2023 Geyserville

Aromas of black cherries and chapparal. On the palate, penetrating raspberry fruit, black olive, firm acidity, supple tannins, and a long finish. JO (1/25)

Heavy winter rains replenished groundwater. Moderate temperatures during the growing season were followed by cooler weather in August and September that pushed harvest late into October. The extended ripening period resulted in a wine with dark fruit and supple tannins balanced by beautiful acidity. Enjoyable now, this classic field blend will continue to evolve over the next ten years. JO (12/24)

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 a half-mile wide.

Rainfall: 64 inches (above average)
Bloom: End of June
Weather: Late and prolonged harvest due to consistently cool weather throughout the growing season.

Harvest Dates: 7 – 24 October
Grapes: Average Brix 24.8˚
TA: 6.0 g/L
pH: 3.67
Fermentation: Full Crush, 100% floating cap. Natural primary and natural secondary (malolactic) fermentations; daily pump-overs.
Barrels: 100% air-dried American oak barrels (15% new, 10% one year old, 10% two years old, 30% three years old, and 35% four years old).
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, 70 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.

Wine.com: 96 Points “I first fell in love with the 1972 Ridge Geyserville when I tasted it in the mid-1970s. The 2023 is better than it has ever been. This wine reveals aromas and flavors of dried rocks, earth, oak, and blackberries. Enjoy it with Moroccan spiced lamb. The dish’s cinnamon, cumin, coriander, and paprika will provide the perfect pairing. (Best Served: 2025-2038)” -Wilfred Wong (March 2025)

Zinfandel Chronicles: 96 Points “Bright crimson in color. Beautiful nose of red fruits, baking spices, anise and pepper. Medium body with mouthwatering acidity and impeccable balance. Packed with juicy, intense fruits. Raspberry, cherry, tobacco leaves and pepper on the palate. Tremendous length on the finish. This wine has the stuffing to drink well for the next decade. Blockbuster Geyserville.” -Tom Lee (March 2025)

OwenBargreen.com: 96 Points “The 2023 ‘Geyserville’ is a marvelous, silky blend of mainly Zinfandel (70%) with 18% Carignane, 9% Petite Sirah and a touch of Alicante Boushet. Very dark in the glass, this delivers beautiful violet rose petals alongside mocha, tar, Cuban cigar and notes of garrigue with loganberry compote. The palate is fresh and refined, with an elegant mid-palate mouthfeel and light dusting of salinity. Well-structured and weighted, offering plenty of depth and flavor density, this is a marvelous effort that has yet to fully hit its stride —- but the incredible potential is there. The combination of weight and tension suggests this will be very long-lived. Give this another year in the cellar before uncorking. Drink 2026-2045” -Owen Bargreen (March 2025)

JebDunnuck.com: 95 Points “A perennial standout for the winery that is produced for wider distribution, the 2023 Zinfandel Geyserville is a blend of 70% Zinfandel, 18% Carignane, 9% Petite Sirah and 3% Alicante, the 2023 a highly ageable vintage with great acidity. That freshness helps to define the wine’s juicy core of well-mannered, supple tannins and oak, the wine aged entirely in 100% air-dried American oak, 15% of it new. It truly offers the perfect balance of dark fruit and freshness, within a full-bodied richness and structure still built for aging, as with all Ridge wines. Enjoy now through 2033.” -Virginie Boone (April 2025)

Label PDF

Tech Sheet PDF

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See all food pairing recipes we have created specifically for this wine.