Ridge Vineyards Geyserville 2020

• Country USA
• Region Alexander Valley, Sonoma County
• Grape 69% ZINFANDEL, 20% CARIGNANE, 8% PETITE SIRAH, 2% ALICANTE BOUSCHET, 1% MATARO
• Abv 14.1%
• Case size 12/ 75
• Ripe cranberry and cassis on the nose. Focused dark bramble fruit on the palate, layered with cocoa and clove. Vibrant acidity balances beautifully with opulent fruit and carries through to a long and elegant finish.

• Decanter: 96 Points “Enormously complex and full of personality. Lots of juiciness and briaryness, with notes of espresso, soy sauce, and gaminess. Very rich, impressive, and structured, 2020 was Ridge’s 55th consecutive vintage of Geyserville, a wine that many Ridge collectors consider the winery’s best Zinfandel blend. Its pedigree is uncontested. Made from old vines, some of which are more than 125 years old and 60% of which are 50 years old or older, leading of course to tiny yields. A historic field blend of approximately 69% Zinfandel, 20% Carignane, 8% Petite Sirah, 2% Alicante Bouschet, and 1% Mataro (the old name used in California for Mourvedre). The grapes are grown in three adjoining vineyards, all of which are defined by an ancient washout of the Russian River that carried and deposited gravel and river stones to the site.” -Karen MacNeil (November 2022)

  Wine & Spirits: 95 Points “The founding partners at Ridge purchased the Monte Bello Winery from Leo and Evelyn Trentadue, who also farmed some of the oldest surviving vines in Sonoma County at their ranch on the Alexander Valley floor near Geyserville. The Old Patch, planted in the 1880s, has provided the base of the blend for Ridge’s single-vineyard wine since 1966. In 2020, it was harvested just as the first fires broke out; generations of vines at the Trentadue’s ranch provided 28 different lots, with John Olney selecting 20 for this wine. He finds that carignan, which makes up 20 percent of the mixed planting (along with small amounts of Petite Sirah, Alicante bruschetta, and Mataro), provides the acidity to refresh the zinfandel, which accounts for 69 percent of the vines. The early harvest produced a ripe, rich Geyserville with racy energy. The dark blueberry flavors are layered with red cherry, their seemingly weightless concentration sustained in a sleek, clean, and graceful impression that lasts. A great 2020.” -J.G. (June 2022)

  Zinfandel Chronicles: 95 Points “Dark crimson. 14.1% ABV. 69% Zinfandel, 20% Carignane, 8% Petite Sirah and a sprinkling of Alicante Bouschet and Mataro. Savory nose of red and black fruits, flowers, and pepper. Medium to full-bodied with exquisite acidity. Big, dark, and brooding. Black cherry, blackberry, cocoa, and pepper on the palate. Tremendous length on the finish with prominent, gritty tannins. Somewhat approachable now but this vintage of Geyserville will drink well for at least the next decade.” -Tom Lee (March 2022)