2021 Geyserville

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. TG (11/22)

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. TG (12/22)

First produced in 1966, this is our longest continuous zinfandel production. The grapes are grown in three adjoining vineyards on a single soil type, deposited by an ancient washout of the Russian River that carried river stone and gravel. It is approximately one-and-a-quarter miles long and half a mile wide.

Rainfall: 12.3 inches (below average)
Bloom: Early May
Weather: A dry winter and spring stressed the vines, limiting yields and concentrating flavors.

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.

wilfredwongwines.com: 97 Points “Just as I was getting over the greatness of the previous vintage the newest vintage along and an equally exceptional effort. I tasted this wine earlier in the year, and this was my second look at it, and it was even better than I originally thought. Packed and well-built with power and elegance. While many Zins boast of concentration, this one brings style and form with its extraction.” -Wilfred Wong (April 2023)

OwenBargreen.com: 96 Points “This marvelous vintage of ‘Geyserville’ blends 76% Zinfandel with 16% Carignane and smaller portions Petite Sirah, Alicante Bouschet and Mataro. This shows a Bordelaise elegance even already after two years in the cellar. Roasted dates, wild blackberry, espresso grounds and fine grained tannins. This is a beauty that is just an infant right now and really needs another year in the bottle before consuming. Drink 2024-2045.” -Owen Bargreen (April 2023)

Wine & Spirits: 95 Points “When Geyserville hits in a great vintage, it takes me back to what I originally loved 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 know 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 complex 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 California.” -J.G. (April 2023)

Vinous Media: 94+ Points “The 2021 Geyserville hits the palate with a burst of dark red/purplish fruit, sweet spice, lavendar, chocolate, dried herbs and American oak. I would be in no rush to open the 2021, as it is clearly an infant at this stage. The blend is 76% Zinfandel, 16% Carignane, 6% Petite Sirah and 2% Alicante Bouschet. The 2021 is a powerhouse, that much is pretty clear.” -Antonio Galloni (April 2023)

Wine Enthusiast: 94 Points + Cellar Selection “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.” -Jim Gordon (September 2023)

JebDunnuck.com: 93+ Points “The 2021 Geyserville checks in as 76% Zinfandel, 16% Carignane, and the rest Petite Sirah and Alicante Bouschet. It has a pure, expressive bouquet of fresh plums, figs, mulberries, peppery herbs, leather, and vanilla bean, and it takes some air to show at its best, gaining depth and richness with time in the glass. This medium to full-bodied, spicy, elegant red blend has a touch more oak present than I’m accustomed to, but it has a silky, elegant mouthfeel, nicely integrated acidity, and outstanding length. It’s going to benefit from 3-4 years of bottle age.” -Jeb Dunnuck (October 2023)

Wine Spectator: 93 Points “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.” -T.F. (June 2023)

Average Rating: 92.6

No. of Tasting Notes: 53

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