Kinkead Ridge - 2012 Red Wines

The Saturday before Labor Day is always the release of red wines from Kinkead Ridge Vineyards in Ripley, Ohio.  As much as Labor Day itself and the start of football season in this area the wine release has become my first signpost that summer is ending and we are moving toward fall weather here with its warm dry days and cool nights.  It's my favorite time of year.

Sadly, there were only two wines instead of four this year as the wines were from the 2012 vintage that was not a kind one in this area.  Both wines were on the second label for Kinkead Ridge, River Village Cellars.  Ron Barrett, the co-owner, did not think the 2012 wines were good enough for the main label so they went to the second label.

My initial impressions:

2012 Cabernet Franc.  This wine actually made me smile.  There is a good amount of vanilla and oak in the nose, but they were fresh aromas.  There is a lot of up front flavors of red cherry and spice.  There's good acidity and tannin to hold every thing together.  When the flavors faded at the end this was like drinking a rose' wine with more extracted flavors.  This is simply a happy wine.  It's also not one to save for a long period of time, though I will stow away a bottle for the future.  174 cases produced.  14.3% alcohol and $14.99.

2012 Cabernet Sauvignon.  This is a much darker wine than the Cabernet Franc.  Its also very closed up at the moment and it took a lot of swirling and a second glass to get the aromas flowing.  When it did open up it was with earthy aromas rather than fruit.  The taste was red cherries like the Cabernet Franc, but there was an underlying darker element as well.  It seemed most like black raspberries to me.  Again, there was good tannin and acid and there was a much longer finish.  In six months or a year I will prefer this wine to the Cabernet Franc, but it still has some growing up to do in the bottle.  172 cases produced.  14.5% alcohol.  $14.99

Both wine are very fairly priced.

As mentioned here before the 2014 vintage in this area was almost totally wiped out by the extended  and unusual below zero degree temperatures of the past winter.  Kinkead Ridge will have no white wines from vinifera vines in the spring of 2015 and no reds in the fall of 2016.  With that in mind I also restocked on some white wine while I was there.