RIDGE Geyserville - Alexander Valley, Sonoma County 2020 Bottle (Zinfandel, Carignane, Petite Syrah)

Description

This is Ridge’s 55th consecutive vintage of Geyserville. 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 oneand- a-quarter miles long and a half-mile wide. At 460mm, rainfall during the year was below average, although with much of it falling in March and April, there was enough to sustain the vines during summer. Among Ridge’s three Zinfandel estates, Geyserville coped the best with the drought: the crop was only 20% down here. Fire broke out to the northwest in mid-August, but winds blew the smoke due south, bypassing Ridge’s vineyards. The grapes were hand-harvested at night between 21 August and 11 September. The grapes were crushed and fermentation proceeded with natural yeast. There were daily pump-overs during fermentation, after which the wine was aged for 13 months in air-dried American oak barrels, with 20% new wood.

Winemakers Notes
A warm spring followed by late rains disrupted fruit set. This resulted in lower yields and an early harvest that began the third week of August. The twenty-eight lots fermented separately on naturally present yeast. Of these, twenty were selected by taste for their exquisite fruit and balanced acidity. This is a classic Geyserville, enjoyable young and over the next ten or more years.

Tasting Notes
The most backward of the three Zinfandels, as usual, the 2020 Geyserville shows captivating fruit on the palate, with succulent strawberry/cherry fruit balanced by cocoa complexity. Its naturally fresh acidity is matched by a sumptuous texture while ensuring a long, resonant finish.

69% Zinfandel, 20% Carignane, 8% Petite Sirah, 2% Alicante Bouschet, 1% Mataro