Wine of the Month: Wild Riverbank Grape Wine
Photos by Josiah Kopp Kesselring Vineyards, 2018 Kesselring Vineyards is the only Riverbank Grape (Vitis Riparia) Vineyard in the U.S. Owner Jason Kesselring and his team grow grapes native to the Sheyenne Valley. All of their vines are grown and sourced on their ranch land and the area. “The Riverbank grape is notable for being
Photos by Josiah Kopp
Kesselring Vineyards, 2018
Kesselring Vineyards is the only Riverbank Grape (Vitis Riparia) Vineyard in the U.S. Owner Jason Kesselring and his team grow grapes native to the Sheyenne Valley. All of their vines are grown and sourced on their ranch land and the area.
“The Riverbank grape is notable for being indigenous to the northern and eastern parts of Canada and the U.S.,” Kesselring said. “Many historians believe that Vitis Riparia was the grape variety Leif Erickson and the Vikings found when they discovered America in 1000 A.D.— so impressed that they named the land they discovered ‘Vinland’ meaning ‘Vine-land.’ Big, lush, and fruit-forward in flavor, our Riverbank wine is complex with tastes of plum, fig, black cherry, and even tobacco undertones.”
- Aromas of black fruit, herbal, and floral characteristics.
- medium body with tannic structure and acidity
- sweet finish with undertones of
"I imagine enjoying this dry red with a nice hearty mushroom pasta in the winter."
The Review
Kesselring Vineyards out of Kindred is a local winemaker I was completely unaware of! The bottle itself is something quite impressive. This red wine made from North Dakota wild grapes has a deep purple hue and the nose is bursting with black fruit, herbal and floral characteristics. On the palate, I tasted bright red fruits like cherry and cranberry, as well as darker fruit notes of blueberry and blackcurrant. There are also some herbaceous and floral components to this red. I get hints of forest floor, dried herbs, and roses. This wine has a medium body, tannic structure, and acidity which makes this a great wine to pair with a variety of foods. For cheeses, I would recommend Gouda, Havarti, Gruyere, Manchego, or Brie. Cheddar may also complement this nicely if it isn’t too sharp. I imagine enjoying this dry red with BBQ ribs or pulled pork in the summertime and a nice hearty mushroom pasta in the winter. A lovely expression of wine made from wild North Dakota grapes!
Cellar 624
624 Main Ave
Suite 4B, Fargo, ND
cellar624.com
Kesselring Vineyards
5720 160th Ave SE
Kindred, ND
kesselringvineyards.com
Instagram | @kesselringvineyards
Facebook | /kesselringvineyards
Published May 29, 2024
