2016 Ridge Geyserville (Zinfandel)

From a single vineyard in the Alexander Valley, the 2016 Geyserville is a rock star of a wine that readers should snatch up! Fabulous notes of blueberries, black cherries, currants, toasted spices, and graphite all flow to a medium to full-bodied wine that has a seamless texture, terrific elegance, and a great, great finish. The quality of this cuvée has soared over the coming 4-6 years, and this might just be the best yet. It promises two decades or more of prime drinking.

The 2016 Geyserville is the usual Zinfandel-dominated blend and includes 17% Carignan, 7% Petite Sirah, and 3% Alicante Bouschet. It offers a gorgeous bouquet of ripe red and black cherries, caramelized plums, toasted spices, and exotic flowers. This gives way to a seamless, medium to full-bodied, elegant Geyserville that has plenty of intensity, sweet tannin, and perfect balance. This beauty just glides over the palate and is one of the more approachable vintages of this cuvée I can remember. Nevertheless, it will keep for at least a decade. It's a great wine.

The 2016 Zinfandel Geyserville is a powerful, tightly wound wine. Beams of supporting tannin and acidity give the 2016 its distinctly virile, imposing personality. Black cherry, graphite, lavender, and spice are all laced throughout. Deceptively medium in body, the 2016 packs a serious punch. It also needs at least a few years in bottle to settle down, as the tannins are quite imposing, There is a purity to the 2016 that is absolutely striking.