1996 Oat Valley Carignan

It is unusual for us to bottle a red wine after only six months of barrel age, but this lovely carignan was so forward and delicious as a young wine that we felt there was no choice. The ‘96 growing season was one of the warmest in recent memory; these eighty year- old, non-irrigated vines were seriously stressed by the heat. The grapes were picked earlier than usual, and went directly to barrel after malolactic. Though it may develop beautifully with five years in bottle, this is wonderful quaffing wine—the “bistro” style at its best. PD (6/97)

Since 1962, Ridge has championed single-vineyard winemaking, exploring California in search of great vineyards where climate, soil, and varietal are ideally matched. Fine wine, when made traditionally, is the result of a natural process. Using traditional methods and minimal handling, we strive to produce the highest quality wines from superior and distinctive fruit. We are proud that our three decades are an integral part of California’s winemaking history.

Average Rating: 86.8

No. of Tasting Notes: 4

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