This is the third installment of Spectacular Wines as judged by the prestigious Jefferson Cup Invitational Wine Competition. Whereas most Midwestern wines are crafted from grapes known as hybrids, grape plants whose heritage comes from genetically crossing vinifera (traditional, European varieties) x and American vines to create, what is frequently termed “hybrid” and “cold-hardy” grapes; this Midwestern award winning wine comes from Cabernet Franc, grown in Ohio.
Kinkead Ridge Cabernet Franc 2008 Ohio River Valley
Jefferson Cup Winner
The Wine - Cabernet Franc: “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.” (via website). Alcohol 15.0%
Note: “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.”
Buy Kinkead Ridge wines: Click here - Kinkead Ridge
The Winery: Kinkead Ridge (OH) excerpts from website: “With many years of experience in the Oregon vineyard and winery industry, and owner of Chehalem Valley Vineyard, a 40 acre parcel near McMinnville, Oregon where he grew Pinot Noir, Ron was ready for a new challenge. He and Nancy researched eastern Washington, southern Oregon, and southern Ohio, and determined that the unglaciated limestone ridges near the Ohio River had the potential to produce world-class vinifera. The Oregon vineyard was sold to Tony Soter (Etude, Beacon Hill). After moving to Ohio, Ron served on the prestigious Viticulture Consortium at Cornell University, which disperses grant money to grape research in the Eastern United States. Ron has also been a resource for Northern Kentucky winegrowers, also located in the Ohio River Valley appellation.
The initial vineyard was planted in 1999, and a second section in 2001. It includes an experimental section to test rootstock and scion wood and alternate varieties, and Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Petit Verdot and Roussanne.
Serious problems with a local architect precluded building the winery on the vineyard property in time for the 2002 harvest, and a small production facility was built near downtown Ripley for the second crush. This facility can handle up to 2000 cases of ultra-premium vinifera. At some future date, we may build a winery on the vineyard property, and the current facility will become a warehouse for finished wine (or... maybe like the Hargraves on the North Fork of Long Island, we can just wait for some Italian millionaire to buy us out, and THEY can build a new winery on the property!)”
