Bordeaux Wine Enthusiasts

Much thanks to the BWEers who have turned me on to this wine. I have had the 2012, 2013, and now the first tastes of the 2014, and this wine seems to hit a sweet spot for me, both in quality and price.

I buy very little CA wine other than Ridge Zins. They are really good and also a bargain.

This will come as a shock, but I love geyserville with some age on it.

Don't get me wrong, it is excellent in pretty much all phases (unlike some claret), but I buy enough to follow it for a while. We had the 87 and 90 Geyservilles not that long ago and both were compelling in a tertiary sort of way. The 87 really tasted like a mature Right Banker.

OMG I can't even imagine drinking this with age on it.
Even the label says 7-8 years at most.
I will drink all of my remaining 5 bottles within a year.
Just like I did with the 12 and 13.
And just like I'll do with the 15.
Can't imagine how this would become more "profound" with age on it.

Old Ridge Zin, as in 2 decades old, can become claretlike.

Ridge Zins can be very, very good with 20+ years on them. Wish I still had some 91 & 92.

They are also good young, of course. But when the fruit recedes they develop like old Bdx, as Glenn mentioned. At first I attributed this to the blend, but Jimsomare does the same, at least in some vintages. (Jimsomare is an ATP wine that is 100% Zin in the vintages I have drunk).

You guys are mad. You guys are madmen. Drink a case of these $31 wines during the year they are released, with grilled steaks, and whatever other summer/fall concoctions on the grill you may come up with, then buy and drink the next case available upon release.... So which "20 year old right bankers" are these comparable to. Petrus? Cheval Blanc? Ausone? Figeac?
<rolls eyes>
Come on guys. Live life. Seize the moment. Stop hoping for some imaginary Shangri-La.

I may have to bring a mature Geyserville to San Fran...

Can't wait to try that 1997 Conseillante-like Ridge Geyserville. <rolls eyes>

It will go in the blind flight. You'll love it Jim, I promise.

We shall see.

'87 geyserville was incredible. Tons of really pleasant secondary notes, as you point out

Which vintage would you prefer overall? 2013 or 2014?

I would have to taste them side by side, CV, the 12, 13, 14, have all had great fruit, high but not overbearing alcohol, deep purple color, they match well with steak. The $30-ish price is nice.

Planning to open 2 splits of Ridge Geyserville (2013 and 2014). Just want to see how each vintage compares to the other. What air time, if any, would you suggest?

I'll be curious to hear your impressions, because I tasted them separately and can't really assess the extent to which they were different.
I didn't get the sense that any air was necessary, I just popped and poured.

What did you thought about the 02 Geyserville last Friday Jim?

Nic

I thought it showed some surprising complexity. It still seemed fresh. If I had to choose, though, I'd go with the younger fruit of the more recent vintages.

I thought a mature Ridge was slated to be tasted blind alongside bordeaux at the convention. Whatever happened to that?

That got lost in the 200 or so bottles we tasted over the weekend....

I like old Geyserville's too. It's also pretty much the only zin I buy, and they keep well.

If you want them with bbq or something, sure drink them young, they are awesome.

But they will surprise with their vibrancy over time. Still awesome, but in a different way.

20-30 years is no problem in big years to survive, although to be fair, as Jim alludes, one may not get as much complexity as cab/merlot/cab franc blends.

I've had some really old Jimsomares, York Creeks, and all that. They are more prevalent out here, and I was more into them maybe 15 years ago.

Some of the greatest cali cabs I've had have been various Ridge Jimsomare and York Creek bottlings from 1978-1991. For whatever reason, I've not the same success with Ridge Monte Bello cabs.

JimHow wrote:I'll be curious to hear your impressions, because I tasted them separately and can't really assess the extent to which they were different.
I didn't get the sense that any air was necessary, I just popped and poured.

Opened splits of 2013 and 2014 Ridge Geyserville...

Right out of the gate, both vintages are enjoyable and great value for the price. Both had great fruit and medium finish with cocoa, cinnamon and hints of star anise. Some red fruits and the 2014 had hints of bitter chocolate. Very enjoyable. The 2014 version has a bit of higher carignan, and that's why I think it showed with a bit of more tannins than 2013, but not at all intrusive for such young wine. The 2013 is more softer and has round tannins with no rough edges. Both are good to excellent in their own right, and cannot go wrong owning either of them...

Need to source more (will look for both versions)...As they say, "There is Zin, and then there is Ridge...."