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Ravine Vineyard Niagara, Ontario www.ravinevineyard.com |
Winemaker, Peter Gamble |
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| 2009 Gewurztraminer | $22 |
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| Available online and at the winery. |
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Ravine Vineyards, with an idyllic farmhouse setting in the village of St. David’s in Niagara, is more like a friends’ cottage than a winery. You’ll find no prize-winning architecture, no pricey tasting flights, no coached wine-pouring monkeys reciting script – it’s a comforting change of pace, and an exercise in the simpler part of wine – experiencing it with friends and making amazing discoveries. Oh yes, there is amazing food at the Ravine Deli and Bakery, and we’ve raved elsewhere about the special Oyster Nights they’ve been doing. But 30 Days is about the wines, so let’s talk about them, shall we?
Ravine makes elegant small-lot low-yield wines, and we don’t use these descriptors lightly – most if of the their production tops out at 600 cases per variety. Their most popular wines, like the elusive 2008 Merlot and Riesling, sell out within months of release, leaving an audience of wine lovers waiting for more. The new 2009 Gewürztraminer is one wine that we’re sure will soon be in this category.
The first thing we got on the nose with this Gewürztraminer was honey, followed by fruit, specifically melon. we loved how fragrant the nose was, with perfume and flowers opening after the honeydew melon. We enjoyed the palate of this wine, all sweet and perfume like the nose, but not at all cloying. It’s a perfect wine for the end of summer, and with Ravine being such an irresistible destination, we think it’s worth the drive to pick up a bottle. Or, knowing the popularity of Ravine wines, pick up several!
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