Established in 1997, Rideau has been family owned since day one. Since that first day, their focus has continuously been on handcrafting small-lot wines from grapes that are hand-harvested from Rideau's sustainably farmed estate vineyard, truly showcasing the land from which they come. Almost fully direct-to-consumer since the beginning, Rideau wines are best enjoyed on their grounds located within the Los Olivos District AVA of the Santa Ynez Valley.
With a focus on the traditions of the Rhône valley, Rideau makes wines that are expressive of the varietal and vineyard they come from. Each wine is lovingly cared for from first bud break in the vineyard until the moment it leaves the winery; yet their goal is to intervene as little as possible, to truly allow the varietal and vineyard to shine.
Rideau hand-harvests their grapes when they are at their peak of flavor and ripeness, bringing wines to complete fermentation using only wild yeasts and bottling their reds unfiltered whenever possible. By utilizing whole cluster, dried stem fermentation and scaling their oak amounts to fit the needs of each wine, Rideau's wines remain true to varietal character as well as the land.
The Tasting Room
A tree-lined path escorts you off of the main road and out of the "real world," to the historic El Alamo Pintado Adobe that serves as Rideau's tasting room. The tasting room is a unique experience and an ideal locale in which to enjoy their wines.
