Wine Country
ing missionary work,” Fred Frank says
with a laugh. “Bringing knowledge to
the rest of the world; it’s done by entering competitions. It’s hard to deny
a blind-tasted gold medal.” Both blind
tasters and bloggers, who typically
write without agenda, speak praises
only when a wine is deserving. And
what hits high notes consistently here
are those cool climate whites.
What’s next? In keeping with the
experimental spirit of Konstantin,
winemakers all over Finger Lakes
Wine Country are planting and testing
myriad species. Rkatsiteli, a spicy and
floral white, looks promising. Gruner
Veltliner is taking on the role of the
rookie to be watched – its white pepper notes are intriguing, and its foodpairing capabilities give it depth and
seriousness.
What else will thrive in Finger
Lakes Wine Country is still a mystery,
as the region explores its strengths
and tests its limits. What’s for sure,
though, is that its future as a big player
in the industry is with vinifera.
“Konstantin Frank knew from the
beginning that using vinifera was
the only way to get people to notice,”
Weiss says.
And 50 years later, people aren’t
just noticing – they’re drinking –
and Fred Frank couldn’t be happier.
“My grandfather used to say that if we
could put a man on the moon, American consumers deserve good quality
wine.”
Were Konstantin alive today, he
would surely raise a toast to the efforts
of the Finger Lakes winemakers. It’s
hard to say what would be in his glass,
but three things are for sure: It would
be from the Finger Lakes, it would be
vinifera, and it woul B&RfW'