Kiona Vineyards Late Harvest Riesling Red Mountain Washington
Frequent readers know that Im not the greatest fan of dessert wines. Most sweet wines just dont have enough acidity to keep me from feeling like Im drinking syrup, and many are just too sweet for me to take. Even though I had a huge sweet tooth as a kid, these days its pretty easy for less than stellar dessert wine to push me into the zone where I feel like I ought to be taking insulin pills along with each sip.
Dessert wines, however, are certainly one of the wine worlds most hedonistic pleasures. When they are good, I love sipping them, crackling cold, and smelling them bloom as they warm to the touch of my hands on the glass. The aromatics of dessert wines are magical sometimes, which is how I ended up with half a case of this particular wine. The first time we had it, Ruth yanked on my sleeve and said , I cant believe this wine smells and tastes so much like jasmine! We need to buy some right away.
I try my best to be a dutiful husband. Its pretty tough when I gotta go out and buy good wine at the demands of my wife.
This wine is made in small quantities each year from select blocks of Riesling fruit that are left on the vine to shrivel water evaporating and sugars concentrating in the grapes before being made into wine.
Food Pairing: This is a lovely alternative to a Sauternes for a pairing with grilled foie gras and accompaniments.
Overall Score: 9.5
Who Sells Kiona Ice Wine
Icewine differs from other dessert wines in several ways. A cold drink versus a rot-filled one is what determines whether its a good or bad drink. Icewine is made by freezing the water in the grapes more quickly than sugar, which concentrates the sweetness and fresh fruit flavors of the dehydrated grapes.
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Huge Break On Shipping Costs
Shipping wine is usually super expensive. Members dont have to worry about it though you pay only $10 per box for UPS Ground service to any eligible ship-to state in the country. Whether the box contains two bottles or 12, its the same rate: any box of wine, to any state on our list, is a flat $10.
Loving Lemberger At Kiona
Scott Williams is the second-generation winemaker and grape grower for Kiona Vineyards & Winery on Washingtons Red Mountain.
Kiona Vineyards & Winery produces more than 4,000 cases of Lemberger per year which might just be more than anyone else in the country. Williams doesnt sweat the name he embraces it. Hes happy to have Lemberger because it helps him sell other Kiona wines.
You have something that is intrinsically good and has appeal, he said. Its affordable and has a unique name that tells a story. That sounds good, right? Lemberger is fruit-forward. Its one of the softer red wines that we make, and that makes it immensely appealing and versatile.
And dont get him started about its food-pairing abilities.
You can pair it with pizza. You can pair it with barbecue. You can dress it up and do lamb or dress it down and do spaghetti. And you can find it for $15.
It can be argued that when someone says Kiona to Washington wine lovers, their reply will be Lemberger followed by I love it! Kionas Lemberger is so popular, Williams has stopped pouring it in his busy Red Mountain tasting room because, ironically, it is so in demand that nobody will buy anything else. And Williams has a lot of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Riesling and Chardonnay to sell.
But Williams has Lemberger, and thats different than every other winery that shop owner has talked to. Lemberger is a wine he can sell to wine lovers who are tired of Cab and Zin.
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Which Brand Of Ice Wine Is The Best
Kiona 2018 Estate Grown Lemberger
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The fruit for this wine comes from 40-year-old vines. It kicks off with fruit-forward aromas of boysenberry, blueberry and plum. The palate is soft, bringing a compelling sense of purity to the blue fruit flavors. Reminiscent of a blue-fruited Syrah, it’s thoroughly delightful and a big-time value to boot. Sean P. Sullivan
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All tastings reported in the Buying Guide are performed blind. Typically, products are tasted in peer-group flights of from 5-8 samples. Reviewers may know general information about a flight to provide contextvintage, variety or appellationbut never the producer or retail price of any given selection. When possible, products considered flawed or uncustomary are retasted.
Ratings reflect what our editors felt about a particular product. Beyond the rating, we encourage you to read the accompanying tasting note to learn about a products special characteristics.
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No Worries About Name
Three generations of Lemberger champions at Kiona Vineyards & Winery on Washingtons Red Mountain. In the middle is John Williams, with his son Scott on his left and grandson JJ on his right. JJ lost one of his eyes to a childhood cancer.
The idea that the name Lemberger hurts sales does not fly with Williams. He maintains thats mostly an issue with wine marketers and winery owners. He does think that trying to change Lembergers name to Blue Franc has hurt the grape.
Imagine if Cabernet Sauvignon went by five different names, he said. That would be a hard sell, too. Instead, the Williams family has stuck with Lemberger since that first wine was released in 1982. And that, it seems, is what has cracked the code for Kiona and has fulfilled the promise that Clore saw in the grape.
Weve been able to hold onto an obscure grape and make it our own, he said. Weve called it Lemberger for more than three decades. Were one of the few who have called it Lemberger for any length of time.
Maintaining consistent quality has certainly helped solidify Kionas reputation with Lemberger thanks in no small part to its famous ability to handle the occasional bad winter in Washingtons Columbia Valley.
If were going to have a 20-year freeze there, lets plant Lemberger, he said. Historically, it gets very cold in that area. The cold spells weve had have prompted us to grow more Lemberger. Its more valuable than sagebrush.
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About Andy Perdue
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Where The Heart Is
Our vineyard Philosophy
This is my dad. We get to see each other at work every day. Its more than a job to us its a way of life. We view Kiona as a lifestyle, not a money-making machine. We want Kiona Vineyards and Winery to be around in 100 years, which means making decisions with an eye towards longevity rather than short-term profits. Ultimately this allows us to focus on what matters to us: farming, family, and making amazing wine.
Four Kiona generations: Ann Williams holds her great grandson
Its not a Kiona Party until the graduated cylinders come out
Is Riesling An Ice Wine
As the grapes are left on the vine in the winter, the water in the grapes will freeze, eventually. The grapes are quickly picked and pressed, so that the juice is high in sugar, which is then used to make wine, which is luscious and sweet when consumed. Ice wine is primarily made from Riesling and Vidal Blanc grapes.
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How Much Is A Bottle Of Ice Wine
The result is that you can freeze grapes other than naturally on the vine, but you cant call it Ice Wine. Unfortunately, producers were able to disguise the fact that the wine was frozen. The price of such wines will not be near the price of a true Ice Wine, which can range from $50 to $150 for 375 ml of wine.
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Kiona Winery Started On The Red Mountain In 1972
The history of Kiona winery began when John Williams bought land on the Red Mountain in 1972 and planted the first vineyards here in 1975. The Red Mountain has been the home of the winery for forty years, and three generations of the winery have worked in the family business. Now, the Red Mountain is considered one of the best grape-growing region in the World. There is no outside investment involved, and the family is responsible for everything. Their mission is to grow premium grapes that help in making the best, delicious wines that show the quality and character of their gifted terroir. Their employees share their ideas and aims, and a lot of care is taken of the land where they work. All this is done to make sure the winery keeps going for as long as possible in the future.
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Wineries Buy Their Grapes
The vineyards are where the real work is done. Almost all the process takes place by hand, and each vine is individually looked after. They hold an excellent brand value and reputation because of which more than 50 wineries in the Pacific Northwest buy their grapes for their wines. The main grape varietals that grow in their estate are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot, Carmenère, Lemberger, Sangiovese, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Petite Sirah, Zinfandel, Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Roussanne, Viognier and Chardonnay. These grapes go into the production of their exquisite red, white, rose, and dessert wines. All their products, from the harvest of grapes to the bottled wine, shows their immense quality and hard work.
How Much Does Ice Wine Cost
The result is that you can freeze grapes other than naturally on the vine, but you cant call it Ice Wine. Unfortunately, producers were able to disguise the fact that the wine was frozen. The price of such wines will not be near the price of a true Ice Wine, which can range from $50 to $150 for 375 ml of wine.
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Kiona Vineyards: Red Mountain Legacy
For nearly half a century, Kiona Vineyards on Red Mountain has been farmed by grower Scott Williams and his family, whose wine grapes are a prized commodity and used by 60-plus wineries
I DIDNT START out to be a visionary. I started out to just survive and support my family, admits Scott Williams of Kiona Vineyards with true modesty. The 60-year-old winegrape grower has left behind a wake of sweat and family values on the vineyard-studded slopes of the Red Mountain AVA where he and his family have been carving a groundbreaking path since the mid-1970s. After a lifetime spent with his shoulder to the proverbial wheel, the results are paying off.
Over the years we could have sold a number of times and probably been financially better off than I am now, says Williams. Kiona Vineyards holdings include 270 acres of plantings in the AVA, on some of the most sought-after terroir in the country. But cashing out was never an option for Scott and his wife Vickythey had a different vision, one that included a sustainable and stable future. Today both of their grown sons, JJ and Tyler, are essential to running the third-generation family business that was started from scratch nearly a half century ago by Scotts father, the legendary John Williams .
Both Grower & Winemaker
History With The Land
