Ritchie Vineyard, Russian River Valley
Chardonnay
Kent Ritchie proudly oversees his legendary, namesake vineyard located in the heart of the Russian River Valley at the intersection of Trenton Road and Eastside Road. The Chardonnay vineyard was planted in the early 1970’s to a handful of heritage selections and clones. Now, 40 years later these thick, gnarled vines produce some of the most highly sought after wines from a choice selection of California’s most respected Chardonnay producers. Our block has a gentle, southwest exposure and sits atop a shallow mixture of Goldridge soil, volcanic pumice and small, river pebbles. The confluence of ideal soils, exposure, and climate produces the perfect conditions to grow world class Chardonnay. Due to vine age, clonal selection, and soil type the yields are naturally low which helps to further concentrate flavor and define this unique vineyard’s voice.