Quick Sip: Ankida Ridge Vineyards 2012 Pinot Noir

Hello Friends,

Today’s Quick Sip is the Ankida Ridge Vineyards’ 2012 Pinot Noir. I had an opportunity to taste this wine during Protocol Wine Studio’s ‘Wines of the USA’ program. Their month-long, Twitter based series focused on producers in lesser known US regions that are growing and crafting small-lots of quality wine. Ankida Ridge Vineyards, who was one of the producers included in the program, is located in central Virginia and owned by Christine and Dennis Vrooman. The couple set out to do something truly unique – and they did! They planted the notoriously finicky and temperamental Pinot Noir grape variety in Virginia. Generally speaking, Virginia is not well-suited for the cultivation of Pinot Noir grapes. In a nutshell, Pinot Noir prefers a long, cool growing season with sunny days, low humidity and low rainfall. Virginia offers almost the opposite.

“Pinot Noir is not about color and tannins.” ~ Veronique Drouhin

Having said that, you cannot deny what we have in the glass here. At just under two acres, the Vrooman’s high elevation (1,800 feet), well-drained, rocky site, combined with skilled personnel and the attributes of a balanced growing season, has produced a surprisingly enjoyable Pinot Noir. Get your orders in now for Thanksgiving and don’t forget about their Chardonnay! For further information and where you can find this Pinot Noir, please see my tasting note below.

Ankida Ridge Vineyards 2012 Pinot Noir

Review: Ankida Ridge Vineyards 2012 Pinot Noir (SRP $42): Transparent ruby in color, this Pinot Noir shows restraint and ‘old-world’ sensibility; offering delicate, yet lifted  aromas and flavors suggestive of fresh black cherries, cranberry, sous-bois, incense spice, and faint floral (perfume) notes. It is relatively sleek in the mouth with textural finesse, marked acidity, and soft, integrated tannins that melt into a pleasantly bright, medium-length finish. The wine is drinking nicely now, though it will be interesting to see what it does with a little more time in the bottle. Approximately 220 cases of this wine were produced, so it may be difficult to find, but it is well worth the effort to seek out. Region: Amherst, Virginia. (Other info: ABV 12.9%, cork enclosure). 89 Points. Click here to find this wine. 

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