This week, Ankida Ridge Vineyards, the vinuous “jewel of Amherst County”, released two new wines, jointly included here as Wines of the Week; a Vinho Verde-style Chardonnay (called “Verday”), and a five-year-old solera-aged white port Chardonnay called “Patina”.
Both wines’ labels have the new design pattern the winery uses with the geologic crystals from the property inside a microscope circular view, but each label also features seasonal herbs and flowers.
While both wines are made from the same grape, they could hardly be farther apart in style. The “Verday” (10.5% alc.) has racy lime and mineral notes on the nose, racy high acidity, elderflower, and lemon/lime citrus on the palate with a slight effervescence. Great for hot weather sipping or with shellfish, and stylish and well-made for the category.
The 2015 Patina is a fortified wine, and very elegant as an after-dinner sipping wine. All chardonnay, it was fortified to ? and kept outdoors in traditional solera style in neutral oak for five years. Color: copper/bronze. Nose: gently nutty, with caramel/toffee, and butterscotch tones, and no obvious volatile acidity. On the palate, it’s as elegant as on the nose, with a gently autumnal mix of dried apricots, roasted almonds, figs and baking spices. Not too sweet, elegant and well-balanced.