Region:

West Lodi

2472 W. Sargent Rd.
Lodi, CA 

(209) 367-9463

Winemaker:

Madelyn Ripken Kolber

Small

Days/Hours:

Sat & Sun 12:00 to 4:00

Medium

Picnic Facilities:

N/A

White Rhone Blend, Viognier, Pinot Gris

The Winery:
The founders of Ripken Vineyards started their journey into the wine industry, as so many before them in the Lodi area did, as grape growers. The estate was established in 1950 and now includes three generations of Ripkens on the team. This is a winery that is proudly a little off beat, promising never to be boring. The tasting room is located in an attractively designed barn style building with a modern Spanish flair. The site is surrounded by the estate vineyards and wonderfully inviting lawns.

The Vineyards:
The estate grows 20 different grape varieties including Marsanne, Roussanne, Viognier, Malbec, Petite Sirah, Carmine, Petit Verdot, Alicante Bouschet, Tempranillo, Graciano, Souzao, Touriga National, Grenache, Mourvedre, Montepulciano, Barbera, Dolcetto, and Corvina. They use minimal to no irrigation and, interestingly, grow their own rootstock. The vineyards are managed by Richard Ripken who has a masters from U C Davis in viticulture and is also a home winemaker.

The Wines:
All of the wines produced by Ripken are estate grown and bottled. Most of the wines have a Rhone influence, but they do specialize in a lot of more obscure varietals not seen very often in the area. Probably the most interesting fact is they are one of the few Lodi wineries that has no Zinfandel wines on their tasting list. They produce small lot wines that are mostly hand processed, using as little manipulation as possible.

The Winemaker:
The winemaker at Ripken is Madelyn Ripken Kolber. Ms Kober graduated from the University of California, San Diego.