Hermann J. Wiemer, 2019 Magdalena Vineyard Cabernet Franc, Finger Lakes, New York, USA
Cab Franc du Jour #51
Hermann Wiemer is a true pioneer in the Finger Lakes whose contributions to the region cannot be overstated. He arrived from his native Germany in the 1960s, bringing with him a family lineage of over 300 years of grape growing in the Mosel. He purchased the winery farm in 1973 and planted his first vineyard in 1977 and 1978. Since his retirement in 2007, the estate has been in the capable hands of Fred Merwarth and Oskar Bynke.
The Magdalena Vineyard
The Magdalena Vineyard was purchased in 1999, with the original Cabernet Franc vines planted that same year. The specific block for the single-vineyard bottling was established in 2004 and covers a 2.5-acre parcel. There is a pleasing Canadian connection to this block: it was planted by Ken Witty, of the same Witty family who own 13th Street Winery in Niagara, and it was grafted from the original 1999 planting. Despite that lineage, the clusters from this block have a remarkably distinct appearance: long, loose bunches with smaller berries that look quite different from the parent vines.
The vineyard is located on the west side of Seneca Lake, the deepest of all the Finger Lakes, about a mile from the shoreline, with a gentle east-facing slope. One of the clearest takeaways from a recent visit to the Finger Lakes was just how much diversity exists in terms of sites and microclimates, even within a single vineyard. Magdalena is actually a warmer and drier site than many on this side of the lake. There is relatively little summer cooling influence from the lake itself, and warm air pushes in from the west. The site also receives considerably less rainfall than the original HJW estate.
The east-facing aspect captures full sun from early morning, which is essential for drying out the bunches and reducing mildew and disease pressure, a significant advantage in the more humid Finger Lakes climate. The rows are oriented east to west, and Fred and his team carry out leaf removal on the north side of the rows, typically later in the season, with an eye to leaving sufficient canopy to shade the bunches and provide some relief if the season turns out to be particularly dry.
Two bedrock types define the Finger Lakes: limestone in the northern portion of the lakes and shale further south. Magdalena sits in the limestone zone, which runs from up near Lake Ontario and extends roughly halfway down the lakes along both shorelines. The soil pH here is on the higher, more alkaline side, and there is typically an inverse relationship between soil pH and wine pH: higher soil alkalinity tends to correspond with lower pH and higher natural acidity in the finished wine. The topsoil and subsoil are Honeoye silt-loam, a texture sitting between clay and sand, well-draining and relatively deep, both of which Cabernet Franc responds well to. The soil is naturally vigorous, though this particular Cabernet Franc block yields low, under 3 tons per acre, without intervention.
In the Cellar
All of Hermann Wiemer’s Cabernet Francs are produced with around 30% whole cluster. For the 2019 vintage, the fruit was harvested in two passes to capture different degrees of ripeness and fruit profiles. Fermentation takes place in small open-top fermenters, beginning with pump-overs as fermentation gets underway before transitioning to punchdowns. The wine is then aged in 500L French and Hungarian oak barrels, predominantly neutral with around 17% new oak.
Wine Details
Producer: Hermann J Wiemer
Region: New York State, USA
AVA: Finger Lakes (Seneca Lake)
Vineyard: Magdalena Vineyard (Estate-owned)
Soil: Honeoye silt-loam atop a limestone bedrock
Alcohol: 12.8%