VINEYARD NOTES
Rkatsiteli originates in the country of Georgia and it one of the oldest grape varieties in the world dating back to 3000 B.C. The grape has a very strong resistance to cold winter conditions and retains high acidity even in the hottest summers.
Dr. Konstantin Frank was the first to plant Rkatsiteli in the Finger Lakes during his experiments in the 1950s and 1960s. We grow just under 10 acres of Rkatsiteli on our Keuka Estate: 3.1 acres planted in 1983, 2.8 acres in 1987, and 3.8 acres in 2003. Our soils on Keuka Lake are shallow, Mardin and Volusia silt loam with high shale content which adds minerality, acidity, and elegance. Our vineyard is east-facing ranging from 980 ft to 1200 ft elevation and are at the deepest parts of Keuka Lake.
WINEMAKER NOTES
Hot and dry is a great way to describe the 2020 growing season. The trend of late bud break continues, beginning in mid-May. A month later in mid-June, most varieties began flowering and fruit set. Between bud break and fruit set, it was warm and dry with only considerable rainfall a handful of times. This allowed the bunches to fertilize properly. Throughout the growing season we were blessed with hot and dry conditions. This kept disease pressure very low. Luckily, our old vines are able to withstand drought conditions. The warm and dry weather continued into the fall allowing us to fully ripen grapes well into October. The 2020 vintage was one of the best years in recent memory.
VARIETY 100% Rkatsiteli.
VINEYARD 100% Keuka Estate.
VINIFICATION De-Stemmed. Direct Press.
VESSEL Open-Top Stainless Steel. Temperature Controlled.
FERMENTATION Traditional. No Malolactic Fermentation.
ÉLEVAGE Unoaked. 5 Months Lees Aging.
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