97 2002 Ridge Geyserville (Alexander Valley) 1/5/19 ($30)
84% Zinfandel, 12% Carignane, 4% Petite Sirah 14.6% alc
Color: Very deep garnet with some browning, but impressive for a 16+ year old Zin. (3.5) Bouquet: Elegant, mature Zinberry (black raspberry, black cherry, blueberry and boysenberry) with cocoa, dusty briar and gamy terroir, also a little mushroom (gout de vieux). (3.5) Body: Still a solid middleweight to light heavyweight (a heavyweight in its youth) with outstanding fruit concentration, excellent acidity and smooth tannins underneath. (3.5) Flavor: The elegant wild berry fruit is even more expressive than the bouquet. (3.5) Finish: Pretty, long, elegant and complex, my favorite part. (4.0)
Overall: One of Paul Draper's Swan Songs, this mature Geyserville is still at its best. Showing surprising elegance and complex character for a Zinfandel with dusty game and cooking spice nuances complementing a multilayered mix of Zinberry fruits. It amazes me that the Zinberry fruit is still so intense and precise, yet has acquired the elegance of maturity. One of the greatest Geyservilles I've ever tasted. It will be interesting to see how the latest, greatest Geyservilles under the newer winemakers (such as '14 and '15) compare when they are 10 to 15+ years old. (18)
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