WTN: 1999 Ridge Geyserville

[David M. Bueker]

What better after a long week at work than a bottle of Ridge? Not much.

The '99 Geyserville is reaching a point of being essentially resolved without having verged into old wine. The balance is just fine, the fruit still evident, but the structure is melting into the wine in a way that made 2/3 of the bottle disappear before I ever got dinner ready. There may be a hint of volatility lurking in the background, but it never crept forward. This is ready to drink up now.

I had this about a year ago and also thought it was time to drink up. A few years ago, I mistakenly thought there might be an upside to holding them, but alas that is no longer the case. Time to drink 'em if you got 'em. Now the 1999 Lytton Springs is a whole nuther story with years to go.
BP

[David M. Bueker]

It's interesting that it has turned out this way, as the Geyserville is usually the more age worthy of the two.

big fan of ridge but i cant imagine having the patience to wait ten years to pop one, they drink so well after just a few years.

[Jenise]

Mike, welcome.

What is the drinking window with the Gerserville on average?

Drew

[David M. Bueker]

I don't think you can look at it on average. The better years can go 12-20, with the lesser years 8-12 IMO, but I have never had one over the hill.

[Jenise]

I don't think you can look at it on average. The better years can go 12-20, with the lesser years 8-12 IMO, but I have never had one over the hill.

And I believe they somehow tend to avoid dumb phases. True?

[David M. Bueker]

Reasonably true.

By the way, Thor had some of what was left in the bottle on Saturday & thinks the wine neds more time. I disagree, but it was interesting to get his take on it.

I still haven't gotten a handle on the outer limits of aging Geyserville and Lytton Springs. However, I had a 1997 Lytton Springs in 2009 that was lovely (Paul Draper conservatively recommended drinking it between 1999 and 2004.) I've also enjoyed a 2000 Geyserville in 2008. I have a bit of a mini-vertical of the Lytton Springs that it would be fun to share with other wine lovers.