Geyser Peak Winery
2009 Foothill Petit Verdot
Petit Verdot
California: Alexander Valley
Mission Briefing
The Peak of Perfection
Today’s Geyser Peak Winery 2009 Foothill Petit Verdot marks a welcome return to Geyser Peak, one of our favorite wineries. Geyser Peak is long known for their expert winemaking skill, and today’s gem is just another example of their prowess.
Petit Verdot gets a bad rap. Made poorly, it can sometimes be an abrasive and overpowering tannin bomb. Thankfully, today’s wine is absolutely none of those things. Bold and robust, yes, but coupled with the perfect amount of elegant restraint, this wine shows off just how great the varietal can be. Fruity and floral, with lovely hints of rustic terroir, this wine is the perfect pairing for your next steak dinner.
We would recommend that any red wine drinker give today’s wine a chance, and at 29% off, this is one deal that the whole world needs to know about!
Tasting Profile
| Look: | Darkest purple-red at the center of the glass, with a rustic red at the very edge. |
|---|---|
| Smell: | Very fragrant, with red cherry and fresh mulberry laid overtop notes of fresh berry bramble, freshly fallen leaves, lavender, fennel seed, clove, and anise. |
| Taste: | Terroir driven with plenty of fruit, this wine is wonderfully balanced on the palate. Bright red Bing cherry and ripe boysenberry counterbalance flavors of tobacco leaf, sweet earth, lavender leaf, anise, and a hint of rose petal. |
| Finish: | Incredibly soft and supple upon entry, this wine is well structured, with velvety and not-at-all overpowering tannins. |
| Pairing: | A perfectly grilled, pepper-encrusted New York Strip, served with a side of pea shoots drizzled with lemon and garlic olive oil. |
What the Winery Says
One of California’s oldest and most renowned wineries, Geyser Peak Winery was founded in 1880 by Augustus Quitzow, a pioneer in Alexander Valley winemaking, Geyser Peak has flourished as an award-winning winery for more than 130 years. Quitzow chose the original winery site in Geyserville for its vantage point of the famed Geysers Geothermal area. The white steam that billowed from the geysers along the mountain slopes provided the winery with a spectacular ‘view of the clouds’.
Today, Geyser Peak pays fond tribute to its past roots in Alexander Valley as it sets forth on a new path into the Dry Creek Valley Appellation where the winery has recently relocated. Although the address is new, the commitment to the highest quality artisan winemaking isn’t. Geyser Peak will continue to “Reach For Peak” for many years to come.
- Winemaker
- Ondine Chattan
- Accolades
- Gold Medal & Best of Class - Sonoma County Harvest Fair (Previous Vintage)
- Appellation
- Alexander Valley, Sonoma County, California
- Cooperage
- 17 months in French oak
- Case Production
- 200 Cases
- ABV
- 14.4%
About the Winery
One of California’s oldest and most renowned wineries, Geyser Peak Winery was founded in 1880 by Augustus Quitzow, a pioneer in Alexander Valley winemaking, Geyser Peak has flourished as an award-winning winery for more than 130 years. Quitzow chose the original winery site in Geyserville for its vantage point of the famed Geysers Geothermal area. The white steam that billowed from the geysers along the mountain slopes provided the winery with a spectacular ‘view of the clouds’.
Today, Geyser Peak pays fond tribute to its past roots in Alexander Valley as it sets forth on a new path into the Dry Creek Valley Appellation where the winery has recently relocated. Although the address is new, the commitment to the highest quality artisan winemaking is not. Geyser Peak will continue to “Reach For Peak” for many years to come.
Winemaker Ondine Chattan
Ondine Chattan has completed more than 15 harvests with Geyser Peak Winery. Under her leadership, the winemaking team has honed and refined the now distinctive style of our wines, introducing innovative production techniques, and enthusiastically promoting the Alexander Valley and our broad portfolio of award-winning wines.
A native of Marin County, Ondine spent a great deal of time in Sonoma Wine Country during her childhood, where she fell in love with the wine industry. This passion in her soul has never wavered and grew even stronger while obtaining an undergraduate degree in Viticulture from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and a Master’s Degree in Enology from Fresno State University.
After college, her love of Zinfandel and Rhone varietals led her to positions at Cline Cellars in the Sonoma Valley and Ridge Vineyards in Cupertino before settling down to her ‘winemaking home’ in the Alexander Valley. Joining Geyser Peak was a dream come true for Ondine, with its diversity of varietals, vineyards and wine styles inspiring her creativity and fueling her passion for producing exciting, accessible, unique wines.