Unforgettable: Ankida Ridge Pinot Noir 2016 (and 2017!) (VA)

While I was at Eastern Winery Exposition 2020 in Lancaster, PA, I had the fortune to see many friends of mine, including Christine and Dennis Vrooman, the owners of Ankida Ridge Vineyards. Not only are they great folks, but I happen to love, love, love their wines.

On this occasion I was lucky enough not only to taste their current Akida Ridge Pinot Noir 2016 but their unreleased bottle of Ankida Ridge Pinot Noir 2017. 

Christine and Dennis planted Pinot Noir and Chardonnay 2008. Including additional plantings in 2017 bring the total of Pinot Noir to 4.25 acres, mostly Dijon clones. Additional 2017 plantings totaled 1.5 acres of Chardonnay. They planted 2.5 acres of Gamay in 2017. And they planted 2,5 acres of additional Chardonnay at their neighboring leased Mountain Terrace site.

I like two things about Ankida Ridge - they are a small family winery, and I like about their fruit forward and relatively noninterventionist wines. 

Nathan Vrooman, son of Christine and Dennis, left his position as a mutual fund compliance officer in Denver to join the family business in 2009. He studied wine-making with Matthieu Finot, who moved from France to Virginia. Nathan met another young and aspiring winemaker nearby studying with Matthieu, Rachel Stinson of Stinson Vineyards. As it turns out, they were a perfect pairing because in May of 2014 they were married and now have a beautiful baby girl, Wells Evelyn. 

Ankida Ridge Pinot Noir 2016 was aged in 30% new French oak, the remaining in neutral French oak for 10 months. They produced 250 cases. This wine was a Pinot Noir brimming with bright cherry flavors and aromas. Hints of red cassis and cranberry. There's a whisp of violet up front, and a dollop of spice on the end. It is as lovely a drinking Pinot as I have had. Mesmerizing.

It was then that Christine Wells Voorman pulled out an unlabeled bottle of Ankida Ridge Pinot Noir 2017 (not yet released). I smiled like the proverbial cat that had swallowed the canary. She poured it and immediately, something was different. Where the lovely and sexy 2016 has been all red fruit, the 2017 was a wholly different cat. If the 2016 was a purring bobcat, the 2017 was a leopard. The fruit was all dark cherry, red cassis, and blueberry. The violets were much more pronounced, and the deeper color and flavors came though as well. The vanilla was a hint stronger, but was absolutely in balance with the wine, and the spices and tannins lent complexity without overpowering. In the end, it was a tremendous Pinot Noir, worthy of any region in the country. It was so impressive....and unforgettable.

An impressive, impressive display of winemaking and terroir. Actually, unforgettable...