Cellar Profile
Konstantin Frank arrived in New York from Ukraine in 1951. A PhD holder in viticulture and doctor of plant sciences, Frank was the first to experiment with vitis vinifera in the state, where plantings had been confined to vitis labrusca and Concord varieties. Situated at the heart of the Finger Lakes region, on the southwestern hills surrounding Keuka Lake, the winery has a collection of old vine plantings that few others in North America can rival. The work is done in the vineyard, with a very deft touch by the winery, focusing on food-worthy, lively wines of elegance and depth, wines that keep the palate fresh, inviting another sip. Grapes are sourced primarily from the original estate Keuka Lake vineyards, where shale soils provide minerality and acidity, but also from Seneca Lake vineyards, which are warmer, imparting more weight and upfront fruit.
Region
The Finger Lakes region of New York State is an exciting, emerging area for cool climate wines of freshness and elegance. Despite its relative anonymity, it is a region that has been around for some time. Less than a 5 hour drive from both Toronto and New York City, this bucolic area is now home to over 160 wineries. Grapes here range from the obscure (Rkatsiteli) to the familiar (Riesling) and plenty in between. Regardless of the variety, the wines all exhibit Old World freshness, bright flavours and elegant structures that are perfect accompaniments to a wide variety of foods and festivities.
Vineyard
100% Blaufranksich from Seneca Estate Vineyards which were planted in 2014 in Hector, New York in an area of the Finger Lakes known as the ‘Banana Belt’. This plot of land is uniquely positioned near the deepest parts of Seneca Lake (the depths reach 680 feet), which presents a warmer mesoclimate over the growing season than on Keuka Lake. The resulting wines show riper fruit aromas and flavours. Soils on Seneca are characterized by deep honeoye silt loam.
Winemaking
Hand-harvested grapes are de-stemmed, macerated and pressed into stainless steel for traditional fermentation using selected yeasts. After fermentation is complete, the wine is transferred into a combination of 20% new and 80% seasoned French oak for malolactic fermentation and aging on its lees for 18 months.
Varieties
Blaufränkisch wines are intensely-coloured, medium-bodied reds with brooding, black-fruit flavours and a hint of peppery spice. In the vineyard, these grapes bud early, ripen late and deliver generous yields. Thought to have originated in Austria, this cold-hardy vine is well suited to cool and temperate climates, though it needs enough warmth to properly ripen and develop flavours. It is currently planted widely in Central Europe. but has seen an increase in New World plantings.
Tasting Notes
Scents of fresh plums, red berries and vivid violet. The wine evolves from its bright and fruity core to a spicy richness on the palate. Juicy and tense, the red fruits mend with a touch of earthiness and cedar. Chill to cellar temperature and serve with grilled Italian sausage, German pork hock with crispy skin or Lentils with dumplings.