November  2007

Annual Barrel Tasting and Release of 2005 Petit Verdot! Petit Verdot, a wine so prized by French vintners that they normally save it for their family. Click any picture to enlarge it.

Wine for Thanksgiving.... here's what the Wall Street Journal has to say: "Because this is an American holiday, stick with American wine... for us, there is one perfect wine for Thanksgiving dinner: a fine American Cabernet Sauvignon. It's not just that the flavors match well with the dinner, though they do. It's that a good Cabernet has complexity and layers of interest, just like the big meal on the table." Our 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon is $17.95.

Kinkead Ridge 2004 Cabernet Franc rated one of the Top 100 Exciting Wine Finds, international list compiled by Tom Stevenson, British editor of the New Sothebys Wine Encyclopedia and publisher of the paperback Wine Report 2008. "Succulent, intensely flavored fruit, ripe, supple tannins, and a truckload of flavors--from cherries, cassis, chocolate, and cream, to vanilla and coconut."--Sandra Silfven, Atlantic Northeast editor of the 2008 Wine Report "This shows what promise there is in Ohio." --Tom Stevenson

2004 Kinkead Ridge Cabenet Franc, #7 on the Top 10 List of Greatest Quality Wines from the Atlantic Northeast

This wine was sold out at the winery last December. This book is a year behind sales. Don't miss the 2005 reds.

Kinkead Ridge 2006 Viognier/Roussanne awarded GOLD medal at the International American Wine Society competition, October 2007.

Kinkead Ridge 2006 Viognier/Roussanne just rated "Notable Wines of 2007" in the November/December Wine Buzz. "The Ohio River Valley used to be the largest producer of wine in the United States. All kinds of things converged to bring about its downfall, and until just a few years ago very little was happening on this stretch of the river. Kinkead Ridge, owned by transplanted Oregonians, started a revival that shows real promise. The Rhone-style white blend has all the rich, ripe honeyed notes you'd expect, with an undercurrent of minerals and a crisp, dry finish.

 

The holidays are coming! Winery open November 24, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Annual Barrel Tasting and release of the 2005 Petit Verdot. Open December 1, 8 and 15 for holiday shopping. December 8 is the winery's fifth annivrsary.

Kinkead Ridge featured in the Cincinnati Enquirer, Realizing the Fruits of Their Labors.

Harvest is over!

Thanks to everyone who voted for our video in the Wine Spectator Video contest! I was able to join Amy, the winner, of Hocus Pocus Winery for a Grand Tasting at the New York Marriott Marquis... 250 wines rated 90 or better.

Kinkead Ridge was featured at the Gala Auction for the benefit of Hocking College. A good time was had by all!

Beautiful Cabernet Franc harvest photos now available on line. These were taken by professional photojournalist John Johnstone. See http://www.johnstonphotos.org, click on Index and then Wine Harvest.  Here are a few of John's photos... from harvest sunrise to hauling, to weighing, to the end-of-day happy crew shot! Click any photo to enlarge it.

Unfortunately, due to the Direct Shipping legislation passed in Ohio, we will no longer ship direct to consumers. The law states a consumer may only receive 24 cases of wine per year. The state is collecting data from wineries and shipping companies with regard to who received wine. We would have no way of knowing if we shipped the 25th case illegally. Click here to read what the press says about this legislation.  For alternatives to shipping, please call us.

A charming surprise! Tonight a hot air balloon flew right over the vineyard! They dropped down as I waved to holler: "What road is this!" Here's a picture, and the reaction of Marshmallow the vineyard cat!

Harvest is over. Sadly, due to the frost around Easter, there is very little Viognier, Roussanne, Sauvignon Blanc and Syrah this year. Scoop up the 2006 white vintages and the 2005 Syrah now!

Kinkead Ridge is featured in a lovely new book called Farms & Foods of Ohio: From Garden Gate to Dinner Plate by Marilou K. Suzsko. My recipes for Pork Tenderloin with Shallots, Grapes, Walnuts, and Rosemary, and Sauteed Mushroom Medley with Feta on Croutons are in the book. Click here to read the feature. The other wineries in the book are Firelands, Markko, Ravenshurst and the Winery at Wolf Creek. The book is available at www.amazon.com.

We're excited about our fellow winegrower's first harvest. Check out LaVigna's first harvest at http://www.lavignawines.com/htm/2007harvest.htm. LaVigna is growing Petit Manseng and Cabernet Franc

Every year, we try to protect the vintage from raccoons, possums, wild turkeys, migratory robins, deer, rabbits, skunks, coyotes, grape berry moth, Japanese beetles and more, I found this "Animal Delinquents" story very amusing! What vineyards around the world face trying to protect their crops: Click here.

KVIE Public Television, Sacramento, filmed the vineyard and winery for a nationally syndicated broadcast show called "Americas Heartland". Details will follow when we know the dates the show will be aired.

We are often asked about food and wine pairings. This is a great site to browse, Natalie MacLean's Food Matcher.

Kinkead Ridge is listed in the short "well-known wineries" section in the Ohio section of Kevin Zraly's 2008 Wines of America.

Food and wine pairing:
 

"Why  go for those long distance relationships when you can find love in your own back yard." 

 

Words on Wine: 

Famous quotes throughout history about wine. Click here.

Funny drinking quotes:

"Sometimes when I reflect back on all the wine I drink I feel shame. Then I look into the glass and think about the workers in the vineyards and all of their hopes and dreams If I didn't drink this wine, they might be out of work and their dreams would be shattered. Then I say to myself, "It is better that I drink this wine and let their dreams come true than be selfish and worry about my liver."
~ Jack Handy