When I think of Geyserville, CA, I am reminded of two things: pizza and Ridge Vineyards. While the best pizza I ever ate episode has been documented on this fair blog, I returned home to Seattle to be transported back to this small town via a wine named for the same place. The 2010 Ridge Geyserville (a sample I received for free) is a blend of 64% Zinfandel, 20% Carignane, 12% Petite Syrah, 2% Alicante Bouschet, and 2% Mourvedre.
If you’ve read this blog on any number of occasions for any length of time, you may have noticed a slight (ahem) penchant for white wines, bubbles, and rosé. But sometimes, especially when the weather turns chilly and the sun starts setting here at what seems like 3 in the afternoon, my thoughts turn to red wine.
The experience of drinking this red blend prompted me to make a comment on an app called Delectable. You snap a photo of the wine label, the software miraculously recognizes the wine (though it does involve exercising a modicum of patience), and then there are a whole host of options for sharing and discovering. I’m slowly getting sucked in to Delectable for its ability to satiate and stimulate wine-geeky urges. Anyhoo, I’m not much for wine reviews along the lines of “morning dew-dipped sandalwood attack, tensile on the palate, notes of fear and loathing on the finish“ but here’s what I had to say about this 2010 Ridge Geyserville:
“Not often I tuck into* a rich red, but this was full of PLEASURE. Perfect red for a brisk, early sunset, Seattle November.”
*Note: I truly regret using the phrase “tuck into”. (As opposed to “falsely regret.” Additionally, I regret using “truly” there.)
I recently had the chance to visit Ridge Vineyards’ Lytton Springs tasting room, winery, and vineyards, thanks to the Winegrowers of Dry Creek Valley. The gnarly, almost grotesque old vines there can be a bit creepy. And when I say grotesque, I mean along the lines of this definition of the word: fantastic in the shaping and combination of forms.
You can read an overview of what I learned during my Dry Creek Valley visit. Plus, I was fortunate enough to be joined on the Ridge and Preston legs of the tour with the immensely thoughtful and talented Elaine of Wakawaka Wine Reviews. Please check out her recap of our (too-brief) time together. But back to the 2010 Geyserville. Jesus, I get so easily sidetracked.
It’s wonderful that this bottle of wine could deliver so much delicious drinking pleasure. Yet also bring back thoughts of eating pizza topped with sliced meatballs with my Mom. And two non-Geyserville specific memories: a tractor-pulled hay ride in Oregon’s Columbia Gorge with a cast of characters including Ridge Vineyards blogger extraordinaire Christopher Watkins, and an outdoor farm lunch with Elaine at Preston Vineyards.
Now that’s a hell of a bottle of wine.
[…] for a soul-feeding red wine, dark and delicious, to enjoy this weekend, my recommendation is the 2010 Ridge Vineyards Geyserville. When was the last time you contented your soul with so much […]