Here is what happens harvesting Grenache at 20 brix a mere 96 hours after veraison. Pressed gently to be a completely white wine going into the tank, it was later blended with Cinsaut that was whole cluster pressed into neutral French oak for fermentation. The nose is a fresh raspberry, and wet stone with notes of jasmine, vanilla and mineral. The palate entry is lush red apple, tropical fruits with notes of mint and wet stone. Beautiful stuff. -DW
Luminous and pale pink. A bouquet of white raspberry, jasmine and honeysuckle. Mouthwatering watermelon rind and cucumber refreshes the palate, gaining a light herbal hint. A long, streamlined finish.
Vintage
Drought conditions persisted through the 2016 growing season with many new records set with bud break and early ripening in all our vineyards. The plants continued to accelerate their cycle through harvest with some of the earliest pick dates on record. All our grapes were harvested before the first significant Autumn rain. Set was decent and the dry conditions were perfect for sustainable farming with very little disease pressure. Quality in 2016 is fantastic, and the weather during harvest time was ideal. The heat waves were mild and we had some wide picking windows to strategically plan our stylistic preferences for all wines. An incredible 5th consecutive high quality vintage.
Vineyard
Kick Ranch, owned by Dick Keenan, is a hillside vineyard located in Sonoma County’s newest AVA, Fountaingrove District. The terroir at Kick Ranch is fantastic for Rosé. Its soil is Pleasanton-Haire complex that has been deposited in an alluvial fan surrounding natural runoff from the Mayacama Mountains. Fantastic drainage has forced the plants to dig deep roots, naturally balancing the vines with low yields and concentrated fruit. With a straight shot through the Petaluma wind gap, the cool maritime breezes balance the intense afternoon exposure. This results in dark, ripe fruit with good acidity.
Winemaking
Crafted in a Provence style, the whole cluster pressed Grenache (90%) was harvested 4 days after veraison at 20 Brix. It was harvested early enough, and pressed gently enough to be completely white in color and fermented in two stainless steel tanks. The second piece of the blend is whole cluster pressed Cinsaut (10%) and was barrel fermented in completely neutral French oak barrels. After going completely dry, malolactic fermentation was prevented to preserve freshness and balance the natural acidity.
Specifications
Vintage: 2016
Composition: 90% Grenache, 10% Cinsaut
Vineyard: Kick Ranch Vineyard, Fountaingrove District, Sonoma County
In 2008, Kale Anderson and his wife Ranko set out to create Rhône inspired wines from extraordinary vineyards in Northern California under their own label, Kale Wines. Specializing in small production, handcrafted wines, Kale utilizes new technologies as well as ancient techniques to express the unique vineyards’ most delicious characteristics.
While Director of Winemaking at Pahlmeyer, Kale became one of the youngest winemakers to earn 100 points from Robert M. Parker, Jr. for the 2013 Pahlmeyer Cabernet Sauvignon Pièce De Résistance, the first perfect score awarded to Pahlmeyer in their thirty-year history. After fifteen vintages, Kale began consulting in 2016.
Kale Wines “Kick Ranch Vineyard” Rosé
3 bottles for $49.99 $16.66/bottle + $2.67/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $149.99 $12.50/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
Awfully quite around here… I liked the Kale Kick Ranch Syrah. Hoping someone chimes in for some rattage. I’m tempted yet again as shipping season is nearing!
The mentioned reviews: Wine Enthusiast
90 Points. Light pink-orange in color, this is made from 90% Grenache and 10% Cinsault, fermented in both stainless-steel tank and neutral French oak barrels. Floral, lemony and tart, the flavors are defined in jasmine and raspberry, with a lasting thirst-quench of fresh watermelon. VB 9/1/17
Bright onion skin. A sharply focused, mineral-accented bouquet evokes fresh red berries and citrus fruits, along with suggestions of candied flowers and white pepper. Taut, penetrating and spicy; bitter orange pith and strawberry flavors are braced by a spine of acidity that adds back-end lift and cut. Finishes very long and minerally, leaving suave floral and red fruit notes behind. –JR
this is quoted above, but:
94 points, Purely Domestic Wine Report, Volume 6.1
Here is what happens harvesting Grenache at 20 brix a mere 96 hours after veraison. Pressed gently to be a completely white wine going into the tank, it was later blended with Cinsaut that was whole cluster pressed into neutral French oak for fermentation. The nose is a fresh raspberry, and wet stone with notes of jasmine, vanilla and mineral. The palate entry is lush red apple, tropical fruits with notes of mint and wet stone. Beautiful stuff. -DW
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
2016 Kale Wines “Kick Ranch Vineyard” Rosé - $50 = 24.99%
We received our bottle Thursday afternoon, probably last box that was on the UPS truck, going over Iowa’s rough gravel roads…never saw bottleshock so bad, the top inch (or more) was bubbles, so to give it justice we waited till Friday evening before opening, let it sit on counter til Friday AM then into frig. We also decided to do something different, than what we’ve seen by previous rats… We took the bottle out to a restaurant, several restaurants in the local towns don’t have a liquor license, and allow you to BYOB w/o any cork charge.
We decided to go to a new Itialian one that opened last month. We opened the Kale Rose to see our initial impression, then ordered, I’m including the menu, so you can see the description of the dishes. (Scratch that, unless I can figure out how to add a photo)
My initial thought on smell was a peach or fruit, (however I had a ammonia accident when I was in my 30’s so I have trouble getting all the aromas) Cynthia reported fruit and flowers aromas. On initial taste, we both said it was quite dry, so we then ordered the Chicken Florentini (Chicken breast, artichoke hearts, spinach, sautéed with garlic in wine sauce over pasta.)
And another chicken dish with mushrooms, spinach, garlic in wine cream sauce over pasta. Along with a Garlic/basil/olive oil dipping with bread for appetizer.
BTW, even though the trip was about 20 minutes the bottle hadn’t warmed up to the optimum drinking temp for a rose, but had by the time of the main meal, at which time the wine had open up, much like a red wine would, (surprised us) it complemented the two creamy chicken itialian sauces, very, very well. The appetizer dipping was rather strong, and wine was too delicate of a wine to compete, so we had to wait and cleanse our palette with bread before continuing. As the wine opened (& warmed) up, it continued to get more & more flavorful, more fruit, berries, but couldn’t quite figure out one part of it. I said at the time, I mentioned it as being sharp, the flavors being distinct, then this morning reading the winemakers description, I realized (Cynthia confirmed) that the description was mineral, we liked it, just couldn’t grasp it at the time.
So, in closing…
We like dry and very dry wine, not too much alcohol (believe the bottle said 12.8%, but small print and I’m over 70, so not sure). Didn’t see legs on the glass, but believe that was due to the glass, as I doubt they polish their glasses like I do at home, We both liked it and will give it a thumbs up, and have to check the basement, before ordering to see if I’m out or almost out of Rose, if you also like dry or quite/very dry wine order it, if you like a sweet, semi sweet/dry rose, I doubt if you would like this one.
The Kale Rose was bold enough for the creamy sausces as I mentioned, Cynthia also said this morning she wants another bottle for fish and shrimp dishes, and also for our regular night of just cheese, sausage and cracker night, when we skip a meal for just snacks
Quick review, proper review coming after we finishing crushing:
Lovely little wine, it’s holding up. Watermelon, crisp acidity, nice mouth feel, was quite delicious with pulled pork sandwiches, really cleansed the palate between bites!
Hello, thanks for your interest in Kale Wines! We just celebrated our 10th anniversary producing Provençal inspired Rosè. We grow the Grenache specifically for the Rosè program. We farm the vineyard two clusters per shoot and use the top cluster for Rosè, harvesting just a few days after veraison. Cheers!
Well, it’s me again, winecaseaholic, the labrat, I’ve done my inventory in the basement, and we have about 10-12 bottles left total of three different Rose’, told my wife Cynthia, her reply, “I don’t care order it…”
I would like to emphasize that with it being well on the dry side, this wine will go with just about everything. Think this is 16th case wine David has got me to buy in the last 12 months, should have signed up for the monthly charge in shipping instead of the per case charge…
So I was pleasantly surprised to receive this bottle of wine in the mail, and I had the perfect occasion for it. We were scheduled to spend Saturday morning harvesting grapes for a rose of our own, and had planned a nice lunch for after it of smoked pulled pork sandwiches (before getting down to the messy business of crushing and destemming.) What a lovely addition to our plans, and hopefully to keep us inspired even as we were already tired, sticky, sweaty, and had made the close acquaintance of way too many spiders.
We drank this room temperature, but it didn’t suffer from that at all. My first impression of the wine was how beautiful and surprising the mouthfeel was. Crisp, refreshing, and full of lighter fruit like watermelon - that expected. The roundness and weight wasn’t, and it was an excellent addition to an all around good wine.
Dry and well balanced, it cut through the richness of the pulled pork and even paired nicely with the spicy barbecue sauce (though it wouldn’t be my first choice.)
I have often heard that Roses don’t hold up well as time goes on, but if that is true broadly, it does not seem to be the case here at all.
Tasting Notes
Here is what happens harvesting Grenache at 20 brix a mere 96 hours after veraison. Pressed gently to be a completely white wine going into the tank, it was later blended with Cinsaut that was whole cluster pressed into neutral French oak for fermentation. The nose is a fresh raspberry, and wet stone with notes of jasmine, vanilla and mineral. The palate entry is lush red apple, tropical fruits with notes of mint and wet stone. Beautiful stuff. -DW
Luminous and pale pink. A bouquet of white raspberry, jasmine and honeysuckle. Mouthwatering watermelon rind and cucumber refreshes the palate, gaining a light herbal hint. A long, streamlined finish.
Vintage and Winemaker Notes
91 Points, Vinous
90 Points, Wine Enthusiast
94 Points, Purely Domestic Wine Report, Volume 6.1
Vintage
Drought conditions persisted through the 2016 growing season with many new records set with bud break and early ripening in all our vineyards. The plants continued to accelerate their cycle through harvest with some of the earliest pick dates on record. All our grapes were harvested before the first significant Autumn rain. Set was decent and the dry conditions were perfect for sustainable farming with very little disease pressure. Quality in 2016 is fantastic, and the weather during harvest time was ideal. The heat waves were mild and we had some wide picking windows to strategically plan our stylistic preferences for all wines. An incredible 5th consecutive high quality vintage.
Vineyard
Kick Ranch, owned by Dick Keenan, is a hillside vineyard located in Sonoma County’s newest AVA, Fountaingrove District. The terroir at Kick Ranch is fantastic for Rosé. Its soil is Pleasanton-Haire complex that has been deposited in an alluvial fan surrounding natural runoff from the Mayacama Mountains. Fantastic drainage has forced the plants to dig deep roots, naturally balancing the vines with low yields and concentrated fruit. With a straight shot through the Petaluma wind gap, the cool maritime breezes balance the intense afternoon exposure. This results in dark, ripe fruit with good acidity.
Winemaking
Crafted in a Provence style, the whole cluster pressed Grenache (90%) was harvested 4 days after veraison at 20 Brix. It was harvested early enough, and pressed gently enough to be completely white in color and fermented in two stainless steel tanks. The second piece of the blend is whole cluster pressed Cinsaut (10%) and was barrel fermented in completely neutral French oak barrels. After going completely dry, malolactic fermentation was prevented to preserve freshness and balance the natural acidity.
Specifications
Included In The Box
Price Comparison
Not for sale online, $360/case MSRP
About The Winery
Winery: Kale Wines
Location: Napa, CA
In 2008, Kale Anderson and his wife Ranko set out to create Rhône inspired wines from extraordinary vineyards in Northern California under their own label, Kale Wines. Specializing in small production, handcrafted wines, Kale utilizes new technologies as well as ancient techniques to express the unique vineyards’ most delicious characteristics.
While Director of Winemaking at Pahlmeyer, Kale became one of the youngest winemakers to earn 100 points from Robert M. Parker, Jr. for the 2013 Pahlmeyer Cabernet Sauvignon Pièce De Résistance, the first perfect score awarded to Pahlmeyer in their thirty-year history. After fifteen vintages, Kale began consulting in 2016.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IN, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Oct 21 - Wednesday, Oct 23
Kale Wines “Kick Ranch Vineyard” Rosé
3 bottles for $49.99 $16.66/bottle + $2.67/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $149.99 $12.50/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2016 Kale Wines “Kick Ranch Vineyard” Rosé
Awfully quite around here… I liked the Kale Kick Ranch Syrah. Hoping someone chimes in for some rattage. I’m tempted yet again as shipping season is nearing!
The mentioned reviews: Wine Enthusiast
90 Points. Light pink-orange in color, this is made from 90% Grenache and 10% Cinsault, fermented in both stainless-steel tank and neutral French oak barrels. Floral, lemony and tart, the flavors are defined in jasmine and raspberry, with a lasting thirst-quench of fresh watermelon. VB 9/1/17
https://www.winemag.com/buying-guide/kale-2016-kick-ranch-vineyard-rose
and…91 points, Vinous, June 2017
Bright onion skin. A sharply focused, mineral-accented bouquet evokes fresh red berries and citrus fruits, along with suggestions of candied flowers and white pepper. Taut, penetrating and spicy; bitter orange pith and strawberry flavors are braced by a spine of acidity that adds back-end lift and cut. Finishes very long and minerally, leaving suave floral and red fruit notes behind. –JR
this is quoted above, but:
94 points, Purely Domestic Wine Report, Volume 6.1
Here is what happens harvesting Grenache at 20 brix a mere 96 hours after veraison. Pressed gently to be a completely white wine going into the tank, it was later blended with Cinsaut that was whole cluster pressed into neutral French oak for fermentation. The nose is a fresh raspberry, and wet stone with notes of jasmine, vanilla and mineral. The palate entry is lush red apple, tropical fruits with notes of mint and wet stone. Beautiful stuff. -DW
fwiw
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
2016 Kale Wines “Kick Ranch Vineyard” Rosé - $50 = 24.99%
Any rats? Need rose but hesitant without honest or unbiased reviews
Lab rat report …
We received our bottle Thursday afternoon, probably last box that was on the UPS truck, going over Iowa’s rough gravel roads…never saw bottleshock so bad, the top inch (or more) was bubbles, so to give it justice we waited till Friday evening before opening, let it sit on counter til Friday AM then into frig. We also decided to do something different, than what we’ve seen by previous rats… We took the bottle out to a restaurant, several restaurants in the local towns don’t have a liquor license, and allow you to BYOB w/o any cork charge.
We decided to go to a new Itialian one that opened last month. We opened the Kale Rose to see our initial impression, then ordered, I’m including the menu, so you can see the description of the dishes. (Scratch that, unless I can figure out how to add a photo)
My initial thought on smell was a peach or fruit, (however I had a ammonia accident when I was in my 30’s so I have trouble getting all the aromas) Cynthia reported fruit and flowers aromas. On initial taste, we both said it was quite dry, so we then ordered the Chicken Florentini (Chicken breast, artichoke hearts, spinach, sautéed with garlic in wine sauce over pasta.)
And another chicken dish with mushrooms, spinach, garlic in wine cream sauce over pasta. Along with a Garlic/basil/olive oil dipping with bread for appetizer.
BTW, even though the trip was about 20 minutes the bottle hadn’t warmed up to the optimum drinking temp for a rose, but had by the time of the main meal, at which time the wine had open up, much like a red wine would, (surprised us) it complemented the two creamy chicken itialian sauces, very, very well. The appetizer dipping was rather strong, and wine was too delicate of a wine to compete, so we had to wait and cleanse our palette with bread before continuing. As the wine opened (& warmed) up, it continued to get more & more flavorful, more fruit, berries, but couldn’t quite figure out one part of it. I said at the time, I mentioned it as being sharp, the flavors being distinct, then this morning reading the winemakers description, I realized (Cynthia confirmed) that the description was mineral, we liked it, just couldn’t grasp it at the time.
So, in closing…
We like dry and very dry wine, not too much alcohol (believe the bottle said 12.8%, but small print and I’m over 70, so not sure). Didn’t see legs on the glass, but believe that was due to the glass, as I doubt they polish their glasses like I do at home, We both liked it and will give it a thumbs up, and have to check the basement, before ordering to see if I’m out or almost out of Rose, if you also like dry or quite/very dry wine order it, if you like a sweet, semi sweet/dry rose, I doubt if you would like this one.
The Kale Rose was bold enough for the creamy sausces as I mentioned, Cynthia also said this morning she wants another bottle for fish and shrimp dishes, and also for our regular night of just cheese, sausage and cracker night, when we skip a meal for just snacks
Anybody tell me how to add photos?
@winecaseaholic Thanks for your review!
@winecaseaholic Forget the wine, now I’m hungry.
@winecaseaholic
You figured it out! Thanks for the review and pics, looks tasty.
Quick review, proper review coming after we finishing crushing:
Lovely little wine, it’s holding up. Watermelon, crisp acidity, nice mouth feel, was quite delicious with pulled pork sandwiches, really cleansed the palate between bites!
/giphy uneasy-super-nut
Hello, thanks for your interest in Kale Wines! We just celebrated our 10th anniversary producing Provençal inspired Rosè. We grow the Grenache specifically for the Rosè program. We farm the vineyard two clusters per shoot and use the top cluster for Rosè, harvesting just a few days after veraison. Cheers!
@kalewines Kick Ranch Vineyard - Fountaingrove District AVA
Well, it’s me again, winecaseaholic, the labrat, I’ve done my inventory in the basement, and we have about 10-12 bottles left total of three different Rose’, told my wife Cynthia, her reply, “I don’t care order it…”
I would like to emphasize that with it being well on the dry side, this wine will go with just about everything. Think this is 16th case wine David has got me to buy in the last 12 months, should have signed up for the monthly charge in shipping instead of the per case charge…
@winecaseaholic
Only 16!?
Slacker
@rjquillin @winecaseaholic
Made me look… 4 bottles shy of 20 cases from CM over the past year.
@chipgreen @rjquillin @winecaseaholic why’d y’all make me look?! I mustn’t say anything to wifey regarding the 18 cases just on casemates alone. Heh
@chipgreen @rjquillin
Well you could order the three bottle offering and then only be ONE bottle shy…
@rjquillin @winecaseaholic you get a fair amount of “help” though…
Madison WI/Eastern IA split?
Okay, as promised, here’s the full review.
So I was pleasantly surprised to receive this bottle of wine in the mail, and I had the perfect occasion for it. We were scheduled to spend Saturday morning harvesting grapes for a rose of our own, and had planned a nice lunch for after it of smoked pulled pork sandwiches (before getting down to the messy business of crushing and destemming.) What a lovely addition to our plans, and hopefully to keep us inspired even as we were already tired, sticky, sweaty, and had made the close acquaintance of way too many spiders.
We drank this room temperature, but it didn’t suffer from that at all. My first impression of the wine was how beautiful and surprising the mouthfeel was. Crisp, refreshing, and full of lighter fruit like watermelon - that expected. The roundness and weight wasn’t, and it was an excellent addition to an all around good wine.
Dry and well balanced, it cut through the richness of the pulled pork and even paired nicely with the spicy barbecue sauce (though it wouldn’t be my first choice.)
I have often heard that Roses don’t hold up well as time goes on, but if that is true broadly, it does not seem to be the case here at all.