Ratafia VQA, Peninsula Ridge 2005

"This is something quite special and very unique. Ratafia is a sweet, slightly oxidized and fortified wine that you'll find in the refrigerator of most winemakers in Burgundy, France. After a hard days work fighting through the tannins of the young wines they're making, an ice cold glass of Ratafia sooths the mouth and rewards the soul.

Jean Pierre harvested very ripe Chardonnay in 2002. Halfway through the fermentation, he added Plum eau-de-vie. Yeast can't exist in an environment with more than about 15% alcohol, so when the eau-de-vie pumps the volume up to 18% the yeast is killed. They never get a chance to finish the natural sugars in the juice, leaving the delicacy to us. The result is a strongly flavoured dessert wine with lovely aromas of apricot and caramel.

This one smells just like an apricot tart that has just come out of the oven. Drink this wine as cold as ice in small glasses - it's fantastic over ice cream."

- David Farnell, Wine Sense

About Peninsula Ridge

Visit Winery Website: www.peninsularidge.com/

Founded in 1999, Peninsula Ridge Estates Winery encompasses an 80-acre property on the Niagara Escarpment; a location designated by UNESCO as a World Biosphere Reserve. Specializing in Bordeaux-style reds, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, their philosophy is to produce the finest Niagara wines by combining the best of Old World tradition with New World technology.

Jamie Evans is the new winemaker for Peninsula Ridge Estates. "Like our wines, Jamie is a product of Ontario. He was raised in Ontario and his education in the wine program at Brock combined with over 13 years of home grown experience means that he has an intimate understanding of our unique Niagara terroir and winemaking. He has an excellent reputation as one of the province's best winemaking talents." With several awards including a Cuvee Gold medal for Riesling, Ontario Wine Awards Gold medal for Syrah, Canadian Wine Awards Gold medal for Best Vinifera Red Assemblage and Silver medals for Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Gewurztraminer. Jamie is an excellent addition to the Peninsula Ridge team.