Expert Ratings - Prior Vintage 2020
96 Points Decanter | Enormously complex and full of personality. Lots of juiciness and briaryness, with notes of espresso, soy sauce and gaminess. Very rich, impressive and structured, 2020 was Ridge’s 55th consecutive vintage of Geyserville, a wine that many Ridge collectors consider the winery’s best Zinfandel blend. Its pedigree is uncontested. Made from old vines, some of which are more than 125 years old and 60% of which are 50 years old or older, leading of course to tiny yields. A historic field blend of approximately 69% Zinfandel, 20% Carignane, 8% Petite Sirah, 2% Alicante Bouschet and 1% Mataro (the old name used in California for Mourvedre). The grapes are grown in three adjoining vineyards, all of which are defined by an ancient washout of the Russian River that carried and deposited gravel and river stones to the site.
95 Points Points Wine & Spirits | The founding partners at Ridge purchased the MonteBello Winery from Leo and Evelyn Trentadue, who also farmed some of the oldest surviving vines in Sonoma County at their ranch on the Alexander Valley floor near Geyserville. The Old Patch, planted in the 1880s, has provided the base of the blend for Ridge’s single-vineyard wine since 1966. In 2020, it was harvested just as the first fires brokeout generations of vines at the Trentadue’s ranch provided 28 different lots, with John Olney selecting 20 for this wine. He finds that carignan, which makes up 20 percent of the mixed planting (along with small amounts of petite sirah, alicante bouschet and mataro), provides the acidity to refresh the zinfandel, which accounts for 69 percent of the vines. The early harvest produced a ripe, rich Geyserville with racy energy. The dark blueberry flavors are layered with red cherry, their seemingly weightless concentration sustained in a sleek, clean and graceful impression that lasts. A great 2020
Tasting Panel 95 Points | An opulent, charming blend of 69% Zinfandel, 20% Carignane, 8% Petite Sirah, 2% Alicante Bouschet, and 1% Mataro. Ultra-smooth and seamless, with rich flavors of plum and blackberry. Stunning and long, it’s a triumph of winemaking skill.
Wine Spectator 92 Points | Deeply structured and briary, with a mix of red and black fruit accented by licorice, dill and savory underbrush flavors. Finishes with medium-grained tannins. Zinfandel, Carignan, Petite Syrah, Alicante Bouschet and Mataro.
