Varietals & Wines

At Keint-he Winery & Vineyards our focus is largely on well-crafted premium pinot noir. So it goes without saying that the bulk of our vines are yielding pinot grapes. With that being said, variety in varietals is never a bad thing. We also produce Pinot Meunier, St. Laurent, Chardonnay and Sparkling wine.

In 2008 unique climate conditions resulted in many of our grapes becoming Botrytis affected. The result was the highly coveted, Noble Rot wine.

Pineaux Sauvage – Wine Fit For a King

Usually, grape growers do everything in their power to avoid getting mould on their fruit. So, you might be surprised to learn that in select wine regions, a type of mould known as Botrytis cinerea, when fortuitously paired with damp, misty mornings and warm, dry afternoons, yields a wine with beautifully concentrated sugars and acids. The result: a sweet mixture of flavours including dried apricot, orange marmalade, Earl Grey tea, and a trifle of truffle. Known to wine aficionados as “Noble Rot,” this phenomenon is rare and doesn’t happen every year. Once thought to occur only in Bordeaux and parts of Hungary and Germany, it can now be found at Keint-he Winery & Vineyards in Prince Edward County. An excellent match for fois gras, fine nuts and some rare cheeses, this nectar is sure to impress. Taste for yourself what a touch of mould can do by sampling some of our Noble Rot in 2010.

Pinot Noir

The Keint-he Pinot Noir for 2007 was harvested from our Little Creek Vineyard, and was raised in oak barrels through elevage. The planting in this vineyard is among the highest density plantings in North America, with 3630 vines per acre … or about three times the density of most North American vineyards. It was organically tended in the field and the fermentation resulted from native yeast in the vineyard. Decanting two or three hours before serving is recommended. Additionally, the wine is unfined and unfiltered and does best when the bottle is stood upright for an hour or two prior to pouring. A perfect compliment for either duck or lamb. … it also scored a 92 when David Lawrason reviewed it for, Toronto Life.

Pinot Meunier

Pinot Meunier has been around since the 16th century and its origins are traced back to northern France’s Champagne region. To this day it is one of the most populous varieties grown in Champagne. It gets its name, (which means “miller” in French) from the underside of its leaves, which look like they’ve been coated with flour. Pinot Meunier is often blended with Chardonnay or Pinot Noir when making sparkling wines. On its own, Pinot Meunier is a dry, fruity wine with a slightly bitter taste. Its colour is light red or rose, and this crisp wine has an acidic tone with a slight smokiness. It is a medium-bodied wine with a strong aroma of alcohol. The Keint-he Pinot Meunier was aged in French oak for 18 months. A wonderful match for duck and other game fowl. As with all of our wines, the Pinot Meunier is unfined and unfiltered and does best when the bottle is stood upright an hour or two prior to pouring. … Pinot Meunier still wines are rare and a welcome treat.

Hillier Blanc

The 2008 Hillier Blanc is a blend of 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir. This wine was bottled directly from a new 110 litre Hungarian oak barrel without fining or filtering. Golden – coloured, opulent and loaded with caramel and spicy oak aromas. There will be a slight deposit of lees on the side of the bottle when stored on its side. Stand the bottle upright an hour or more before opening. After opening, decant the bottle for service to maintain the bright clarity, and prevent any lees or small sediment particles from rising into the wine. Creamy & buttery, this is a white wine that you can really sink your teeth into. … it scored a 90 in, The County Grapevine.

Wine Pricing & Availability:

Saint Laurent / 2007 – $42 – SOLD OUT

Pinot Noir- Little Creek / 2007 – $ 45

Pinot Noir- Foxtail / 2009 – $ 35

Pinot Meunier- Foxtail /2009 – $30

Pineaux Sauvage (Botrytis affected Pinot Noir – 375ml) / 2008 – $55

Blanc de Noir (White wine from black grapes) / 2009 – $35 — SOLD OUT

Hillier Blanc (60% Chard & 40% Pinot Gris) / 2009 – $50 – SOLD OUT

New Releases:

Chardonnay / 2009 – $20 (coming soon)

Pinot² / 2009 – $25 (coming soon)

Little Creek – Closson Pinot Noir / 2009 – $37 (coming soon)

Little Creek – Benway Pinot Noir / 2009 – $39 (coming soon)

Wine is one of the most civilized things in the world and one of the most

natural things of the world that has been brought to the greatest perfection,

possibly, any other purely sensory thing.

Ernest Hemingway , Death in the Afternoon