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TASTING NOTES

Expressive and layered, Ethos offers an enticing bouquet of passion fruit, gooseberry, pineapple, lime, and citrus blossom, complemented herbal undertones. Richly textured yet refined, the palate balances vibrant acidity with remarkable depth, revealing a seamless interplay of fruit, minerality, and savory complexity that lingers through a long, elegant finish.

VINEYARD NOTES

Ethos was first introduced with the 2021 vintage to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery and celebrate the pioneering spirit that transformed the Finger Lakes wine industry. The 2025 release marks only the second vintage of this special wine, continuing a tradition rooted in the earliest days of the winery.

When Dr. Konstantin Frank arrived in New York, he brought with him not only the knowledge that European grape varieties could thrive in the Finger Lakes, but also a vision for the future of American wine. Among the many varieties he introduced were Riesling and Rkatsiteli. Riesling would emerge as the flagship variety of the Finger Lakes, while Rkatsiteli, an ancient grape native to the Republic of Georgia, reflected Dr. Frank’s Eastern European heritage.

During the 1960s, Dr. Frank often produced a field blend of Riesling and Rkatsiteli. Rather than harvesting and fermenting the varieties separately, the grapes were picked together and co-fermented, allowing the vineyard and vintage to speak as one. Ethos pays tribute to that historic practice, reviving a style of winemaking that connects today’s winery to its founding generation.

The vintage-inspired label further honors this legacy, drawing inspiration from Dr. Frank’s original bottle designs from the 1960s. Together, the wine and label serve as a celebration of the people, traditions, and innovations that continue to define Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery.

WINEMAKER NOTES

Ethos is composed of 60% Riesling and 40% Rkatsiteli, harvested and fermented together in the same manner as Dr. Frank’s original field blends.

Because Rkatsiteli is typically among the last varieties harvested each season, the Riesling fruit was intentionally left on the vine longer than usual to align with the Rkatsiteli harvest. This shared harvest date allows both varieties to enter fermentation together, creating a wine that expresses the harmony of the blend from vineyard to bottle.

The wine is produced using the same anaerobic winemaking techniques employed for the winery’s aromatic white wines, preserving freshness and highlighting the varietal character of each grape. The result is a wine with remarkable depth and complexity. Riesling contributes vibrant stone fruit, citrus, and delicate tropical notes, while Rkatsiteli layers in gooseberry, passion fruit, and subtle herbal characteristics. Together, they create a wine that is both familiar and distinctive—bridging Finger Lakes tradition with the pioneering vision of Dr. Frank.

VARIETY

60% Riesling, 40% Rkatsiteli

VINIFICATION

De-Stemmed. Direct Press.

VESSEL

Stainless Steel. Temperature Controlled.

FERMENTATION

Traditional. No Malolactic Fermentation.

ÉLEVAGE

Unoaked.

ACCOLADES