Geyserville 2022 is Ridge Vineyards' Zinfandel-led red from California, rounded out with Carignane, Petite Sirah, and Mataro. Geyserville itself is approximately 1¼ miles long and ½ mile wide, and is located on soil with a higher clay content than Lytton Springs.
The 2022 growing season was marked by two heat waves, including a record-breaking heat wave that occurred over the Labour Day weekend, and yields had already been reduced due to low rainfall. A combination of these factors led to an earlier harvest, with hand-picking taking place between 22 August and 14 September.
According to the tasting notes: The wine offers aromas of ripe, dark berries, warm spices, and subtle oak. It is rich yet lively, with bright acidity and firm, smooth tannins that provide excellent structure, leading to a long finish.
Winemaking follows a principle of minimal intervention. The grapes are destemmed and crushed, then fermented with natural yeasts; complete malolactic fermentation, which softens the sharp malic acid, is carried out by naturally occurring bacteria. The wine is then aged in oak barrels for 14 months, with 20% of the aging taking place in new American oak barrels.
Ridge was established around 1959 and cultivates grapes organically, with John Olney overseeing winemaking. Old field blends are planted throughout the winery's vineyards, and the vines at Lytton Springs and Pagani Ranch date back to the 1880s.
Let this wine breathe for about an hour in the decanter, and it will be ready to enjoy right away. It is best enjoyed between 2024 and 2036.
Robert Parker (94)
he 2022 Geyserville is a blend of 67% Zinfandel, 20% Carignane, 10% Petite Sirah and 3% Mataro. It has kaleidoscopic aromas of boysenberry jam, grilled beef, dried lavender, iron, violet and peach. The medium-bodied palate features generous, floral flavors. It has a silky texture, bursts of mouthwatering acidity and a long, spicy finish. The 2022 is notably polished, and its 20% new American oak is very well integrated.
Winespectator (94)
Deeply structured and bright with acidity, this combines power with grace. Black cherry and dark plum flavors take on licorice, green peppercorn and Asian five-spice accents as this builds toward broad-shouldered tannins. Zinfandel, Carignane, Petite Sirah and Mataro. Drink now through 2035.
James Suckling (94)
This zinfandel-dominant field blend is ripe, delicious and lush, with light, spicy oak accents over plump blackberries, blueberries and vanilla bean. Saturated and opulent but not fat, as moderate tannins and some raspberry-like acidity balance the full body. 67% zinfandel, 20% carignan, 10% petite sirah and 3% mataro. Drink or hold.
Jancis Robinson (17)
67% Zinfandel, 20% Carignane, 10% Petite Sirah and 3% Mataro. Winemaker John Olney thinks the Carignane portion distinguishes this popular wine. More clay than Lytton Springs. Official notes: ‘Low rainfall limited yields. A warm summer proceeded to ripen the grapes evenly. However, on Labour Day, a record-breaking heatwave threatened the Zinfandel with rapid overripening. We picked day and night to bring the grapes in ideally ripe. Fourteen months in barrel has fully integrated the fruit and tannin of this fine wine. Approachable now, it will continue to develop for 12 to 15 years. Hand-picked 22 August to 14 September. Average Brix 24.5. TA 6.73 g/l. pH 3.5. Full crush, 100% floating cap. Natural primary and natural secondary (malolactic) fermentations; daily pump-overs. Aged 16 months in 100% air-dried American oak barrels: 65% Appalachian, 20% Kentucky and 12% Ozark (28% new, 24% one year old, 25% two years old, and 23% three plus years old). 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, 139 ppm over the course of aging); pad filtered at bottling. Organic’.
Slightly paler crimson than the Pagani Ranch. Still quite youthful on the very savoury nose with fine tannins and notable acidity. Berry flavours but none of Zin's jamminess. A long-term wine, currently less approachable than Pagani Ranch 2022. Chalky-textured finish.
Decanter (94)
“Ridge has been making the Geyserville since 1966, a true Zinfandel icon with a readiness to drink now and classic Ridge ageability. This wine is made as a field blend, spending 16 months in American oak, and only 28% is new. Rich fruit aromas, with pungent spices, ripe red and black plums, Christmas spices and notes of smoked cinnamon. The palate offers a fresh acidity which buoys the ripe blackberries and spicy black plums. There’s plenty of structure for this wine to go the distance, typical of the house style (at least a decade).”
