Ravines Wine Cellars

R
AVINES
2012 PINOT NOIR
ESTATE BOTTLED
Pinot Noir is the original red vinifera grape variety of the Finger Lakes with a growing history going back to the early 1950’s. It is one of the very rare regions, outside of Burgundy, where Pinot Noir can show its true character: fresh fruit, natural acidity, lighter and softer texture and great complexity. We strive for a balanced style, true to Pinot Noir, with naturally lighter color than most other grape varieties, but nuances and elegance, that you can only achieve with Pinot Noir when grown in cool climates with low yield. VINIFICATION
The grapes were all hand harvested in early October and de-­‐stemmed into open top fermenters. The grapes were put through and extensive “cold soak” lasting six days prior to the beginning of fermentation. Given the exceptional ripeness level, we increased the number of punch downs and pump overs and extended the skin contact period. The grapes spent almost four weeks on the skins before we bucketed out the skins and proceeded with a very gentle pressing. The press fraction was incorporated and after five days of settling, the Pinot Noir was transferred to French oak barrels. We used a five-­‐year rotation with 10% new oak. The wine was aged on its fine lees for 10 months. The wine was given a slight filtration prior to bottling. APPELLATION: Finger Lakes AVA, New York VARIETALCOMPOSITION: 100% Pinot Noir ALCOHOL: 12.9% ACIDITY: 5.8 g/l RS: <2 g/l pH: 3.71 VINEYARDS
Pinot Noir (100%): 16 Falls Vineyard (81%), White Springs Vineyard (19%) The 16 Falls Vineyard, located on the East side of Seneca Lake, is one of the very American vineyards established with the “lyre” trellis system. This divided canopy system allows for an additional 50% sun intercept resulting in significantly improved ripening. The soil type here is silt loam over shalestone, which is excellent at retaining water during the summer. This planting from 1998 includes all of the major Dijon clones: 113, 115, 667, 777, 828, and 5C rootstock. The White Springs Vineyard is adjacent to our winery just outside Geneva on the Northwest side of Seneca Lake. The 2003 planting includes clones 113 and 115 on 3309C rootstock. The soil type is Honeoye loam over Limestone, making it one of the very few limestone sites in the Finger Lakes region. 2012 was an exceptional vintage in the Finger Lakes region. Bud break was almost a month ahead of the long-­‐term average. We excaped Spring frost damage and following a warm and sunny growing season, we were able to harvest these grapes in perfect condition with ripening conditions not previously seen in the Finger Lakes region. TASTING NOTES:
The 2012 Ravines Pinot Noir shows the typical bright garnet hue of red associated with Pinot Noir. The nose already shows great complexity with layers of plum and cherry fruit, brown spices as well as elements of violet and “forest floor.” While the underlying tanning structure is evided, the Pinot Noir already shows a soft, round mouthfeel with rich texture. The finish is long and smooth with a nice spicy finish. While very enjoyable now, we expect this wine to improve in the bottle for 6-­‐10 years. STORY & PHILOSOPHY
Ravines was created by Morten and Lisa Hallgren in 2000. Morten, a French-­‐trained oenologist, came to the Finger Lakes from his family’s centuries-­‐old estate in the South of France. He and his wife and business partner, Lisa, convinced of the potential for fine winemaking in the Finger Lakes, opened their original tasting room on 17 acres of sloped, shale stone soils nestled between two deep ravines on Keuka Lake. They focus on making fine, classically-­‐styled wines that allow for the cool-­‐climate characteristics to be shown without compromise -­‐ creating their own unique expression within the Finger Lakes wine region. PRODUCED & BOTTLED BY:
RAVINES WINE CELLARS
400 Barracks Road, Geneva, New York 14456 | (315)781-7005
ravineswine.com | [email protected]