Ravine Vineyard Estate Winery
We were proud to feature Ravine Vineyard in January 2019.
Although we’re sure that every farm family feels the same about their 34 acre organic winery, at Ravine, we believe that ours is truly unique. Perhaps it’s because of our approach to family. Our goal was to create a sustainable way to maintain our 100+ year old farm and continue to foster the legacy of our family upon it. To do this we had to create interest, follow dreams and finds ways to continue to fall in love — with the land and each other.
Ravine is a paradise within a fabric of tastes, experiences, scenes and sounds across 34 acres of beautiful rolling vineyard. Using biodynamics and sustainability as a philosophy to farming, the enhanced quality and flavours in both our small batch premium wines and fresh food products is something we are proud of and very eager to share.
Tasting Notes
CHARDONNAY, 2017
Ravine Vineyard Estate Winery, Niagara Peninsula Buy this wineTasting notes written by Tony Aspler.
Geographical Indication: VQA Niagara, ON
Varietal: Chardonnay
Vineyard: Various Niagara Lakeshore and St. David’s Bench vineyards
Alcohol: 13%
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 519
Appearance: Pale golden straw in colour.
Nose: Spicy, peach and apple bouquet with well-integrated oak.
Palate: Medium-bodied, dry, apple and pear flavours lifted with oak spice; rich mouth-feel with a long presence on the palate.
Quality: Outstanding quality. Drink now or within three years.
Critic Rating: 91 points – Tony Aspler
Food Pairing: Clam chowder with bacon, asparagus and goat’s cheese frittata, smoked trout with escarole, crab cakes with horseradish, rotisserie chicken with herbs.
MERITAGE, 2017
Ravine Vineyard Estate Winery, Niagara Peninsula Buy this wineTasting notes written by Tony Aspler.
Geographical Indication: VQA Niagara, ON
Varietal: Merlot (32%), Cabernet Franc (29%), Cabernet Sauvignon (25%), Petit Verdot (14%)
Vineyard: Various Four Mile Creek and St. David’s Bench vineyards
Alcohol: 13%
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 623
Appearance: Deep purple-ruby in colour.
Nose: Cedary, vanilla oak and spicy plum on the nose.
Palate: Medium-bodied, dry, savoury-herbal flavours of blackberry and plum; lovely fruit expression carried on lively acidity.
Quality: Outstanding quality. Drinking well now, but would reward cellaring for a year or two.
Critic Rating: 90 points – Tony Aspler
Food Pairing: Bison burgers, lamb chops with mint, rib eye steak with herbed butter, rosemary-garlic-and-potato white pizza, and bean and bacon soup.
SAUVIGNON BLANC, 2017
Ravine Vineyard Estate Winery, Niagara Peninsula Buy this wineTasting notes written by Tony Aspler.
Geographical Indication: VQA Niagara, ON
Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc
Vineyard: Various Niagara Lakeshore vineyards
Alcohol: 11.5%
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 518
Appearance: Pale straw colour.
Nose: Spicy, grassy, grapefruit bouquet.
Palate: Medium-bodied, dry, grapefruit, green plum and lanolin flavours with a long lemony finish.
Quality: Very Good+ quality. Drink now or within 2019.
Critic Rating: 88.5 points – Tony Aspler
Food Pairing: Artichoke salad with vinaigrette, grilled sole, egg sandwich with pesto, steamed crab legs in garlic butter, roasted chicken with lemon and dill.
CABERNET FRANC, 2017
Ravine Vineyard Estate Winery, Niagara Peninsula Buy this wineTasting notes written by Tony Aspler.
Geographical Indication: VQA Niagara, ON
Varietal: Cabernet Franc
Vineyard: Various Four Mile Creek and St. David’s Bench vineyards
Alcohol: 13%
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 744
Appearance: Deep ruby colour.
Nose: Cedary, vanilla oak and plum nose with a note of pencil shavings.
Palate: Medium-bodied, dry and savoury, blackberry and blackcurrant flavours. Well-balanced and finishing on perceptible, but ripe tannins.
Quality: Outstanding quality. Drinking now but can be held 3-4 years.
Critic Rating: 90 points – Tony Aspler
Food Pairing: Glazed Cornish game hen with couscous, roasted duck with walnut stuffing, eggplant parmigiana, polenta fries with marinara sauce, blue cheese hamburgers.
SMALL BATCH RIESLING, 2017
Ravine Vineyard Estate Winery, Niagara Peninsula Buy this wineTasting notes written by Tony Aspler.
Geographical Indication: VQA Niagara, ON
Varietal: Riesling
Vineyard: Various Four Mile Creek vineyards
Alcohol: 10%
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 537
Appearance: Bright, pale straw in colour.
Nose: Lime and grapefruit nose with a light floral note and a thread of minerality.
Palate: Light-bodied, crisply dry, lime, apple and lemon flavours with just a suggestion of honey and a lingering, mouth-freshening finish.
Quality: Very Good+ quality. Drink now or will cellar well for several years.
Critic Rating: 89 points – Tony Aspler
Food Pairing: Mussels and white wine broth, fish and chips, Thai cuisine, garlic-crusted pork tenderloin, lobster roll, Montreal smoked meat sandwiches.
MERLOT, 2017
Ravine Vineyard Estate Winery, Niagara Peninsula Buy this wineTasting notes written by Tony Aspler.
Geographical Indication: VQA Niagara, ON
Varietal: Merlot
Vineyard: Various St. David’s Bench Vineyards
Alcohol: 13.8%
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 287
Appearance: Ruby-purple in colour.
Nose: Spicy, cedary, vanilla oak and blackcurrant bouquet with a coffee bean note.
Palate: Medium-bodied, dry, lifted flavours of red plum and currants with a firm finish and lively acidity.
Quality: Very Good+ quality. Drink now or within the next two years.
Critic Rating: 89 points – Tony Aspler
Food Pairing: Cocoa-rubbed short ribs, grilled pork chops with orange barbecue sauce, cheeseburgers, macaroni and cheese, cassoulet.
SAND & GRAVEL REDCOAT, 2017
Ravine Vineyard Estate Winery, Niagara Peninsula Buy this wine Geographical Indication: VQA Niagara, ON
Varietal: Merlot (42%) Cabernet Franc (36%), Petit Verdot (15%), Cabernet Sauvignon (6%), Gamay (1%)
Vineyard: Various Niagara Peninsula vineyards
Alcohol: 13.5%
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 1,163
Appearance: Bright. Semi-opaque. Light ruby core.
Nose: Red cherry, smoke, earth.
Palate: Medium acid, medium+ tannin, medium body. Dry. Red cherry, green vegetal notes, hint of black pepper. Violet.
Quality: 88 points. Ample tannins with a lovely, long finish. Drink now or within 3 years.
Food Pairing: Chicken with Dijon sauce, stir-fried green vegetables with black pepper, quattro stagione pizza, spaghetti alla puttanesca, and charcuterie with warm marinated olives.