Ridge
Ridge Geyserville Alexander Valley Sonoma 2021 0,75 l
Ridge Geyserville Alexander Valley Sonoma 2021 0,75 l
Regular price
70,00 €
Regular price
Sale price
70,00 €
Unit price
per
Taxes included.
Alexander Valley, California JAV
76% Zinfandel 16% Carignane 6% Petite Sirah 2% Alicante Bouschet
Matured in oak barrels
14.8%
Couldn't load pickup availability
2021 was a ripe vintage in Alexander Valley, yet retaining good structure and acidity. The wine is characterized by very clear, deep fruitiness – black plum, blackberry, cherry, along with spices, black pepper, cocoa, tobacco, and a light earthy and smoky sensation. On the palate, the wine is dry, full-bodied, with firm but elegant tannins and a long, multilayered structure. The finish is long, warm, with a balance of fruit and spice.
About the manufacturer
Ridge Vineyards is one of California's iconic wineries, established in 1959, which significantly contributed to the reputation of US fine wine globally. The winery gained fame for its minimal intervention philosophy and old vines, especially its Zinfandel blends, which became their signature.
A very important historical moment was the 1976 "Judgment of Paris" – a blind tasting competition in Paris where, for the first time in history, Californian wines surpassed prestigious French wines. Ridge Monte Bello Cabernet Sauvignon was one of the wines that received very high marks in this context, helping to prove that California could produce world-class Cabernet.
This story was later immortalized in the film "Bottle Shock," which dramatizes this period and the beginning of the Californian wine revolution. Ridge Monte Bello became one of the symbolic wines that showed the New World could compete with Bordeaux, and the winery itself is still considered one of the most important in US fine wine history.
Today, Ridge Vineyards remains one of California’s most principled wineries, still adhering to a very clear philosophy that has changed little since the 1960s. The core idea is "minimal intervention, maximum site expression." This means that wine is created not through technology but through the vineyard: great attention is paid to old vines, natural yield limitation, and fermentations with wild yeasts.
The winery operates very "classically" even by today's standards – avoiding excessive new oak, often using more neutral barrels, and allowing wines to age slowly, sometimes even longer than most Californian producers. Ridge is also known for the fact that almost all of their wines are single vineyard or a specific "field blend," where grapes grow together and reflect one place, rather than a technical style.
The current winery director and head winemaker, John Olney, continues this direction, along with a team that adheres very strictly to the idea of terroir. His approach is conservative but very precise: wine should be clear, structured, and capable of aging for decades, rather than being fashionable or momentary.