Wine Blog Wednesday #15 Micro Production

Less Than 250 Cases and I Helped!

2004 Kinkead Ridge Viognier/Roussanne ($15) -- Ripley Ohio - Ohio River Valley - About 50 miles east/upriver from Cincinnati, Ron Barrett and Nancy Bentley have for the last six years pushed the envelope on growing vinifera in Southern Ohio. Some years have been disasterous with no wine produced due to inclimate weather, but for 2005 they have released about 800 cases of six different blends. I admire their tenacity in starting their enterprise in an area known for its corn and tobacco.

In the 80's Ron grew Pinot Noir, Riesling, Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc in Yamhill, Oregon at Chehalem Valley Vineyards and sold his grapes to several major wineries in the Portland area. Nancy is from New York and runs the business and marketing side having spent time at Sun Microsystems and then after graduating from the Cordon Bleu Culinary Institute in Portland worked at the University Club in Portland with Chef Willy Madsen.

The above picture is from the 2005 harvest. They didn't trust me to actually pick, but I was a big help with the bin carts, and you don't need to go to the gym after moving a ton and a half of Syrah onto the truck and then off of the truck into the winery!

The 2004 is a 66/34 blend with 177 cases made. The 2003 won a bronze medal at the 2004 American Wine Society competition and was named in Tom Stevenson's 2006 Wine Report as "one of the top 100 exciting New Wines in the World."

On the nose I got a floral aroma (the label says violet) with balanced fruit and a medium finish. This would be good with foods, in particular something Indian. I will have to bring a bottle next time I go to cumin.