Kinkead Ridge Vineyard and an Estate Winery Weblog: The "Bin of Shame"

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Harvest

Vintage Report 2008
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. 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 (to be released Labor Day 2010). See http://www.KinkeadRidge.com/htm/wines.htm for a description of the past vintages.
Vintage Report 2007
An early bud break meant an early harvest; we were finished by mid-October. Sadly, it also meant several days of 80 degree weather, shoots four inches long, and then an Easter freeze which plunged the vineyard to 28 degrees. All the white wine was affected, to a tragic degree. There will be very little Viognier/Roussanne, little Riesling, and it may not even be worth bottling the Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon blend. Syrah was also heavily affected. The good news is the long dry ripening season was outstanding for Cabernet; small berries, high sugars. These wines will be reminiscent of Calistoga, higher in alcohol than our general practice.
Vintage Report 2006
As this is written (January 2007), I've had the opportunity to both reflect on the vintage past and taste the wines as they have begun to develop. Going into harvest season, the vineyard was in excellent condition. Crop load and canopy management was on target. Weather deteriorated in mid-September and some of the harvest conditions were as difficult as I've ever experienced. October in particular was troublesome as cold temperatures and excessive rainfall limited maturities. Despite the above, white wines are turning out surprisingly well. Red wines, however, are questionable and many may end up as second label when released in 2008. So far we have had a mild winter and I look forward to a spring with little winter damage and overall good growing conditions in 2007.
Vintage Report 2005
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.

What exactly is the "Bin of Shame"? It's a $180 mistake! Yesterday, during the Cabernet Franc pick, one of the pickers drifted into a row of unripe Cabernet Sauvignon, despite the note clothes-pinned to the end of the row that said "Do Not Pick". So about 40 pounds of grapes (that might be about 10 bottles of wine at $18 apiece) will now be made by me into Cabernet Sauvignon jelly! Ron was not pleased, but I'm sure the jelly will be delicious. The Cabernet Sauvignon is about one-and-a-half weeks away from harvest.

We had the pleasure of photographers on the hill both Monday and Tuesday of this week; John Johnstone, a professional photographer from Dayton was here at the crack of dawn for the sunrise shot and pictures of the Franc harvest. You can see the photos on John's website, click on Index and then Wine Harvest. The second shoot was for the Cincinnati Enquirer, a story about the fifth anniversary of the winery. Highlight of the Enquirer's lunch was the famous "Marshmallow Coke" at Rockin' Robins Soda Shop, a Ripley tradition since the 1960s.

The Cabernet Franc fruit is gorgeous. 5852 pounds, around 200 bins.

Michael of the Enquirer took digital photos of the Cabernet Franc crush. My latest mini-movie is a 360 degree circle around the stemmer/crusher.

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Kinkead Ridge Vineyard and an Estate Winery Weblog

The day to day joys and trials of a small ultra-premium all vinifera vineyard and estate winery in historic Ripley, Ohio. The owners formerly owned Chehalem Valley Vineyards in Yamhill, Oregon. Looking for a new challenge, they sold that 40-acre Pinot Noir vineyard to Tony Soter in 1997.

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