Ravines Sparkling Brut 2013 Finger Lakes

James Suckling

You could mistake this for a top vintage Champagne, thanks to its impressive depth and the balance of creaminess with elegant acidity and fine mousse, which gives it a wonderful mouth-feel. I love the caramelized-pear and toasted-brioche aromas. A cuvée of 50% pinot noir and 50% chardonnay

Decanter

Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in equal proportions were hand-harvested in the cool 2013 vintage beginning on 15 September. After a gentle fermentation in stainless steel, the wine aged seven years on the lees before being disgorged in autumn 2021 with an extra brut dosage. The result has aromas of ripe pear, marzipan and acacia flowers, plus a restrained toasty quality. The texture is creamy and dense but remains very lively, with a delicate balance between richness and vibrant acidity that carries the wine to a satisfyingly long finish.

Wine & Spirits Magazine

Wine Review Online

The 2012 Ravines Brut Méthode Classique is a fairly full-bodied, rich, flavorful, concentrated dry bubbly with noticeably creamy texture. Its base is Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in roughly equal proportions. The base wine did not undergo malolactic conversion (ML is challenging in the Finger Lakes because of the high acidity of the juice) and so the wine’s acidity remains high. But the rich texture balances that acidity perfectly in your mouth; that texture is due to long aging of the wine on its lees, about six years. Despite that long aging period, the wine’s flavors are not particularly tertiary or autolytic. For every suggestion of mushroom or toast, there are notes of ripe lemon and red fruits, for a fresh, fruity flavor profile tinged with minerality. This is a world-class, serious sparkling wine

Vinous

A 50/50 blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, traditional method, with about six years on the lees. Aromas of apple, sea air and struck stone. Creamy but dry, offering tiny elegant bubbles, crisp notes of lime zest and lemon curd and a flinty note that carries throughout. One of the finest sparkling wines I tasted in the Finger Lakes.

Decanter

Superb sparkling Pinot Noir-Chardonnay from the limestone soils of the Argetsinger vineyard. Opens with lovely ripe apple and toast aromas, and six years on the lees brings a round, lush texture and a hint of brioche, while an extra-brut dosage of less than 5g/L ensures the wine stays lively and fresh. Almost perfect balance on the gently persistent finish.

Robert Parker

This has energy to spare, beautiful acidity that leads to a juicy finish. There are a lot of toast and yeast nuances as well, as on the last vintage I saw, but also a bit more oxidation this time around. This is still lovely as a long-aged sparkler, intricate and nuanced, and the price is very definitely right. It feels full in the mouth, and the texture is caressing. It's super, if you like them crisp, rich and complex rather than fresh and fruity. This should hold well in the bottle for several more years, perhaps longer than indicated, but I always wonder whether these long-aged sparklers have anywhere to go with bottle aging. Sometimes, it is all risk, no reward. For this price, grab some for now, some for later. See what happens, but I'd drink it now and over the next couple of years for best results.