In Bond Fine Wine. 2022 Ridge Vineyards Geyserville, Alexander Valley, California, USA. Red usa-california in 12x75cl. Top critic score: 95/100 (JD). Drinking window: 2024+. Sold in bond by Albany Vintners, independent fine wine merchants.
Ridge Vineyards is a pioneering California estate, founded in the 1960s with the limestone-rich slopes of Monte Bello Ridge in Santa Cruz Mountains (AVA). Its legacy was cemented when the 1971 Monte Bello Cabernet Sauvignon was ranked 3rd in the historic 'Judgement of Paris'. Renowned for its elegant Cabernet Sauvignon and also its old vine Zinfandels and traditional fields blends from historic sites across Sonoma County, Ridge crafts some of the most ageworthy and authentic wines in the United States. These are great terroir-driven wines, from a winemaking philosophy of minimal intervention, native yeasts and transparent winemaking to express the site, vintage and varietal character. Ridge remains, without question, one of America’s greatest wine producers.
Jeb Dunnuck (JD) — 95/100 · JebDunnuck.com, 22/08/2024
A normal Zinfandel-dominated blend of 67% Zinfandel, 20% Carignan, 10% Petite Sirah, and the rest Mataro, the 2022 Geyserville sports a healthy ruby/plum hue (it's semi-opaque) as well as a rocking nose of ripe plums, blackberries, roasted herbs, pepper, and violets. It's beautifully textured on the palate and has medium to full-bodied richness, a deep, layered mid-palate, and perfectly ripe tann…
Billy Norris (BN) — 94/100 · Vinous, 2024-10-01 · Drink 2026-2042
A blend of 67% Zinfandel, 20% Carignane, 10% Petite Sirah and 3% Mourv'dre, the 2022 Geyserville is packed to the gills with purple fruit and a ridiculous amount of spice'exotic spice, brown spice, baking spice, you name it. Blueberry, black plum, new leather, menthol and tobacco explode from the glass, all wrapped up in forceful, imposing tannins. A kick of mocha/espresso-scented toasty oak roun…
Decanter (DEC) — 94/100 · Decanter.com, 2024-09-14 · Drink 2024 - 2038
Ridge has been making the Geyserville since 1966, a true Zinfandel icon with a readiness to drink now and classic Ridge ageability. This wine is made as a field blend, spending 16 months in American oak, and only 28% is new. Rich fruit aromas, with pungent spices, ripe red and black plums, Christmas spices and notes of smoked cinnamon. The palate offers a fresh acidity which buoys the ripe blackb…