Squid Ink

Sometimes you are lucky, sometimes you are good, sometimes the grapes say, “Get out #@%$ out of the way, regardless of your input, a good wine will be made!” Well, the 2008 vintage is just that.

Few wines have been memorable in my short existence on the wine drinking circuit. 1990 Dom Perignon (didn’t purchase it), 2000 Opus One (didn’t purchase it), an early 1990’s Pinot Noir from Oregon, name unknown to me, tasted at Ron Barrett’s house (this wine was moved 3 times in 5 years, didn’t purchase it), 2005 Eyrie Pinot Noir (bought it), and 2004 Kinkead Ridge Cabernet Franc (bought a lot of it). However, the 2008 vintage of the Ohio River Valley will break this stranglehold on my memory banks,. I have yet to taste a vintage with the seduction, power, and finesse of this vintage.

After consulting the other winegrowers in the area, I am not alone. Seth Meranda at Meranda-Nixon says his Cabernet Franc is beyond compare. Ron Barrett at Kinkead Ridge states it may be his best vintage yet. While the 2007 Red Wines will compete with anything in North America, the 2008 vintage is truly world class.

The 2008 La Vigna Proprietary Red Wine is a prestigious wine. The tannin may be even riper than the 2007 wines. Vivid, intense aromas of new saddle leather, huge extractions of fruit, and a seamless, multilayered finish.

I promise this will be the only reference to these wines until they are ready for release next year (maybe). Until then, sack away some cash. Often wines like this are not available in a lifetime.

Brad Hively

winegrower