Ridge Geyserville, where to start?

Relatively new to the board and a relatively regular lurker. Ridge Geyserville seems like a clear board favorite, enough so that I recently picked up a few 2018s. Realizing that it would be foolish for my initial introduction to the wine to be one so young (to be clear I have not tried the 2018 yet and have in fact never had any Geyserville), my question is this: if you could go back and start your Geyserville journey with a single vintage (in 2020), which would it be? Thanks in advance!

I’m not sure what you’re asking. Which vintage right now could show the greatest potential of what Geyserville can be? I’d guess 1991. Good luck finding some.

I’d say pop a 2018 and see what a young Geyserville tastes like. Buy two cases if you like it and open a bottle every year for the next 20 years.

Welcome to posting Matt!

Honestly, I don’t think you could go wrong with any vintage of Geyserville to start. It’s so consistently good from vintage to vintage, and usually drinks well on release. Having said that, 2018 is a more structured year for zin and I find Geezers hit another gear after 5-7 years or so. If you can find a 2011 or 2012 right now I’d start there, but both 2015 and 2016 are brilliant as well.

That’s funny, 1991 was my epiphany wine on Zin and intro to Ridge as well. Long love affair thereafter. I don’t recall a vintage of Geyserville that I did not like or love. I’d say check out what is readily available locally for starters.

Wow, great question…it’s just difficult to find decently priced Geyserville bottlings in auction, as they are so well respected across the board.

I’d take a look at small wine shops, see if they have old vintages lying around, as that might be the best bet. I surmise that most small shops’ customers are looking for the ‘new’ wines, and anything that was discovered in the back or forgotten will still be there. One of those gems you just might find!

If you can find vintages like 2011 and 2013 around, those are killer for aging. As are probably most vintages.

But if you like the wine, get some for the nearer term and keep some to age. They age and improve very well for decades. And while some back vintages are available online, they often have doubled or tripled or more in price, so it’s better to start a program of your own.

I think Ridge is selling the superb 2013 for $60 on their website. I don’t know how attractive that pricing is, but it’s an awesome vintage and it might give you a peek at how the wine starts to evolve.

Assuming, of course, you like them that much.

I’ve been struggling with the same question. I think we’re beat to death with the idea of letting a wine develop but to my palate the 18 Geyserville is almost as good as it can be. I think (hope) you’ll be surprised with just how good the 18 is.

Let us know your thoughts when you try it.

Great call, 2013 is been my fave of the decade so far through 2016.

Definitely try them young. It’s a wine that will typically drink well across it’s lifetime. And you will get an understanding of how they can change. In many ways Geyserville fits more classic older world notions of build and maturation. I would note that if you do not typically enjoy drinking wines in a more mature, secondary sort of phase you would want to drink these younger anyway.

Agreed on the 2018. Seems like a damn fine wine at this point. It should get better.

Sorry. Can’t help you.
My wife drank all of my 16 very quickly.

2010-2013 is a great start at seeing what a little age will do. If you like aged tertiary flavors, then start further back say 2007 and earlier. Being you can buy more of the 2018, I’d pop and pour one now to see what all the noise is about. Its an incredible wine year in and year out!!!

That is so true.

Personally, I prefer them young, on release or within a few years (though they need a little breathing time when you open a very young one). But that’s just my preference.

Just went back to check my Geyser notes - I scored 2011 the highest. You just can’t go wrong with these wines.

They are wonderfully expressive, gorgeous wines on release. It’s such a fascinating wine to me. Context being it’s a local winery, so I’ve had about 25 vintages on release, plus many verticals and individual bottles at various points in time. A couple vintages were over-the-top for me on release, but popular with others. They evolve well, changing over time. It’s like peoples’ individual wine preferences guide what maturity level(s) they like this wine best, rather than if they like it.

So, absolutely pop a current release. Absolutely pick up an older vintage to try. If those turn you on, this is a great wine to track as it evolves. Pick up a case and open a bottle every couple years. If you won’t be able to keep your hands off them, pick up more than a case.

Some good advice here. When I first joined the board and noticed all the Geyserville love, I just happened across some 2016s at the grocery being blown out at $30. Picked up the 2017 and 2018 using wine.com coupons and can say they’re all good. According to many longtime drinkers, the ‘18 is very high quality (who am I to disagree? It’s delicious) so give one a decant and make sure it suits you before stashing a case. Cheers!

Wonderfully said Wes. This thread has just made me buy another case…I need to limit my time here!

You will spend more on wine than you ever thought possible around here. It’s happened to ALL of us.

Thanks everyone for the fantastic feedback. I’m on the road but will aim for a 2018 and 2011 comparison ASAP, and build from there based on results. Speaking of this board driving costs, a discussion on another topic about acquiring more 375s of Bordeaux drove me to immediately grab a half-dozen of the 2019s just this morning…

WineAccess just loaded the 2018 Geyserville.

If you have Amex Credit (Exp 9/30 I believe) that would be a good deal ~$27.5 each for 4. Even better if you get the additional Referral

I recommend buying 3 or 4 vintages of Geyserville, say 3 or 4 years apart. Start with the 2018, drink it. Then, next drink the next youngest until you get to the oldest. Then, you will see how the wine ages and at what age you like it best.

Beware, you can do this much further back than anyone is saying. I had a 1978 a couple of years ago that was fabulous.