2022 Sandy Lane Carignane

Aromas of cranberry compote on the nose with hints of lavender and slate. Medium bodied with juicy acidity and elegant tannins. Ruby red in color with ripe raspberry, orange zest, and clove notes on the palate. Beautifully balanced with a nice, long brambly finish. MB (7/24)

Sandy Lane vineyard is located in Antioch, east of the San Francisco Bay. Planted in the 1890s, these vines are own-rooted, head-trained, and dry farmed. They grow in a unique soil called Delhi sandy loam, which looks like beach sand. This, coupled with daily afternoon winds, moderates the growing temperatures and preserves the delicate acidity. This fascinating old-vine carignane is ready to drink now, and will evolve over the next five years. SR (1/24)

Ridge has a long history producing wine from this Spanish grape variety. This is our first vintage of carignane from Sandy Lane, located in Contra Costa County, east of San Francisco. These 130-plus-yearold vines are grown in deep sandy soil on the bank of the Sacramento River. They are own-rooted, head trained and dry farmed, which is a viticultural anomaly, as most vines throughout the world are grafted onto resistant rootstock. The sandy soil protected these vines from phylloxera, creating an uninhabitable environment for the root louse.

Rainfall: 20 inches (below normal)
Bloom: Mid May
Weather: Spring rains brought some relief from the drought.

Harvest Date: 17 August
Grapes: Average Brix 24.1˚
TA: 5.58 g/L
pH: 3.64
Fermentation: 100% natural primary and secondary fermentation; 100% submerged cap; pressed at nine days.
Barrels: 100% air-dried American oak barrels; (9% new,11% one year old, 50% four years old, and 30% five+ years old).

Sandy Lane grapes, hand-harvested; destemmed and crushed; fermented on the native yeasts, followed by full malolactic on the naturally occurring bacteria; oak from barrel aging; minimum effective sulfur; 5ppm at crush, 46ppm during aging. Pad filtered at bottling. In keeping with our philosophy of minimal intervention, this is the sum of our actions.

OwenBargreen.com: 95 Points “The beautiful and 100% varietal 2022 Ridge ‘Sandy Lane’ Carignane opens with a beautiful bouquet of black rose petals, wild blackberry and garrigue alongside suggestions of loamy soils and tobacco leaf. Soft and very approachable right now, with a great concentrated core of black and red fruits, this is drinking marvelously in its heady youth. Enjoy now and over the next ten plus years. Drink 2024-2036.” -Owen Bargreen (October 2024)

Vinous Media: 92 Points “The 2022 Carignane Sandy Lane is everything you’d expect from Carignane. Soft-textured and heady, it opens with a rush of cool-toned purple flowers and sweet brambly fruit, accented by citrus zestiness that gives lift. Bright and tart, there’s a classy inner balance here. The finish is round and super-polished.” -Billy Norris (October 2024)

JamesSuckling.com: 91 Points “A medium-bodied wine that’s very fruit-centered and nicely tangy with acidity while light in tannins. Fresh raspberry and blackberry aromas, bright plums on the palate and a juicy but well-saturated expression. Drink or hold.” (September 2024)

Average Rating: 90

No. of Tasting Notes: 7

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