Dr Konstantin Frank Winery Margrit Dry Riesling
WHY WE LOVE IT
- A single vineyard Riesling from the Seneca Estate vineyard.
- The wine is named after Willy Frank’s wife Margrit, a woman in the Frank family known for her enthusiasm for life and fierce devotion to her family.
- This plot was planted in 2008 with clones 356 and 90 on 3309 rootstocks. Our Seneca estate vineyard is located in Hector, New York, in the warmest mesoclimate in the Finger Lakes known as the ‘Banana Belt’.
- Soils on Seneca are characterized by deep honeoye silt loam.
Varietal Composition: 100% Riesling
Elaboration: Vinification includes de-stemming and direct press. Traditional fermentation is used. No malolactic fermentation. Pneumatic press. The wine is aged in stainless steel vessels in a temperature controlled environment. Unoaked. 5 Months Lees Aging.
Tasting Notes: Dry, rich, and seductive. The riper vineyard site expresses tangerine, grapefruit, and candied lemon zest balanced with mineral notes of shale and wet stones. The mouthfeel is round and rich with enough acidity to cut through.
PRESS
2020 – 94 James Suckling | 93 Decanter | 91 Wine Advocate | 90 Wine Enthusiast
2019 – 92 Wine Advocate
PRODUCER BACKGROUND
Konstantin Frank was born on July 4, 1899, and made his first wine at age 15. In 1930, he earned a Ph.D. in Viticulture from Odessa, Ukraine, and became a leading expert in his field throughout Eastern Europe, experimenting with cold-resistant rootstocks.
Having survived two World Wars and the Russian Revolution, Dr. Frank and his family immigrated to New York in 1951 at age 52 with empty pockets and no knowledge of English. Eventually, he found a special property in the Finger Lakes region, perfect for his vines. With decades of knowledge and experience, Dr. Frank successfully planted the first European grape varieties in the Eastern United States.
In 1962, he founded Vinifera Wine Cellars, which quickly earned a reputation for spectacular Rieslings and sparked an interest in classic European grape varieties. His vision, knowledge, and determination are credited with elevating the New York wine industry to the respectable position it holds today. Many of his original vines are still in production and represent some of the oldest vines in America.
On October 7, 1967, more than two hundred wine enthusiasts gathered at Dr. Frank’s home to organize the American Wine Society (AWS) with Dr. Konstantin Frank as its founder. Today, there are more than 120 chapters.