Will Ron And Nancy Blossom In Ohio?

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The tiny hamlet of Ripley, Ohio, some 55 miles east of Cincinnati, is the scene of a fascinating experiment to produce international class wine on the north bank of the Ohio River valley. At the time of writing, which is March 2001, Ron Barrett and Nancy Bentley have, at Kinkead Vineyards, a vineyard – but no winery. They are convinced that the latter will be completed by August 15th, just 5 months away. Nancy, a marketeer, PR and superb cook, is so convinced that literally every brick will click into place on that date, she has promised to up-date Wine on the Web readers monthly. When mid-August arrives some of the varietals amongst their 3-year-old vines will be ready to offer their first wines.

Ron Barrett in his experimental vineyard

Ron, a veteran of vine growing in the Pacific Northwest, has undertaken endless research to ensure both the soil and climate are right for their needs and they experiment with the most suitable vine cuttings available. Much advice has been sought from his good friend Dick Erath of the Kanudsen-Erath winery in Oregon, one of the most highly respected producers of Pinot Noir in North America and someone who Ron admits has had “the strongest influence on me.” Ron selected their land at an elevation of 450 feet because “at Kinkead Ridge we have the advantage of ancient soils underlain by hundreds of feet of broken limestone, on ridge tops, overlooking the Ohio River.”

The property, comprising 126 acres, was purchased in 1997 and has been planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Viognier and Riesling, with smaller parcels of Petit Verdot, Syrah, Roussanne and Sauvignon Blanc and a few rows each of Merlot, Gamay Noir, Dolcetto, Sangiovese and Semillon. It is, of course, an experimental vineyard, which presumably explains why Ron has planted such contrasting varietals as Cabernet Sauvignon and Riesling, for it is difficult to think of any vineyard that stars with both.

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