Bone dry and oh-so-refreshing, Ravier’s 2020 Les Abymes is simply a glorious – and gloriously affordable – versatile white for year ‘round enjoyment. The cru is named for the broken stones (abimes) that fall from the Alps during avalanches and scatter on the surface of the village’s vineyards. Abymes’ primary grape is the Jacquère, a crisp, light-bodied grape that marries fantastically well with all things seafood. Fashioned exclusively from the indigenous Jacquère grape, Philippe Ravier’s low-alcohol Abymes reflects a gleaming lemon-gold in the glass with green highlights, followed by a lovely bouquet of green pineapple, greengage plums, honeysuckle blossoms, iodine, and flinty minerals. The wine enlivens the palate with crisp, crunchy expressions of Pippin apple, lemon and lime juice, quinine, and zesty minerals. An outstanding choice as an apéritif and a natural complement to smoked trout, white-fleshed fish dishes in a beurre blanc sauce, oysters, salads, fondue, and cheese plates featuring cheeses from the Jura, Savoie, and Switzerland. Enjoy now and over the coming year.
Gilbert & Gaillard International Wine Challenge, Gold Medal
