2003 Pato Mataro

These old mataro vines on the warm Sacramento River delta set a small crop in 2003. This year, we included none of the vineyard’s zinfandel, choosing instead to add a small percentage of petite sirah for additional structure. After a natural-yeast fermentation in small submerged-cap fermentors and a long natural malolactic in well-tempered american oak barrels, the earthy, spicy character of the varietal dominates. Forward fruit and beautiful balance make this an immediately-enjoyable quaffing wine. It will be at its best over the next three years.

Since 1962, Ridge has championed single-vineyard winemaking, exploring California in search of those rare sites where climate, soil, and varietal are ideally matched. Our aim is to guide the natural process; using traditional methods and minimal handling, we strive to produce the highest quality wines from superior and distinctive fruit.

Average Rating: 87.0

No. of Tasting Notes: 27

View this wine on CellarTracker