Profile

TASTING NOTES

Pale ruby in color, this Pinot Noir brings together aromas of ripe cranberry and dark red cherry layered with delicate florals, white pepper, cedar spice, and a touch of bramble. The palate is rich and vibrant, with juicy red fruit framed by grippy tannins and a savory, spiced character. A beautifully structured Pinot Noir that balances the delicacy of the variety with the depth and concentration of these remarkable old vines.

VINEYARD NOTES

Pinot Noir has been part of the Dr. Frank story from the beginning. Dr. Konstantin Frank planted the variety among his earliest Finger Lakes vineyards, including blocks on the western shore of Keuka Lake dating to 1958, 1960, and 1961. These old vines are among the oldest Pinot Noir plantings still in production in the United States, rooted in steep, shale-covered hillsides overlooking Keuka Lake.

The original nine-acre vineyard was planted with vine material Konstantin imported from Burgundy in the late 1950s. Of the nine selections initially brought to the Finger Lakes, he ultimately chose two for his own vineyards. One of these selections, now known locally as Clone 7, has since been propagated throughout the region, while the other remains largely unique to the Frank vineyards. Today, we are working to isolate and re-propagate this original “Dr. Frank” Pinot Noir selection, continuing Konstantin’s work more than six decades later.

The 2024 Old Vines Pinot Noir brings together fruit from our historic Keuka Lake vineyards and our Seneca Lake vineyard in Hector. The Keuka vines, planted primarily to Clone 7 and 13, grow in shallow, fractured shale soils that encourage naturally vibrant acidity, minerality, and elegance. The warmer “Banana Belt” mesoclimate of Seneca Lake provides riper fruit and added richness, with vines rooted in deep Honeoye silt loam. Together, these sites create a Pinot Noir that connects the history of our oldest vineyards with the diverse growing conditions of the Finger Lakes.

WINEMAKER NOTES

Pinot Noir is one of the most delicate varieties grown in the Finger Lakes, earning its reputation as the “heartbreak grape.” To preserve the character of each vineyard, the fruit for the 2024 Old Vines Pinot Noir was de-stemmed and given a several-day cold soak before fermentation. Each vineyard lot was kept separate throughout fermentation, with different yeast strains used to create a diverse range of blending components and build complexity.

Following fermentation, the individual lots were evaluated and blended to create a balanced expression of the vintage and vineyards. The wine was then aged for 16 months in French oak barrels, with 20% new oak. The extended barrel aging allows the structure and fruit of the old-vine Pinot Noir to develop while adding subtle layers of complexity without overshadowing the character of the vineyards.

VARIETY

100% Pinot Noir.

VINIFICATION

De-stemmed. Several Day Cold Soak.

VESSEL

Open-Top Stainless Steel. Temperature Controlled.

FERMENTATION

Traditional. Twice Daily Pumpovers.

ÉLEVAGE

16 Months Aging French Oak. 20% New.

ACCOLADES