Geyserville, Ridge 2022 75cl

Geyserville is the wine that made Ridge's reputation as a Zinfandel master — a field blend off gnarled old vines in Alexander Valley, some over a century old. The 2022 is deep, spicy and generous, a benchmark for what California Zinfandel can be at its best.

Ridge Vineyards have bottled Geyserville since the 1960s, and the vineyard's mix of Zinfandel with Carignan, Petite Sirah and Alicante Bouschet gives a wine of layered complexity. The estate's approach is deliberately non-interventionist — native yeasts, judicious American oak, and a respect for the fruit that comes from very old, dry-farmed vines. The result is power with detail rather than sheer weight.

Pour it and you get a dense ruby-purple and a heady nose of raspberry, blackberry, warm baking spice, clove and a note of leather and cedar. The palate is full-bodied and richly fruited, with a rounder, more perfumed profile than the brawnier Lytton Springs, tannins firm but supple and a long, spicy, savoury finish. There is a lifted brightness that keeps all that ripeness in check.

Drinking well now with air, and it will reward a decade in the cellar. At around £60 it is a wine with pedigree and proven ageing potential — a rewarding buy for anyone who wants serious, distinctive California red.

How to Serve

Serve at 16-18°C in a large Bordeaux glass. Decant an hour ahead to open the spice and fruit.

Where to Drink It

Hawksmoor for a big steak night. Blacklock in Soho for chops and bold reds. Temper in Soho, where its spice suits the live-fire cooking.

Food Pairings

Reach for smoky pulled pork or a spiced lamb shoulder; the fruit and spice hold up to rich, robust dishes.