Lydia Tomek, Ravine Vineyard’s winemaker, invited me to lunch to taste her 2019 wines. In the winery’s dining room, we opened with a glass of Ravine Vineyard Brut, a 60/40 blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, aged 5 years. (Green apple and lemon flavours with tiny bubbles, well-balanced and lingering (90)).
Over a plate of charcuterie, we tasted the following wines together:
Ravine Vineyard Sand & Gravel Sauvignon Blanc 2019
Pale straw colour; grassy, citrus nose with a light floral note; medium-bodied, dry, green plum and gooseberry flavours. (89)
Ravine Vineyard Gewurztraminer 2019
Very pale in colour; lightly aromatic, minerally, spicy, lime and grapefruit bouquet; medium-bodied, dry, opening up on the palate with lychee and rose petal notes; very elegant and well-structured. Should develop well with another year in bottle. (89–91)
Ravine Vineyard Tide & Vine Oyster Wine 2019 (a licensee blend)
Pale straw colour; tangerine, citrus nose; medium-bodied, dry, crisp, lemony, white peach flavours. Reminiscent of an Albariño. (89)
Ravine Vineyard Cabernet Rosé 2019
Cabernet Franc. Very pale amber-pink colour; cranberry and yellow cherry (Rainier) nose; medium-bodied, dry, citrus, cherry and wild strawberry flavours with a crisp, acidic finish. (88.5)
Ravine Vineyard Small Batch Riesling 2019
Very pale colour; lightly floral, spicy, grapefruit bouquet; light to medium-bodied, fresh and lively on the palate with racy acidity and great length. (90)
Ravine Vineyard Patricia’s Block Riesling 2019
Very pale colour; minerally, floral, lime and grapefruit nose; light-bodied, off-dry, honeyed grapefruit flavour. Great mouth-feel. (91)
After lunch we went into the tasting room to try some reds:
Ravine Vineyard Cabernet Franc Nancy’s Block 2017
Deep ruby in colour; lightly cedary, spicy nose of blackberries with a floral top note; medium-bodied, dry, savoury-herbal black fruit flavours with a forest-floor note. Beautifully balanced. (90)
Ravine Vineyard Cabernet Franc Lonna’s Block 2017
Dense ruby in colour; cedary, floral, blackcurrant nose; medium-bodied, dry, elegant and beautifully balanced with richly extracted blackcurrant and black plum flavours. (91)
Ravine Vineyard Cabernet Franc 2018
Deep ruby colour; vanilla oak, rhubarb and black fruit on the nose; medium-bodied, firmly structured, tight and firm. Needs 3–4 years cellaring. (89–91)
Other wines tasted at home:
Copains Les Voisins Chardonnay 2017 (Alexander Valley – $42.95, Vintages #646158)
Bright, straw in colour; lightly toasty nose of apple; medium to full-bodied, dry, richly extracted, mouth-filling flavours of yellow apple, ripe melon and lemon; unctuous mouth-feel, beautifully balanced with well-integrated oak. (90)
Culmina R & D Red Blend 2016 (Golden Mile Bench, Okanagan Valley – $23.99)
All five Bordeaux varieties. Dense purple-ruby in colour; cedary, blackberry nose with notes of dried herbs; medium-bodied, dry, savoury, black olive and black plum flavours with a bitter chocolate finish and fine grainy tannins. (91)
Simi Sonoma County Chardonnay 2018 ($19.95, LCBO#673806, release date March 7)
Bright golden straw in colour; toasty, spicy, apple bouquet with undergrowth notes; medium to full-bodied, dry, creamy, apple, mango and lemon flavours. Beautifully balanced, lovely mouth-feel and great length. (90)
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