November 2005

The first annual barrel tasting was a big hit! We tasted the 2004 Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc; all darker in color than the 2003, and tasting great.

Nancy and Ron	Meg and Gretchen	The Mullenix Family, long-time supporters of Kinkead Ridge

Kinkead Ridge winery (est. 2002) garnered 3 medals at the 2005 American Wine Society commercial competition in Las Vegas. Competition was stiff; this was the first AWS competition held west of the Mississippi River, and many California wines were entered. Many California wines are being fermented with oak chips so they are high in alcohol and "drink now" wines; ours are quite finessed, and will age beautifully, unlike some of these wines. We medalled with the 2003 Syrah, 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon and 2004 Viognier/Roussanne. Only one other Ohio winery (Ferrante, Geneva, est. 1937) won medals for vinifera wines. For all the results, click here.

Ron's 2005 Vintage Report
2005 in the vineyard was a vintage of extremes. Unlike 2004 where moisture, heat and humidity were well distributed, it seemed like the heat and humidity would never end. Rainfall came either not at all or in a deluge. Fortunately, harvest turned out mostly dry with only the Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot caught by rain at the end of October. In the winery, most of the fruit came in low in acid and high in sugar. Adjustments were made and fermentations, though quirky, finished well. Overall, the wines show good promise, and for some, 2005 may prove to be the best vintage yet.

The four rows of Petit Verdot were the last to pick. Picked over 5 tons of quality Cabernet Sauvignon with nine people on October 26. The Cabernet Franc was picked at 23.3 Brix. Email us if you have an opinion on whether we should blend the Petit Verdot with the Cabernet Sauvignon, or bottle it on its own, which would yield about 90 cases.

Tom Stevenson's 2006 Wine Report. Kinkead Ridge 2003 Viognier/Roussanne named one of the top 100 Exciting New Wines in the World. "Viognier/Roussanne 2003 Kinkead Ridge, Ohio (Atlantic Northeast, US $15). Sandra Silven, wine writer Detroit Daily News: Crisp, flinty, bone-dry, palate-coating tropical flavours. Starkly clean"
Tom:
"In complete contrast to Domaine du Clovallon, this Viognier has balls: 48 percent Roussanne balls, to be precise. Excellent structure and acidity. Cutting-edge Atlantic Northeast -- I really must pay a visit!"
This wine is

Here's the review of Domaine du Clovallon that we are compared to: "The best Viognier of the Midi -- ripe, unctuous mouth-feel, without being cloying or confected. Rounded with ripe apricot fruit and excellent varietal character." (Rosemary George MW). 
Tom says: Yes it is, but to be sexist for a moment, you have to be female or a bit of a girl's blouse to like most Viogniers, particularly one as soft and highly perfumed as this."

Kinkead Ridge Vineyard and Estate Winery one of two wineries mentioned in the just-released Compass American Guide, Fodor's Ohio, First edition. This guide has "spectacular photography, evocative prose, and detailed four-color maps, plus tips and practical information to help you make the most of your trip." See www.fodors.com. Available at fine book stores and www.amazon.com.

Fermentation bins (19) set up to receive the red vinifera grapes. Ron faces many long hours of punchdowns, every 5 hours.

Kinkead Ridge 2004 Viognier/Roussanne was chosen by Kevin and Alana to be poured October 9 at Alanas in Columbus for the annual Chefs Collaborative dinner, an association of restaurants who support local growers. The other wines were selected by the sommelier for the evening, David Schildknecht. His choices were Riesling from the famed Pfalz estate of Müller-Catoir and reds from Burgndy's Côte d'Or and from Edmunds-St.-John. He reports that our Viognier-Roussanne "was more than up to being enjoyed  in that best of vinous company!"

Harvest began September 18, the Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Pinot Blanc and Chardonnay, September 19 Riesling. The Semillon looks great:

We already have a crew put together for the harvest; if you are interested in picking one row just for the experience, email us and we'll put you on the list. We usually know 2 to 3 days before a pick day, determined by the ripeness of the grapes and the weather. Harvest will begin mid-September and end late October.

September 3 at the winery and vineyard: (click any photo to enlarge it).

If you have tasted our wines and would like to write a mini-review, e-mail them to NBentley@KinkeadRidge.com. We'll publish your comments on the Testimonials page. 

We're in the just published "Ohio Wine Country Excursions" by Patricia Latimer. Available at www.emmisbooks.com or amazon.com. 

2004 American Wine Society Competition
Kinkead Ridge, an Estate Winery has won medals for both its entries in the prestigious American Wine Society Commercial Wine Competition held November 10-11 in Pennsylvania. 1038 wines were entered from 196 wineries in the U.S., Canada, Spain, Germany, Italy, France, Romania, Mexico and Korea; this is the first competition that Kinkead Ridge entered since planting their vineyard in 1999. Both wines that we entered won medals.

2002 Revelation, Silver Medal
2003 Viognier/Roussanne, Bronze Medal

Andrew Jones, international wine writer, reviews the Viognier/Roussanne. Rated 90. 

Our first competition... two entries... two medals! 

Nancy recently received photos from Manfred Lewalter, Dromersheim, Germany, which was the ancestral home of her family. Dromersheim is surrounded by vineyards, and this is one of the harvest photos that was sent, probably taken after World War II. Same happy faces... just the buckets and the transportation have changed.

Brillat Savarin noted two features which distinguish man from beast:
1. Fear of the future.
2. Desire for fermented liquors.

Cincinnati, Dayton, and other national and world-wide wine events: 
Check out www.localwineevents.com

We can ship within the state of Ohio to your friends and family.  Visiting Ripley, a charming river town, is also a fun way to spend a few hours with guests. See www.ripleyohio.net for more about the village of Ripley.

Group tasting is available by advance appointment (10 or more), and retail sales are available by advance appointment. We do not have a permit to open on Sunday.  Please call (937) 392-6077 for winery hours, or check this web site. 

Kinkead Ridge featured on Wine on the Web

In 2001, Andrew Jones,  internationally known wine broadcaster and author taped an interview with Ron at the vineyard for his Radio Postcards. We were excited to be featured on Wine on the Web in very important company, including King Estate, Oregon, Chateau Phelan-Segur, Bordeaux, DeLoach Vineyards, Russian River Valley California, Frogs Leap, Napa Valley California, and Frescobaldi Nippozanno, Italy. Click here to read the text of the Radio Postcard.