TN: 2002 Ridge Geyserville

Yoni_O_v_a_d_i_a · January 29, 2009, 5:26pm

Wondeful wine. Still very dark color all the way to the rim. Beautiful nose of blackberry, blackcherries and a bit of prune. Medium bodied and silky with a great finish. Tannins and acidity were there to back everything up and were intigrated beautifully. Long finish that had me tasting the wine long after I finished drinking. This definitely has some good years ahead of it, IMO.

Bill_Tex_Landreth · January 29, 2009, 5:28pm

Always a standard bearer for CA red wine. I don’t think I have ever been let down by a bottle of Geyserville.

Jeff_Pf0h1 · January 29, 2009, 9:21pm

Indeed it has life ahead of it. I have some 1995s (750 and 1.5L) that are still drinking well. (OK last time I had one was summer of 2007 but it was fantastic)

And we’re about to do a Geyserville vertical here in February back to the early 1980s which I’m excited about. 22 bottles.

Roy_Hersh · January 30, 2009, 6:48am

I love the 1995 and it is a great mature Geezer at this point. The 2001/2002 pairing is interesting. I like both for different reasons. The 2002 seems to have more guts and grip, especially when it was just released.

Cris_Whetstone · January 30, 2009, 7:02am

Thanks for joining up Roy!

I need to get Andy to pop some more Geezervilles around here.

Roy_Hersh · January 30, 2009, 7:07am

Along with Gregg Greenbaum 2 or 3 years ago, I organized a deep double vertical of Geezerville vs. Lytton Springs way back the 1973 or 1974 with dozens of bottles. It was a stellar evening and took place in LA. Andy came along and it was the first time he really was exposed to Geyserville with any age on 'em. What a fun night with some great characters too.

I was also fortunate to do a 40-year Montebello vertical with Draper in Aspen some years back and talk about a love fest, wow!

Cris_Whetstone · January 30, 2009, 7:11am

I’ve heard them speak of that Geyserville shindig. Must have been incredible. And the 40 year Monte Bello vertical…dare to dream.

stevetimko · January 30, 2009, 3:42pm

That was a great tasting. I bought a bottle of 1997 Geyserville because that one eventually opened up to be so good.
Don’t forget the amazing 1976 Stony Hill.

M_Sai · January 30, 2009, 4:51pm

Hmmm… Hopefully the '95 Lytton is doing as well - I just grabbed a few bottles on WineBid…

ToddFrench · January 30, 2009, 4:54pm

The '02 Geyserville is the only Ridge I have. I was planning to let it sit in the cellar a while yet, but it sounds good now. The ‘bit of prune’ scares me a bit, though…

LMD_Ermitano · January 30, 2009, 4:58pm

I had the 1995 from a 750ml late May 2008 and it was still very nice indeed. Had it, the '97 Thackery Orion and a mag of '96 Cos d’Estournel with grilled rib-eyes at home with a few friends. The '95 Ridge Geyserville was my wife’s favorite red with the steaks.

Roy_Hersh · January 30, 2009, 5:09pm

I am down to my last four bottles of 1995, having purchased a case and then went back for two more cases in 1999. It is now drinking beautifully, almost Bdx like. I have one Mag of it left.

The 2002, will flesh out. It was a monster in its youth. I grabbed mags and even 3 liters of it as it is my daughter’s birth year. It will easily make her 21st birthday, although she has already had a sip of it. She still prefers fortified wines … er, to smell 'em!

There are so many great Geyserville’s from the 1990s, the only modest vintages are really the 1996 which is still good and the 1998 which is ready to go already. The 1997 is probably the best from the 1990s in my opinion, but the 1991, 1994, 1995 are all exceptional, while the 1990, 1992 are just marvelous, the 1993/1999 are also still drinking very well.

How about the '80s … do we want to go there?

Yoni_O_v_a_d_i_a · January 30, 2009, 5:14pm

Todd, The prunes just started to come through after the bottle was open about 2 1/2 - 3 hours and even then it was just a little. It can definitely cellar for a while.