Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard, Cabernet Franc 2020, Seneca Lake, Finger Lakes, NY

A beautiful Cabernet Franc from Seneca Lake, where the long autumn allows for more structure and deeper complexity. It has aromas of raspberry and plum, with ripe bramble fruits and soft tannins on the palate.

COUNTRY: USA

STATE: NY

APPELLATION (AVA): Seneca Lake

REGION: Finger Lake

SUBREGION: Seneca Lake

VINEYARD: Magdalena Vineyard

VINTAGE: 2020

GRAPES: 100% Cabernet Franc

SOIL: Lime silt loam

PRACTICE: Organic, sustainable

VINIFICATION: Indigenous yeast fermentation with a mixture of pumpover and punchdowns throughout fermentation, 50% aged in stainless steel, 50% aged in neutral oak barrels for 10 months.

STYLE: Still

COLOR: Bright medium ruby

BODY: Medium bodied

TASTE: Dry

TANNINS: Soft tannins

PRIMARY AROMAS: Bramble berries, raspberry, plum

FLAVOR: Round and earthy, black pepper finish

FORMAT: 750ml

ALCOHOL: 13%

ABOUT THE PRODUCER: Hermann J. Wiemer

“Founded in 1979, Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard is a pioneer of viticulture and winemaking in the Finger Lakes. The Wiemer estate spans 90-acres of prime vineyard sites on the western slopes of Seneca Lake and the wines are among the most acclaimed in the region. Estate fruit is hand-harvested and hand-sorted, and vineyard qualities are worked in small lots and then blended to create wines of balance and texture. Fermentations rely on indigenous yeasts to ensure each wine embodies the truest expression of site. Our commitment to place draws on the same forward-thinking techniques and respect for the past that has fueled our mission since Hermann’s first block of Riesling was planted over forty years ago.

“Our namesake & founder, Hermann Wiemer, hails from one of the best Riesling producing areas of the world, Bernkastel, Germany. His mother’s family had been making wine in Germany’s Mosel Valley for more than 300 years and Hermann spent the summers of his youth learning to graft by hand. His father had been in charge of the Agricultural Experiment Station in Bernkastel and was responsible for restoring vines in the Mosel region after WWII. Hermann discovered that the cool climate and gravelly soils of the Finger Lakes were similar to his family’s vineyards in the Mosel Valley. At a time when very few thought it was possible to grow vinifera varietals on Seneca Lake, Hermann believed that the unique soil types and moderating weather effects of the Finger Lakes would make it possible to produce great wines here.” (wiemer.com)

ABOUT THE VINEYARD: Magdalena Vineyard

“The unique traits of our Magdalena Vineyard shine through the wines sourced from this site. A beneficial air exchange with Seneca Lake moderates the temperatures, creating a warmer and more protective site in the colder months and a cooling effect throughout the summer. The airflow keeps the vineyard dry, and deep soil provides room for spreading root growth. The lime silt loam soil that the site is celebrated for is crucial to the development of flavor intensity in the grapes.” (wiemer.com)