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Oak Ridge winery: where lodi's past and future meet
A sun-drenched valley in a Mediterranean climate. Row after row of juicy, old vine grapes. Mineral-rich terroir. Five generations of winegrowers. A family-run business. No, this isn’t Tuscany. This is the Maggio family vineyards, Oak Ridge Winery, in Lodi, California. Wine has been made at this location for nearly 100 years, beginning production in 1934, just after Prohibition ended. What makes Oak Ridge wines unique is not only their family’s deep passion for traditional wine making, but their commitment to sustainable practices, merging the Old World with the new, resulting in wines that are approachable and enjoyable to the last drop.
“Oak Ridge is this ideal microcosm of Lodi,” says Raquel Casity, General Manager & Partner at Oak Ridge Winery. “Our winery represents everything Lodi used to be – generational family farming and bulk winemaking cooperatives – and everything that Lodi is becoming: an AVA with incredible diversity and ability to create high-quality wines, while maintaining a very approachable, family-owned experience.”
The nexus of innovation and tradition sums up Lodi as a winemaking region. Once the watermelon capital of the world, Lodi transitioned to growing grapes at the turn of the 20th century. At first known predominantly for mass-produced value wine, Lodi hit a “golden age” of wine production in the 1960s and ’70s and is now considered by many one of the most exciting winemaking regions in the US, producing award-winning wines that lean on Old World inspiration while embracing modern winemaking techniques.
“We see the history in this facility every day,” Casity notes as she strolls through the winery’s tasting room off Highway 12. “Over the years, we’ve adapted the existing infrastructure to support more modern, more hands-on, winemaking.” For example, Oak Ridge still ferments in cement wine tanks, but now they’re lined with stainless steel. They still crush the bulk of their fruit in large crushers, but also purchased a Pellenc optical sorter for their smaller lots. “We are very serious about improving quality and want to be competitive with wines from anywhere in the world.”
The results speak for themselves, as Oak Ridge Winery produces one of the best-selling brands, even as the winery has flown under the radar. Their 2020 OZV Zinfandel – rated 92 points, #10 Best Buy on the Top 100 Best Buys of 2022 (Wine Enthusiast) – is the #4 selling Zinfandel in the US., with its recognizable black and purple label, OZV - or Old Zinfandel Vines - is Oak Ridge’s flagship brand, a wine known for its incredible approachability.
Their up-and-coming 2021 Old Soul Chardonnay is also turning heads, scoring 91 points and being awarded Best Buy by Wine Enthusiast. For an area not traditionally known for its chardonnays, this Old Soul varietal is wonderfully balanced and slightly floral, featuring notes of peach and nectarine complemented by vanilla and nutmeg, with well-integrated oak that lets the fruit truly shine.
“We’re a family of farmers – on the fifth generation now – and firmly believe that we have to farm sustainably to ensure we leave the land better than we found it,” says Casity. In conjunction with being a sustainable winery, Oak Ridge is also a women-owned company, putting Oak Ridge Winery in rarified air. “Farming and wine has historically been a very male-dominated industry, but I’ve been in the vineyards all my life. I am one of three daughters, and I myself have three daughters. It has been great to see this shift over the last few years to more women in positions of leadership, and more women winemakers. More representation is key to innovation and growth.”
Oak Ridge Winery is both a legacy winery and a representative of what the future of winemaking looks like: accessible, delicious wines made sustainably by a women-owned winery in the heart of the Lodi AVA. Discover what critics and wine lovers the world over already have at www.oakridgewinery.com, where you can pick up the latest bottle, join their three-tiered wine club, or schedule a visit to taste in-person.
For those looking to level-up, Oak Ridge’s award-winning 2020 Moss Roxx Old Vine Reserve Zinfandel – rated 90 points, Wine Enthusiast – is a must. Awarded the Double Gold in this year’s SF Chronicle Wine Competition, the Moss Roxx Old Vine Reserve features all the approachability of a traditional Lodi zin with an added complexity that has judges and wine aficionados raving. Full of berries and spice, the Moss Roxx is the type of wine you savor as you sip, and pairs excellently with roasted lamb, sharp cheeses, and blackened salmon.
Even as the Lodi AVA soars in popularity, welcoming visitors from all over the world to try the region’s unique wine, the Maggio family sees themselves as farmers first, concerned with the long-term health and sustainability of their vineyards. Eight years ago, the Maggio family started farming all 2,500 acres of their vineyards in accordance with Lodi Rules, a green-certified sustainable winegrowing program composed of local growers. As America’s original sustainable viticulture program, Lodi Rules consist of over 120 farming standard practices, divided into six categories: ecosystem management, water management, soil management, pest management, business management, and human resources, all third-party-certified by Protect Harvest to ensure compliance with the standards.
By StoryStudio on March 20, 2023
SPONSORED BY OAK RIDGE winery
-Raquel Casity, General Manager & Partner at Oak Ridge Winery
“We are very serious about improving quality and want to be competitive with wines from anywhere in the world.”
our wine selection
2020 OZV Zinfandel
2020 Moss Roxx Reserve Zinfandel
2021 Old SOUL cHARDONNAY
Maggio Ladies
Oak Ridge winery: where lodi's past and future meet
A sun-drenched valley in a Mediterranean climate. Row after row of juicy, old vine grapes. Mineral-rich terroir. Five generations of winegrowers. A family-run business. No, this isn’t Tuscany. This is the Maggio family vineyards, Oak Ridge Winery, in Lodi, California. Wine has been made at this location for nearly 100 years, beginning production in 1934, just after Prohibition ended. What makes Oak Ridge wines unique is not only their family’s deep passion for traditional wine making, but their commitment to sustainable practices, merging the Old World with the new, resulting in wines that are approachable and enjoyable to the last drop.
“Oak Ridge is this ideal microcosm of Lodi,” says Raquel Casity, General Manager & Partner at Oak Ridge Winery. “Our winery represents everything Lodi used to be – generational family farming and bulk winemaking cooperatives – and everything that Lodi is becoming: an AVA with incredible diversity and ability to create high-quality wines, while maintaining a very approachable, family-owned experience.”
The nexus of innovation and tradition sums up Lodi as a winemaking region. Once the watermelon capital of the world, Lodi transitioned to growing grapes at the turn of the 20th century. At first known predominantly for mass-produced value wine, Lodi hit a “golden age” of wine production in the 1960s and ’70s and is now considered by many one of the most exciting winemaking regions in the US, producing award-winning wines that lean on Old World inspiration while embracing modern winemaking techniques.
our wine selection
2020 OZV Zinfandel
2020 Moss Roxx Reserve Zinfandel
2021 Old SOUL cHARDONNAY
“We see the history in this facility every day,” Casity notes as she strolls through the winery’s tasting room off Highway 12. “Over the years, we’ve adapted the existing infrastructure to support more modern, more hands-on, winemaking.” For example, Oak Ridge still ferments in cement wine tanks, but now they’re lined with stainless steel. They still crush the bulk of their fruit in large crushers, but also purchased a Pellenc optical sorter for their smaller lots. “We are very serious about improving quality and want to be competitive with wines from anywhere in the world.”
The results speak for themselves, as Oak Ridge Winery produces one of the best-selling brands, even as the winery has flown under the radar. Their 2020 OZV Zinfandel – rated 92 points, #10 Best Buy on the Top 100 Best Buys of 2022 (Wine Enthusiast) – is the #4 selling Zinfandel in the US., with its recognizable black and purple label, OZV - or Old Zinfandel Vines - is Oak Ridge’s flagship brand, a wine known for its incredible approachability.
Their up-and-coming 2021 Old Soul Chardonnay is also turning heads, scoring 91 points and being awarded Best Buy by Wine Enthusiast. For an area not traditionally known for its chardonnays, this Old Soul varietal is wonderfully balanced and slightly floral, featuring notes of peach and nectarine complemented by vanilla and nutmeg, with well-integrated oak that lets the fruit truly shine.
For those looking to level-up, Oak Ridge’s award-winning 2020 Moss Roxx Old Vine Reserve Zinfandel – rated 90 points, Wine Enthusiast – is a must. Awarded the Double Gold in this year’s SF Chronicle Wine Competition, the Moss Roxx Old Vine Reserve features all the approachability of a traditional Lodi zin with an added complexity that has judges and wine aficionados raving. Full of berries and spice, the Moss Roxx is the type of wine you savor as you sip, and pairs excellently with roasted lamb, sharp cheeses, and blackened salmon.
Even as the Lodi AVA soars in popularity, welcoming visitors from all over the world to try the region’s unique wine, the Maggio family sees themselves as farmers first, concerned with the long-term health and sustainability of their vineyards. Eight years ago, the Maggio family started farming all 2,500 acres of their vineyards in accordance with Lodi Rules, a green-certified sustainable winegrowing program composed of local growers. As America’s original sustainable viticulture program, Lodi Rules consist of over 120 farming standard practices, divided into six categories: ecosystem management, water management, soil management, pest management, business management, and human resources, all third-party-certified by Protect Harvest to ensure compliance with the standards.
“We’re a family of farmers – on the fifth generation now – and firmly believe that we have to farm sustainably to ensure we leave the land better than we found it,” says Casity. In conjunction with being a sustainable winery, Oak Ridge is also a women-owned company, putting Oak Ridge Winery in rarified air. “Farming and wine has historically been a very male-dominated industry, but I’ve been in the vineyards all my life. I am one of three daughters, and I myself have three daughters. It has been great to see this shift over the last few years to more women in positions of leadership, and more women winemakers. More representation is key to innovation and growth.”
Oak Ridge Winery is both a legacy winery and a representative of what the future of winemaking looks like: accessible, delicious wines made sustainably by a women-owned winery in the heart of the Lodi AVA. Discover what critics and wine lovers the world over already have at www.oakridgewinery.com, where you can pick up the latest bottle, join their three-tiered wine club, or schedule a visit to taste in-person.
- Raquel Casity, General Manager & Partner at Oak Ridge Winery
By StoryStudio on march 20, 2023
SPONSORED BY OAK RIDGE WINERY
“We are very serious about improving quality and want to be competitive with wines from anywhere in the world.”
