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Want to search earlier vintages
by varietal from 2001-2011? Use this search tool.
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2011 Releases
It's a difficult year. The hot dry conditions of the 2010 harvest meant
that tonnage was way down on the fruit, as the grapes were small,
resulting in very little white wine. After Memorial
Day, some white wine may be available to our wine store and restaurant
customers. Despite the small production, the
quality of the 2010 whites is excellent.
The 2009 reds were harvested in cold
wet conditions. At
lower price points on our second label, River Village Cellars, they are
very attractive. There is no Petit Verdot or Syrah
from the 2009 vintage.
Ron is "very happy" with all the
wines.
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2010 Kinkead Ridge Viognier/Roussanne

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Hand-harvested on Sept. 18 and Sept. 25, this
complex and enticing wine has the rich, distinctive aromas of violet and
orange blossom of Viognier merging with the stone fruit and kiwi notes of
Roussanne. An excellent dry wine with fish, shellfish and poultry. Serve
slightly chilled. $15.95. Alcohol 15.1% Production: 115 cases.
First review, Dan McGrew
"One of the best parts of late May is the annual
release of wines by wineries in southwest Ohio. Yesterday was no exception
as a number of them released their wines, and among the group was Kinkead
Ridge with the release of their white wines from 2010. There wasn't much
of it but it was worth the drive to Ripley OH to pick up a case,
especially considering that the 2009 vintage was so poor that most of the
whites were on the second label and there was no Riesling at all.
The Viognier / Rousanne was distinctly different
this vintage and was far and away my favorite. The last several vintages
this wine were predominantly Viognier but in this vintage it was
predominantly Rousanne. There was much more of a white peach and pear
element to the wine and less of the orange and citrus quality. The oily
viscosity was still there - this is a wine that coats the mouth. That
unctuousness was balanced with great acidity and this wine had by far the
longest finish of any of the white wines. For me this is the best vintage
ever for this wine and maybe the best white ever from Kinkead. I liked the
way it tasted and I loved the mouth feel and refreshing finish. Time will
tell. 15.1% alcohol and $15.95. 124 cases produced.
By way of comparison, the 2010 vintage is 42%
Viognier, the 2009 was 79% Viognier and the 2008 was 57% Viognier, with
the balance being Rousanne. Those figures probably explain the difference
with past vintages. Come fall it may be time for a vertical tasting on
this wine since I have five vintages in the cellar." |
Kinkead Ridge's signature white blend. The 2003 was
rated in the Top 100 Exciting Wine Finds in the World by Tom Stevenson,
British editor of the New Sotheby's Wine Encyclopedia.
For seven years, the federal government approved
this label with the sentence "A Rhone blend of aristocratic varieties."
This year we were thrown into a tizzy with our label printer when the
label was rejected. They wanted it to say a "Rhone STYLE blend of
aristocratic varieties." Luckily, through WineAmerica, a lobbying
organization for U.S. wineries that we belong to, we were able to get a
"Use Up" approved to print the labels as is this year. |
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2010 Kinkead Ridge White Revelation |
Hand-harvested on Sept. 13, this winegrower's blend
is crisp, refreshing and aromatic. The wine has flavors of grapefruit,
melon and pineapple with a honey note and a mineral finish, and is a blend
of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and miscellaneous whites from the
experimental block. $13.95. Alcohol 14.8%. Production: 67 cases. |
First review: Dan McGrew
"Revelation is a blend of the estate's white
varieties, including sauvignon blanc, chardonnay and other white
varieties. To my palate there seemed to be more sauvignon blanc in the mix
this vintage since I got a greater then usual impression of herbs and
fresh cut grass in the glass. The wine was citrusy and had a mineral
quality similar to a French white from the Savoie. The wine had an austere
and crisp quality to it that I liked. 14.8% alcohol and $13.95. 67 cases
produced" |
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2010 Kinkead Ridge Riesling |
Hand-harvested on Sept. 21, honeysuckle, apple and
rose petal notes precede a flinty finish. This racy wine's floral front
palate and sweetness balance its crisp acidity. Serve chilled with cold
meats, light cheese, poultry, veal and Asian cuisine. Residual sugar 1.2%.
$11.95. Alcohol 11.8%. Production: 82 cases. |
Second review: Dan McGrew
"Cool, crisp, fresh and primary also describes the
2010 Kinkead Ridge Ohio River Valley Riesling we had with dinner Thursday
night. When this wine was released back in May it had just been bottled
and seemed loose and light. Four months bottle age helped this wine. Now
it is definitely focused and the Riesling flavors are coming to the front.
This wine had a very linear taste - most of the flavor seems to run down
the center of the tongue while the sides pick up the acidity. Very good
with two grilled Kurabota pork, rib chops. One was cooked with minimal
seasoning of salt and pepper and the other had some added paprika and once
it was flipped on the grill the top was coated with a mango chutney. Hard
to choose between the two chops but the wine was great with both."
First review: Dan McGrew
"The Kinkead Riesling is usually my favorite white
from this winery, but not this year. The wine was very reserved and not
forthcoming with much in the nose. After some swirling there was a floral
bouquet that began to peek out. Light and crisp on the tongue the apple
tastes were dominant but balanced by a little residual sugar, 1.2%. I
liked the wine, but this year it wasn't my favorite. Considering it has
only been in the bottle for only a week or so I will put mine away for six
months and try it again this autumn. 11.8% alcohol and $11.95. 82 cases
produced."
Nancy's comment: Some people liked this wine the
best! Different tastes for different folks!
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2010 River Village Cellars Traminette
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A new world hybrid grape with a character
reminiscent of Gewurztraminer. The grapes were grown at McCafferty and
Meranda-Nixon vineyards, harvested September 14. A perfect match for
southwest and Asian cuisine, or served well chilled makes a great summer
sipping wine. Residual sugar 2.6%. $9.95. Alcohol 11.8%. Production: 111
cases. |
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2009 River Village Cellars Cabernet
Sauvignon
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Our second label, River Village Cellars, is the home
for engaging and aromatic everyday wines. Hand-harvested on October 21
through October 30, this blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon with smaller
quantities of Syrah and Petit Verdot displays classic aromas of plum and
black cherry. Enjoy with beef, lamb, pork or braised chicken. $12.95.
Alcohol 13.1%. Production: 214 cases. |
From dogswine.blogspot.com, February 2012
The 2009 vintage in this area, southwest Ohio, was
miserable from a weather standpoint. It was wet and cold and basically a
washout. Still there were grapes and if there are grapes there must be
wine. There was.
There was a pan roasted rib eye steak the other night so I grabbed a 2009
River Village Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon. This is the second label for one
of my favorite wineries, Kinkead Ridge. The year's entire production of
red wines was moved off the primary label and bottled under this second
label and sold at a more than reasonable price.
Nice cherry flavors with some earth notes underneath it, and surprisingly
it was dry earth and not the wet mud that dominated much of the harvest.
There was a small suggestion of darker fruit, but this primarily stayed on
the red end of things. Unmistakably Cabernet, but definitely on the light
side.
Good wine with the steak, and there was no sauce or heavy seasoning on the
meat, just a simple steak and a simple wine to go with it. Nothing wrong
with that, and at the price a good buy. |
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2009 River Village Cellars Cabernet
Franc

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Our second label, River Village Cellars, is the home
for engaging and aromatic everyday wines. Hand-harvested on October 14,
this wine displays a harmonious complexity with cherry overtones and
modest tannins. A fine companion for beef, turkey, pork and richly flavored
stews. $11.95. Alcohol 13.5%. Production: 240 cases. |
Several of my wine store customers commented that
this Franc is reminiscent of the style of the Chinon Cabernet Franc from
France. Lighter in style. |
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There are no Kinkead Ridge red
wines from 2009. All are second label. There is no Petit Verdot and no
Syrah.
Thanks to Mother Nature. |
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2010 Releases
(2009 Releases are described below)
Comprehensive table of wine releases 2001-2009 is at the bottom of this
page. All
2008 red wines are 100% varietal. "Simplicity is the ultimate
sophistication". --L. Da Vinci |
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2008 Cabernet Sauvignon

Released Labor Day Weekend
Sept. 4 and 6
100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Alcohol 15.0%
GOLD MEDAL: 2011 Finger Lakes International Wine
Competition
WINNER: Third annual Ohio/Michigan Wine Clash
WINE OF MERIT: Jefferson Cup Invitational 2010
Silver
PLUS medal at the American Wine Society competition judged in October.
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Hand-harvested on October 20, this dark ruby, well
structured, complex wine displays classic Cabernet aromas of cassis, plum
and black cherry. Enjoy with beef, lamb, or wild game. $19.95. Production:
364 cases.
First review:
dogswine.blogspot.com
Cabernet Sauvignon. What a mouthful this wine
was and of all four wines this is the one that needs the most time to show
its promise. Dark cherries and some red currants in the nose led into a
huge mouth feel of those same fruits. Soft oak flavors added some
complexity along with some sharp acid. This was a more in your face wine
and had much more body and substance, but the bottom line for me is that
this wine is going to be elegant in about two years. Everything this wine
needs is there, but it's not ready. When the parts do come together it
will be wonderful. I loved the 2007 vintage of this wine, and I very much
liked the 2005 and 2004 vintages. This wine is better. 15% alcohol, $19.95
and 364 cases produced.
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"Originally from Bordeaux, Cabernet Sauvignon has
a tremendous presence in the California wineries where the grape favors
the warmer climate, and enjoys the popularity as the most sought after red
wine. Cabernets are medium-bodied to full-bodied and characterized by a
high tannin content which provides structure and intrigue to the wine and
supporting flavors reminiscent of a rich, ripe berry, tobacco and
sometimes green pepper. Cabernet Sauvignon is an ideal wine for aging,
with 5-10 years being optimal for peak maturation. The longer maturation
process allows the wine’s flavors to mellow, and makes the Cabernets ideal
for blending with other grapes, primarily Merlot to add appealing fruit
tones, without sacrificing character. Cabernet Sauvignon is best served at
59-64F, and pairs wonderfully with red meats, lamb, cheeses of strong
flavor and dark chocolates." |
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2008 Cabernet
Franc

Released Labor Day Weekend
Sept. 4 and 6
100% Cabernet
Franc
Alcohol 15.0%
This wine is sold out except
for what we is reserved for restaurants; consequently there is no point
entering it into the Finger Lakes Competition.
Tweet from Brian Kirby,
http://www.theother46.com. "Christmas came early. The 2008 Kinkead Ridge
Cabernet Franc is unbelievable."
Silver medal at the American
Wine Society competition judged in October. As usual this wine is very young to
be judged this early. In the past these wines have won Silver at AWS in
November and Gold at the Finger Lakes in February.
From
Murphin Ridge Inn,
West Union, Ohio. The 2008 Cabernet Franc "has been the second most
successful wine at Murphin Ridge. Never have we sold a single wine in such
a short period.... Number one, Cinnabar, Mercury Rising Paso Robles every
vintage 2003-2007 are great. We use 15 – 20 cases per year. So the Cab
Franc has out sold all others Oct-‘10-Mar. 14 ‘11. This wine is special."
Another fantastic review of the
2008 Cabernet Franc:
"hey nancy, just wanted to say hello and pass on a note that I got from a
friend of mine. he's out in northern california and he has a little circle
of wine geek friends that do these dinner parties. i guess that they all
individually take notes and score wines then compare them collectively. So
it was your cab franc, a nickel and nickel cab and then a hutchinson cab
that garnered a 95+ robert parker score. needless to say your cab franc
won the tasting and was 3 points average higher than both of the other two
wines."
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WINNER! Jefferson Cup Invitational 2010. Only 20
cups awarded to over 600 entries. Since
this wine is now fundamentally sold out, except for what we are holding
for restaurants, it will not be entered into the Finger Lakes
International Wine Competition or others. So we will never know how it
would have fared.
Hand-harvested on October 13, this wine's fragrant
aromas of violet and black cherry precede a taste of full-bodied, richly
flavored complexity, with raspberry and spice overtones. Enjoy with beef,
turkey, pork and rich stews. $18.95. Production: 388 cases.
First review: dogswine.blogspot.com
The Cabernet Franc is the best yet from this
winery. Bright, tart, red cherries in the nose and a clear red in the
glass. This is a medium weight, highly flavored wine with great acid,
ample tannin and a wonderful refreshing quality. There's just enough spice
and oak to wake up your mouth. This is also the wine that is closest to
being ready to drink and the one that will be hardest to hold onto for
that reason. 15% alcohol, $18.95, 388 cases produced.
From an Akron Wine Store Manager:
"I was at a small tasting last night with a
supplier of Italian wines and the subject of Cabernet Franc came up and I
told them about yours and that it was one of the best I'd ever tasted. "
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Kinkead Ridge 2008 Cabernet Franc reviewed by
theother46.com. Currently a front runner for 2011 Wine of the Year...
http://theother46.com/2011/02/14/kinkead-ridge-2008-cabernet-franc/
"A small number of wines and wineries have
developed an almost cult-like following east of the west coast. Paumanok
Vineyards Chenin Blanc, Barboursville Vineyards Octagon and rockstar-turned-winemaker,
Maynard James Keenan portfolio of wines have all been certified platinum
by wine writers and critics alike. After tasting the Kinkead Ridge 2008
Cabernet Franc, I’m convinced the list just got a little longer.
Two years ago I began reading and hearing lots of wine chatter about
Kinkead Ridge Estate Winery, a small producer in Ripley, Ohio. Renowned
for their Cabernet Franc, Kinkead Ridge also grows Cabernet Sauvignon,
Syrah, Petit Verdot, Viognier, Riesling, Roussanne and Sauvignon Blanc
on their 5-acre estate vineyard.
Excited to learn more about Kinkead Ridge and especially their wines,
Owner and Managing Partner Nancy Bentley kindly sent me 3 wines to
sample, led by their Jefferson Cup Winner 2008 Cabernet Franc.
Dark fruit dominates the nose with a hint of red cherry, tobacco and
spice. Blackberries, cherries, herbs and green peppers explode on the
palate. A medium-bodied wine with balanced acidity and tannin. An
outstanding effort, especially at $18 retail.
A front runner for my 2011 wine of the year, the Kinkead Ridge 2008
Cabernet Franc delivers on all fronts. Cheers!
--Brian Kirby
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Kinkead Ridge 2008 Cabernet Franc to be featured in
internationally published volume "1000 Great Wines" by a publishing
house in Britain in October. Details to follow.
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Kinkead Ridge written up in the Washington Post! The "terrific
Cabernet Franc from Ohio's Kinkead Ridge"
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"Originally from the Bourdeaux and Loire Valley
region, Cabernet Franc enjoys the growing climates of California,
Washington State, Australia, Chile, Canada, and South Africa. It is a
wonderfully fruity wine, having lower tannin levels and a more distinct
flavor reminiscent of berry; mainly blueberry, raspberry and at times
plum. Cabernet Franc is more subdued and softer than its cousin Cabernet
Sauvignon and is sold as a single varietal. However, it is ideal for
blending with its cousin Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Cabernet Franc is
best served at 59-64F and pairs well with Mediterranean Greek and Middle
Eastern dishes as well as poultry and pasta."
From http://cabernetfranc.blog-cool.net/
From KM, Loveland, Dec. 2010
"My wife and I enjoyed your Labor Day tasting and
learned a lot from Ron at the vineyard. We, with a small group of couples,
have regular wine-tasting dinners and we decided to feature cab franc at
our dinner, including your 2008 cab franc. Five were tasted blind and I
asked the group to simply identify which area the wine came from: France,
California, Ohio or Kentucky. Not only was your cab franc the overall
winner in terms of the tasting but the biggest surprise when they learned
it was an Ohio wine. (Some of the members of our group are well educated
about wine.) The others were Philippe Alliet, Burnet Ridge Lake Erie, Lang
and Reed North Coast, and Stone Brook Winery."
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2008
Syrah

Released Labor Day Weekend
Sept. 4 and 6
This wine is sold out except for what we is reserved for restaurants;
consequently there is no point entering it into the Finger Lakes
Competition.
100%
Syrah
Alcohol 15.2%
Review from Molly on yelp.com
"I was at North Market yesterday
and decided to pick up a bottle of wine. I've been wanting to try an Ohio
wine for years but have always hesitated. How can Ohio have good grapes?
Plus, I've heard from many sources that Ohio wines are gross.
Anyway, one particular bottle stood out to me and it was the Kinkead Ridge
Syrah (2008 vintage). At $20, it was a little more than I usually spend on
a bottle (yes, I'm cheap), but I thought, "What the hell?"
Let me just say.....*swoon.* This wine was amazing! Ballsy, spicy, full of
body - just the way we like it. I can't believe the vines in the winery
are only 10 years old! Probably one of the best Syrahs I've had in a long
time. Plus, at 15.2% alcohol content, it was worth the $20. When I was
finished with the bottle, I was thoroughly schnockered.
I WILL come to this winery when it opens back up over Memorial Day
weekend!"
August 2011 via Facebook from Kim in San
Antonio Texas: "I purchased a bottle
of your 2008 Syrah while visiting Columbus recently, and have to say it is
one of the best wines I have ever tasted. Do you ship to San Antonio, TX?
I have to have more!? |
WINE OF MERIT: Jefferson Cup Invitational 2010
May 2011,
www.theother46.com
"Syrah is renowned throughout the Rhône Valley in
France, famous across Australia (Shiraz) and continues to grow in
popularity in California. So imagine my surprise when I pulled the cork on
a varietal Syrah from Ohio. You read correctly, Ohio! The Syrah hails from
Kinkead Ridge Vineyard and Winery, located in Ripley, Ohio. I’ve raved
about their wines before, and tonight, I showcase their estate Syrah.
The Kinkead Ridge 2008 Syrah showed a deep ruby red hue in glass with wild
berries, pepper and spice on the nose – and a subtle hint of smoke that
lingers after the first swirl.
In the mouth, blackberry, plum, vanilla, cloves and tobacco flavors shine
through. A balanced, medium-bodied wine with great acidity and refined
tannins, making this age-worthy Syrah a perfect match with dinner.
Only 194 cases were produced, and at $19.95, Kinkead Ridge delivers one of
the best quality to price ratio Syrahs in the United States. Once again,
Kinkead Ridge has proven that Ohio has the terroir (and talent) to produce
world-class wines. Cheers!"
Since this wine is now fundamentally sold out,
except for what we are holding for restaurants, it will not be entered
into the Finger Lakes International Wine Competition or others. So we will
never know how it would have fared.
Hand-harvested on October 23, this intriguing,
intense and luxurious wine has excellent balance, deep ruby color and
flavors of spice, pepper, plum and blackberry. Enjoy with beef, lamb,
braised chicken and wild game. $19.95. Production: 194 cases."
Looking forward to a review by theother46.com who
has already tweeted:
"Kinkead Ridge has done it again with their -08
Syrah (yep, Syrah in Ohio). Ridiculous!"
Given their review of the 2008 Cab Franc the word
"ridiculous" is a very positive one.
First review: dogswine.blogspot.com
Darker color than the Cab Franc and a much
different nose. Dark fruit and just a subtle hint of the raw meat aroma I
love in a Syrah. The fruit was a medium dark plum and some dark cherries
thrown in for good measure. I got a touch of cinnamon as well as vanilla
in this wine. There was a little more weight than the Cab Franc, but still
I would describe the weight as medium. Nice finish with acid and tannin to
clear the palate. I will age some of this wine. Good effort from what has
been my least favorite red from this winery. 15.2% alcohol, $19.95, and
194 cases produced. Bill Nelson,
former executive director of WineAmerica, Washington DC has moved to
Portland Oregon. He brought the 2008 Syrah to a group of "wine geeks" and
they were "totally impressed". |
From Fayne, February 2011
"I just threw a dinner party for an international
business team. I like to try foods from the country I'm visiting so I
decided to serve an American wine. After I spoke with a Whole Foods wine
specialist I decided go with a local wine and purchased several bottles of
Kinead Ridge Syrah, 2008 it was amazing w/ our beef tenderloin! Perfect!
They loved it! Yipee!"
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"Australia and South Africa call it Shiraz. In
France, it is known and grown as Syrah, but it happens to be the same
grape varietal that produces a deep-purple color and bold, spicy, red,
medium- to full-bodied wines with firm tannins with rich flavors
reminiscent of black cherry, blackberry, plum, bell pepper, black pepper,
clove, licorice, dark chocolate and smoked meat. Best served at 59-64F,
Shiraz/Syrah pairs wonderfully with spicy Mexican, Cajun and barbeque
dishes, grilled fare, beef stews, red meats, even pizza and meat lasagna."
April 2011
Review from dogswine.blogspot.com
"Last week we opened the 2008
version with a slow roasted rack of lamb from the grill, one of the few
days it has been possible to grill here in the last month with all the
rain. The featured wine of the night was supposed to be a 1999 Chateau
Ste. Michelle Meritage from Washington State. Very good wine with rich
fruit, some wood, a little bit of earth, and very nice with the lamb. The
Kinkead Syrah was opened primarily to check on its progress after I liked
the 2005 version so well.
By now I guess I should stop being surprised about the Kinkead wines, but
the KR quite simply blew the Ste. Michelle wine out of the water. Lots of
dark fruit with some blackberries and blueberries on the nose and a small
hint of the raw meat smell that I like so well in northern Rhone wines.
The taste was full with those same fruits but there was more acid in this
wine to cut through the richness of the lamb. There was some good mouth
feel of oak and nice finish to the wine. My only complaint was just a
touch of heat at the very end, but that was a minor price to pay for a
very good wine.
The best part may be that there are more bottles of this resting in the
cellar and I will get to revisit this wine for several more years. If it
matures the way the 2005 version did there are some seriously good bottles
waiting down the road.
15.2% alcohol, 194 cases produced and $18.99. " |
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2008 Petit Verdot

Released Labor Day
Weekend
Sept. 4 and 6
100% Petit Verdot
Alcohol 15.1%
Rated 88 points by Loren Sonkin.
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Hand-harvested on November 1, this intensely-colored
dark purple tannic complex wine displays a fragrant nose with tones of
violet and leather. Enjoy with beef, lamb, or wild game. $19.95.
Production: 76 cases. First review:
dogswine.blogspot.com
Petit Verdot. While I'm not trying to be like
Gary Vaynerchuk from Wine Library TV in New Jersey my first impression of
this wine was that someone took a handful of freshly picked, wonderfully
ripe blackberries (brambles) and smashed them in my face. What a unique
and unmistakable nose and it totally immersed my nose in that fruit. Those
blackberries were there in the taste as well, and they brought some
totally ripe blueberries along for the ride. The wine virtually coated the
tongue with flavor, but there was also correct acid and enough tannin to
support that fruit. This is a high alcohol level wine that manages to keep
a fresh and light approach. All I could think about was a year's bottle
age and some venison medallions with a blackberry sauce. Of all the KR
reds I've had over the course of the last several years, this one is the
best. 15.1% alcohol, 76 cases and $19.95.
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August 2011
Review of the 2008 Petit Verdot on cellartracker.com.
Tasted by The Kokopelli on 9/4/2010 & rated 91 points: The Kinkead Petit
Verdot is a stellar effort at the $20 price point. Petit Verdot varietals
are rare, and good ones even more so. Kinkead doesn't disappoint with the
2008 vintage. With only 76 cases produced, this will quickly be hard to
obtain. A layered, complex nose of cedar, spicebox, vanilla, rich earth,
blackberry and violet sets a high expectation before the first taste. In
the mouth, saturated and opulent tastes of pure blackberry lead the
assault. Silky smooth with good acidity to boot. In comparison to the
blackberry, the oak and pepper are virtually unnoticed. The medium plus
finish is soft and round with loads of blackberry, spicebox and a slight
pepperiness near the end. This wine is well balanced and will cellar well
for 5+ years, if you can refrain from drinking it all now... (326 views)
May, 2011
From dogswine.blogspot.com
In a couple of weeks there will be some new
releases from Kinkead Ridge so it was time to make some room in that part
of the cellar. I opted for the heavy weight part of the crew or the
biggest puppy in the litter. In this case it was the 2008 Petit Verdot.
Still inky dark purple in the glass the wine is nearly black. Lots of
sweet, jam like fruit in the nose with blackberries dominating some darker
plum aromas. There nothing shy about this wine, it's intense and almost
brooding with its full flavors of those dark fruits. Despite all the heavy
fruit there was still a bit of vegetable flavors just before the finish
that was really appreciated. The tannins are starting to settle but are
still strong and there is just enough acid to carry everything along.
There was a sweet and warm after taste to the wine that was perfect for a
day that got colder as it went along. Definitely not a summer weight red
so the remaining bottles will have to wait until fall. |
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2009 Viognier/Roussanne

Released Memorial Day Weekend
May 29 and 31
79% Viognier / 21% Roussanne
Alcohol 14.2% From:
http://baldwinegeek.blogspot.com
Another white wine worthy of your attention, this
time from the state of Ohio. This white blend from ohio river valley
producer Kinkead Ridge is 79% viognier and 21% roussanne. Kinkead Ridge
produces some excellent wines in both red and white varietals. This one
sells for about $15 and can be difficult to find as this was a poor year
for the Ohio wineries due to heavy rains during the October harvest. The
nose is loaded with orange blossom notes, along with nice tropical fruit
aromas too. The palate is more of the orange blossom, along with guava and
i got a little honeysuckle in the finish as the wine opened up. nice
finish that was crisp and acidic. Fish, chicken or shellfish are great
pairings with this wine.
Kinkead Ridge
2010 Viognier/Roussanne to be featured in
internationally published volume "1000 Great Wines" by a publishing
house in Britain in October. Details to follow. |
SOLD OUT at the winery. Hand-harvested on October 1st and 5th, this complex
and enticing wine has the orange blossom and golden raisin aromas of
Viognier merging with the kiwi and guava aromas of Roussanne. An
excellent, dry wine with fish, shellfish, and poultry. Serve slightly
chilled. $14.95. Production: 126 cases. "I
took some of your wine with me to Taos. Shared some with the chef/Owner of
a place called Graham's Grille. We tasted it with Tablas Creek Blanc, and
La Vieille Ferm Blanc. Never guess which one came out on top?!!! They were
BLOWN away!!" WG, Columbus OH

Photo credit: Shane Gamble, taken at 2009 Gourmet
Sensation
From dogswine.blogspot.com,
August 2010 "A few Nantucket scallops, some
fresh spinach, a few crusty rolls and a very good bottle of wine. That
made for a very nice evening on Wednesday.
The scallops were seared in butter and olive oil in a well seasoned, hot,
cast iron pan. At the end we squeezed in some lemon juice, added some
lemon zest, some parsley and one snipped chive. The spinach was washed and
lightly dried then tossed in a hot skillet and seared in about a teaspoon
of bacon drippings. The spinach got just a wee bit of finely chopped fresh
tarragon at the end. Heaven.
The wine was the 2009 Viognier Roussanne from Kinkead Ridge. Ripe, fresh,
clean and a little restrained the wine was a perfect match. Great acid and
Viognier flavors matched well with the scallops while the earthiness of
the Roussanne matched up with the spinach and the tarragon."
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Here is the first on-line reviews of our 2009
vintage wines, courtesy of Dayton blogger "Two Dogs, A Flamingo and a
Bottle of Wine"
"2009 was a virtual disaster for production at Kinkead Ridge due to a
horrendously wet October, but they managed to salvage two white wines, 126
cases of their Viognier - Roussanne and 42 cases of all the other white
varieties blended together. In this case it was Chardonnay, Sauvignon
Blanc, Riesling, Semillion and whatever other grape happened to have a
little juice left in it. The wine was released under a second label,
River Village Cellars, and sold for a whopping $9.
The nose had some honey and some citrus peel, a wee bit of grass, and that
pretty much described the flavors as well. Their was some herbaceous taste
to the wine that I liked and I loved the sharp acid. Medium weight, light,
pleasant flavors, nice acidic finish. For the price you won't beat it.
Good hot weather wine.
The Viognier - Roussanne is usually two parts
Viognier to one part Roussanne but this vintage (2009) it became almost a
four to one ratio. This was a very different wine than in the past. It
lacked the depth of flavors and the viscosity that I always liked in this
blend, but it was still quite tasty. This wine is lighter in style but
still with a good nose of orange pith, a wee bit of lemongrass and bit of
blanched almonds. The taste goes more into light tropical with some kiwi
and ultra ripe peach. The acid is good and the finish more than acceptable
in length. Easy wine to drink and a very good effort for a poor year.
Sometime this autumn I crack open one of these alongside the last two
vintages of the same wine and have a shellfish meal to go along with it."Our 2009 harvest was a difficult one. We join the
ranks of vineyards throughout the world who have good years and bad years.
Guido Rivella, enologist for Gaja:
"You know with good grapes this job is a lot
more interesting. You can make two kinds of wine: a good one or a poor
one. With poor grapes, there's no suspense."
The manager of Chateau Latour, Lamothe, wrote
in 1816: "When Nature fails to provide the ingredients of good wine, man
cannot compensate for the deficiency. He will never achieve anything
greater than mediocrity."
Guido:
"The wine makers job is a lot like the cook's.
Of course, a cook can try things out every day, while we get a crack at it
only once a year. And a cook doesn't have to wait years to judge the
results, as we sometimes do... In the end, of course, even the greatest
chef is no better than the quality of his raw materials. He can cover up
defects with a heavy sauce, just as you can mask the shortcomings of a
wine with a lot of new oak, or a little residual sugar, but that'll never
be great cooking. Like the chef, the wine maker should exalt his
ingredients, the characteristics of the grapes he gets in a given year
from a given vineyard. My job is to get the best out of the grape." |
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2009 River Village Cellars White
Wine

Released Memorial Day Weekend
May 29 and 31
Alcohol 12.9%
A blend of everything we could
salvage! Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Riesling, Chardonnay and other
miscellaneous whites. A tough vintage. |
Our second label, complex and aromatic everyday
wines. Hand-harvested on September 30th, this winegrower's blend is crisp
and refreshing. The wine has flavors of grapefruit, melon and pineapple
with a honey note and a mineral finish, and is a blend of Sauvignon Blanc,
Semillon, Riesling and our miscellaneous whites including Chardonnay. This
was a difficult, wet and cold vintage, which affected quantities. $9.95.
Production: only 42 cases. Regular visitors
to this web site already are aware that we tend somewhat in our approach
to stray from the local norm in growing and marketing wine. Some have
alleged that we are crazy, but that's another story! From the start we
have been wedded to the concept that any wine bearing the Kinkead Ridge
label must never disappoint the buyer willing to pay a super to
ultra-premium price for a wine. So the question becomes: What do we do
with an excellent wine which is not in the ultra-premium category? Our
solution is the European model of creating a second label, River Village
Cellars, for these wines. Look to River Village for value-priced, everyday
wines. (In 2001 through 2003 this label was known as Kinkead Cellars.)
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There is no 2009
Riesling, white Revelation, or Traminette.
There is no 2008 red Revelation. |
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2009 Wine Releases
- All 2007 red wine and 2008 white wine is sold out at the winery.
These wines may still be available throughout Ohio in some wine stores. |
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2007 Kinkead Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon

Released Labor Day Weekend 2009
Silver Medal, American Wine Society 2009
competition. Judged in October, only one month after release, and very
young.
If we had named the winery "Glacier's End", I
wouldn't get emails like this one!
From a William Kinkead descendant, Charles in
Kentucky...
"A good friend of mine was recently in Ohio and
brought me a bottle of your cabernet; it was superb! My Great Grandfather
x4 was William Kinkead, and I wanted to enquire into the possibly of
purchasing a case, and getting it shipped to KY. "
Review in August 2010 from dogswine.blogspot.com
"This wine has been sitting in the cellar since I
picked it up at the winery last September. Since the new 2008 vintage is
out in two weeks it was time to see what a year of bottle aging did for
the 2007 wine.
The color was a medium to dark red in the glass with a slight purple edge
to the rim. Still young. The nose was full out fruit and a large whiff of
oak with some vanilla and cinnamon peeking out. The first impression from
tasting the wine was a dry Coca Cola with some black cherry syrup mixed in
for good measure. The wine was full bodied with a great mouth feel. The
flavors finally settled down to the dark cherries playing with some fresh
oak and spices. It was warm and inviting. Good acid, good depth of flavors
and a nice bite a the finish made this wine go down quite easily. This is
a big wine with the flavor and the oak influence, but it was well balanced
and delicious."
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SOLD OUT AT THE WINERY. Hand-harvested on October 12th, this dark ruby, well
structured, complex wine displays classic Cabernet aromas of cassis, plum
and black cherry. Aged in premium French and American oak. Small lot
fermentations with hand punch-downs and classic small scale winemaking
techniques were used to create this wine. Enjoy with beef, lamb or wild
game. Alcohol 15.0% by volume. This wine is stylistically much more
similar to big California Cabernets than to our historic European style.
Production: 246 cases. $18.95 Production was limited due to the Easter
frost of 2007. Alcohol 14.9% by volume.
From AndrewSGHall
Ohio River Valley 2007 Cab Shootout :
Kinkead Ridge 3:1 winner. Other two (Vigna, Meranda-Nixon) also good. 2007
gave ripeness.
From Dan McGrew, 11/28/2009
First reviews of 2008 reds
from Dan McGrew,
http://www.dogswine.blogspot.com
"The 2007 wines are big,
full flavored, young and delicious.
This past September I
purchased a mixed case of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc from the
2007 vintage, and it was good to taste those wines again to see how they
were developing. I have yet to open any of mine. I was more than pleased
with the progress the two wines showed in the bottle. Again, the
Cabernet Sauvignon was my favorite."
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Feb. 2010 Review from Loren Sonkin on Mark Squires Bulletin Board. 90
points. "I think this is one of the best wineries in Ohio and certainly
the best for red wines. 2007 was also one of the best vintages in these
parts. I served this blind and Jeff thought it was local. Most others
found it to be very good although no one pegged it for a Cab. Light ruby
in color, clear and bright. The nose has pretty strawberry notes with some
cherries. A bit of an herbal note as well. Nice texture. This is a very
good red wine. I don't know about "varietal correctness" but it is
delicious. For $17 Ohio, I am going to lay down a few. I think it ages
well for 5 to 10 years as it got better all night long. (90 pts.)"
Review from Italy!
Emanuele Marro who is one of the owners of
the Hotel L'Antico Pozzo, in San Gimignano...
"I must confess that I was not able to wait until the wine got
older: some friends of mine from Verona who work as professional
somellier came to visit and saw the bottle in my house. They were very
curious about it so I took the chance to share it with them. They gave
very positive response and I also found the wine very good and full
bodied. Forgive me for not waiting but I assure you it was very
appreciated!"
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2007 Kinkead Ridge Cabernet Franc (blended with
Petit Verdot)

Released Labor Day Weekend 2009
Kinkead
Ridge 2007 Cabernet Franc rated top Ohio wine in the 2nd annual Ohio
Michigan wine clash. It was the only Ohio wine in the top five, and the
least expensive wine in the group... at $17.95, besting the other retail
prices of $60.00, $45.00, $40.00 and $35.00. For details see
http://www.ohiovsmichiganwineclash.com
From OhioWineGuy
"Cabernet Franc is my
favorite varietal because it is food friendly and can be pleasantly
imbibed by itself after a long day. When done well as it is by Seth
Meranda of Meranda-Nixon Winery, Greg Pollmann, winemaker at Valley
Vineyards, or Ron Barrett at Kinkead Ridge Winery all in the Ohio River
Valley there is no comparison. We have the mineral soil, rain in the
spring, warm summers, and the fruit generally can hang into October for
maturity and the right touch of the winemakers to make it very
approachable here. "
From Joel Goldberg, Michigan
Wine Blogger:
"...you’ll be hard-pressed
to keep your hands off this, with a berry nose that jumps from the glass
and silky, fruit-driven palate that seduces your taste buds with a
serious “yum” factor."
From H., Woodbury NJ
"Had the 2007 Cabernet Franc
at Christmas. It was outstanding."
__________
Silver Medal, American Wine Society 2009
competition. Judged in October, only one month after release, and very
young.
_________
From one of our wholesale customers: "We have had your cab franc on our
flight menu for about a week now. I cannot begin to tell you the
remarkable response we are getting. If I had the supply, I would have
already sold more than 3 cases of it! The flight has your cab franc,
another Ohio cab blend (made from California grapes) and a Napa
Cabernet. Every single person who has tried the flight has picked yours
as the favorite--most of them have asked to buy at least one bottle. Two
people asked to buy a case.
You wouldn't believe how thrilled I am to have some that I can offer
people on our flight menu! I am so grateful that you were able to bring
those to me!"
Customer review: March 2011
A note about the 2007 Cabernet Franc: "I just opened a bottle of the 07
Cabernet Franc. I remember once opening a 1976 BV Georges Latour Private
Reserve. The memory of that wonderful wine remains in my memory even
today. Your 07 Cabernet Franc it its EQUAL!!!"
And another:
"We had a bottle of the Cabernet Franc at Murphin Ridge Inn this weekend
and were blown away that a wine that good could come out of Ohio. We are
fans of Cabernet Franc, preferring those from the Loire Valley in France
(oh, to have a steady supply of Clos Rougeard). So coming across your
finely crafted wine was a true delight. Well done, indeed."
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SOLD OUT AT THE WINERY. Hand-harvested October 1st (Franc) and 15th (Petit
Verdot), this complex wine's fragrant aromas of violet and black cherry
precede a rich finish with chocolate and raspberry overtones. Small lot
fermentations with hand punch-downs and classic small scale winemaking
techniques were used to create this wine. Enjoy with beef, turkey, pork
and salmon. Aged in premium French and American oak. 84% Cabernet Franc
and 16% Petit Verdot. Alcohol 14.9% by volume. Production: 216 cases.
$17.95. Production was limited due to the Easter frost of 2007.
December 2010
From a friend of the wine buyer for Whole Foods
Columbus who owns a restaurant in Colorado and imports wine from the
Languedoc.
"My dear friend
Last week Janie and I were in Languedoc doing our blends. Every year my
producers put on a lunch for us and everyone brings a wine to serve blind.
So I brought over a bottle of the delicious 2007 Cab Franc you sent me.
Everyone guessed classified Bordeaux including a British MW who was
present. It was superb. Please tell them the French love their wine!!!"
From Wineaux Wine Blog, April 2010:
WINEAUX Kinkead Ridge Cabernet Franc Ohio River
Valley 2007- This was given to us from our family in Ohio, aromas of
cherry, raspberry and black currant, a blend of 84% Cabernet Franc and 16%
Petit Verdot. This wine has nice balance with a hint of cola on the finish
. Price Range-Under $20.00
From Dan McGrew, January 2010:
"I decided it was time to try one of the 2007
Kinkead Ridge reds and opted for the Cabernet Franc, primarily because
that was the wine where my hand first came to rest...
Definitely a big nose on the wine and some dark fruit peeking out. When
dinner was ready we swirled and tasted. The nose was still somewhat closed
but rich, ripe fruit was foremost. The color was medium dark and youngish.
There was also some oak in the nose. The wine tasted of dark cherries over
the top of some more tart red cherries. There was a hint of tobacco in the
nose, but I couldn't pick it up in the taste. The oak was there as well,
coating the side of the tongue. This is a big, full flavored wine. There
was good acid and a long finish that ended with some deep, dark fruit and
a final bit of tannin. Good wine that is still a year or more away from
being ready, but with a good hearty beef dish it's certainly an option
right now.
The wine is 84% Cabernet Franc and 16% Petit Verdot, and I suspect the the
PV was responsible for that dark tannic finish."
Gaiter/Brecher, Wall Street Journal on Petit Verdot
Why do producers select the particular varieties they blend to create a
specific bottling?
There are many reasons, from adding complexity to simply including the
varieties that are growing in the vineyard. Here's an example. In our
recent tasting of "Costco Cabernets" -- widely distributed American
Cabernet Sauvignons that we found at Costco and Sam's Club -- we found it
interesting that three of our five favorites included some Petit Verdot.
In fact, our favorite wine, a 2005 from Charles Krug, was fully 9% Petit
Verdot (along with 6% Syrah, 2% Cabernet Franc, 2% Malbec, 1% Merlot and
1% Carignan). Petit Verdot is one of the classic grapes of Bordeaux -- it
adds color, tannins and maybe some spiciness to a blend -- but it was
never much of a factor in the U.S. That is changing as more wineries seek
to add depth to their wines. The number of acres planted to Petit Verdot
in California has tripled since 2000, though it's still small (1,743 as of
2007). And it's not just California: We noticed that the most recent
Assemblage blend from Paumanok Vineyards on New York's Long Island, the
2005, is 22% Petit Verdot.
Charles Krug didn't add Petit Verdot to its wines until 2001. Why now? We
spoke to Peter Mondavi Jr., a co-proprietor of the winery. (His father,
Peter Sr., is the brother of the late Robert Mondavi.) Mr. Mondavi told us
that the use of Petit Verdot represented "a certain sea change in
philosophy on our end," a move away from the feeling that wines needed to
be 100% of a varietal. "We were in that purist camp and some other people
around us began blending more, making proprietary blends. When we started
our [Mondavi Family Reserve] Generations wines in 1991, we got some
experience with blending and it opened our eyes up, what blending could do
with these varietals. It makes more complex, more interesting wines. We
blended with Cabernet Franc first and then added Petit Verdot in 2001 and
a small amount of Malbec." The Petit Verdot, he said, is "a beautiful
complement to Cabernet Sauvignon. It has added subtle complexities and
nuances. It's not just taking Cab and making it darker, not just
increasing those classic Cab tannins. It's taking on other complexities
and supplementing them. It's adding more dimensions," he said, explaining
that its tannins "tend to boost up the middle body of the Cabernet."
As more wineries grow a little Petit Verdot for blending, more are also
making a small amount as a stand-alone varietal, often available only at
the winery. A long time ago, we were so eager to find out what Petit
Verdot tasted like as a varietal that John talked to wineries all over
California before he finally found one that made a small amount of it:
Guenoc. He ordered two bottles as a Christmas present for Dottie (well,
yes, this is romantic in its own way), but the winery wouldn't ship it to
us, so we had to have it trans-shipped by another company. We still
remember the dark, spicy wine.
A few years ago, we bought a 1998 Petit Verdot when we visited
Murphy-Goode Estate Winery in Geyserville and now seemed like a good time
to open it up. Murphy-Goode first made Petit Verdot as a varietal in 1997
when there was enough left over from blending. "We have used the Petit
Verdot in numerous wines over the years," winemaker David Ready told us.
"The adds have ranged from 0.5% to 12%. The Petit Verdot adds a variety of
qualities including color, depth and richness." Murphy-Goode now releases
a varietal Petit Verdot in most vintages. It didn't make one in 2006 or
2008, but made 200 cases of 2007, which will be released in the next year
or so.
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February 2010. Loren Sonkin rates this wine 90 points on
cellartracker.com. ""IMO,
this is the best winery for red wines in Ohio. And, 2007 was the best
vintage in these parts in a long time. Perhaps it truly will be a vintage
of the century. I drank this bottle over two nights. $18 Ohio. Ruby in
color with some opaque qualities to it. On the first night, it showed
plenty of raspberries and some cassis. While these remained, on Day 2, a
bit of green tobacco and an underlying earthiness came out. On the palate,
this was medium bodied raspberry juice on Day 1, but it put on weight and
showed much more complexity on Day 2. Layers of fruit and earth. I think a
year or two in the cellar (or at least a couple of hours in a decanter),
but this is a quality Cab Franc. It does not have any off green flavors.
Want to impress someone with the quality of an Ohio red wine? This is it.
And, the price is very reasonable for the quality."
According to Andrew Hall, Lenn
Thompson, New York Wine Blogger gave this wine 4 out of 5 stars. |
2008 Kinkead Ridge Viognier/Roussanne
57% Viognier/43% Roussanne

Released Memorial Day Weekend 2009
August 23, 2009: Only about 80 cases left. We have
decided not to enter this wine into the 2009 AWS competition because it
will be sold out or close to when awards are announced in December. So we
will never know if it would have gotten a Gold or Double Gold medal.
From Tom Day:
"Kinkead Ridge's 2008 Viognier/Roussanne jumped into my top five this
year."
From Aaron Fetters on www.uncorkedcincinnati.com
"this is a white from one of my favorite Ohio River Valley wineries that
we picked up last weekend, and wow do I love it! I know Ron and Nancy out
at Kinkead Ridge are very excited about this wine and after tasting it I
understand why. This wine is SO refreshing and flavorful all at the same
time - it made a wonderful pairing with our cajun shrimp and pasta alfredo
tonight! It's a 57% Viognier, 43% Roussanne blend and I detect a bit of
honeysuckle on the nose in addition to the fruit forward aromas. In your
mouth the wine has just a tinge of tingliness and I actually noticed a bit
of spice, almost like ginger or something, again, in addition to the very
flavorful fruit notes like orange and pear.
I've always been a big fan or Ron's red wines such as his 2006 Revelation
Red and before that the 2005 Syrah, but this white may actually be my
favorite wine he has produced. The wine runs $15.95 a bottle and is well
worth that."
Mike Rosenberg on Viognier:
"Viognier is a notoriously tough grape to grow.
One theory about the name of the grape is that because of low yields and
susceptibility to mildew, "Viognier" is actually a modification of the
Latin "via Gehennae" -- which means "road to hell." ... Viognier is most
well known as a component in many of France's Rhone wines." |
SOLD OUT AT THE WINERY.
Rated 87 by the Wine Enthusiast. # Review:
This fun, flirty Viognier/Roussanne blend starts with lively lemon and
citrus aromas and leads into a joyful blend of curvy honey and plucky
spice. Fruit and acidity are in good balance. A pretty wine with
character. - S.K. (2009-11-12)
A Rhone blend of aristocratic varieties. The
Viognier was hand-harvested on September 27 and the Roussanne on October
2. This complex and enticing wine has the kiwi and guava aromas of
Roussanne merging with the orange blossom and golden raisin aromas of
Viognier. An excellent, dry wine with fish, shellfish, and poultry. Serve
slightly chilled. Alcohol 14.8% by volume. Production: 367 cases. $15.95
From David Schildknecht, who writes for
Robert Parker. He tasted this wine at a "Dinner Club" menu at Nectar,
Cincinnati, featuring peaches.
"Then I noted Kinkead Ridge 2008 white and
thought "hm ... peaches and Viognier ... and this wine has been good
before." It was not only a terrific wine - one of many in my mind that
demonstrate why Viognier is a bit too much on its own but can be great
blended - but superb with our favorite course, the farro salad with
grilled peach, Pecorino, and basil and pistachio pesto. (It was also nice
with the salmon.) " Photo Credit:
Shane Gamble, taken at 2009 Gourmet Sensation
November 2009, from Dan McGrew:
"The wine could still use some time in the bottle,
but there was more than enough to like about it now. Fresh and young, it
tasted like a very good Rhone wine. The melon flavors were there along
with some earthy spice, a little citrus and tart young grapes. It had the
oily mouthfeel of a Condrieu. It was great with the turkey and with its
notes of citrus peel it matched well with the oyster stuffing."
From Jeremy, Columbus
"For the fifth time in as many weeks, your 2008
Viognier/Roussanne has comprehensively kicked our wine loving tail ends.
We have loved Elk Cove Pinot Blanc/Gris's for 15 years but this blend of
yours makes us not worry about the Columbus distributors who can't seem to
buy enough. We simply buy all we can find of your spectacular stuff. The
only thing better than hoarding all we can find for ourselves is forcing
it down someone's throat who think all Ohio wine has to be cloying. Thank
you for all your hard work.......
Please understand that our crab cakes this evening were better because of
Kinkead Ridge...."..
_____ |
The 2003 Viognier/Roussanne was rated as one of the Top 100 Exciting Wine
Finds in the World, Tom Stevenson, British editor of the New Sotheby's
Wine Encyclopedia. The 2005 was put out under our second label River
Village Cellars. The 2006 won a Gold Medal at the American Wine Society
Competition. The 2007 vintage was frosted, only 48 cases were made, so it
was not entered into competition. Don't miss this blockbuster! |
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2008 Kinkead Ridge white Revelation

Releasied Memorial Day Weekend 2009
GOLD: Best of Appellation,
www.appellationamerica.com
2008 Revelation Ohio River Valley GOLD
Distinctive, subtle florals with earthy accents, perhaps indicating some
hybrid wine in the blend. Lemongrass, red pear, watercress, pear, and
banana aromas. Rich, clean full and intriguing. Outdoorsy odors of wild
flowers, lush summer meadows and fertile soil after rain. |
SOLD OUT AT THE WINERY. Hand-harvested on September 20th, this winegrower's
blend is crisp, bright, aromatic and refreshing. The wine has aromas of
pineapple, grapefruit and melon, with a honey note and a mineral finish.
This zesty wine with bracing acidity stylistically resembles a French more
than a California character. A classic accompaniment to full-flavored
cuisine. In 2007 this blend was
predominantly Roussanne. This is like the 2006, a Sauvignon Blanc and
Semillon blend with other miscellaneous whites including a small amount of
Chardonnay. Production: 147 cases. Alcohol 14.0% by volume. $13.95
From: WineJoy blog
"Kinkead Ridge would rank at the top for me
for Ohio wine producers. Located in the Ohio River Valley, their vinifera
wines can stand their own against any wines at similar price points on the
West Coast. Their 2008 whites were released Memorial Day weekend and I got
to taste through them with Nancy of Kinkead Ridge a couple weeks ago.
You can't go wrong with any of the lineup, but I was a fan of the
Revelation White Wine, a blend of 55% Sauvignon Blanc, 40% Semillon and 5%
"experimental grapes," all estate grown. On the nose, there was orange
citrus and light grass clippings. Very restrained so it will continue to
open and evolve in the next couple months. On the palate, a creamier
texture than expected, but backed with good acid. Orange peel and white
peach skins with some zing of minerality. Beautiful wine for $13.99."
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The 2007 Revelation was predominantly Roussanne, so this is like our prior
vintages which were Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. March 6, 2010. Review from Andrew
Hall, wine blogger Columbus
2008 Revelation White. Predominantly
Sauvignon Blanc, this was the clear winner in the 2008 white line-up.
Crisp mineral and herbal nose with nice persistence. Good lines and cut.
Nice intensity of the acidity and mineral. Nice integration which
carries its 14%abv well. A revisit showed an elegant side to this wine.
Very good, best white Revelation I’ve had. Wide open for business as
well. From Dan McGrew, wine
blogger (http:://www.dogswine.blogspot.com)
"After a brief chill we pulled the cork on
a Kinkead Ridge white Revelation from the 2008 vintage. The wine is mostly
sauvignon blanc and semillion with a few other varieties blended in for
good measure. It was tart and fresh with a great herbaceous feel to it.
There was a little bit of apple and a small bit of pear in the wine and
maybe just a touch of yellow fig, but the acid is was its greatest asset.
The wine tasted like spring and that's what I was looking for. The wine
retails for $14 and is 14% ABV. " |
2008 Kinkead Ridge Riesling

Released Memorial Day Weekend 2009
DOUBLE GOLD: Best of Appellation,
www.appellationamerica.com
2008 Riesling Ohio River Valley DOUBLE GOLD
Intense pear, pear, pear. Lilac, apple and wet stone petrichor (look it
up). Off-dry with bracing acidity, suitable for shellfish or fatty
sausages. Wonderfully mouthwatering, lean, long and palate cleansing with
lingering flavors of cucumber and well water.
The 2008 Riesling was in the
top 11 2nd annual Ohio Michigan wine clash, and was the least expensive wine on the list at $11.95.
Review in October 2010 by
Dan McGrew, Dayton Blogger
"Yesterday we opened the
2008 vintage as a precursor to an Italian meal. Crystal clear color of
pale gold in the glass the wine hit you with a brief whiff of kerosene
before settling down to smelling of lime zest and wet rocks in the rain.
Medium body with flavors to match the nose. Good citrusy quality, a touch
of the wet rock and some herbaceousness on the front of the tongue and
great acid on the back end. Good flavor to finish with a touch of
sweetness at the end and then the last little bit of acid to clear the
palate. It was a great match with some grilled shrimp with garlic,
rosemary, lemon zest and lemon juice.
Riesling may not be Kinkead Ridge's best wine but to me it has been the
most consistent over the number of vintages I've consumed. They are always
good, sound and flavorful and true to the grape. They are also fairly
priced." |
SOLD OUT AT THE WINERY. Hand-harvested on September 29th, honeysuckle,
banana, peach and ripe pear notes precede a flinty finish. This racy
wine's floral front palate and sweetness balance its crisp acidity. The
grapes were cold-fermented to preserve aromatic components. Serve chilled
with cold meats, fresh salads, light cheeses, poultry, veal and Asian
cuisine. Residual sugar 1.2%. 100% Riesling. Alcohol 12.1% by volume.
Production: 225 cases. $11.95 From Eric
Asimov, NY Times, The Pour blog about Riesling. "Kinkead Ridge, 40 miles
east of Cincinnati, produces a crisp, easily drinkable Riesling, and has
done so for several years. It’s not at the level of a good German
Riesling, but there are hints and suggestions of those wines that makes
the $12 or $13 price worth the search. Production is small but the
dedication and quality is high. It’s wonderful to have a local wine in
Ohio that is highly drinkable and delicious."
A post on Mark Squire's bulletin board, on
www.erobertparker.com
From LS: "2008
Kinkead Ridge Riesling (Ohio)
From one of the best wineries in Ohio. Green/silver in color, clear and
bright. The nose has nice green apple notes. Medium bodied. Dry. On the
palate, this is nice but on day 1, not too complex. I am told it was just
delivered to my local store so there may be some bottle/travel shock. On
day 2, it picked up the intensity a bit. Mostly fresh green apples with a
hint of minerals. Nice finish. A nice wine, and at $12, a pretty good
value. I look forward to trying the Roussanne which I have heard good
things about. 50+3+12+16+7=88" The
Naked Vine Blog, all about Riesling:
http://www.thenakedvine.net/2009/08/riesling-redux.html |
Review from Andrew Hall, wine blogger, Columbus
2008 Riesling Good nose with some verve and apple blossom notes. Nice
citrus fruit notes here, but lacks the mineral verve and spine I want
from Riesling. Like the V/R, ripeness of the ‘08 vintage doesn’t work
for me in whites, but the alcohol is balanced here and I think is a
little residual sugar which gives it body, not sweetness. (A lot of
wines have this, but most don’t tell you.) I think a little time to
relax from bottling will bring this to life.
Riesling Renaissance: America
From "Riesling Rules", www. RieslingRules.com
Click here
"Once again Riesling in on the rise among wine lovers. According to
ACNielsen, Riesling is the #1 fastest growing varietal for the 52-week
period ending December 15th, 2007... The variety's recent success has much
to do with our evolving tastes in food and wine and our interest in food
an wine pairing. Top American chefs and sommeliers have known for some
time that Riesling is an extraordinary food companion, especially for
"challenging" dishes... Riesling is a versatile food wine because its
crisp acidity cuts through the richness of meats and sauces, while its
fruit sweetness pairs well with spicy cuisine and lighter, more flavorful
food styles... And relative to other great wines of the world, Riesling
still represents an amazing value in terms of price for quality. This is a
great time to be, or become, a lover of Riesling."
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2008 River Village Cellars Traminette

Released Memorial Day Weekend 2009 |
SOLD OUT AT THE WINERY. Hand-harvested October 4th. Traminette is a new
world hybrid grape with a pronounced varietal character reminiscent of
Gewurztraminer from Alsace, which is one of its parents. Its fruity and
spicy nutmeg flavors, floral aroma and refreshing finish make it a perfect
match for Southwest and Asian cuisine. Served on its own, well chilled, it
makes a great sipping wine. 100% Traminette. Grapes grown in the Ohio
River Valley by Rock Springs Vineyard, Kentucky. Production 73 cases.
Alcohol 13% by volume. |
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There is no 2007
Syrah. |
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2009 Harvest Report
We ended up with about 35% of a full crop and will likely have no
first-label wines. All the wines are clean and sound. The whites in
particular are coming around and should be a good fit for our value-driven
second-label River Village Cellars. As always with a tough vintage, it's
too soon to tell for the reds. Confronted by the realities of the 2009
vintage, a professional wine spinner might be tempted to represent this
vintage as a difficult one, but nonetheless with some "great wines
produced". Unfortunately said spinner (typically a marketing person for a
winery, or a spokesperson for a wine trade organization) would be well
advised to take early retirement! 2009 was quite simply the worst vintage
I have ever witnessed or experienced as a grower. It is on a par with the
dismal 1977 and 1984 vintages in Oregon. We did have a promising start to
the vintage with moderate weather and we missed the spring frost which
decimated vineyards in northern Ohio. Then in July, the weather turned
cold and wet and stayed that way through October. Our crew did the best
job of canopy management ever, but to no avail. Enormous disease pressure
combined with the need for extended hang time meant that we ended up
selectively picking everything to avoid rot. It some cases, picking cost
more than the fruit was worth. 2008 Harvest Report
As I write this in late February, the wines from 2008 have been cleaned up
and are showing very well. After a cool spring which delayed bloom, the
weather turned generally warm and dry until late October. Harvest dates
were later than usual due to the late bloom, but full maturity was
obtained on all varieties save for Petit Verdot. Brix levels were mid-20s
on some varietals.
Despite extensive shoot and crop thinning, yields were high, and in some
cases higher than desired. Sugar and flavor intensity levels were also
high with more complexity shown in the wines than in 2007. Overall, in
this winegrower's opinion, 2008 might be the best vintage yet for Kinkead
Ridge. Stars for 2008 include the White Revelation (to be released
Memorial Day weekend 2009) and the Cabernet Sauvignon (Released Labor Day
weekend 2010). See above for a description of the past vintages.
Ron Barrett, Winegrower
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Click here to request a copy of
our retail outlets. There are two wine stores in Cincinnati
that can ship within Ohio or out-of-state.
If you can't find our wines, please have your local wine store
call us at 937-392-6077, and we can arrange a delivery to them for your
convenience. We do use natural cork, the best quality we can buy. But
cork is a natural product, subject to failure. If you purchase a bottle
of our wine that you believe is corked, please return the bottle, cork
and contents to us or the wine store. We will arrange for a replacement
or refund.
For information about older
vintages, please check the "Earlier Vintages" link above. Some
of these wines may still be available in wine stores and
restaurants throughout Ohio.
A quote from Loren
Sonkin on Mark Squire's bulletin board, regarding the
2008 Ohio/Michigan Wine Challenge:
"The final group was miscellaneous reds. The group’s favorites
mirrored mine for this flight. They were the 2006 Kinkead Ridge
Revelation Red, the 2006 River Village Syrah, the 2005 South
River Karma, and the 2006 Fenn Valley Cabernet Franc. All of
these are $15 or less. Mine, and the groups’ favorite came from
Kinkead Ridge.
They are an Ohio Valley winery just east of Cincinnati and
in my opinion making the best red wines in Ohio.
I would easily spend the $15 on the Revelation
or around $20 for the Cabernet Sauvignon (which was not in the tasting)."
Click here for a one page
summary of our 2010 releases
Click here for a one page summary of our 2009 releases
Click here for a one page summary of our 2008 releases
Click here for a one page summary of our 2007 releases
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"Rest assured, the quality at Kinkead Ridge is very high, and I would
argue represents the best in Ohio and possibly the eastern US. I would
also add that yes indeed their terroir is worth expressing! A good sniff
and a quick taste will prove that to anyone. The important thing to me is
that these are not wines of ego, rather they are clearly wines of place.
Ron and Nancy have worked hard to clearly express the virtues of their
vineyard, and have given the wine drinking public something rare indeed…
an entirely new wine region, with its own unique combination of flavors
and aromas. To me this is exactly what fine wine is all about." Click here
to read all of Ann's writings about Kinkead Ridge.
--Chuck and Ann Boucher, Serendipity Wine Shop, Columbus
Although all our wines are priced under $20, this sentence resonated,
particularly 'the confidence of quality.' And this is why we have a second
label in some years. "When you spend more than $25 or $30--most of my
wines sell for $55 or more--when you spend more than that, you're not just
buying the intrinsic product--you're buying other things. You're buying
the rarity--you're buying the image, the confidence of quality." Allen
ShoupReleased in May 2008, the 2007
white wine impacted by the frost sold out in two weeks.
Released in May 2007, the 2006 white wine sold out in 3 months; released
in September 2007, the 2005 Petit Verdot sold out in two weeks; the 2005
Syrah, Cabernet Franc sold out in April. We enter several wine competitions a year, and we are approaching
the point where the wines are sold out before medals are awarded! So it's
great to acquire our wines before that happens.
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Production: 2001-2011 |
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Cabernet
Sauvignon
 |
Cabernet
Franc
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Syrah
 |
Red Revelation
(Winegrower's blend) |
Petit Verdot
 |
Viognier /
Roussanne
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White Revelation
(Winegrower's blend) |
Riesling
 |
Traminette
 |
Sauvignon Blanc
 |
| 2011 |
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110 cases |
86 cases |
101 cases |
River Village Cellars. 85
cases. Grapes sourced from McCafferty Bridge Vineyards |
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| 2010 |
162 cases. Release date Sept.
2012 |
180 cases. Release date
Sept. 2012 |
9a cases. Release date
Sept. 2012 |
None produced |
63 cases
Release date Sept. 2012 |
115 cases |
67 cases |
82 cases |
River Village Cellars 111
cases. Grapes sourced from Meranda-Nixon and McCafferty
Vineyards |
None produced. Generally
blended into white Revelation. |
| 2009 |
Difficult vintage. 214 cases.
Releasing September 2011. Second label River Village
Cellars |
Difficult vintage. 240 cases.
Releasing September 2011. Second label River Village
Cellars. |
None produced |
None produced |
None produced |
126 cases |
None
produced. Replaced by second label River Village Cellars
White Wine, 42 cases, Released May 2010 |
None produced, blended into
2009 River Village Cellars white wine |
None produced |
None produced |
| 2008 |
364 cases, Released Sept.
2010 |
388 cases, Released Sept.
2010 |
194 cases, Released Sept.
2010 |
None produced |
76 cases, released September
or November 2010 |
367 cases |
147 cases |
225 cases |
73 cases (River Village
Cellars) |
None produced |
| 2007 |
246 cases |
216 cases |
None produced |
None produced |
None produced |
None produced |
48 cases (Easter frost) |
38 cases (Easter frost!) |
None produced |
None produced |
| 2006 |
None produced |
375 cases (River Village
Cellars) |
179 cases (River Village
Cellars) |
404 cases |
None produced |
303 cases |
125 cases |
184 cases |
None produced |
None produced |
| 2005 |
344 cases |
383 cases |
187 cases |
None produced |
76 cases |
299 cases (River Village
Cellars) |
84 cases |
147 cases |
199 cases |
None produced |
| 2004 |
355 cases |
355 cases |
149 cases |
None produced |
None produced |
177 cases |
56 cases |
118 cases |
None produced |
None produced |
| 2003 |
228 cases |
135 cases |
56 cases |
None produced |
None produced |
75 cases |
None produced |
17 cases (second label) |
None produced |
39 cases |
| 2002 |
None produced |
None produced |
None produced |
110 cases |
None produced |
None produced |
None produced |
23 cases |
None produced |
None produced |
| 2001 |
None produced |
120 cases |
95 cases |
120 cases |
|
None produced |
None produced |
55 cases
(white table wine) |
None produced |
None produced |
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