Winter 2008

Now that the vines have been put to bed for a few months and the heavy lifting associated with harvest is done, our focus has been on coaxing out the character of each of the grapes to produce distinctive wines. Developing the flavor profiles of each individual grapes is one of my favorite parts of the winemaking process. We’ve also installed several large-format ovals that will help to preserve the intensity of the fruit in our complex reds.

Two varietals will be introduced in the next few weeks- our 2006 Syrah and 2006 Riesling. Elk Creek Syrah has rich bramble fruits, hints of raspberry, chocolate, and a pleasing oak complexion that gives way to a warm and full-bodied finish. Pefect for these winter months. The 2006 Riesling is brilliantly straw-colored. Abundant ripe apple, citrus notes and undercurrents of vanillan give it a light sweetness and a clean, crisp finish. When they're bottled, we'll post information here on our website. Or, you can send us an email or call us at 502- 484-0005.We’ll let you know when they’re bottled.

The Kentucky Wineries Association is spearheading efforts to change the law in Kentucky that prohibits grocery stores from selling wine. The law dates back to the days of Prohibition and was last revised in 1944. Changing the law (only in counties that currently sell wine) would give us an opportunity to sell the fruits of our labor to more Kentuckians. The effort has the backing of many large grocers, including Kroger. We hope that with our next newsletter we have some positive news to share with you.

On a seperate but very related note, we recently received four awards at the 2008 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. Held on January 7th, the sixty professional judges representing the trade, education, media, retail and restaurants from throughout the U.S. evaluated over 4,000 wines that were entered by over 1,500 wineries. Our Vidal Blanc garnered a Silver, and the Petite Syrah, Merlot and Blush took home bronze awards. We're pleased that a left coast competition has recognized our efforts!

Ben O’Daniel
Elk Creek Vineyards Winemaker

To see the awards Elk Creek wines have won, Click Here.