It is a pleasure to write about wines like Red Tail Ridge Winery 2012 Good Karma ($14). Created in 2009 by winemaker and co-owner Nancy Irelan, Good Karma benefits regional food banks, with 10% of gross profit per bottle donated.
Originally, the money went to Foodlink, a regional food bank that serves a ten-county area in the Genesee Valley and the Finger Lakes region. Starting with the 2012 vintage, however, that’s changed a bit. In an email, Irelan said “Wee have expanded our reach with Good Karma. Foodlink has agreed to redistribute the funds to the state in which it is sold going forward. So far we have a few states on board: California, CT, NY and Vermont. Anything sold in New York State still goes to Foodlink.”
Of course, I’d be less enthused about the wine if what is inside the bottle didn’t match up with what’s behind it.
That’s not a problem here, though.
89% estate-grown riesling with 11% unoaked chardonnay blended in, Good Karma smells of juicy pears and lemons, golden delicious apples and passionfruit, with a squirt of lime and a minerally vein that reminds me of my parents’ old gravel driveway after a rainstorm.
Medium bodied (that chardonnay brings a little weight) and driven by flavors of pear and lemon-lime, the palate shown some tropical fruit at the edges with gently fresh acidity balances just a bit of sweetness. The finish lingers on the palate nicely with more lemon-lime flavor. A bit more acidity would be great, but this was the wine I went back to for a glass (okay, three) after I was done tasting. It’s a satisfying wine on a few levels.
Producer: Red Tail Ridge Winery
AVA: Finger Lakes
ABV: 12%
TA: 6.2 g/L
pH: 3.18
Residual Sugar: 18 g/L
Production: 840 cases
Price: $14*
