The Ontario industry has unleashed a rash of so-called lifestyle wines in recent years, designed to get young drinkers into the fold with kitschy labels and soft, non-distinctive flavours. Most are sweet and goopy kitchen sink blends, tarted up with a little oak flavour here and there. Not so for the entries of Ravine Vineyards. For starters, “Sand & Gravel” is hardly a millennial marketeers ideal moniker, it’s more suited to thoughtful, discriminating young professionals (and jaded critics). And secondly, and more importantly, the wine behind the label is not only more serious, it’s bloody good. And drinkable. And fairly priced, if not cheap. Check out this pair, available online at: http://ravinevineyard.com.
2010 Ravine Vineyards Sand & Gravel York Road White, VQA Niagara Peninsula $16.95
A blend of about half chardonnay, with riesling and sauvignon blanc making up the balance (with dashes of four more grapes), the 2010 York Road white takes full advantage of a propitiously warm Niagara vintage. The palate is fullish, supple, generously proportioned, with plenty of fleshy orchard fruit, pear, orange, apple and grapefruit flavours. Moderate acids and alcohol (12.5%) merge seamlessly, while 20% wood ageing goes more or less unnoticed, aside from a delicate touch of background sweet spice. Absolutely delicious. Best: 2012-2013. Serving temp.: 8-10ºC. Pairing: Grilled jumbo shrimp with mango salsa and coriander.
2010 Ravine Vineyards Sand & Gravel Redcoat, VQA Niagara Peninsula $17.95
Redcoat sees merlot dominate over cabernet franc and sauvignon in a Pomerol/St. Emilion style blend. The nose is classy, ripe but fresh, full of red berry, plum and black currant fruit, judicious but stylish wisps of toasty oak and a soft, supple, voluptuous texture that is the wine drinking equivalent of licking crushed velvet (as I imagine it). Very good length, and above average complexity for the price category overall — I’ve had plenty of Bordeaux blends at double or triple the price that are less pleasurable than this. Best: 2012-2014. Serving temp.: 16-ºC. Pairing: slow-braised dishes, bacon double cheeseburgers.
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John Szabo is a master sommelier and wine writer for Toronto Standard. Follow his tweets here: @johnszabo.
More recommendations by John Szabo at www.johnswines.com
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