TN: Ridge Geyserville, 1968-79

L

Larry Stein

Larry Stein
RB's group is having a 5 part series of Geyserville from 1968 to the present. Unfortunately, there was no '73 in part 1 (greatest Geyserville ever). One attendee has some in his cellar and said if he had known there was that hole, he would've brought one. Another attendee brought the '68 which he purchased on release.

Overall, a very fine group of wines. Only one (1972) was pretty far over the hill. Even it had a bit of fruit sweetness left. 1977 Late Harvest (16.2% alc) , although quite sound, was not to my taste. Porty and alcoholic.

The three stars were '68 (13.8%), '75 Late Picked (14.7%) and '78 Late Picked (14.9%). '68 showed brambly and spice notes. Very long and balanced. '75 was fragrant, tasted of sweet cherries, and was very graceful. '78 was easily the WOTN. Blackberries and spice, still had good acidity, very complex. A beauty.

As far as the rest...

'79 (13.7%) was very sweet, almost too sweet (Jolly Ranchers sweet). Plump and a bit short. '76 (13.8%) had coconut elements and a touch of VA. Lighter-styled and nice blackberry note. '74 (13.9%) was very coconut-y. Some sweet fruit notes, but dropped off the cliff from mid-palate. '70 (15.6%) had too much VA and definitely showed the alcohol.

1980-7 tonight.
 
About 15 years ago, I attended a tasting of Ridge zins. from the 1960's; all vineyard sources. I actually remember the '68 Geyserville.
But what I remember most of the event is that all of the wines could have been mature claret, such was their impression.
At the time I thought that curious, but over the years, it is surprising how much wines with substantial age on them sort of tend toward the Burgundy/claret model.
Wasn't it Hugh Johnson who answered the question of when was the last time he mistook Burgundy for claret - "not since lunch?"
Best, Jim
 
originally posted by Florida Jim:

Wasn't it Hugh Johnson who answered the question of when was the last time he mistook Burgundy for claret - "not since lunch?"
Best, Jim
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harry waugh.

fb.
 
The '72 Geyserville remains my benchmark as to what zin can do with 35 or so years on it. Everyone touts the '73, a wine I have never had. The '72 was beyond claret, it had developed an aged Burgundy complexity I will never forget.
But I digress, Zinfandel does not age...right?
 
I don't drink much Ridge or much Zinfandel, but during grad school around 2003-2004 I bought several bottles of the 1980 Ridge Paso Robles Zinfandel for a fair price from Premier Cru. It was pretty darn nice for my tastes and certainly still seemed to have plenty of life.

Although I remember thinking at the time (without being aware of these broader cliches) "hmmm, this seems to be similar to some aged Bordeaux wines."
 
Does Ridge still make Zins to age? Is anyone? I got into the game a bit late to be reminiscing on bottles bought 30 years ago. My six year old allowance wasn't going very far back then.
 
I always notice that people say "this xx year old [obscure red] tastes like aged bordeaux." Couldn't it be that aged bordeaux tastes like most other aged red wines.

I mean, aged burgundy (20 to 30 years old) is pretty distinctive. But the few bottles of aged Graves that i have had (from the 70s and 80s) taste pretty similar to the 80s and 90s cab francs and tannats i have had recently. Maybe most red varieties (with some exceptions) start to converge in flavor profile and lose varietal and terroir characteristics after long enough in bottle (without them being over the hill).

I might being saying something that seems obvious to others, but it is something i have been thinking about recently. I am not sure it is true though since i dont think i have had enough older wine yet to be able to make an accurate assessment.
 
originally posted by Yule Kim:
I always notice that people say "this xx year old [obscure red] tastes like aged bordeaux." Couldn't it be that aged bordeaux tastes like most other aged red wines.

I mean, aged burgundy (20 to 30 years old) is pretty distinctive. But the few bottles of aged Graves that i have had (from the 70s and 80s) taste pretty similar to the 80s and 90s cab francs and tannats i have had recently. Maybe most red varieties (with some exceptions) start to converge in flavor profile and lose varietal and terroir characteristics after long enough in bottle (without them being over the hill).

I might being saying something that seems obvious to others, but it is something i have been thinking about recently. I am not sure it is true though since i dont think i have had enough older wine yet to be able to make an accurate assessment.
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I am by no means an expert on this subject, having neither had such a vast experience with aged wines of all stripes nor a particular trained palate, but... it seems to me that one has to be attuned to the subtleties to appreciate the differences between aged wines. At 30+ years of age, all but a very few wines have lost most of their youthful power and rely instead on subtle flavors for their appeal. Those 40- and 50- year old Bordeaux I've had have been recognizably Bordeaux, and the CalCabs I've had at 20-30 years of age have been likewise recognizably CalCab (perhaps more easily distinguishable then than earlier). I haven't had enough Loire Cab Franc with that kind of age on it to be able to generalize, but as you say the Burgundy with similar age is still in a different mold entirely. Grenache at age 20 is still distinctly Grenache but Zinfandel at age 20 does tend to lose most of its distinctiveness to me and starts tasting like Claret or something. Of course, people also talk about aged Gamay gaining in Pinosity, too.

Mark Lipton
 
originally posted by Rahsaan:
during grad school around 2003-2004 I bought several bottles of the 1980 Ridge Paso Robles Zinfandel for a fair price from Premier Cru. It was pretty darn nice for my tastes and certainly still seemed to have plenty of life.
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This implies that Premier Cru has already delivered your wines. If so, I am shocked. And awed.
 
originally posted by Brian C:
Does Ridge still make Zins to age? Is anyone? I got into the game a bit late to be reminiscing on bottles bought 30 years ago. My six year old allowance wasn't going very far back then.
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Leverage, my friend, did you never hear of leverage?
 
originally posted by MLipton:
originally posted by Yule Kim:
I always notice that people say "this xx year old [obscure red] tastes like aged bordeaux." Couldn't it be that aged bordeaux tastes like most other aged red wines.

I mean, aged burgundy (20 to 30 years old) is pretty distinctive. But the few bottles of aged Graves that i have had (from the 70s and 80s) taste pretty similar to the 80s and 90s cab francs and tannats i have had recently. Maybe most red varieties (with some exceptions) start to converge in flavor profile and lose varietal and terroir characteristics after long enough in bottle (without them being over the hill)...
Click to expand...

... Those 40- and 50- year old Bordeaux I've had have been recognizably Bordeaux, and the CalCabs I've had at 20-30 years of age have been likewise recognizably CalCab (perhaps more easily distinguishable then than earlier). I haven't had enough Loire Cab Franc with that kind of age on it to be able to generalize, but as you say the Burgundy with similar age is still in a different mold entirely. Grenache at age 20 is still distinctly Grenache but Zinfandel at age 20 does tend to lose most of its distinctiveness to me and starts tasting like Claret or something. Of course, people also talk about aged Gamay gaining in Pinosity, too.

Mark Lipton
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I too have had some old Gamays aging into Pinosity, as you put it. Older Loire Cab Francs from warm years (78, 85, 89) I recall being claret-ish in a lean Figeac way. I agree about old Cal Cabs being even more Californian with age, but I wonder if that is partly due to their era of picking and vinification (70s-early 80s). I have had a lot of Zin old, new and in between. They become mellow and pleasant but to me they lose personality, certainly they show much less terroir or regionalism.
 
originally posted by Brian C:
Does Ridge still make Zins to age? Is anyone? I got into the game a bit late to be reminiscing on bottles bought 30 years ago. My six year old allowance wasn't going very far back then.
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Nalle, Quivira, Rafanelli, DiArie, Storybook, Old Hill, Steele Dupratt, and some of the Ridge and Peachy Canyon single vineyards all seem like they'll age 5-10 years nicely to me. The 2001 Rafanelli was excellent last year. That said, I'm not sure I'd actually prefer them after 10 years.
 
originally posted by Florida Jim:
Wasn't it Hugh Johnson who answered the question of when was the last time he mistook Burgundy for claret - "not since lunch?"
Best, Jim
Click to expand...

FYI....Harry Waugh quote
 
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