Kale Kick Ranch Vineyard Red Blend 2015
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Wilfred
Wong
Product Details
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Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Dark violet color. The concentration this year is over-the-top. The crop was so light, that we achieved serious ripeness reflected in the aromas and mouthfeel. Intense smooth, cocoa tannins linger in the finish with tanned leather and tobacco leaf.
Blend: 55% Syrah, 45% Grenache
Professional Ratings
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2015 Kale Kick Ranch Vineyard Home Run Cuvée is a delicious and fragrant red wine with a firm and layered palate texture. TASTING NOTES: This wine shows up with aromas and flavors of dried herbs, black fruit, and oak. Enjoy with an old-fashioned pot roast. (Tasted: May 26, 2021, San Francisco, CA)
Kale Wines is an Asian American owned winery with an Asian American winemaker, Kale Anderson. Both Kale and his wife Ranko come from multiracial backgrounds. Kale is half Filipino and half white and Ranko is half Japanese, a quarter Filipino and a quarter Polish. Although Kale has always wanted to be acknowledged for his wines and winemaking, regardless of age, race or ethnicity, while Kale was Director of Winemaking at Pahlmeyer, he became one of the youngest winemakers to receive a 100 point score from Wine Advocate. He is also one of the only Asian American winemakers in the world to accomplish this feat.
Kale's name is actually Kalè, but born and raised in Northern California he has always gone by Kale. Kale's great grandparents were some of the first Filipino Americans to settle in the Central Valley, own land and farm. Ranko's grandparents met in the Japanese internment camps during WWII. Although Kale and Ranko's story is not the norm for a small, family owned winery, they celebrate diversity everyday by sharing their passion for Rhône inspired wines in the Napa Valley.
With bold fruit flavors and accents of sweet spice, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre form the base of the classic Rhône Red Blend, while Carignan, Cinsault and Counoise often come in to play. Though they originated from France’s southern Rhône Valley, with some creative interpretation, Rhône blends have also become popular in other countries. Somm Secret—Putting their own local spin on the Rhône Red Blend, those from Priorat often include Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. In California, it is not uncommon to see Petite Sirah make an appearance.
