pop and pour.
Tasted on its own.
Dark purple color.
Primary grape notes with some pepper spice notes.
Rich fruits. Primary grape flavor.
Has some nice blackberry and pepper notes.
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12/19/2021 - Wadham Cellar wrote: 92 Points
Same as last note. Young but excellent. Suggest 2 hour + decant if drinking now. I dont smell or taste heat on this. Perfectly balanced.
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12/15/2021 - Aris1a wrote: 88 Points
Maybe I got a not so good bottles, as my review of this wine is not as sanguine as that of others. Yes, the fruit was there, but there was also a good dollop of alcohol ever present. That detracted from the overall experience. Other than that, it is an interesting blend, and overall drinkable. But really nothing special.
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12/2/2021 - JFW Likes this wine: 91 Points
BIG! Bold. Rich. Vanilla and baking spices.
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11/27/2021 - forceberry wrote: 91 Points
A blend of organically farmed Zinfandel (73%), Carignan (17%), Petite Sirah (7%) and Alicante Bouschet (3%) from the Geyserville vineyard in Alexander Valley. The harvest started on 6th of September and ended on 30th of September. Fermented spontaneously, macerated with the skins for 9 days. Aged in American oak (20% new, 6% second use, 9% third use and 65% older) for 12 months. 14,5% alcohol. Tasted in a mini-vertical of Geyserville 2016, 2012, 2011 and 2010.
Slightly translucent black cherry color with a youthful, subtly blueish hue. Cool and surprisingly green-toned nose with sappy aromas of stemmy greenness and green peppercorns, ripe blackberries, some juicy red plums, a little bit of woody oak spice, light crunchy notes of fresh red berries, a hint of garrigue and a touch of sweet yet peppery Zinfandel spice. The wine feels ripe, juicy and silky on the palate with a full body and vibrant flavors of brambly black raspberries, some toasty wood spice, light sweet notes of blackberry marmalade and ripe bilberries, a little bit of succulent dark plummy fruit, a hint of vanilla oak and a sappy touch of slightly herbaceous greenness. The overall feel is quite structured with the rather high acidity and firm, moderately grippy tannins, while the somewhat alcohol lends a bit of warmth to the palate. The finish is ripe, slightly sweet-toned and gently grippy with a long aftertaste of boysenberries, some blueberry tones, a little bit of savory wood spice, light oaky notes of vanilla and sweet, toasty wood, a hint of savory brown spices and a touch of fresh bramble.
A classically built, firm and quite enjoyable Geyserville - even if there was a subtle green note that lend a slightly atypical, yet not distracting nuance of herbaceous greenness. I don't know if it was just slightly herbaceous fruit, some stemmy character, slightly green-toned American oak or something else, but there was definitely something slightly green-toned amidst all the ripe yet surprisingly fresh and precise fruit. Overall the wine shows good balance between the vibrant fruit, nice sense of structure and judiciously restrained oak character, but there's no denying that this is a very young wine. While drinking really well already now, this wine is bound to improve with age, based on how youthful it still is and how it feels like it is brimming with aging potential. I'd let the wine age for at least another 5-8 years more. Good stuff, solid value at 35,96€.
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11/26/2021 - Rollerball wrote: 92 Points
A rousing, elegant, mid-weight Zin. The seductive palate comes off smoky, squeezable, and plush right up to the finish, where a sharp turn offers sudden, tart energy, suggesting this still has a couple of years to smooth out before peak plateau. 2023-2028
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11/23/2021 - nnektarios Likes this wine: 91 Points
Deep Ruby. Black cherries. Spices. Medium to full-bodied, powerfull tannins and very well integrated. Medium finish. Needs 2-3 hours of air.
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11/15/2021 - Ara Kafafian Likes this wine: 93 Points
Blind, almost purple, blueberry pie, vanilla, oak, dark berries explode on the nose. Very ripe and full bodied with a long finish, this seems like it will hold a decade. Very well done.
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9/28/2021 - 309VEB Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nice wine but, for me, it needs more time. I decanted the wine and it improved over time as it opened up. With a drinking window to 2030 I don't see any rush to get after my remaining bottles. I will probably wait 2-3 years before opening another bottle.
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9/20/2021 - NickA Likes this wine: 93 Points
I wondered if this would need more time (and indeed I have not opened any of my bottles yet), but very glad my friend brought this to our steak night, as it was excellent. Full bodied and packed with flavour, including lots of herbal-accented black cherry fruit, but with a surprisingly pure and weightless feel. Very, very drinkable; I immediately stocked up with more.
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9/14/2021 - 99tollap wrote: 93 Points
Martel Tour des Vins 2021 Day 1: This was really impressive. Superb structure and balance. Fine tannins, well integrated into the core of ripe dark fruit. Gorgeous mouthfeel and texture, particularly on the finish. And it's just so damn delicious. I guess this is just entering it's drinking window, but still has many years to go. Top buy.
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8/17/2021 - Wadham Cellar wrote: 92 Points
Excellent. Robust tannins but mostly matched by acidity, freshness and lift. Young and will improve and better integrate with time but no reason not to have this now, ideally decanted and with food. Fantastic wine and fantastic value.
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8/10/2021 - Rieslingfan wrote:
Double decanted a 375ml 24 hours in advance to avoid mid-life closed in syndrome. After letting it warm up from cellar temp it’s ripe Saskatoon berry with spice, a little bit of popcorn, and sun-drenched earth. Balanced fruit and structure (somewhat drying on the finish, but not out of proportion for being so young), a finishing dose of leathery funk, and it’s all Geyserville. Just so darned good.
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7/31/2021 - kevrob822 Likes this wine: 92 Points
This was excellent. The additional time in the bottle was exceptionally well spent. Raising it to 92 Points. It was even nicer, more rich, but still exceptionally smooth. I’m sure this vintage is gone, but I’m going to make a point of getting more of this wine soon. Ridge does makes excellent Zin-based blends and Geyserville is no exception.
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7/31/2021 - pdr_urrutia wrote: 93 Points
Drank at Villanelle (NYC). Tasty and very expressive already, but could use a couple more years to come together. Nose is full of ripe spiced plums and cherries. Palate is ripe and full, but has enough acidity to keep it from being cloying. Black cherries, wild blueberries, cocoa nibs. Medium body with a really nice finish that accentuates the notes of cocoa and spice.
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7/23/2021 - ralstenm Likes this wine: 95 Points
Beautiful bramble fruits on nose! Bright red berries with well balanced acidity and tannins! Really drinking well! Served with mushroom Gouda burgers! Doesn’t get much better!
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7/20/2021 - vacpl Likes this wine: 91 Points
Definitely better after aeration and 2nd/3rd day. Probably better to wait a little longer before drinking for those left in the Cellar.
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7/6/2021 - LingonTuvan Likes this wine: 93 Points
8 hrs air. High acid and a lot of tannins. Nice and intriguing fruit and spices. Start to open up. Will likely improve further with more years in cellar
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7/4/2021 - KC Wine Enthusiast Likes this wine: 93 Points
73% Zin, 17% Carignane, 7% P Sirah, 3% Alicante Bouschet
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6/27/2021 - Duderino Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drank this after 1 hour open. Should have decanted and let it sit for a few more hours. Still nice, though
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6/15/2021 - cubswinws Likes this wine: 94 Points
This has really hit its stride. Just drinking lovely at present.
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6/5/2021 - fred o. Likes this wine:
Bottled Dec 2017. 14.5% abv.
73% Zinfandel, 17% carignane, 7% petite sirah, 3% alicante bouschet
Indigo violet.
Nose plummy dark fruit, deep.
Palate smooth dark fruits, a mineral edge. Good depth if a bit ripe, nonetheless with the track record, would want to see this again after a few years for more secondary development. 90 pts with upside
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5/30/2021 - BrunelloBob wrote: 90 Points
Fine steak wine. Good tannin, acidity, fruit. BW likes
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5/30/2021 - Amberissey Likes this wine: 91 Points
From 375ml. Opened five hours ahead. The first scent is rose, then some green pepper, and some chocolate covered cherries and also fresh raspberries. All there on the palette, the juicy chocolate cherries just wonderful, and some lovely cracked black pepper. Some cherry juice soaked pastry as well later on on the nose and pallette. A little dusty tannic grip that I like. Perfect acidity, great balance
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5/29/2021 - paintinginacave Likes this wine: 92 Points
375ml. Opened five hours prior to tasting. Opaque, medium purple fading to a medium ruby outer edge. Black pepper, grilled green peppers, fresh violets, dark chocolate, black cherry, and red plum skin all reveal themselves on a slightly surprising nose that’s far less fruit forward than I expected from a 73% Zinfandel dominant blend, which is pleasing to see. The palate - counter to the nose - is packed with ripe black fruit coated in milk chocolate and rolled in sweet baking spices.
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5/9/2021 - Hrtiii wrote: 93 Points
Perfect partner for spicy Thai basil chicken. Bold, jammy, but great structure. Long finish
Update: just finished it a week later (forgot I had opened it-vacuum sealed- it was even better, open, silky smooth and still great compliment to pork tenderloin
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4/22/2021 - asheio wrote: 91 Points
Massive style, great fruit, very young, wait 5 years.
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4/16/2021 - brewnello wrote: 92 Points
Not a detailed note but great consistent food wine. Always tasty with dark fruit and medium finish. Some currant and spice - very balanced. Great QPR! Paired well with herbal basted filet mignon and grilled asparagus. Skipped night 2 but on night 3 still delicious - I’m getting plump raisins and balsamic vinegar- what a delight!
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3/26/2021 - ohne_musik wrote: 89 Points
A couple years since my last bottle. This geezer was initially very tightly wound- so unforthcoming at first was the fruit I thought it might be mildly corked. Well, after a couple hours of air, and some taut blueberry fruit emerges, butressed with grapefruit peel, mild coco-vanilla, moderately rustic tannins, and a creamy mouthfeel. Despite a tart aspect to the acid, the oak treatment still seems a bit tiring at present. By day 2, tannins have softened, with grapefruit peel becoming dominant.
Good, but not as crazy about this as last time... perhaps it’s in a bit of an awkward phase.
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3/13/2021 - Mike Dildine Likes this wine: 94 Points
14.5% abv. Aromatic and plush, this Geezer is rounding into shape nicely!
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3/10/2021 - FelineAvenger wrote:
Opened and drank over two nights. Backstory -- in May 2019 I had the 2013 Geyserville, and it stole the show with minimal TLC (open bottle to air about 3 hours, no decant). We opened the 2016 this week, when it would be roughly a year younger than the 2013 was a the time we drank that.
First night: decanted half the bottle into small decanter, sat 1.5 hours. Very nice nose at first. My wife (the hard one to please) liked it. For me, I found it closed and hot. Muted flavors and nose weakened by the time of drinking it with food (Cioppino). I was not feeling well so not sure whether to chalk it up to me being off, or the wine.
Second night: remainder of bottle having been stored under vacuum and refrigerated, opened and decanted 3 hours before eating (with flank steak). Better experience second night, smoother, less heat, and more or less enjoyable this night. Still not the "blow me away" experience I had with the 2013 2 years ago.
One bottle left, and planning to leave this until 2023 before opening. I noticed another taster had indicated this wine had started tightening up recently, and I suppose this wine might be going through a "dumb phase" at the moment. Hopefully time will improve it to what one would normally expect from Geyserville.
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3/10/2021 - Kayentacellars wrote: 92 Points
Dark berry aromas, medium to full body, mild tannins, slightly acidic with flavors of blackberry, dark cherry, nice balance and moderately long finish.
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2/12/2021 - pigdaddy wrote: 91 Points
decanted 30 min. displays the youthful purple expected, all the fruit bowl of mulberries, blackberries, sweet spice & black pepper in the forefront; med +palate weight; quite ripe & intensely present after 2 hours, this has tightened up since the last one nearly a year ago; will be very good mid-term, at 8 - 10 years from vintage.
pork burger w/buttermilk blue cheese; ayocote amarillo beans w/hatch chilies & avocado
1/13/22 approachable mid-stage tonight; juicy & ripe but not too much. (90)
pork burger patty melt, swiss, curry ketchup
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2/10/2021 - Genghis88 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Dark burgundy, garnet rim
Stewed dark fruit, rubbery tire, some bone marrow
Thick, viscous, grippy, medium plus finish. Some savory notes. Red apples. Fruit leather.
A decent wine with a good QPR.
cactus club delivery
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1/31/2021 - ColluraJ Likes this wine: 90 Points
Revisit after 2 years.
Light crimson color. Strong aromas of asphalt, cherries and peaches. Dry with medium acid. Medium tannin. Well balanced. Strong flavors of red cherry and green apple skin. Nice.
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12/20/2020 - grog wrote:
After a recent Zoom where Tegan Passalacqua was explaining the importance and historical significance of this vineyard, I decided it was time to check in on this. Carries the elegance of (most) Ridge wines, though still a baby. Red fruits with some baking spices (cinnamon?) and a barely-ripe plum note. Tasty with a bit of air but really needs a few more years in the cellar.
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11/27/2020 - Papies wrote: 90 Points
Assyrtiko from Santorini vs Old Vine Swartland Chenin Blanc (Online Tasting): From half bottle and decanted for a good hour.
A great crowd pleaser as always but also a serious well made wine. Young at this stage with bright red fruits and a good helping of oak that given time should be assimilated and allow for more complexity. A wine no one will ever not like. 90
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11/15/2020 - kend707 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Blackberry and plum flavors. Long finish. Medium bodied.
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10/27/2020 - Rieslingfan wrote:
Classic Geyserville. If you know it, you know what I mean. If you don’t, you should.
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10/24/2020 - adamanko wrote: 90 Points
First sips I don't like. But it comes around. A tad jam. Some delicious spiceyness at the end. Some pepper. Plums and blueberrylike. Ginger biscuit? As I remember it I loves -15. This is not as good but still good. 90?
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9/27/2020 - tob100 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted 30 min, drunk over 4 hours.
The nose:
Plum, blackcurrant, red fruits, juniper, gravel/graphit, heat, banana, chocolate, herbs.
The palate:
Fruit forward, plum and blackberry are primary, so comes raspberry and strawberry, gravel/graphit, chocolate, pepper.
Tannin medium
acidity medium
Body medium+
The finish is short.
Its a more complex zinfandel, buts its alto a blend.
I would say that this wine needs time. It still feels a little shaky. Give 2-5 years. Otherwise this one actually gets better from decanting. at least 1.5 hour. You couldn't do that with a Primitivo (italian)
If I tasted this blind, Geyserville could have fooled me and I would call this Italian. Overall this wine taste fresher on the fruits, than Primitivo, which actually lifts the palate up.
91 solid - wait 2-5 years or decant 1.5 hour.
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9/25/2020 - Fine wine Lad Likes this wine: 95 Points
Loved this.
The wine looks garnet colored. The legs are medium. There is no sediment in the bottle. It smells like black currant (cassis), red currant, flint, stoniness and alcohol/hot. It tastes like black currant (cassis), red currant, plum, stoniness, coffee, lead pencil, tobacco and black pepper. The body is medium/full. The wine has smooth texture. The wine finishes medium. The wine has medium acidity.
Wine needs time, decanted for 2h and tasted every 30 min. Became more rounded as time passed. Really fantastic and complex wine.
Ok to drink now but will improve and become more balanced with age
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9/6/2020 - Charlie N Likes this wine: 91 Points
My first Geyserville
Decanted for an hour, decanted back into the bottle and tasted an hour later. Clearly this wine isn't meant to be rushed so I missed out on the better part of half the bottle.
Revisited 5 days later and good lord. No bizarre or particularly unique sensory notes (the usual mint/menthol, spice/pepper, *rich* mocha) but the clarity of expression and depth of articulation this far into the lifetime of this open bottle makes totally apparent the inevitable reward for long-term patience.
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8/28/2020 - bjschmitt Likes this wine: 90 Points
With hamburgers and greed beans.
Deep garnet, good color to the rim, young.
Raspberry, cherry nose.
Acid and tannin up front and personal on the palate. Needs some time to chill out! Wine grew after a couple of hours - promise of things to come.
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7/28/2020 - Chris@77 Likes this wine: 94 Points
I've wanted to drink more bottles of this have restrained myself until now. It was so inviting, complex, enjoyable. Also refrained in the covid era from picking up a few more at 20% more because of having to walk in. I waited too long. This is still enjoyable. I changed the rating only upon reflecting on the last bottle. The tannins are now evident, initial baby fat dissipating, nose more subdued. The wine more closely resembles the 2018 now although the blend difference is noticeable even if slight.
I'm going to drink it over 2-3 nights, will revise if useful. The previous notes on this page are relevant, unchanged. Beautiful wine. Suggest waiting a couple years. Window for drinking now is gone.
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7/24/2020 - azwino Likes this wine:
Decanted for 2.5 hours. Excellent wine, great aroma and flavors. No formal notes.
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7/20/2020 - Brian of Mull Likes this wine: 94 Points
Opened 2 hours. On the nose pronounced plums and some spice. On the palate: rich ripe plums, blackberries, cassis, tar and spice with just a hint of alcohol heat. This is a great Zinfandel. Very elegant and complex. I think a year or two of age will improve it but its great now.
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7/19/2020 - GaoCellar Likes this wine: 90 Points
A little bit of heat on the open, but smoothed out nicely in the glass over time. Maybe needs a bit more time to truly dazzle, but there's no doubt that Geyserville is a great choice for an old reliable.
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7/12/2020 - battytaxicab Likes this wine: 90 Points
A very pleasant surprise. Dark berries but earthy and woody notes. Ripe fruit taste but plenty of good acidity and tannin to give great texture and depth.
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7/10/2020 - Keith Cooper Likes this wine: 95 Points
Deep Burgundian colour. The nose is toasty, with damson and blackcurrant fruit. The palate is big, full and rich, fruit cake, blackcurrant fruit, charcoal, well balanced, soft and rich, with a lovely long finish. Overall, a superb wine, which we thoroughly enjoyed drinking. Certainly approachable now, but will surely keep 5-10 years.
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6/16/2020 - Psdycp wrote: 93 Points
A profound and complex bouquet full of black fruits, white pepper and earthy clove, smoked sausage, river stones and old leather. Not the usual fruit forward Zin that we often get from California, more like a good Bordeaux in its aromatic profile. Palate is dry, spicy and balanced, with a deep and long mid-palate A full-bodied wine but it has a polished structure with all the elements checked in line, no one step out to compete for attention. Transitions from entry to finish is seamless with some bite at the very end. This is not a BBQ wine. It deserves to be paired with a good but simple steak or to be slowly drank on its own to appreciate its evolving personalities. Drink this over 2-3 hours from the bottle if you are not aging it further. This wine will drink well into 2030 with proper storage.
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5/6/2020 - shaferguy91 wrote: 91 Points
Decanted 1 hour.
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5/2/2020 - Djfermentation Likes this wine: 96 Points
We opened this for a small glass each to wrap up a pizza dinner then recorked to enjoy the following day. Both experiences were fantastic and it was probably better on day two. This will age very well but is a lot of fun now. Probably one of my top 2 or 3 Zinfandel experiences ever. Love Ridge
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4/10/2020 - FLI Likes this wine: 87 Points
Fine, but, nothing noteworthy.
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3/17/2020 - BoulderWine Likes this wine: 91 Points
I came across a recommendation to match the Ridge Geyserville with corned beef and cabbage, and it worked wonderfully. While predominately Zin, the field blend of other varietals makes for a tamer wine with nuanced flavors.
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3/12/2020 - cjsadler Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very youthful, with lots of brambly fruit up front and a violet like note on the finish. I think I’d probably prefer this with a bit of age, but with a short half-hour decant it was still quite nice. The alcohol and fruit are a bit heavy at the moment, for my taste at least, but air helped.
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3/6/2020 - pigdaddy wrote: 90 Points
pnp. in that really fun early stage before it sometimes locks up; don't know if this one will, I think less likely in this vintage but a delightful example of consistency, & yes, qpr at its price point.
cannellini beans w/whipped lardo; pizza w/soppresata, hot honey & arugula
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3/2/2020 - nickgorski Likes this wine:
2hr slow ox. Cherry & berry on the nose. Palate initially of red fruit that got darker over the course of the evening, spice, some complexity with integrated tannins and structure. Will be hard to leave laying on its side, drinking delightfully now. Feels more polished than many zin field blends, maybe less rustic or more easygoing personality.
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2/25/2020 - Baron Slick wrote: 95 Points
Wow, just wow. So much character and substance here. Loads of cherries, blackberries, and plums to go along with pungent whiffs of licorice and spices. Mid-to-full bodied, ripe and succulent, with tremendous depth, structure, purity, and a personality that never stops evolving. This is as enduring as a wine gets and the best Ridge Geyserville I've ever had.
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2/7/2020 - jocelyng Likes this wine: 93 Points
- Wife:98 !
- me:ARE YOU SERIOUS ???
- ok...96 !
- What ?!
- I had a tough week: but.... 95 at least !
For me: 93-94. So good. Ripe and oaky of course but there is complexity and finesse rarely seen in a zin. Excellent lenght.
Paired well with duck magret served with porto, blueberry and thyme sauce.
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1/4/2020 - Chrisinroch wrote:
PnP, passive cellar since direct purchase
Not a lot of experience w this blend. It's youthful now, lots of bright reddish fruit, a bit of spice and a healthy dose of vanilla. For my palate it was sweet(ish). Not cloying at all, just pushing the envelop. Too much vanilla, too much RS??? I dunno, probably for some. To me, It's really tasty and drinkable. I'd be interested in how this develops.
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12/28/2019 - Chris@77 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Saturday ... I drank 2 bottles of this before buying 6, all I could get. Not having any interesting wines I wanted to drink and wondering of this one, purchased early 2019, I grabbed one. Initially the wine seemed tannic, significant soft tannins but the nose was huge for a wine of this age. Tannins softening after airing to a wine of huge flavors. Having been open a while the tannin is now more evident. Having targeted this for extinction with enjoyment I'm now questioning my decision. I note the ambiguity of those who offer it is above average and not exceptional maybe with too much oak, and those who label it as a singular wine. I'm in the latter camp (with my nose in the glass). I'm enjoying it a lot, a field blend that works for me unlike the jammy zins which don't. I prefer the restrained and balanced wines of Ridge. The not overly berryish notes and vanilla appeals to me. To me, this is very well made, one I should keep. Second half of the bottle on Monday (this is Saturday, dinner out tomorrow).
Sunday ... I thought this would be Monday but home early. Today is much the same as yesterday, certainly toned down a little - vanillin notes from judicious oak (oak is in the nose of the drinker, for me too much acceptable in chardonnays and more tolerance (dissapative) in reds. What sets this wine apart relative to many zins (and the Lytton Springs) is the nose, balance (significant friendly, soft tannins), and long finish. In my view any great wine must have a long finish. To me this is an excellent wine. Wish I could have bought more. (I did this with the 2010 Chateau Musar, bought 15 bottles to enjoy over time.) To put the second day in perspective I drank a number of bottles of Lytton Springs over 2 days (a wine for me of lesser quality). The first day for each was enjoyable jammy, brambly fruit, well done in a balanced and restrained way. The second day was invariably fairly hard tannins and wine a lot less enjoyable. What's different? The 'soft' with Geyserville vs 'hard' for Lytton was not the only metric. There is also nose, palate, and finish. However, I suggest Geyserville has ample tannin, maybe comparable, but guarantees both long life and enjoyment within the entire lifeline envelope. You decide. For me, the dilemma on enjoyment near term or hold long.
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12/21/2019 - jmkcbk wrote:
Drank with JJ & Ann
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11/28/2019 - KVM wrote:
Deep ruby. Vanilla and black fruit nose. This is tasty, but rather lightly concentrated for a Geyserville and lacking detail.
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10/31/2019 - chanote44 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Better than my July tasting but still not the GREAT Geyserville of old.
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10/24/2019 - DrBad Likes this wine: 91 Points
With the recent Geyserville fires we decided to open up a bottle. Drinking much better than my last one about 6 months ago. Dark fruit and herbal aromas. Medium body with cherry cola effervescence to lead off. Bright acidity with mint and cayenne spice on a decently long finish.
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10/8/2019 - azwino wrote:
No formal notes. Definitely needs time to open - much better on day 2. Good fruit, with light vanilla / oak richness. Finish is long.
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10/8/2019 - shaferguy91 wrote: 91 Points
Decanted 1 hour.
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10/8/2019 - jpkc wrote: 88 Points
Overripe, drank before its time, but time may help
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9/7/2019 - peruvianprince Likes this wine: 93 Points
Smooth and balanced berries
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8/31/2019 - R J Lewis wrote:
From a half bottle. Pop n pour. Deep purple colour. Pronounced on the nose - lots of ripe red and blue fruit, bramble, black cherry plus milk chocolate and toasted coconut, presumably from American oak. Bit of a 'black forest gateau' feel. Aromas following on the palate with a velvet, fine, chocolatey texture. There is some complexity here, with some herbal/thyme notes and the definition of fruit is excellent but the toasted coconut overwhelms a touch at the moment. The alcohol is high but very well balanced and the finish is long with a touch of metallic minerality.
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8/5/2019 - FredericoWines wrote: 90 Points
Bright ruby red, blackcurrant and black cherry. Oak and vanilla though not heavy. Tannins are sweet and balanced. Decanted for an hour and drank over another hour. Could be better if consumed after a total two hours of decant.
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7/7/2019 - AWBryce wrote:
very modern nose of blue fruits, coconut, hint of citrus. balanced, ripe mouthfeel; well structured and balanced, long finish
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7/5/2019 - chanote44 Likes this wine: 87 Points
Agree completely with TWARD's note. Overly sweet and not sure that it will go the distance like other vintages of Geyserville.
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6/29/2019 - t_moderne wrote: 91 Points
Pop and pour and tasted with food (chicken fajitas, with quinoa and roasted vegetables, in case you were wondering).
Dark purple color.
Nose of black cherries.
This is quite approachable with sweet black cherry core and slight Concord grape fruit note, but with sufficient acidity that carries the wine.
Delicious.
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6/9/2019 - tward wrote: 86 Points
Drank like a solid backyard BBQ Zin / red blend, a notch above a guest's quick grocery store buy, but otherwise not that interesting. It had good energy with high notes presumably coming in from the field blend components. Nice Zin spice and bramble. This is a bit "sweet" from oak and the ripe fruit and I have to wonder if in addition to those non-sugar "sweet" factors whether there is a touch of RS.
I've read comments about this being best years down the line and the CT drinking window currently shows beginning 2020, so bad on me for opening too early. For now, a solid good wine with questionable QPR.
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6/9/2019 - jocelyng Likes this wine: 94 Points
This is a great wine. Wife gives it 95. I will give it only 94 because I am a snob...
Super ripe cherry, plum, blackberry all mixed with spices (think steak spices). Long finish with menthol notes.
Ok, its very obvious, like a Lady Gaga hit. I enjoy « just dance » as much as « England » by the National, but because I’m snob, I will rate the latter one point higher...
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6/4/2019 - shaferguy91 wrote: 91 Points
Decanted 2 hours.
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5/26/2019 - gaveaux Likes this wine: 90 Points
Pepper on the nose, dark fruit, full bodied, spice,
Good finish
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5/13/2019 - MikeCW wrote: 86 Points
Not a fan of this wine. To me, tasted overripe and lending almost towards slightly fortified. Purchased at winery, stored properly so don't think it was a storage issue.
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5/8/2019 - Mark1npt wrote: 88 Points
Call me not that impressed. It's just ok, this bottle.....it's a nice briar, black fruit on the nose and there's the requisite dark black in the glass and fruit profile in the mouth. There's some weight some acidity and some peppery notes. But it feels like an entry level zin from an inferior producer, not Ridge. I expected just a touch more power, more ZIN. Didn't get it.
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4/27/2019 - fanglangzhe Likes this wine: 90 Points
Ripe black fruits, but not a fruit bomb. Balanced oak, a bit of spices. Very good overall balance with enough acidity & tannin to balance fruit (but not too much). Need at least 2 hours aeration at this stage. Likely to further improve over next 3 to 5+ years.
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4/12/2019 - shaferguy91 wrote: 92 Points
Decanted 2 hours.Very good stuff.
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3/14/2019 - ohne_musik wrote: 92 Points
1/6. Pretty, pretty wine. I drink more Bedrock and Carlisle than Ridge these days, and I’m not sure why that is. By contrast with Bedrock and Carlisle heritage blends, this Ridge is restrained, almost classical in proportion. Less red fruit, less concentration, more baking spice, orange peel and a bit of deft American oak (in that way that Ridge always seems to get right), and a sneaky finish that goes on for a long time. This is at least as good as the 2015 at the same stage... really look forward to these in another 3-4 years if I can avoid drinking them all.
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3/11/2019 - "Rhône Rider" Likes this wine: 90 Points
Lukket nese. Plommer, kirsebær, moreller, blåbær. Flott fatbruk. Lang, frisk. 90-91
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3/10/2019 - peruvianprince wrote: 90 Points
Light, Lytton springs better
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3/1/2019 - jmcmchi wrote: 89 Points
Ripe and spicy, with a sort of (shoe)polish effect
Lightish, medium body, moderate tannins
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2/23/2019 - drdecanto Likes this wine: 93 Points
Had this alone (sigh) over 2 nights with a couple of savory meals. Recorked the 1/2 bottle immediately. It was simply lovely both nights. Smooth. Intense aromatics of ripe blue/black fruits; briary/brambly/dusty. Long smooth finish. Worth a repurchase, although I hesitate to lay out this kind go dough on wine anymore. Then again, it's hard to pull those pricey bottles from the cellar as well. Jesus, old"er" age is turning me more Scottish than I actually am...
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2/5/2019 - BI81 Likes this wine:
Deep purple, ripe red fruit and fresh baked strawberry pie on the nose. Full bodied lush texture. Red fruit fills your mouth with an incredibly silky texture on the attack. The mid palette is filled with spice that sticks around through the very long finish. Extremely silky texture and very well integrated tannins for such a young wine. Missing some of the earthy leathery characteristics that I love in Ridge wines but I’m assuming that’s because of its youth. Will definitely gain complexity depth and become an amazing wine with time, but delicious to drink even this early.
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1/9/2019 - colorflavorlocking Likes this wine:
Far too young, closed on days 1 & 2.
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12/29/2018 - ssandke Likes this wine:
Tina loves this one
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12/27/2018 - Decanting Queen wrote: 91 Points
Really struggled with this on day 1, the rating is for day 2. First of all, did not want to drink this so young but had limited options for Christmas dinner on vacation. Also, we are at altitude and that’s never an ideal wine scenario—I’m not sure if it is our sensory abilities or the wine—probably both. So on day 1 very closed aromatics, really had to work to get anything on the nose. Even after a 2 hour decant. Disjointed on the palate, like the blend had not blended. Very lean. And although it was just fine, not an amazing wine for Christmas dinner.
1/4 of the bottle was left on the table overnight (further testament to our lack of interest in drinking this wine). Corked and fridged it in the morning and tried again in the evening. Really nice aromatics, everything has come together. Plums and cherries and Christmas spice that would have been wonderful the night before. Conclusion—most certainly needs a few more years.
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12/21/2018 - kevrob822 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Wow, this was just excellent. Great balance between Spicy and Jammy. May need to see if I can find more. For the price paid, $36, it was also a Very Good QPR.
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12/17/2018 - MRichman wrote:
Delicious. Young, but drinking great. A top vintage.
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12/15/2018 - Alexander Smith Likes this wine: 91 Points
Zin fans should ve all over this. Much more refined than other Zins I have tried a lot more smooth and elegant, less jammy.
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11/30/2018 - michigan dogs Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is a great field blend, does not taste like a zin, well balanced, smooth, tasty and a great value for $40.00. guess I'll have to add some more. One thing that I really appreciate from Ridge is their label on the back of the wine. They suggest that the wine will not " reach full maturity within the next 15 years" This is certainly unusual for a Zin, but being ageable is something that sets Ridge apart from other wineries (for zin)
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11/20/2018 - wineotim wrote: 90 Points
Very bright and intense bramble fruit, very nice. Sampled at a tasting event.
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11/16/2018 - redz wrote: 93 Points
All those critics are pretty on target, nice wine. Can't wait to see how it ages.
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11/12/2018 - Birorganic Likes this wine: 93 Points
Spectacular. I need to go buy a case.
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11/11/2018 - Vinomazing Likes this wine:
5th TN...day 10...final 1 oz from 375ml. Smells like a fruity lady's perfume today. Still maintains a decent and firm taste of what it is even with the slightly off characteristics from serious airtime and evolution of all since day 1. Maintains seamless form, has grape juice lingering aftertaste. Getting decimated with each minute of air. Unbelievable potential, gathering some more to cellar as the score given now will surely climb with age. Test = Success
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11/10/2018 - MRichman wrote:
Perfumed, silky with bergamot. Fantastic, if a bit young at this moment. A great vintage of this wine.
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11/9/2018 - Vinomazing wrote:
4th TN...day 8...cannot help but keep a test wine until it dies, so kept 2 oz corked in the 375ml. Still going. Has developed to a nose of some oak but now more dark sweet fruit shows. Has become super thin like a well aged St. Julien at peak, very fine in the mouth, not like water but like a delicate wine about to die with minimal airtime out of bottle. Taste is still pleasing, not great, not very expressive or long, but like a perfected grape juice. Have 3 in cellar & now thinking not enough. Truly thought it was going to be poured down the sink, now we go 2 more days for a Sunday small nightcap if holds, however after 10 minutes of solid air this tiny test pour is souring ultra-fast as expected.
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11/6/2018 - Vinomazing wrote:
3rd TN...day 5 @ 100 hrs from 375ml bottle open, kept corked. I did not toss the remaining part, was only able to get back to it now (keep in mind this is exploratory test). No joke, it is drinkable still and held up, I am finishing the 5 oz glass. The nose is not as pleasant, yet the fruit and flavors upon sip are calmer, more integrated and sweeter now showing me some future profiles hidden the first couple days, even though some other taste factors have been decreased by air. The form is now more seamless with little legs. In my book, a younger wine that can hold over and develop for 5 days like this will be pretty darn good with some cellar time when fully together. This will age wonderfully, just not certain of a time-frame.
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11/3/2018 - Vinomazing wrote:
2nd TN...day 2 @ 30 hrs from 375ml bottle open, kept corked. Holding up but sense a fading out as if too much air has begun to decrease the wine; nose is better integrated but taste/flavor not so much. Informs me that if opening these now (not advised) then a good initial decant may be the most pleasurable as the 1st test glass yesterday was better @ hour 2-3. Plan is set; to buy and cellar a few (750ml & magnum) for future maximum satisfaction and to see how such will develop with time.
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11/2/2018 - Vinomazing Likes this wine: 92 Points
375ml PnP and drank hefty Zalto Bordeaux glass over 2.5 hours...testing if I am to buy more...Yes I am. Strong nose of what seems oaky but with fruit there hiding behind it, found dark cherry; cellar time should integrate the nose and maybe just some more air. The legs are nice to watch as form different shapes and drip over minutes, they just keep going as Johnvey mentioned. Mid-weight and rather smooth/lush in the mouth, just a great feel to hold in & swallow. The mid-sip is where the flavor begins right now, then slightly drying and not a long finish, but tasty. Taste is yummy and I am impressed upon PnP, now at end of glass I cannot stop sipping for that wonderful flavor. Will see tomorrow what air brings and if can hold until Sunday the 3rd glass.
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10/27/2018 - rossi.wine wrote: 92 Points
Red and dark fruit, spices, woodsmoke on the nose. Glossy on the palate, good acidity, good balance, nice grip, long. Needs time. 91-92+
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10/26/2018 - Vinnut Likes this wine: 92 Points
Deep, dark reddish-purple in color; essentially opaque. Full, fragrant, attractive nose of dark fruit aromas of cherries, blackberries & plums with overtones of spice & earthy notes, loam, briary/bramble, a hint of dark cocoa & coffee, minerals & a slight touch of vanilla in the background. Medium-full bodied with a very good concentration of well balanced & smooth textured, jammy, ripe dark fruit flavors of dark cherries, boysenberries & plums with spices, earthy, cocoa, minerals & a hint of vanilla. Lingering finish. Drinks quite well at present with decanting and extended airing but will develop and benefit from several more years of further aging. A blend of 73% Zinfandel, 17% Carignane, 7% Petite Sirah & 3% Alicante Bouschet.
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10/13/2018 - Birorganic Likes this wine: 93 Points
Spectacular. Ready now or will age 10+ years.
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10/8/2018 - johnvey Likes this wine: 92 Points
Medium Ruby red; looong legs; red berry on the nose; lots of oak up front, blackberry, cinnamon; delicate finish
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9/26/2018 - jviz wrote: 92 Points
This showed very very well young. Nice juxtaposition of bright and lifted floral and cranberry/strawberry notes against a dark core of blackberry and plum fruit. Great texture and acidity, this Ridge is a keeper. Will refuel
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9/5/2018 - poppacork wrote:
This bottle presented so much differently than my earlier review in May that I was compelled to write another.
The blackberry and vanilla noted in my earlier review are still present, but there is a strong note of crushed black pepper and a touch of red bell pepper that I didn’t detect before. The acidity and tannins shut down the finish pretty quickly.
Not sure if this is bottle variation or evolution.
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9/2/2018 - coremill wrote: 91 Points
Showing a lot of its oak upfront at the moment, but given some air the oak fades a bit and this is really good underneath it, midweight and super silky with excellent lithe concentration intensity and acid. Could be a brilliant vintage of this wine if/when the oak integrates. I wouldn't bet against it.
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8/12/2018 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 89 Points
ZAP:STORIES FROM SONOMA COUNTY. This was a far cry from the 50th Anniversary Geyserville for me. Nose of black cherry, touch of heat, and berry tart, same on the palate, big body, tasty, maybe too young and needs cellar time-say two years, good acid, some soft tannins present, slightly inky fruit, and a medium/long finish.
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8/11/2018 - srh Likes this wine:
Zin for the Win (San Diego Wine Co.): 73% Zin, 17% Carignane, 7% P.S, & 3% Alicante Bouschet; "Fermentation: Full Crush, 100% floating cap. Natural primary & secondary (malolactic) fermentations; daily pump-overs; pressed at 9 days." 12 mos aging in 100% air-dried AM oak barrels (20% new, 6% one, 9% two, & 65% three/four years old.)
N: Attractive melange of smoke, bacon fat, berries, & POSS pyrazines?
P: LM, poss Med, body; NICE frt met by some puckerish astringency (though with the frt always at LEAST in the background) as it fairly seamlessly transitions into quite a LONG, BALANCED, very, VERY SLIGHTLY bitterish finish with a refined swtness to the dusty tannins. DESERVES through '19, then certainly at LEAST approaching its 10th. Should be ELEGANT down the line! 14.5% ABV; My EXC, aging likely to raise that! 95 pts ea Jeb Dunnuck & WA, 91-94 Vinous, & "Very Highly Rec" CA Grapevine. [This vendor's $36.99 currently puts it in the top 20% of wine-searcher's already huge listing.]
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6/28/2018 - ColluraJ Likes this wine: 88 Points
Tasted at Lytton Springs.
Zin blend. Light purplish color. Strong aromas of asphalt, cherries and peaches. Dry with medium acid. High tannin. Well balanced. Flavors of red cherry and green apple. Nice.
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6/17/2018 - kmacSF Likes this wine: 91 Points
Jam of berry compote. Vibrant dark red and purple fruit flavors. Wisps of sweetness on the finish.
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6/3/2018 - MattMauldin wrote:
Sonoma County May 29, 2018: Aromas of brambly earth, blueberry, cedar, dark spices and violets. Elegant blue fruit on the palate with layers of spice. Fine fleshy tannins and good overall depth and length.
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5/31/2018 - Birorganic Likes this wine: 91 Points
Delicious. Ready now. Good fruit, great acid. Yummy. Buy all you can.
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5/27/2018 - Frijole wrote:
blackish burgundy red, little clarity, silvery hue
Nose: plum, raspberry, cola, tobacco, silver, minerals, clove, earth, dirt, oak
Pal: plum, raspberry, cola, tobacco, cigar, silver, chocolate, vanilla, clove, earth, dirt, minerals, oak
Feel: medium, round, savory
Finish: medium
T8
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5/26/2018 - poppacork Likes this wine: 91 Points
This vintage has a dark and rich profile of blackberries, figs, vanilla, and cream with moderate acidity and very smooth tannins.
It seems a bit primary at this early stage and it doesn’t quite have enough structure or acidity needed to support the richness of the fruit.
Edit: over the course of the evening, the fruit settled in and the structure became more evident.
Day 2 Edit: this has really come into focus after 24 hours. It’s now revealing more of the spice, bramble, and structure that it needs to balance the rich fruit.
Very delicious and I plan to buy a few more to stash away.
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5/24/2018 - Eric Guido Likes this wine: 92 Points
The nose was dark, showing crushed blackberry, plums, Christmas spice, smoke, floral undergrowth and hints of tobacco. On the palate, I found soft textures with dark red and blueberry fruits, savory spice, inner florals, and minerals. It finished firm with grippy tannin giving way to tart red fruits and hints of savory herbs.
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5/22/2018 - mattiasjansson wrote: 92 Points
Ridge Tasting (Gordon's): Electric red/purple. Complex nose. Very nicely balanced with a long finish.
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4/30/2018 - BigBoy_Sonoma Likes this wine: 89 Points
Blackberries, pepper, cedar, tobacco, charred oak. B+
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4/22/2018 - AllRed wrote: 90 Points
Second Sunday Group: Chateau Latour vertical (Frank's (hosted by Marty)): Nice peppery spice followed by red and dark fruit. Medium tannins with flavors of red fruit, smoky bbq, pepper and spice. Nice finish.
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3/31/2018 - MRichman wrote:
Bright and a bit light. Lovely perfume & flowers, really beautiful. Bergamot, touch of earth. Strikes me as a very feminine Geyserville. Really lovely.
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3/21/2018 - Mike Dildine Likes this wine: 93 Points
Wonderful focus and fruit intensity now with outstanding long term upside.
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3/11/2018 - fortheloveoflife wrote: 87 Points
Probably my least favorite vintage of tasting this wine in the last 10 years. Sort of thin, austere and lacks the tannins and structure of usual Ridge Geyserville. I usually buy a case of this wine every year but this year it is a pass for me.
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3/11/2018 - aagrawal wrote: 89 Points
Ridge Monte Bello Components Tasting (Ridge Monte Bello, Cupertino): Pepper, red and black fruit; medium bodied, red fruit, fades a tad through the midpalate; clean medium finish. Good, but not as good as the 2015. 89-90
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3/10/2018 - kosinski wrote:
Aroma: cedar, black cherry, plum jam, pencil shavings.
Palate: woody and jammy blackberry flavors with some mineral notes. Light to moderate tannin. Nicely balanced; could benefit from aging to integrate flavors.
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3/7/2018 - Mike Dildine Likes this wine: 94 Points
14.5% abv. Dark ruby, moderately expressive aromatics. Raspberry, plum, white pepper, cassis ad Zin spice. Excellent depth and length. This baby is bursting with intense flavor and potential. Looks to be a really fine Geyserville.
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