Winter/Spring 2001-2002

"Our Cup Runneth Over...."

2001 -- Year of Achievements, Accolades

With the holiday season upon us and the new year looming in the not too distant future, it seems an appropriate time for us to ponder the blessings and successes of the past year and to look forward to the bright prospects of the new.

As we look back at the last 12 months here at Vinifera Wine Cellars and Chateau Frank, it is obvious to us that, "Our cup runneth over...."

Dr. Frank in Wine Spectator's "Hall of Fame"

The 25th Anniversary edition of the Wine Spectator honored 54 individuals from around the world who "...have made a lasting impact..." on the world's wine industry. Included in this "Hall of Fame" was our founder, the late Dr. Konstantin Frank. The magazine said of these honorees:

"None accepted the status quo, and each has made a lasting mark.... A fire within bonded to a ferocious work ethic and a relentless pursuit of perfection have propelled these 54 people to the top of the wine world.... "

James Trezise, President of the New York Wine & Grape Foundation, commented on the Spectator honor saying, "Dr. Frank certainly was a man who made a lasting impact. His vision and determination gave New York and other eastern vintners yet another option in terms of grape varieties and wine styles. Overcoming widespread skepticism and formidable obstacles, he started the "vinifera revolution" high above Keuka Lake and transformed the eastern wine industry. His pursuit of excellence lives on in his son Willy and grandson Fred, who continue to run Dr. Frank's Vinifera Wine Cellars (and Chateau Frank)...."

Vinifera Wine Cellars is "New York Winery of the Year"

The New York Wine & Food Classic has, during its 15- year history, been dubbed the "Oscars" of the New York wine industry. This year the competition, which was held in August at the Hudson River Club in lower Manhattan, bestowed its first ever "Winery of the Year" designation on Dr. Frank's Vinifera Wine Cellars.

The "Winery of the Year" award is based on a point system reflecting the types and numbers of awards given to a particular winery in view of the total number of wines it entered. Dr. Frank's bested over 100 wineries in the competition. This year Dr. Frank's wines won 6 Double Golds, 27 Gold Medals, 4 "Best of Class" awards, and 2 "Best of Show" designations. The Best of Class awards were earned by Dr. Frank's 1999 Barrel-fermented Chardonnay and the 1999 Dr. Frank Pinot Noir. Both wines were produced from 40-year old vines. (A complete listing of all the awards is available by request.)

Riesling Rocks

The late Dr. Frank often predicted that one day Riesling would be "discovered" by the American public. It appears that day has finally arrived, and as a winery recognized for producing some of the world's best examples of this varietal, we stand ready to fulfill your Riesling fantasies.

Rod Smith, from Wines & Spirits Magazine, asked in a March edition of the LA Times, "Who makes the Best Riesling? New York, Baby". His rave review of Finger Lakes Rieslings, singled out Vinifera Wine Cellars saying:

"In fact the most impressive American Riesling in my experience was a 1990 Vinifera Cellars Dry Riesling from a ridge above Keuka Lake....At 10 years old, it had developed a seductively rich bouquet, yet was still fresh and bracing, with razor-sharp definition. "

Anthony Dias Blue jumped on the Riesling bandwagon in the June issue of Bon Appetit penning an article entitled "The Other White Wine. Versatile Riesling proves that there is life after Chardonnay." Mr. Blue singled out 21 Rieslings from around the world. Two were from New York State, including the 1999 Dr. Frank Salmon Run Johannisberg Riesling.

Riesling is definitely in, and the demand for the varietal is growing. Wine & Spirits, Wine Enthusiast, and Decanter magazines have also published glowing reports on our releases of this great wine. The 2000 vintage is one of the best and it is flying out the doors. All 3 offerings-the 2000 Dry and Semi-Dry Dr. Frank as well as the popular 2000 Salmon Run will not last and will shortly be put on allocation.

P. S. Don't forget to mark your calendar and enjoy the 3-month "I Love New York" Celebration (March-June2002) entitled A RIESLING TO VISIT THE FINGER LAKES.

We are humbled and grateful for the recognition we have received this past year. All of us-including grandson Eric Volz and his vineyard crew, our team of French and California-trained winemakers led by Morten Hallgren, and our experienced sales staff are inspired to work even harder in the pursuit of excellence.

Geisenheim Guests

We were greatly honored by the recent visit of Professor Sponholz and his graduate students from the famous Geisenheim Wine Institute located in Germany's Rheingau, a region known worldwide for its Rieslings. Our guests were treated to a tasting of 15 of Dr. Frank's Riesling, vintages spanning the years from 1962 to the present. All were surprised by how well these wines have developed and improved with time in the bottle. Our Rieslings are vinified from two of the most delicate and elegant German clones - the clone 90 from Neustadt and clone 239 Geisenheim. These clones are rarely planted because they are shy bearers, but they were Dr. Frank's favorites and he recognized their potential as far back as the 1960's.

New Releases

We have recently released four new red wines that we feel represent some of our finest vintages: The first is a 1999 Pinot Noir which has already been awarded a Double Gold and Best of Class designation. Our long awaited 1999 Cabernet Sauvignon-an aristocratic dry red that is the classic complement to lamb, beef, wild game, and hard cheeses, joins it. We are equally pleased with the Limited Release 2000 Merlot. This wine was allowed to mature in small French and American Oak barrels. It is finely scented, rich yet soft, and will complement a variety of robust dishes. Our new release is a member of our Salmon Run line the Salmon Run Pinot Noir. This is a nice light red which is easily quaffable and will accompany almost any meal.

Production Good News

Since grandson Frederick Frank joined the winery as president in 1993, we have been able to increase our production by double digits. Fred has brought many terrific ideas to our business from his former position as Managing Director of Long Island's Banfi Estate.

One brainstorm that has really paid off is his idea of offering grafted vines of Dr. Frank clones "on credit" to Finger Lakes growers who had previously planted low demand native and French-American grape varieties. Increasingly, our grapes have come from those clones grown by our cooperators in the Finger Lakes. This relationship has proven beneficial for all-helping to soften the $15,000 per acre cost needed to plant European vinifera grapes and providing the fine grapes we need to meet the demand of sophisticated wine drinkers

In Europe and in other countries-including the United States-there is an increasing trend in agriculture to move back to natural methods of growing crops. This movement, called Biodynamics, is based on the teaching of Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner who advocates harmony and respect for nature. Frenchman Nicolas Joly is a champion of this philosophy and has preached organic farming practices-opposing the use of pesticides, artificial fertilizers, and weed killers. Here at Vinifera Wine Cellars and Chateau Frank, these teachings are nothing new, in fact organic practices have been our way of life for years.

Eric Volz, our vineyard manager, has spent hours rolling out bales of hay which preserve soil moisture, and by decomposing, return nutrients to the soil. This decomposition promotes useful bacteria, and nurtures earth worms which otherwise would be killed from harsh salt residues found in the chemicals of "modern" agriculture. To keep insects under control, we rely on the lessons of Dr. Frank, who taught us to put birdhouses in our vineyards. The swallows that occupy the homes also help to keep pesky mosquitoes at bay.

The application of pesticides is of particular concern, not only to us, but to the entire American public who are demanding fewer chemicals in their food and drink. This concern has led me to introduce to our vineyards a cross of a vinifera parent and a Siberian grape, which is practically immune to common fungus diseases. This cross makes the application of pesticides unnecessary. This new grape is also winter hardy to -40° F and produces a Bordeaux-style wine that is deep purple in color. Prof. John Baxevanis, a noted author of wine books, expressed his opinion of this new variety in the American Wine Review. "The viticultural achievements of Dr. Konstantin Frank are familiar and legendary, but few in the industry are aware of a somber, strenuous, and momentous experiment to produce serious red table wine from the hardy Vitis Amurensis. Is it possible for Willy Frank to produce a quality red table wine, literally the missing magic bullet for eastern America? My first taste of this variety says that it is quite possible."

At the winery, we also shun the use of harsh chemical preservatives. Not only do we think this practice is healthier, but also it has allowed us to ship our wine internationally. Many nations, in particular Japan, specifically prohibit wines with certain chemical additives. Vinifera Wine Cellars passed the stringent chemical analyses that accompany wine shipments to that nation with flying colors.

We would like to thank you, our valued customers and friends, for your past business, and to wish you very "Happy Holidays!" We urge you to call us soon for your holiday wines and gift purchases (we just received a shipment of wonderful, reasonably priced gift boxes). If you cannot come to the winery for a visit, please look for our products in your favorite wine shops and restaurants.

American lovers of French Champagne received a shock when wine writer Geoff Kalish rated two great champagnes, Louis Roederer Cristal and Krug Clos de Mesnil (which both sell for more than $100.00 per bottle), "...greatly overpriced." He recommended instead that "value savvy consumers" seek the most recent releases from Chateau Frank instead.

"Made in Hammondsport NY from the same grape varietals used to make French Champagne and by the methode champenoise, these products bear little resemblance to the foxy-flavored New York sparklers of yesteryear. " The New York Times, Dec. 1995

As the first and only winery in New York to grow all three classic French champagne grape varieties, we adhere strictly to the methode champenoise, to produce three champagnes and sparkling Celebre. Our sparkling wines are produced strictly from our own grapes and have a long history of outscoring some of the finest French and California offerings- including Bollinger Grande Annee, Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame, Perrier- Jouet Fleur de Champagne and a list of 90 other fine French champagnes.

The only bad news in this story is that once again we are not able to keep up with the demand for our champagnes, and shortages at both the winery and at retail stores will be a given. Don't get caught short this holiday season, stock up on your favorites from Chateau Frank!

	1995 Blanc de Blancs Champagne A straw yellow wine with a pleasant yeasty nose, this bubbly is a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc. Medium body, with lots of acid and medium fruit. This wine is austere with subtle lime fruit. "The single best Champagne-style wine made in New York State." Howard G. Goldberg, The New York Times, July 26, 2000.
1996 Blanc de Noir Champagne A Gold Medal Winner. This wine presents the classic characteristics of a French Champagne with its toasty yeast character, persistent foam and tiny bubbles. Aromas of pear, apple, peach, citrus fruits, and hazelnut combine with the toasty, creamy character of the Pinot Noir fruit to create a full-bodied sparkling wine.
	1997 Brut Champagne A Gold Medal Winner. Experts consistently mistake this wine for French Champagne costing several times its price. Four years of aging on the yeast have resulted in a rich, toasty wine full of complex yet subtle flavors.
NV Célebrè A delicious, fresh, flavor-filled bubbly at a price that makes champagne an affordable pleasure. Now produced methode champenoise! Also available in Rosé.

The distribution of Dr. Frank's wines is growing! If you can't find our wines in your local wine shop or favorite restaurant, ask the owner or manager to contact one of our distributors:

Our Canadian friends should contact the LCBO in the Toronto area for our wines.

If our wine is not available in your area, we can ship to you or your family and friends via UPS or other shipping companies. Due to legislation in various states, shipping is not available to: FL, KY, TN, NC, IN, MD, ND, and UT. Please contact us for the latest shipping information. Call 800-320-0735.

A New Look

After 15 years, we are introducing a new wine label designed by William Benson, a well known Ithaca, NY artist who also designed our Chateau Frank Celebre and Dr. Frank Premiere Blush labels, as well as the award-winning Salmon Run Series. The new label, which shows the view of the vineyards sloping towards beautiful Keuka Lake, will adorn the bottles of our 2000 Barrel Fermented Chardonnay, 1999 Pinot Noir, and 1999 Merlot Reserve.