Noble Ridge Vineyard & Winery is located in the new Okanagan Falls GI, overlooking Vaseux Lake. The winery is named for the noble varieties of grapes grown and the ridge that divides the land on which they thrive. This noble name is more than just a nod to the land. It’s a statement of values and a reminder of the hard work and dedication on which the winery was built.
This is the winery’s 20th Anniversary as Jim and Leslie D’Andrea started their winery in 2001. When they purchased the property it had only 3.5 acres of vines. In 2003, their first vintage was 40 cases of Pinot Noir and 500 cases of Meritage. Since then they have planted an additional 18 acres and have grown their dream into an award-winning winery.
This is the second time I have been fortunate to taste a trio of premium wines from Noble Ridge. Last year, I was impressed with the Noble Ridge Noble Meritage’s great value. This year Leslie included the King’s Ransom Meritage in the sample pack for me to try.
Here is some background on the King Ransom Collection.
The King’s Ransom Collection Story
Jim and Leslie purchased their land in 2001. Their goal was to produce premium quality, estate-grown wines no matter what the vintage had in store. If that meant that they had to decrease their yield to half to maintain that quality, then that is exactly what they would do.
2006 was in interesting year in itself, to say the very least. Somewhere in between their new property purchase, a well gone dry, wine shop construction, blood, sweat, some tears and all the rest of it, their winemaker at the time, Philip Soo, approached them with good news.
“You have something very special happening in the vineyard, something that will set a new standard for premium wines. You need to do something different.” And so, in 2006 the King’s Ransom collection was born with their first vintage of 100 cases of King’s Ransom Meritage.
The idea behind the King’s Ransom collection and what makes it special is that it is only created on the most stellar of growing seasons. The case production is very low, often released to Wine Club Members only.
Tasting trials happen throughout the ageing process. Jim and Leslie, their Winemaker, key Management and Cellar teams taste through the barrels and ruthlessly decide on which tier the wine will fall into. A unanimous vote is required for the vintage to be successfully King’s Ransom material.
2006, 2009, 2013 and 2017 were years in which a King’s Ransom Meritage resulted. In 2012, the first-ever King’s Ransom Pinot Noir joined the family and in 2013 a King’s Ransom Chardonnay followed suit.
One thing you can be very sure of, if you are sipping a King’s Ransom wine, you are savouring the absolute best wine that is produced from this little slice of heaven in Okanagan Falls, British Columbia. Enjoy!
The Wines
This is winemaker Benoit Gauthier 10th year anniversary of joining the Noble Ridge team.
Noble Ridge The Fizzy One
The wine is 60% Pinot Gris and 40% Viognier grapes. Whole-cluster pressed with skin contact on the Pinot Gris. Cool fermented. Fizzante style wine.
13.2% Alcohol, pH 3.35, TA 6.6 g/L, RS 11 g/L.
An intense floral aroma of pink grapefruit, orange blossom and ripe nectarine. Flavours of pear, gooseberry and ripe rhubarb. Acidity and sweetness in perfect balance with a crisp refreshing finish. Just needs a warm day for maximum enjoyment. 90 Points
Noble Ridge ‘The One’ Sparkling 2016
The first Noble Ridge “The One” vintage was in 2009. Champagne has always been part of our lives. Whether celebrating the holidays, a birthday, anniversary or just the end of a long week, Champagne seemed to enhance any occasion.”
Jim and Leslie D’Andrea
Okanagan Falls sub-GI designation. 69% Chardonnay / 31% Pinot Noir. Chardonnay – Clone 76 and 95 Pinot Noir Clone 115 and 777. Whole-cluster pressed and cool fermented with Méthode traditionnelle. En tirage 42 months.
12.1% Alcohol, pH 3.17, TA 7.5 g/L, RS 2.1 g/L.
A clear pale straw/lemon colour with Brioche aroma and subtle flavours of green apple, Meyer lemon, and toasty notes. A generous texture on the palate with very good length. Not too yeasty like some traditional method bubbles. 93 Points
The sparkler is great value and was fantastic with sushi.
Noble Ridge King’s Ransom Meritage 2017
De-stemmed and crushed. Fermentation between 25 °C and 28 °C. 24 months in French and American barrels: 75% French, 25% American; 75% new oak.
57% Merlot, 43% Cabernet Sauvignon. 14.7% Alcohol, pH 3.84, TA 6.5 g/L, RS 3.1 g/L.
The King’s Ransom Meritage is the pinnacle of the Noble Ridge collection. The full-bodied Meritage has rich aromas of black fruit, leather and cigar. On the palate, blackberry, black cherry, Montreal smoked meat, dark chocolate, black pepper and oak. Deep and textured, the velvet tannins carry through to a long dry finish. This is a superb wine. 94 Points.
Paired perfectly with Indonesian pork tenderloin and sliced baked potatoes. If you love to cook, here is the link to the tenderloin recipe.
You can order these excellent BC wine from the Noble Ridge website.
Conclusion
- The Fizzy One is a new sparkling addition to the Noble Ridge Portfolio.
- The 2016 “The One” continues the premium sparkling wine tradition that started in 2009.
- The 2017 King’s Ransom Meritage sets the standard for Okanagan Valley Meritage wines.