Drinking On The Edge Podcast | Finger Lakes Cabernet Franc
No.59 | Regional Feature
As an exciting addition to my coverage of and reporting on Cabernet Franc this year, I have partnered with longtime friend, wine writer and industry veteran David Furer to collaborate on a miniseries on Cabernet Franc that I will co-host for his podcast Drinking On The Edge. The series will highlight important and emerging regions for Cabernet Franc around the world and feature enlightening roundtable discussions with some of each region’s most respected producers.
The first episode in our series features Cabernet Franc from the Finger Lakes in New York with an engaging conversation with five of the region’s leading producers:
Kelby James Russell of Apollo’s Praise
Bruce Murray of Boundary Breaks
Fred Merwarth of Hermann J Wiemer
Josh Wig of Lamoreaux Landing
Nova Cadamatre of Trestle Thirty-One
In the episode, we covered everything from the suitability of Cabernet Franc in the Finger Lakes, vintage variation, techniques in the vineyard to manage Cabernet Franc’s pyrzaines, consumer perceptions of the variety, the future of Cabernet Franc in New York, and much more. You can listen to a little snippet of the episode below.
Full episode available wherever you listen to your favourite podcasts, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts and online.
Wines Featured During This Episode
Apollo’s Praise, 2023 “Nutt Road Vineyard” Cabernet Franc (13.5% abv., SRP $22USD). Launched in 2023, Apollo’s Praise is the latest project from two of the Finger Lakes’s most celebrated winemakers, Kelby James Russell and Julia Hoyle. I first became acquainted with Kelby and his work with Cabernet Franc when he was winemaker at Red Newt Cellars. He also sourced from the Nutt Road Vineyard for his Cabernet Francs at Red Newt, and this 2023 is what they refer to as their “bistro style” Cabernet Franc. All done in stainless steel, this is a soft, juicy expression of Cabernet Franc, with plenty of herbal and spicy undertones like fresh sage and basil and crushed black pepper. Fresh, easy-drinking, with a crunchy dark fruited profile and fine green tea-like tannins, as the name suggests, this is a companionable Cabernet Franc for mealtime that will pair with just about anything your heart desires.
Apollo’s Praise, 2023 “Lahoma Vineyard Reserve” Cabernet Franc (12.7% abv., SRP $31USD). From the same vineyard source as Kelby’s acclaimed “The Knoll” Riesling, this is a tiny block of Cabernet Franc on shallower, sandy-loam soils over sandstone. Fermented and aged in a larger oak foudre, this is a lifted and lithe expression of Cabernet Franc that will appeal to the Pinot Noir lovers out there. Lighter in body, but with plenty of character, the wine’s aromatics draw you in with purple florals, delicate, wispy herbal notes of tarragon and chervil, marrying with red and dark sweet-tart fruits and baking spices. Lean, filigree, with zippy acidity and very fine tannins, the wine continues to unfurl with a bit of oxygen and has just the right amount of middle palate sweetness to add roundness and balance.
Boundary Breaks, 2023 Cabernet Franc (13.5% abv., SRP $24.95USD). I recently did a full tasting video on this Cabernet Franc highlighting Bruce and his team’s work and journey with Cabernet Franc. Their 2023 Cabernet Franc is my favourite release from the winery to date, and is a blend of 87% Cabernet Franc from the winery’s estate vineyard with a little soupçon of Merlot from established Finger Lakes wine grower John Wagner. This is a quintessential “cool-climate” expression of Cabernet Franc that showcases the grape’s varietal character in a really beautiful way. Brambly, sweet-tart fruits mixing with notes of sage, mint, cedar leaves and wood, with a hint of floral undertones. Medium-bodied, with succulent, cleansing acidity and velvety tannins, this is a plush, contemporary expression of Cabernet Franc that is well-structured and precise, while being friendly and approachable. Drinks very well now, but will definitely improve with some time in the cellar.
Hermann J. Wiemer, 2022 Cabernet Franc (12.5% abv., SRP $27USD). I have been a fan of Hermann J. Wiemer’s Cabernet Francs from my first visit to the Finger Lakes back in 2021. From the superb 2022 vintage, their entry-level Cabernet Franc is fermented in stainless steel, and aged in a combination of stainless steel and neutral oak barrels. This is a classic expression of Finger Lakes Cabernet Franc that balances savouriness and spice wrapped up in a mid-weight frame. On the nose, a mix of sweet, fleshy red and dark fruits (strawberry, dark cherry and rhubarb) combine with twiggy herbs (thyme), cedar leaves and violets, while the palate highlights a bit more of the spicy side of Cabernet Franc with notes of gingerbread and clove. Elevated, refreshing acidity mingles with merino wool-like tannins, and there is a lovely sweet cherry core to the mid-palate. Light on its feet, but with nice density and depth of flavour, this is a traditionally-styled Cabernet Franc that easily demonstrates why this grape is so ideally suited to the Finger Lakes.
Hermann J. Wiemer, 2023 “Magdalena Vineyard” Cabernet Franc (12.8% abv., SRP $45USD). As Cabernet Franc from the Finger Lakes becomes more and more celebrated in the US and beyond, the Magdalena Vineyard Cabernet Franc has emerged as one of the region’s leading single-vineyard, cellar-worthy expressions of the variety. I did a Substack feature on this vineyard last year, and this wine consistently remains one of my favourite Cabernet Francs from the region, vintage after vintage. Fermented with a portion of (25%) whole cluster bunches and aged in a combination of French and Hungarian oak (10% new), the 2023 shows impressive perfume, depth and purity right out of the gate. A mix of red and dark fruits are underpinned by pretty summer floral (lilacs, violets) and herbal (sweet basil, chervil) notes, with added layers of baking spices and white pepper. The wine’s vivacious acidity weaves its way across the palate with elegant, velvety tannins that finish with just the right amount of chalky grip. Medium-bodied with superb balance and concentration, this Cabernet Franc oozes finesse and elegance, with a deliciously long and satisfying finish. This will no doubt get even better with time.
Lamoreaux Landing, 2022 “T23” Cabernet Franc (12.5% abv., SRP $20USD). On my first trip to the Finger Lakes back in July 2021, I recall asking everyone I met what examples of Finger Lakes Cabernet Franc needed to be on my “must-try” list, and the T23 Cabernet Franc from Lamoreaux Landing was unanimously a favourite. This wine is believed to be the first Finger Lakes Cabernet Franc to go the 100% unoaked route, which has certainly influenced how the region approaches Cabernet Franc today. The 2022 shows the bright, crunchy, earthy side of Cabernet Franc combining lifted red fruits (raspberry, cherry) with a hint of mixed dried herbs, a touch of capsicum and an underpinning of green peppercorn spice. Refreshing acidity, very soft tannins, this is a light-bodied, quaffable, unpretentious expression of Cabernet Franc that delivers plenty of character and charm.
Lamoreaux Landing, 2020 “T23” Cabernet Franc (12.5% abv., SRP $20USD). Lamoreaux Landing co-owner Josh Wig was kind enough to send a library vintage of their T23 Cabernet Franc so that David and I could see how this wine evolves with a bit of time in the bottle. Like many of my favourite unoaked expressions of the variety from the Loire Valley, I really appreciated the additional savoury and earthy layers that express themselves in this wine with a bit of age. A mix of fresh and dried berries coupled with notes of forest floor, autumn leaves and a touch of graphite. The palate certainly gained a bit of flesh with time in the bottle, while the lively acidity carried the sweet-savoury undertones and the wine’s soft structure quite nicely. This is always a fun one to revisit as an uncomplicated, crushable expression of Cabernet Franc.
Trestle Thirty-One, 2022 Cabernet Franc (13.0% abv., SRP $58USD). This was my first introduction to Trestle Thirty-One and Nova Cadamatre MW, who also makes wine in Napa Valley, and I throughly enjoyed learning Nova’s approach with Cabernet Franc and I loved hearing her enthusiasm for Cabernet Franc as a leading variety for the Finger Lakes. From the first sip, it is evident how much time and attention to detail goes into this 2022 Cabernet Franc. The wine shows plenty of sexy fruit and herbal character up front with notes of sweet dark berries, blueberry compote, mint, violets, cedar leaves and a touch of underbrush. While the wine sees 40% new French oak, there is plenty of concentration to carry the oak and I found the oak profile to be very nicely integrated on the palate, giving added layers of spice and a touch of the lardé note that I sometimes get in Loire Cabernet Franc that has seen a bit of new oak aging. Full, luscious, and enveloping, with cleansing acidity and elegant, cashmere-like tannins, this is a well-built, thoughtfully-styled Cabernet Franc with just right amount of modernity and polish to appeal to a broad range of palates.
Stay tuned for the next two installments in our miniseries featuring Virginia Cabernet Franc and Washington State Cabernet Franc, with those episodes slated for release later in this summer.
I just had the pleasure of meeting four of your five guests at Riesling Camp last week and was thrilled to try their Cabernet Franc! Can’t wait to listen to the episode!