2014 Geyserville

Dark purple/ruby color. Blackberry jam, candied plums, gravel, spearmint, sweet oak, tropical floral notes. Fresh, intense bramble fruit entry; lively acidity, elegant tannins, mint, gravelly earth. Multi-dimensional: layered, deep, seductive flavors; lingering finish.

A mild winter brought February bud-break. Though there was some rainfall, the drought continued a third year, and warm summer weather prompted a fast-paced harvest. Twenty-six fermented lots were blind tasted for assemblage. Zinfandel yields were low, giving carignane and petite sirah greater prominence. Sensuous flavors support a rich tannin structure. This superb vintage will be enjoyable over the next 7-8 years.

Ridge has made the Geyserville as a single-site zinfandel in every year since 1966. The grapes are grown in three adjoining vineyards on a defined stretch of gravelly soil approximately one-and-a-quarter miles long and a half-mile wide.

Rainfall: 18” (1/2 of normal)
Bloom: Mid-May, with veraison by mid-August
Weather: Very dry and cold December and January; most of the rain fell February through April. Cool spring and early summer delayed ripening.

Harvest Dates: 29 August – 17 September
Grapes: Average Brix 25.4˚
Fermentation: Natural primary and natural secondary (malolactic) fermentations; 27% of the tanks were fitted with submerged cap grids, both those and the tanks with a floating cap were given full pump-overs; pressed at 5 days.
Barrels: 100% air-dried american oak barrels (15% new, 51% one and two years old, 34% three and four years old.)
Aging: Thirteen months in barrel

Sustainably farmed, hand harvested estate-grown grapes; destemmed and crushed; fermented on the native yeasts, followed by full malolactic on the naturally-occurring bacteria; 2.39% water added to 13 of 26 fermentors; 17.9 mg/L calcium carbonate added to 2 of 26 fermentors; oak from barrel aging; minimum effective sulfur for this wine (25 ppm at crush; 129 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.

The International Wine Report (October 2016): 93 Points. – “An absolutely stunning effort, the 2014 Geyserville is another fantastic release from this storied estate. This compelling blend of 60% Zinfandel, 24% Carignane, 12% Petit Sirah and 4% Mataro is one of a kind. The wine has vivid aromatics of black cherries, black tea, red raspberry, blackberry pie and milk chocolate. There are bold flavors of black cherries, violets, crème de cassis and milk chocolate. Beautifully textured, this wine shows excellent depth and grip on the mid-palate, making it absolutely irresistible right now. (Best 2016-2028)” -(OB)

The Wine Advocate (Ocotber 2016): 93 Points. “A classic 2014, the downright sexy, hedonistic and ready to go 2014 Geyserville Proprietary Red Wine (60% Zinfandel, 24% Carignan, 12% Petite Sirah and 4% Mourvèdre) is medium to full-bodied, perfectly balanced and loaded with notions of blackberries, plums, brambly herbs, licorice and spice. It’s relatively soft and already approachable, but it will nevertheless keep through 2024.” -Jeb Dunnuck

The Wine Advocate (August 2016): 93 Points. “The proprietary red wine, the 2014 Geyserville from Alexander Valley is a big boy at 14.6% alcohol. Made from a blend of 60% Zinfandel, 24% Carignan, 12% Petite Sirah and the rest Mourvèdre, this is a big-time winner in 2014, with copious quantities of juicy blackberry and black cherry fruit, some wood spice and loamy soil undertones. Full-bodied, fleshy and seductive, the wine is clean, pure, textured, and offers sensational drinking now and over the next 7-8 years.” -Robert Parker

Vinous Media (July 2016): 93 Points. “The 2014 Zinfandel Geyserville is just as beautiful from bottle as it was from barrel. Rich, textured and dense on the palate, the 2014 exudes depth, but in the mid-weight style of the year. The complexity of the Zinfandel-based field blend comes through in spades. The 2014 is creamy and persistent, but also graced with a mid-weight, finessed personality that is impossible to resist. In 2014, the Zinfandel is on the lower side relative to the recent past, with other grapes in the blend playing more important roles.” -Antonio Galloni

Vinous Media (July 2015): (91-94) Points. “The 2014 Zinfandel Geyserville appears to be especially marked by the Carignane at this stage, especially in the lifted, super-expressive aromatics. Silky tannins balance the gravitas of the 100+ year-old Zinfandel in a focused, nuanced Geyserville built on raciness. Bright red cherry, plum and floral notes punctuate the finish. The blend is 60% Zinfandel, 22% Carignane, 12% Petite Sirah, 2% Alicante Bouschet and 2% Mataro (Mourvèdre).” -Antonio Galloni

Average Rating: 91.5

No. of Tasting Notes: 295

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