 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
|
   
|
Ravenswood
For as long as anybody cares to remember, this has been the credo (calling card? Battle cry? Team yell? Coat of arms?) of Ravenswood Winery in Sonoma, California. Expressing our commitment to full-flavored varietal wine — notably Zinfandel — it sums up our mission to capture everything a vineyard has to offer, and to promote it in a way that won't put people to sleep. Wine is, after all, one of the most fascinating and fun things in life, which is why Ravenswood winemaker Joel Peterson believes that it belongs on the table — not on a pedestal or in an ivory tower.
How did the name of Ravenswood become interchangeable with irresistibility? In the early 1970s, when California's claim to fame was the "best jug wine in the world," Joel's dream was to create wines that would rival the greatest of Europe. Turned out he wasn't dreaming: In his first vintage, 1976, he produced 327 cases of Dry Creek Zin that took first place in a prestigious San Francisco tasting. But despite the cult following and critical acclaim that began to swirl around its hypnotic logo, Ravenswood remained a roving boutique until the late 1980s, when its Vintners Blend program was launched. Conceived on Joel's conviction that, besides great wine, the world needs good, affordable wine ("a lake of wine an inch deep"), it redefined the concept of Best Jug Wine in the World.
Thanks to this and a few other things (not least, its tireless campaign against priggish elitism), Ravenswood acquired an informal reputation as the people's premium winery. In 1999 the company went public with a "Dutch auction" of shares offered over the Internet, and two years later Ravenswood was purchased by Constellation Brands, becoming part of its fine-wine division, Franciscan Estates — a productive partnership that kept the winery under Joel's control while providing greater resources for efficient operation and growth.
The picture has changed a bit since 1976. Following the original inspiration of wineries like Ravenswood, California has now shirked its once-wimpy status to a fault. But the more things change around our Sonoma headquarters, the more they stay the same. In this brave new enologically altered world, Ravenswood continues to set a stubborn standard for complex, balanced, uncompromising wine that captures everything a vineyard has to offer (and, we might add, nothing more).
Visit the Ravenswood website.
Black pepper, vanilla, hints of smoke and tar intermingled with ripe fruit flavors-lots of luscious Bing cherries and sweet plums. more
BN#269952
Ripe berry fruit in the nose follows concentrated flavors of blackberry and black cherry. A varietally focused Zinfandel with a touch of cinnamon and vanilla in the finish, this wine offers layers of flavor, a succulent center, balanced acids and structural tannins. This wine is great with heavy meat dishes ... more
BN#399849
At Ravenswood we strive to put what we pick in the fields right into the bottle, and our 2008 Lodi Old Vine Zinfandel is a classic example: Fruit is sourced from San Joaquin County where warm, dry temperatures provide ideal conditions for growing Old Vine Zinfandel. Cool maritime breezes from ... more
BN#406998
With aromas of sweet wood and apple, the 2008 Vintners Blend Chardonnay is a refreshing and food-friendly wine. Succulent layers of peach and citrus fruit with balanced acidity and hints of toasted oak complement the long, smooth finish of this full-flavored wine.
The versatile flavors offer many pairing possibilities. more
BN#293608
The bounty of Sonoma is apparent in the 2007 vintage of the Sonoma County Merlot. A robust wine with aromas of plum, spice, and vanilla, it delivers bright blackberry and cherry fruit flavors that linger on the palate. This is a full-bodied wine with varietal character and focused fruit that ... more
BN#413242
The 2008 vintage in the Napa Valley produced low yields and a high-quality harvest. A dry growing season with a consistently cool summer allowed the grapes to develop at a healthy, steady pace, resulting in lively fruit flavors. The heat arrived just when it needed to—right before harvest, with the ... more
BN#425327
It’s a robust yet accessible wine with aromas of red raspberry and toasty oak that give way to seriously mouth-watering flavors of cherry and boysenberry. Notes of warm spice and layers of fruit are perfectly balanced with good acidity and soft, supple tannins. Fruit for the 2008 Vintners Blend Zinfandel ... more
BN#298738
Fruit for the 2008 Zen of Zin was sourced from vineyards in Sonoma County and other carefully selected California winegrowing regions. A smooth Zinfandel with floral and spice aromas, this wine delivers fruit flavors of blackberry and raspberry complemented by notes of plum, coffee, and chocolate. These complex flavors give ... more
BN#406767
Ravenswood takes reds seriously, and the 2008 Vintners Blend Shiraz, with its robust yet approachable flavors, is no exception. Shiraz grapes, sourced from some of California’s most prized regions, were harvested, crushed, and fermented with 10–15 days of skin contact to develop character, color, and flavor. In this vintage, small ... more
BN#408543
The 2008 Vintners Blend Merlot captivates the nose and mouth with a combination of spice notes, hints of black olive, and bright fruit flavors. Luring aromas of spice and toasted oak are found in the nose, followed by flavors of supple black cherry and dark plums. Very lively on the ... more
BN#409010
Broad shouldered. That’s what Cab should be; and this 2008 edition of our Vintners Blend Cabernet is just that. But, broad-shouldered doesn’t mean unstructured and rough. This approachable wine is supple, too, with a nose that offers hints of oak, spices, and black currant, then goes on to deliver knock-out ... more
BN#412158
ALL PRICING, DESCRIPTIONS, IMAGES, VINTAGES, RATINGS AND AVAILABILITY ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE AT ANYTIME. ALL SIZES ARE 750ML UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED. |
Follow us on Twitter
Find us on Facebook
|
