Ridge Geyserville 2000 Ridge Vineyards

🏷️ Ridge Vineyards – Geyserville 2000

📍 Alexander Valley, Sonoma County – California, USA

🧾 Type: Dry Red Wine
🍇 Grapes: Zinfandel (main), Carignane, Petite Sirah, Mataro
🌱 Farming: Sustainable / Organic (uncertified)
🕰️ Aging: 12–14 months in American oak
🍷 Alcohol: 14–14.5% vol
🌡️ Serving Temp: 16–18°C / 60–65°F
📦 Bottle Size: 750 ml

👃 Aromas

Blackberries, cherries, black pepper, sweet spices, oak.

👄 Taste

Rich, robust wine with smooth tannins and a long, spicy finish, perfectly balanced.

🍽️ Pairings

Red meats, roasts, BBQ, spicy dishes, aged cheeses.

Ridge Vineyards Geyserville: A California Zinfandel Classic

History and Philosophy

Geyserville 2000 by Ridge Vineyards is one of California’s most iconic Zinfandel-based wines. First produced in 1966, it comes from historic old vines in Alexander Valley, Sonoma County.

Ridge’s philosophy centers on site expression, natural winemaking, and transparency. Each vineyard block is vinified separately using native yeasts, minimal intervention, and American oak, with the goal of crafting pure, age-worthy wines that speak of place.

Vineyard and Terroir

Geyserville is sourced from own-rooted vines, some planted over 130 years ago. The soils are gravelly loam and red clay – well-drained and ideal for concentration and freshness.

Thanks to a warm climate with cool nights, the grapes ripen slowly and evenly, preserving acidity and developing deep aromatics.

Winemaking and Ageing

• Spontaneous fermentation in open-top fermenters with gentle punchdowns.

• Individual parcels vinified and then selectively blended.

• Aged 12–14 months in American oak, only a small portion of which is new.

• Bottled without fining and only lightly filtered if needed.

Tasting Notes

• Color: Deep ruby with violet hues.

• Aroma: Rich nose of blackberry, cherry, plum, with hints of licorice, cocoa, and baking spices.

• Palate: Full-bodied and structured, with fine tannins and a long, savory finish. Built to evolve beautifully with age.

Blend Composition

• Zinfandel (approx. 65–70%)

• Carignane (15–20%)

• Petite Sirah & Mataro (10–15%)
  (Exact percentages vary by vintage.)

Serving Temperature & Alcohol

• Serve at: 60–64°F / 16–18°C

• Alcohol: ~14–14.5% vol.

Food Pairings

• Grilled or roasted red meats, lamb or steak.

• American BBQ dishes, brisket or pulled pork.

• Spicy cuisine, Tex-Mex or South American fare.

• Aged cheeses, like Cheddar, Manchego, or Pecorino.

Conclusion

Ridge Geyserville 2000 is a benchmark California field blend, known for its depth, authenticity, and cellaring potential. A wine of place, tradition, and balance.

See all products of Ridge Vineyards

Ridge Vineyards: Excellence and Tradition in Californian Winemaking

History and Philosophy

Founded in 1962, Ridge Vineyards is one of the most respected and iconic wineries in California. Located on the Monte Bello Ridge in the Santa Cruz Mountains, the winery has built its reputation on a winemaking philosophy focused on expressing terroir with minimal intervention.

The soul of Ridge was shaped under the guidance of Paul Draper, the legendary winemaker who defined the estate’s style. From the beginning, Ridge Vineyards has embraced a vision that merges tradition and innovation, emphasizing natural fermentation, balanced oak aging, and minimal winemaking interference.

A pivotal moment in Ridge’s history was the 1976 “Judgment of Paris”, where the 1971 Ridge Monte Bello competed against top Bordeaux wines and emerged as one of the best, solidifying Ridge Vineyards as one of the world’s great wineries.

Vineyards and Terroir

Ridge Vineyards owns two main vineyard sites, each with exceptional conditions for crafting complex, long-lived wines:

• Monte Bello Estate (Santa Cruz Mountains): At over 800 meters in altitude, this region is known for its limestone-rich soils, cool climate, and constant ventilation. It is home to the legendary Monte Bello, a wine of extraordinary depth and elegance, often compared to Bordeaux’s finest crus.

• Lytton Springs (Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma): The heart of Ridge’s Zinfandel production, featuring century-old vines planted in gravelly, clay-rich soils, which contribute to the wine’s remarkable concentration and structure.

The winery follows organic and sustainable farming practices, with a focus on soil health and biodiversity.

Winemaking Philosophy

Ridge Vineyards adheres to a natural and minimal-intervention approach, ensuring that the wines reflect their origins with precision and purity. Key principles include:

• Spontaneous fermentation with native yeasts, without commercial additives.

• Minimal use of sulfites, only when necessary for stability.

• Aging in American oak barrels, carefully balanced to enhance fruit expression without overpowering it.

• Complete transparency, with detailed winemaking notes printed on every label.

The Wines of Ridge Vineyards

Ridge Vineyards is renowned for producing some of California’s most iconic wines:

Monte Bello

The winery’s flagship, a world-class Cabernet Sauvignon that combines the finesse of great Bordeaux with the intensity and minerality of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Powerful, structured, and built to age.

Lytton Springs

A Zinfandel-based wine blended with small amounts of Petite Sirah and Carignane, sourced from historic old vines. Complex, spicy, and full-bodied, it showcases Zinfandel’s true character.

Geyserville

Another outstanding Zinfandel expression, this time from Sonoma. Elegant, fruit-driven, and well-balanced, with notes of dark berries and pepper spice.

Estate Chardonnay

Produced in small quantities, this Chardonnay is fresh, mineral-driven, and beautifully balanced, with restrained oak influence—one of California’s finest examples.

Conclusion

Ridge Vineyards represents a perfect balance of tradition and modernity, with a philosophy centered on purity, terroir, and craftsmanship. Every bottle tells a story of passion, respect for nature, and an uncompromising pursuit of quality. For lovers of Californian wines, Ridge is a must-know name, crafting some of the most iconic and age-worthy reds in the United States.