Ridge Vineyards : Geyserville Zinfandel 2024

Characteristics and tasting tips for the Geyserville Zinfandel 2024 from Ridge Vineyards

Tasting

Colour
This wine displays a particularly intense, deep purple hue.

Nose
The aromatic bouquet is highly complex, blending scents of black cherry and violet with indulgent hints of chocolate. Nuances of spice, liquorice and damp earth complete this olfactory profile.

Palate
The attack is lively, offering superb tension that develops into a mid-palate of great refinement. The palate unfolds flavours of raspberry and black olive, supported by supple tannins and pronounced acidity. The finish is long, with remarkable persistence.

Food and wine pairings
This cuvée will pair beautifully with full-flavoured meats. It is an ideal match for a charcoal-grilled rack of lamb, a succulent duck confit or pulled pork.

Serving and ageing
To fully enjoy the Geyserville Zinfandel 2024, serve it at a temperature between 16 and 18°C. With excellent potential, this wine can be cellared and enjoyed until around 2034.

A great red wine from California, a historic expression of Alexander Valley by Ridge Vineyards

The estate
Officially founded in 1962 by a group of engineers, the Ridge Vineyards brand is a true icon in California. Although its winegrowing roots date back to 1885, it is its artisanal, pre-industrial approach that has earned it worldwide renown. Now led by John Olney, the estate has been owned by the Japanese group Otsuka Pharmaceutical since the 1980s. It stands out for its environmental commitment, with a fully certified organic vineyard, and for its determination to produce terroir-driven wines of exceptional quality, true to California's historic traditions.

The vineyard
Located in the renowned Alexander Valley appellation in Sonoma County, this historic terroir lies on an ancient riverbed. The vines thrive at an altitude of 65 metres on particularly well-drained gravelly soils. The vineyard enjoys warm days, ideally cooled by fog drifting in from the Pacific Ocean. It is characterised by very old interplanted vines, farmed with the utmost respect for the environment under full organic certification.

The vintage
The year was marked by a particularly wet winter, followed by a spring with mild temperatures. The summer then proved hot, which accelerated the ripening of the berries. These weather conditions led to an early harvest, beginning as early as late August and ending in mid-September.

Winemaking and ageing
After hand harvesting, the grapes destined for the Geyserville Zinfandel 2024 are destemmed and then crushed. Alcoholic fermentation begins naturally thanks to indigenous yeasts, as does malolactic fermentation. This American wine is then carefully aged for sixteen months in American oak barrels, 15% of them new, to refine its structure while preserving the vibrancy of the fruit.

Grape varieties
This blend is composed of 71% Zinfandel, 19% Carignan, 8% Petite Sirah and 2% Alicante Bouschet.