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Fine Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from
two vineyards in the heart of the Ottawa Valley.

Astonishing, original. From earth to vine to wine,
KIN Vineyards is committed to crafting brilliant wines
from our remarkable terroir.

As stewards of 100 acres of land (16 under vine), and as practitioners of truly sustainable viticulture, our pursuit of winemaking perfection begins with the soil.

KIN Vineyards tends two vineyards nestled along the Carp Ridge, adjoined by the Carp River, and resting upon the grey limestone of the Ottawa Formation. Each vineyard supports a distinct terroir, a unique personality, and a tremendous potential for remarkable wine.

CARP
BLOCK

The Carp block, sloping south and west, overlooks the Valley at its pastoral best. The vineyard is bisected by the Hazeldean Fault showing glacial till over limestone on the upper slope and clay loam over limestone on the lower slope.

KINBURN
BLOCK

The Kinburn block, resting between the Ridge and the River, shows a darker clay loam from the historical Champlain Seabed over the limestone Formation below.

Pinot Noir and Chardonnay: the Carp block is devoted to this Burgundian ideal. The diverse Kinburn block includes Dijon clones of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and includes plantings of Muscat Ottonel, Vidal Blanc, Marechal Foch, Marquette and Frontenac.

The KINfolk have a unique agrarian sensibility to winegrowing using sustainable farming practices. Our tender vinifera vines are gently and painstakingly buried under earth each fall. Nothing is easy about our viticultural methods.

We offer four distinct tiers of wine influenced by the varietals and by the method of winemaking.

  • The Frontenacs

    In 2016, KIN Vineyards was featured by Wines of Canada as the dark horse winery to watch. We took that as a challenge and responded by creating The Frontenacs, grown on our Kinburn Block. Limited quantities: these wines will sell out fast.
    Dark Horse Light Horse

    Light Horse is SOLD OUT until Spring 2019

  • Understory Marechal Foch & Vidal Blanc

    Our Marechal Foch and Vidal Blanc are signature varieties of our Kinburn Block and reveal layers of personality. Foch and Vidal: Unearth the Story. VQA.
    MARECHAL FOCH VIDAL BLANC

    Vidal Blanc is currently SOLD OUT

  • Civil Grit Chardonnay and Gamay

    KIN Vineyards’ unoaked Chardonnay is crafted in stainless steel: it is clean yet achieves a mid-palette complexity from periodic battonage on the lees. It is Civil but it’s got Grit. We think you’ll love it. VQA.
    CHARDONNAY Gamay

  • KIN Vineyards – Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, & Rose

    KIN Vineyards’ flagship wines transcend the norm. These are beautiful wines made in the vineyard: hand-picked, hand-sorted, barrel fermented, and (for the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay) aged in the finest French oak barrels. Our Pinot Noir Rose is aged in stainless and is fresh and elegant. VQA
    CHARDONNAY PINOT NOIR PINOT NOIR ROSÉ

    Rose is SOLD OUT until Spring 2019

  • Cider House Fools Dry Cider - NEW RELEASE JUNE 2018

    We took hand-picked Winesap, Honey Crisp, and McIntosh apples from Harvest Moon Orchard down the road and used our Fall Staff to make a Shakespearean New World dry cider. Rules are for fools: we know a hawk from a handsaw.
    READ MORE

    Cider House Fools is currently SOLD OUT

  • KINdling Sparkling Vidal Blanc

    The first sparkling wine from KIN Vineyards. Fresh aromas of lemon and yellow plum make this vivacious wine perfect for both sipping and celebrating. VQA
    KINDling Vidal
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2017 Dark Horse - Frontenac Noir

  • Vintage: 2017
  • Variety: Frontenac Noir 61%, Marquette 39%
  • Region: 100% Kinburn
  • Harvest Date:
  • Wine Style: Dry, Oak Fermentation/Ageing
  • Residual Sugar: 3 g/L
  • Alcohol: 12%
  • pH: 3.56
  • TA: 9.5 g/L
  • Ageing: < 5 Years

Winemaking

This wine is made from Frontenac Noir and Marquette grapes from our Kinburn block. After hand picking, gentle crushing and destemming, the primary fermentation on oak, with cultured yeast, took a total of 10 days before gentle pressing and an extended malolactic conversion over 2 months. The wine was then oak aged for a further 3 months prior to course filtration and bottling without fining. Do not chill to avoid natural sediment formation.

Tasting Notes

This wine is deep purple in colour. The nose shows dark fruit, blackberry, black cherry, earth, chocolate and roasted coffee. The palette is dense yet the balance of acidity, fruit, alcohol and tannin makes this an unctuous experience. Persistent finish. Enjoy young.

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2017 Light Horse - Frontenac Blanc

  • Vintage: 2017
  • Variety: Frontenac Blanc
  • Region: 100% Kinburn
  • Harvest Date:
  • Wine Style:
  • Residual Sugar:
  • Alcohol:
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  • TA:
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Winemaking

This wine is made from Frontenac Blanc grapes, hand-picked from our Kinburn block.

Tasting Notes

notes coming soon

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2017 Understory - Marechal Foch (VQA) JUST RELEASED

  • Vintage: 2017
  • Variety: Marechal Foch
  • Region:Kinburn and Ontario
  • Harvest Date: September 20, 2017
  • Wine Style: Dry, Oak Fermentation/Ageing
  • Residual Sugar: 1.6 g/L
  • Alcohol: 12.5%
  • pH: 3.5
  • TA: 8.9 g/L
  • Ageing: <5 Years

Winemaking

This wine is made from grapes sourced from Niagara-on-the-Lake. Following early morning harvest, crushing and destemming, this wine fermented with cultured yeast for 15 days on skins and oak prior to gentle small basket pressing, settling and racking for oak ageing over a period of six months. Complete malolactic conversion. Course filtration at bottling. Do not chill to help avoid natural sediment formation.

Tasting Notes

This wine is light purple in colour. Dry and youthful with bright acidity, this wine has a nose of cherry, blackberry, dark chocolate, roasted coffee and vanilla. Fresh acidity and persistent smoky finish make this a wine that can be enjoyed young but can develop with short term ageing.

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2016 Understory - Vidal Blanc (VQA)

  • Vintage: 2016
  • Variety: Vidal Blanc
  • Region: Kinburn and Ontario
  • Harvest Date: October 17, 2016 (both Kinburn and Niagara)
  • Wine Style: Off-Dry, Stainless Steel Fermentation/Ageing
  • Residual Sugar: 14 g/L
  • Alcohol: 10.2%
  • pH: 2.92
  • TA: 11 g/L
  • Ageing: Enjoy Young

Winemaking

The grapes from the Kinburn block were hand-picked, crushed and destemmed with 24 hour skin soak prior to gentle, small-basket pressing, cool settling and racking to stainless steel tanks. The Niagara grapes were picked and gently pressed, cool-settled and racked to stainless steel tanks for fermentation. Both parcels were kept separate for fermentation with the same cultured yeast. Following primary fermentation, both lots were blocked from malolactic conversion, racked off lees, blended together, bentonite fined and cold stabilized prior to a further 3 months of ageing in tank before sterile filtration and bottling.

Tasting Notes

This wine is medium lemon in colour. Off-dry, and youthful. There are delicate aromas of flowers, yellow plum, apple and wet stone. The vibrant acidity and lingering sweetness leads to a balanced and cleansing finish. A great wine for summer sipping. Enjoy young.

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2016 Civil Grit - Unoaked Chardonnay (VQA)

  • Vintage: 2016
  • Variety: Chardonnay
  • Region: Ontario
  • Harvest Date: October 9, 2016
  • Wine Style: Dry, Stainless Steel Fermentation/Aging
  • Residual Sugar: 1.5 g/L
  • Alcohol: 13.5%
  • pH: 3.38
  • TA: 7.1 g/L
  • Ageing: >5 Years

Winemaking

The Chardonnay grape for this wine were optically sorted, gently pressed, cold settled and racked prior to stainless steel fermentation with cultured yeast over a period of 3 weeks. No malolactic conversion. A period of 5 months aging on lees followed with periodic battonage. Bottling followed cold stabilization, bentonite fining and sterile filtration. Enjoy young but has some cellar potential.

Tasting Notes

This wine is medium lemon in colour. Dry and youthful, this wine is fruit forward, revealing apple and pear with a nuance of fennel seed and is framed by a mid-palette richness achieved with lees aging and periodic battonage. The finish is warm, round and persistent.

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2017 Civil Grit Gamay VQA

  • Vintage: 2017
  • Variety: Gamay
  • Region: Blend of two Ontario Vineyards (78%/22%)
  • Harvest Date: October 10, 2017 (22%), October 24, 2017 (78%)
  • Wine Style: Dry, Oak Aged
  • Residual Sugar: 1.4 g/L
  • Alcohol: 12%
  • pH: 3.64
  • TA: 6.3 g/L
  • Ageing: Enjoy Young
  • Case Production: 313

Winemaking

The grapes from each vineyard were destemmed and crushed to fermentation tanks for total maceration time of 8-13 days prior to gentle pressing and racking for nine months of oak ageing prior to bottling. Full malolactic conversion. Only course filtration prior to hand bottling.

Tasting Notes

This wine is pale garnet in colour. Dry and youthful. There are delicate aromas of red raspberry, subtle smoked and herbal undertones, allowing this wine to pair particularly well with food. The vibrant acidity and supple tannin structure frame the fruit and present a balances and cleansing finish. Enjoy young.

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2016 KIN Vineyards – Chardonnay (VQA)

  • Vintage: 2016
  • Variety: Chardonnay
  • Region: Ontario
  • Harvest Date: September 17 (Carp) October 16 (Niagara)
  • Wine Style: Dry, Oak Fermentation/Ageing
  • Residual Sugar: 0.0 g/L
  • Alcohol: 13.8%
  • pH: 3.5
  • TA: 5.9 g/L
  • Ageing: < 10 Years

Winemaking

This wine is comprised of grapes picked from two regions... Beamsville Bench of Niagara, and KIN Vineyards in Carp, ON. The earlier picked KIN Vineyards' lot was destemmed and crushed before gentle pressing, settling and fermentation. The Beamsville Bench grapes were picked later, whole cluster pressed and settled before settling and fermentation in a combination of stainless steel and oak barrels. Cultured yeast, isolated from Burgundy, was used on both lots.
The composition of the blend is 43% fermented in stainless steel barrels to preserve a purity of fruit, 28.5% fermented in new French barriques and 28.5% fermented in older French oak barrels with weekly battonage to promote rich mouthfeel and persistence. Partial malolactic fermentation was allowed so as to maintain fresh acidity and ageworthiness.
The wine was lightly bentonite fined and sterile filtered to bottle.

Tasting Notes

A wine of elegant balance. Poached pear, subtle vanilla, and toasted hazelnut present a creamy, rich palette complimented by a backbone of acidity and freshness and an impressively long finish.

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2017 KIN Vineyards Pinot Noir (VQA)

  • Vintage: 2016
  • Variety: Pinot Noir (777,115, 667 Dijon Clones)
  • Region: Ontario
  • Harvest Date: Sept. 27, 2016 (Carp); Oct. 13 (Niagara)
  • Wine Style: Dry, Oak Fermentation/Ageing
  • Residual Sugar: 2.0 g/L
  • Alcohol: 12%
  • pH: 3.46
  • TA: 6.0 g/L
  • Ageing: < 5 Years

Winemaking

The grapes were hand picked and sorted prior to gentle crushing and destemming to fermentation tanks. Total maceration time was 15 days prior to pressing, settling and racking to a combination of new (20%) and previously filled (80%) French oak barrels for nine months aging. The barrelled wine was then blended, unfined and only coarsely filtered before hand bottling.

Tasting Notes

This wine is medium garnet in colour. The nose presents a perfume of cherry, autumn forest, rose florality and subtle oak spice. The palette shows the same cherry fruit with a freshness and complexity that carries into a long finish.

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2017 KIN Vineyards - Pinot Noir Rose (VQA) JUST RELEASED

  • Vintage: 2017
  • Variety: Pinot Noir
  • Region: Ontario
  • Harvest Date:
  • Wine Style:
  • Residual Sugar:
  • Alcohol:
  • pH:
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  • Ageing:

Winemaking

Tasting Notes

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2017 Cider House Fools - Dry Cider

  • Vintage: 2017
  • Variety:
  • Region: Carp, Harvest Moon Orchards, Carp, ON
  • Harvest Date:
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  • Residual Sugar:
  • Alcohol:
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  • Ageing:

Cider Process

Tasting Notes

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KINdling Sparkling Vidal 2017 VQA

  • Vintage: 2017
  • Variety: Vidal Blanc
  • Region:Blend of Beamsville Bench, Niagara and Kinburn Vineyard
  • Harvest Date:October 26, 2017 (Kinburn), November 1, 2017 (Niagara)
  • Wine Style: Off-dry, Stainless Steel Fermentation/Ageing
  • Residual Sugar: 12.4 g/L
  • Alcohol: 12%
  • TA: 11 g/L
  • Ageing: Enjoy Young

Winemaking

The grapes from the Kinburn block were hand-picked, crushed and destemmed prior to gentle, small-basket pressing, cool settling and racking to stainless steel tanks for fermentation with cultured yeast. The Niagara grapes were picked and gently pressed, cool-settled and racked to stainless steel tanks for fermentation in Charmat tanks with cultured yeast. Following primary fermentation, both lots were blocked from malolactic conversion, racked off the lees, blended together, bentonite fined and cold stabilized prior to sterile bottling under pressure, to sparkling bottles and cork closure.

Tasting Notes

This wine is light lemon in colour. Off-dry and youthful with pronounced yet fine and sustained mousse. There are delicate aromas of lemon rind, yellow plum and wet stone. The vibrant acidity and balanced sweetness produces a bright, vivacious wine with an elegant and cleansing finish.

in is family.
It is community.
It is connectivity.

And, for us, it is finding our stride in the pleasure of hard work. In dirt and grapeskin we find a purposeful agency with the land. The hard, agrarian road resonates.

Brian Hamilton

Winemaker

Brian brings a wealth of international winemaking expertise to the Ottawa region. Having made his mark at high end wineries in New Zealand, California, and Niagara, Brian is now head winemaker at KIN Vineyards. Brian's approach to winemaking fits hand-in-glove with KIN Vineyards' goal to produce the finest wines in a way sympathetic to the land.

Christopher Van Barr

Proprietor

Chris is a hands-on owner and farmer who believes that the most interesting and elegant wines come from the edge where skill and hard work can create something magical.

Alan Krueger

Viticulturist

In the summer of 2014 after the planting of 12,000 Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vines on the Carp site, Alan made the move from full time teacher to full time vineyard manager. Alan will argue that viticultural practices are as equally important as winemaking when creating brilliant still wines. Alan is of course most happy when he has an attentive crew in the vineyard or an enthusiastic group of visitors for a tasting and tour event.

A Note About Our Winery Consultant

Peter Gamble

Winery Consultant

As the former director of Vintners Quality Alliance, and consultant to several top tier wineries across Canada, Peter offers an amazing wealth of knowledge which reveals itself throughout KIN Vineyards' strategy and presence.

We want to be Your Vineyard & Winery in the Ottawa Valley. Giving back is a critical component to our belief in community growth and sustainability.

KIN Vineyards is an Ottawa Valley experience that happens to include a vineyard.

Upcoming

Events

  • Lansdowne Farmer's Market

    Sundays 10:00am - 3:00pm; Aberdeen Pavillion, Lansdowne Park

    Find your favourite KIN Vineyards wines at the Lansdowne Farmer's Market every Sunday

  • Valentine's Day Dinner with Tasha's Table

    Friday February 15, 7:00pm; KIN Vineyards Tasting Room

    Valentine's Day four course dinner featuring small plates from Chef Natasha LeBlanc paired with KIN Vineyards wines. (Postponed from Wednesday February 13th due to weather concerns)

  • Black Tartan Supper Club

    Wednesday February 27th, 7:00pm; Black Tartan Kitchen, Carleton Place

    First of their monthly dinner series, featuring KIN Vineyards winemaker Brian Hamilton. Please contact Black Tartan Kitchen for tickets and details. www.blacktartankitchen.com

Notes

From the Vineyard

Record Snowfall and Cold Temperatures

But the vines are warm and cozy!

It's been a long cold winter already but our vines are safe and sound under the soil and a (thicker than anticipated) layer of snow. They'll be nice and warm for the rest of the winter until the temperatures rise and uncover them for another season of grape growing.

Try our wines at these excellent Ottawa restaurants: Atelier, Black Tartan, Clover, Cheshire Cat Pub, DiVino Wine Studio, Heirloom, Fairouz, Lexington Smokehouse, Prohibiton House, Ridge Rock Brewing Company, Stofa, Sutherland, Supply & Demand, and The Albion Rooms

JOIN THE KINship

Tasting Room

2225 Craig's Side Road
Carp, ON, K0A 1L0

Tasting Room Hours

Winter: By appointment. Please feel free to call ahead.

Contact
info@kinvineyards.com

Tasting Room: 613.519.1621 [Special Events: 613.407.6171]

© 2019 KIN Vineyards. All Rights Reserved