Winemaker Barkley Robinson. Photo courtesy of Rick Vansickle/Wines in Niagara
RICK VANSICKLE/Wines in Niagara
The real estate Ridgepoint Wines enjoys is ideally positioned adjacent to John Howard’s Megalomaniac vineyards and across the road from the over-achieving Tawse Winery on the lower slopes of the Niagara Escarpment in Vineland’s Twenty Mile Bench.
It is classic Niagara terroir and picturesque as you look out onto the vineyards even on a cold winter’s day.
Co-owner of Ridgepoint, Mauro Scarsellone, makes the trek to his winery as often as he can from his home in Woodbridge, Ontario. It has been a labour of love building the winery and portfolio and it hasn’t always been smooth sailing.
But you get the sense that Ridgepoint has found a portfolio of wine that works, an eclectic mix of what traditionally does well in Niagara and what Scarsellone loves best — Italian variatels such as Nebbiolo and Sangiovese.
He has hired a new winemaker, Barclay Robinson, a Brock grad who has worked at Tawse and in Calgary as sommelier, and who seems comfortable in the new job. Ridgepoint is committed to the production of premium and ultra-premium wines from estate-grown Chardonnay, Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Pinot Noir grapes.
The winery is also responsible for the first commercial bottling of Nebbiolo (source of the renowned Barolo wines of the Piedmont region of Italy) in Ontario. As far as I know, the only other Nebbiolo being made is at Alvento.
He also works with Sangiovese and has released his first appassimento-style wine from a blend that includes the Aglianico grape.
“We are trying to push the envelope on everything here,” says Scarsellone. “That’s what we have to do.”
I tasted through some new red releases with Scarsellone and Robinson recently. Here are three to try, available at the winery, as our WIN wines of the week.
Ridgepoint Sangiovese 2010
($23, 88 points)
This staple of Tuscany’s Chianti region is a rarity for Niagara.
It’s grown in one vineyard on Vinemount Ridge.
The wine spends two years in older French barrels.
The nose shows meaty red fruits, underbrush, and light spice.
It has energy on the palate driven by a racy vein of acidity.
It’s a beautiful food wine, with a delicious combination of red fruits and spice that doesn’t overpower the medium weight of this unique wine.
Just add pasta and a tangy tomato sauce.
Ridgepoint Nebbiolo 2008
($45, 89 points)
This Nebbiolo spent 36 months in second-fill French barriques.
The nose shows lovely mature plums, black cherries, violets and baking spices with touches of earth and forest floor.
There is a mouthful of youthful tannins and fresh acidity that accompanies the red fruits, anise, pepper and baking spices on the palate.
This is rounding out nicely but still could stand some time in the cellar.
Ridgepoint Merlot Cabernet Aglianico 2010
($30, 90 points)
Can’t say that I’ve even had this particular blend of 60% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20 per cent dried-grape Aglianico.
This is a fun wine with a nose of ripe kirsch, red plums, currants and toasted vanilla and spice.
It’s soft and lush on the palate with currants, red fruits, earth and spices all leading to a long, lush finish.
Enjoy!
Rick Vansickle is a veteran journalist, wine reviewer and publisher of Wines in Niagara. His reviews appear each Friday in Bullet News. Previous reviews are archived under “Grapevine” tab on the Bullet News home page, under Wines in Niagara. Rick can be found on the web at www.winesinniagara.com.
Click here to visit the Wines in Niagara ARCHIVE, where Rick’s past stories and wine review’s can be found.
