Our Philosophy
Our philosophy is simple – that great wine is made from great fruit, which always begins in the vineyard. We source high quality fruit from some of the most unique vineyards in the Finger Lakes, including our own.
We understand what it takes to farm Vitis Vinifera grapes in our cool climate and the dedication and attention to detail required to achieve optimal ripeness in each unique vintage. While attributes such as sugar and acid levels are important to grape growers and vintners alike, we prefer to gauge the quality of fruit based on ‘physiological’ ripeness and how the fruit will translate into wines of exceptional flavor, balance, and structure in the cellar.
We closely monitor fruit development in our vineyard, beginning at Veraison all the way through harvest. Meticulous canopy management practices are employed throughout the growing season and include extensive shoot positioning and leaf pulling to maximize light and airflow into the fruiting zone. These labor-intensive practices help to promote ripening and minimize disease pressure, resulting in the highest quality fruit possible.
We handcraft our wines in small lots so that we can give each wine the attention it deserves. Our approach in the cellar is more about respecting the fruit by gently guiding the wine through the winemaking process, rather than one of outright manipulation. We prefer to allow the fruit to express its own characteristics, which are unique to every vineyard and vintage. No wines that we produce are ever the same from year to year.
For our whites, we strive for captivating aromatics and to achieve balance between acidity and any residual sugar. For our reds, the goal is to create elegant wines of structure and balance enhanced by judicious aging in high quality French oak barrels.
GLOSSARY
Physiological (or phenolic) ripeness – Ripeness in grapes described beyond sugar content alone. Aspects such as ripeness of tannins, anthocyanins, and other phenolic compounds in grapes that contribute to the color, flavor and aroma of the resulting wine are also considered.
Veraison – In viticulture, veraison is the onset of the ripening of the grapes. The official definition of veraison is “change of color of the grape berries.” Veraison represents the transition from berry growth to berry ripening, and many changes in berry development occur at veraison.
Vitis Vinifera (or V. Vinifera) – Often referred to as Old World or European grapes and are believed to have originated in Asia Minor. There have been more than 5,000 named cultivars, however, only a few are of commercial significance for wine and table grape production. Arguably, V. Vinifera is widely considered to be the best type of grape for producing high quality wine.
