Heringer Chenin Blanc

Blog Post

March 2026

The 2025 vintage of Heringer Chenin Blanc is our second release of this wine. As a newer addition to the portfolio, we invited Lytton Springs Winemaker, Shauna Rosenblum, to share the history of this storied vineyard and what makes it so distinctive.

Heringer Family History

The Heringer family came to America from Holland in the 1860s. They purchased their land in Clarksburg, where they raised cattle and planted row crops: alfalfa, corn, sugar beets, and tomatoes. In the 1970s, the Heringer family realized their silty loam soil and climate were ideal for wine grapes, and they planted their first vineyard.

Vineyard Topography

Located right on the Delta of the Sacramento River, the Heringer Vineyard benefits from the “Delta Breeze.” This cool afternoon breeze comes in from the southwest, carrying air from the Pacific Ocean. These cool breezes create a more impactful diurnal shift with warm days and cool nights. This diurnal shift ripens the grapes slowly while preserving the natural acidity. The Heringer Estate Vineyards are 100% herbicide free and Certified Sustainable through Protected Harvest. They also have a partnership with the Wildlife Care Association of Sacramento to provide a habitat for rehabilitated owls throughout their 650 acres of vineyards. In addition to chenin blanc, they also grow 26 other varieties, some of which include, albariño, chardonnay, gewurztraminer, and muscat canelli.

Winemaking Technique

2025 is RIDGE’s second vintage of Chenin Blanc from the Heringer Estate in Clarksburg. 2024 was our first effort. We experimented with several different approaches to making Chenin Blanc and learned a lot along the way. Variables included: barrel fermentation versus stainless steel, expressions at riper vs. leaner brix levels, as well as skin contact vs. no skin contact.

We loved the fruit expression at a slightly lower brix level where it leans tropical, and we were impressed with the mouthfeel that could be achieved at lower brix, by utilizing skin contact.

The 2025 chenin was picked around 22.5-23 brix, on September 4th, 2025, four days before the harvest Full Moon. The fruit underwent gentle pressing and 12 hours of skin contact before a full press cycle. Once pressed, the juice was vigorously aerated to encourage the indigenous yeast to multiply. Fermented in stainless steel around 60 degrees; cool enough to preserve freshness, but warm enough to keep the little yeasties alive and well. Naturally occurring malolactic in tank. Bottled in December 2025.

Our Newest Release of this Wine – 2025 Heringer Chenin Blanc

Vinous Media: 92 Points “The 2025 Chenin Blanc Heringer is the second edition of this bottling for Ridge, sourced from a vineyard in Clarksburg. It’s nicely rounded, tropical and lightly grippy. Ripe golden mango, chamomile, orange peel, white flowers and fresh ginger saturate the tongue, echoing with an enticing perception of fruit sweetness and a kick of gentle tannin. Stylish.” -Billy Norris (January 2026)

What the RIDGE Winemaking team loves about this wine:

• We’re obsessed with this Chenin paired with carne asada tacos.
• Fun, fresh and lively. Enticing nose of mango, lime verbena, apricot, and chamomile.  Flavors of white tea, ginger and lemon meringue with playful acidity.
• You know our winemaking team really likes a wine when we have pillaged ALL existing QC samples in the winery!