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Down by the river

 

by G.A. Benton

 

Perusing the aisles of a few select wine stores, I realized time was running out for some delicious Ohio wines.

 

Delicious Ohio wines? If you're thinking those three words sound strange together (and who could blame you?) then get off your sudsy beer haunches and check out Kinkead Ridge Vineyards.

 

Made in very limited quantities (about 50 to 200 cases per wine), the current stock of Kinkead is quickly dwindling, though it's still possible to find bottles of these southern-Ohio-made winners.

 

If you're already on to Kinkead, I'm encouraging you to increase your supply right now. If the wines are new to you, here's a little background.

 

Kinkead winegrower Ron Barrett is from Columbus but he spent a couple of decades working for Oregon wineries and learning the fermented grape trade. With his partner Nancy Bentley (whose resum? includes Silicon Valley and a prestigious cooking school), Barrett moved back to the Buckeye State to start his vineyard. Surprisingly the couple located their vinifera operation in Ripley, Ohio, a historic little river community 60 miles east of Cincinnati and 100 miles south of Columbus.

 

Handmade in small batches, Kinkead began releasing blends and varietals a couple of years ago. Their 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon and 2003 Cabernet Franc are wines you can find locally. If you hurry, that is.

 

I like both of these reds. As soon as their complex aromas hit your nose, you know you're holding the real thing. Medium bodied and tightly tart, the red-tinged Cabernet Sauvignon has a classic Cab black-cherry profile and enough tannins to be nicely balanced. It would compare favorably with big Napa Valley styles but is itself not an extremely huge and chewy thing.

 

The Cabernet Franc is an inkier purple in the glass and drinks softer and fruitier (raspberry notes) than the Cab. It also has an interesting bit of spice to it. Since Cab Franc is generally relegated to mixing-wine status, this slightly unusual varietal is a real local find. If either of these wines proves to be elusive, the new (2004) vintages should be available near Labor Day.

 

Kinkead will also release a fresh batch of 2005 whites around Memorial Day. Look for their Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc/ Semillon, and especially a blend of Viognier and Roussanne. According to Kinkead's website, that blend's 2005 vintage underwent a spontaneous (malolactic) self-fermentation resulting in "stylistic differences" from the highly praised 2004 Viognier/ Roussanne. Therefore it's being released under Kinkead's second label, River Village Cellars, simply as a white table wine.

 

But if it's anything like the acclaimed 2004 Viognier/Roussanne (as of this writing, still on some local shelves), snap it up quickly. That terrific sip might be the star of Kinkead's portfolio. Extremely impressive, it's beautifully floral and dry, with hints of peach and a long minerally finish. About $15, it's an amazing value whatever its origins. But it comes from Ohio, making it a superior go-local choice.

 

It's also the perfect wine with which to surprise your fancy "coastal" friends who think Ohio is a flyover state with little sophistication. Just tell them it's French and they'll love it.

 

Then again, maybe those poseurs don't deserve Kinkead wines.

 

E-mail whinedine@columbusalive.com

 

April 13, 2006

 

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