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Andrew Chalk: Lunch (And Wine) With Tor Kenward

Over 35 years ago, Tor Kenward was a young man besotted with the idea of making wine. He headed out to California’s Napa Valley which was then an emerging wine area with, gasp, over 50 wineries (there are now several hundred)! He took a marketing job at Beringer stayed on that side of the business for 27 years.  Only with his retirement in 2001 did he return to his original goal of making wine. The compensation at Beringer was unusual. In Tor’s case part of his pay included being able make one barrel of his own wine each year. They even let him pick the barrel he would like to age it in.

He and his wife started Tor Kenward Family Wines  with the goal of a small production based on superior vineyards of Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. Tor built on his 27-year relationship at Beringer to get contracts with growers who farmed the best vineyards (Tor owns no vineyards). His employee benefits at Beringer had already taught him who made the best barrels for each grape. Working with Beringer winemaking legend Ed Sbragia had taught him a lot of winemaking technique. After a few years he branched out to include Rhone grape varieties in his lineup. Recently, he came to Dallas and served some of his wines.

Jump for wine!These wines are available locally at Sigel’s.

2007 Rock Grenache “Judge Family Vineyards”, Bennett Valley, Sonoma County, CA. Spicy nose characteristic of Grenache. Flavors of roast meat and dark fruit. All Tor Rhone varietals come with a white label and the name ‘Rock’ in place of Tor. Rock is the English translation of the Gaelic ‘Tor’. National retail approx. $40.

2006 Rock Syrah “Judge Family Vineyards”, Bennett Valley, Sonoma County, CA. Soft, aromatic and luscious. The winery’s web site describes the laborious hand selection process involved in making this wine. National retail approx. $50.

2007 Tor “Cuvee Susan”, Howell Mountain/Carneros, Napa Valley, CA. A curious blend of 74% Cabernet Sauvignon from Howell Mountain (Cimarossa Vineyard) and 26% Syrah from the Napa part of Carneros (Hudson Vineyard). The result is an unusual taste that might be described as an unusually soft Cabernet Sauvignon. It has the cedar and boysenberry flavors of a Cabernet but the velvet smoothness of a Syrah. Ready to drink (with red meat dishes) but will keep 5 years if you want. My favorite wine in this tasting. Note that it cannot be called a Cabernet Sauvignon or a Syrah on the label as it is not comprised of at least 75% of either grape. It is destined to be known simply as “Red Table Wine”. National retail approx. $53.

2006 Tor Cabernet Sauvignon, “Mast Vineyard”, Yountville, Napa Valley, CA. The character of this wine is very elegant and subtle. Complex red fruit flavors and chocolate are in the aroma and bouquet. Red fruit in the mouth. National retail approx. $84.

2007 Tor Cabernet Sauvignon, “Cimarossa Vineyard”, Howell Mountain, Napa Valley, CA. Complex and inviting nose of chocolate, oak and cedar. Blueberry and cedar flavors in the mouth. This wine was aged 22 months in French oak and then bottled unfiltered and unfined. National retail approx. $84.

Our tasting was in the noisy environment of a restaurant doing a thriving lunch trade. As a consequence, I could not shoot a video.