This has been a cool wet summer for this vintage... too cool, too wet... we needed heat units. Picking of the Sauvignon Blanc was scheduled for September 25. Rain moved in. The upshot is: picking was cancelled. The Sauvignon Blanc is rotting, we will leave it for the birds. Riesling may be the next to go down. For the vintage, this means no white Revelation from 2009. So anyone interested in our 2008 Sauvignon Blanc white Revelation blend, get on the phone now (http://www.kinkeadridge.com/available.pdf) and see if you can find some. Some wholesale customers still have it. As of the moment, Viognier, Roussanne and the reds are holding up. It is so depressing. Ron works so hard, and the fruit looked great a week ago.
When we started 10 years ago here in Ohio, I dreamed we had a lot more control over weather and vintages. Now I realize Mother Nature wins. There are good years and bad years, just like there are in Bordeaux, Australia, Oregon and wherever. We always do the best we can. If the grapes aren't "worthy" they don't get made into wine, and this is why there is no 2007 Syrah. Small quantity, lots of rot.
A word to the interested. We only made 216 cases of 2007 Cab Franc. Only 247 of Cab Sauvignon. Normally we would have close to 400 cases, but the 2007 Easter frost that affected the white wines affected the quantity of 2007 reds, but not the quality. They are awesome. Ron calls them his Calistoga cabs. Get them now, they will be sold out by December and are on allocation to the wine stores.
We don't know what's happening with our other southern Ohio wineries with the weather, but I was north of Cincinnati on the 25th, and it was pouring. So a winery has to make a choice: Pick early, with unripe fruit, or let the fruit hang and hope things dry out before rot sets in.
Today, September 26, the rain continued all morning. Hopefully, we will dry out before the Riesling pick next Tuesday.
Your friendly wine blogger
Nancy Bentley
Owner/Managing Partner
Kinkead Ridge
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