WTN: 2000 Geezer

[Bill Buitenhuys]

2000 Ridge Geyserville
14.9%abv. 66% zinfandel, 17% carignane, 17% petite sirah.
Slightly subdued Draper bouquet of coconut oil, lavender, and ripe (but not jammy) black fruit that opens up quite vividly after a couple of hours. Good fruit and spice flavors with fairly well integrated tannins. Not the most powerful of Geezers but it’s a very good wine in a very good place in its life.

[Diane (Long Island)]

Bill - powerful would be a good description for the 2000 Lytton Springs I had a couple of months ago. It was big, peppery, and delicious, and kept improving over the next couple of days. Why do you think the 2000 Geyserville would be a more subdued wine? I have a couple of those also, and thought I would hold it for a while since the LS was so big.

[Bill Buitenhuys]

My notes from the 2000 LS make it appear to be much sweeter than the Geezer but that was a couple of years ago, Diane.
I don't have alot of Geezer experience but it could be that it isn't at its peak (even though it is very good right now).
Maybe one of the resident Ridge-heads will chime in here with a more experienced opinion.

[geo t.]

Bill, Diane, the 2000 Geyserville IS more "subdued" than the 2000 LS; at least it was when we tasted them side by side last summer, and I see no reason why they might be different now. Here are my notes from last August:

2000 Ridge Lytton Springs Dry Creek Valley, 80% Zinfandel, 20% Petite Sirah, $30, 14.8% alc.: Alan Kerr’s first comment regarding this dark garnet blend was, “You’re right, this IS sweet.” But while it’s slightly overripe, it’s not excessively so, and although tight at first, it opens to show more Draper perfume in the way of creamy smooth raspberry, black raspberry, some blueberry and overtones of lilac. Alan uttered impressions of blackberry, toffee, caramel, milk chocolate, a little mineral and iron, adding that some “dusty tannins were the only thing that’s retarding it.” To me, those tannins are silky, showing mainly on the finish, and combined with the balanced acidity, bode well for at least a few years of further improvement, but make no mistake, this is a pleasure to drink right now.

2000 Ridge Geyserville, 66% Zinfandel, 17% Carignane, 17% Petite Sirah, $30, 14.9% alc.: Dense dark garnet in color, this shows less of the signature Ridge aromatics than it did when we first tasted it, and it only gives some of the cream found in the 2000 Lytton Springs after it’s had some aeration. Alan described it as “so much more fruit driven without the sweetness” of the LS, and in fact it has that classic Geyserville claret – like character, with earthy blackberry, black raspberry accented with a bit of the bramble fruit that we so miss in most Zinfandels these days. Although it opens dramatically with air, this is a deep wine that shows none of the ripe qualities of the current model (the '02), and needs three to five years minimum to begin to show its best. While it may not be the greatest example of what Geyserville is all about, it’s a fine Geyserville nevertheless.

Hope this adds some little perspective on both of these wines from our point of view.

Cheers,

geo[/url]

[Bill Buitenhuys]

Thanks for providing the side-by-side notes, George. That's really helpful.

[Mark Lipton]

2000 Ridge Geyserville, 66% Zinfandel, 17% Carignane, 17% Petite Sirah, $30, 14.9% alc.: Dense dark garnet in color, this shows less of the signature Ridge aromatics than it did when we first tasted it, and it only gives some of the cream found in the 2000 Lytton Springs after it’s had some aeration. Alan described it as “so much more fruit driven without the sweetness” of the LS, and in fact it has that classic Geyserville claret – like character, with earthy blackberry, black raspberry accented with a bit of the bramble fruit that we so miss in most Zinfandels these days. Although it opens dramatically with air, this is a deep wine that shows none of the ripe qualities of the current model (the '02), and needs three to five years minimum to begin to show its best. While it may not be the greatest example of what Geyserville is all about, it’s a fine Geyserville nevertheless.

Spot on, geo. From my limited perspective of tasting Geyserville and LS starting with the '81 vintage, I've made the generalization that Geyserville is usually more fruit-driven than the LS, which often shows more overt oak and other flavors. However, as you point out, from year to year things can change quite a bit between the two.

Mark Lipton
p.s. I did successfully locate some '03 Geyserville at Sam's, so the vertical's intact. Now on to the '04s...

[Bob Parsons Alberta]

Whats up Bill!! Drinking it a bit young? "Theres no rom in the cellar Lil, better open this one!!!"

[Bill Buitenhuys]

Whats up Bill!! Drinking it a bit young? "Theres no rom in the cellar Lil, better open this one!!!"

That is exactly it, Bob. I'm glad we drank it though. It reminded me how much I enjoy Ridge zins and need to go stock up on more.

[David Creighton]

information please. can you or anyone else tell me
what was the alcohol on the 1970 geyserville, the 1980, the 1990?
does paul draper have any comment on those numbers?