If you are a baseball fan you probably heard of the Washington National’s Stephen Strasburg. Strasburg won his first two major league starts for the Nationals after being called up from the minors a few days ago. Last week the pitching sensation was asked how his week went. Stephen replied that it felt just like any another week. His response flashed in my mind yesterday when Nancy Bentley of Kinkead Ridge Winery asked how was our 500^th winery visit. It felt like other winery visits. Kinkead Ridge has its uniqueness that we will write about, as do most of the wineries we visit.

Kinkead Ridge’s winemaker and winegrower is Ron Barrett who has a history of winegrowing and winemaking experience in Oregon. Several states were looked at to grow a vineyard and make wine. They chose Ripley, Ohio because it had the best soil for vinefera winegrowing grapes. Nancy and Ron have accomplished much since moving to Ripley. They have proven that vinefera grapes can be grown in this region and make good wines. They also have helped many other winegrowers and winemakers.

Kathy and I have learned much from visiting 500 wineries and vineyards. Our website has over 10,000 monthly visitors, a number that continues to increase. We are now involved at two wineries making wine. We helped to plant an experimental vineyard in Maryland and are tending a row of Petit Manseng. Five hundred winery/vineyard visits was a benchmark, few other have achieved. But there were neither bells and whistles nor sparkling wine, just a unique story of passion for growing grapes and winemaking. Now we are off to 501 and 502.

Cheers,

Terry