Ridge Vineyards "Geyserville" Zinfandel 2021 3.0 L
(Sonoma County, California) - [W&S 95] [VM 94+] [WE 94] [WS 93]

First produced in 1966, we have made this zinfandel every year for fifty-six years. Consistency of quality and vineyard character are its hallmarks. A dry winter with a moderate spring and summer ripened the grapes evenly. Showing plentiful fruit, elegant tannins and bright acidity, this fine wine will develop fully over the next fourteen years.

Tasting Notes:
Ruby-garnet in color with aromas of dark plum, black cherry, baking spices, cola, wet gravel, toasted oak, violets and lavender. A full-bodied entry with bold and dark fruit leads to a layered and complex mid-palate with fine-grained tannins. Natural acidity balances the wine, creating a long, juicy finish.

Technical Data

Vineyard: Geyserville
Appellation: Alexander Valley
Alcohol By Volume: 14.8%
Varietal Composition: 76% Zinfandel, 16% Carignane, 6% Petite Sirah, 2% Alicante Bouschet
Organically Grown

Harvest Dates: 3 September – 1 October
Grapes: Average Brix 24.7˚
TA: 6.84 g/L
pH: 3.55
Fermentation: Full Crush, 100% floating cap. Natural primary and natural secondary (malolactic) fermentations; daily pump-overs.
Barrels: 100% air-dried American oak barrels; 68% Appalachian, 20% Kentucky, and 12% Ozark (30% new, 22% one year old, 25% two years old, and 23% three years old and older).
Aging: Sixteen months in barrel

Hand-harvested grapes; destemmed and crushed; fermented on the native yeasts, followed by full malolactic on the naturally-occurring bacteria; oak from barrel aging; minimum effective sulfur for this wine (35 ppm at crush, 141 ppm over the course of aging); pad filtered at bottling. In keeping with our philosophy of minimal intervention, this is the sum of our actions.

Ratings & Reviews

95 Points - Wine & Spirits:
"When Geyserville hits in a great vintage, it takes me back to what I originally lloved about California wine. Or to that sense of optimism on a spring day when I first visited San Francisco in 1984, to pitch this magazine on publishing services. I didn't know at the time that I would still be publishing it 40 years later, and I didn't how much California wine would change. Or how little the style and intention of Geyserville would  change. The team at Ridge manages the vineyard's generations of vines to produce complux wines like this perfectly ripe 2021, with its dark, resinous scents of marijuana, its deep layers of rich fruit and the fruitiness of detailed tannins. The fresh, herbal complexity is pretty epic and the richness doesn't stop, What I want from Califronia." - JG (Apr 2023)

94+ Points - Vinous Media:
"The 2021 Geyserville hits the palate with a burst of dark red/purplish fruit, sweet spice, lavender, chocolate, dried herbs and American oka. I would be in no rish to open the 2021, as it is clearly an infant at tis stage. he blend is 76% Zinfandel, 16% Carignane, 6% Petite Syrah and 2% Alicante Bouschet. The 2021 is a powerhouse, that muich is pretty clear." - Antonio Galloni (Aug 2023)

94 Points - Wine Enthusiast:
"Toasted oak and wood-smoke aromas lead to equally smoky, spicy flavors of black pepper, blackberry jam and maple in this full-bodied, muscular and firmly tannic wine. Great to pair with barbecue and hatchet throwing. The Zinfandel grapes were supplemented with 16% Carignane, 6% Petite Sirah and 2% Alicante Bouschet. Best from 2025-2035." - JG (Nov 2023)

93 Points - Wine Spectator:
"Tightly focused and briary, this blend offers density without weight. Presents plum and blueberry flavors accented by dill and green peppercorn as this builds tension toward medium-grained tannins. Zinfandel, Carignane, Petite Sirah and Alicante Bouschet. Drink now through 2032. 9,000 cases made." - TF (Oct 2023)