This month we’ll raise of glass of Dr. Konstantin Frank Vineyard’s 2019 Sparkling Riesling. We can thank our friends David and Peter for introducing us to this family vineyard from the Finger Lakes region of New York. We also have to thank them for educating Penny about dry Rieslings. She had always avoided this varietal after trying a few versions that were too sweet for her taste. You can learn a lot about wine by sharing it with friends.
Recently the Washington Post featured Dr. Konstantin Frank Vineyard in Dave McIntyre’s article “This 60-year-old winery changed the way America grew grapes.” One of our toasts from this bottle will honor Ukrainian refugee Konstantin Frank for his contributions to winemaking and the education of wine consumers in this country. Another toast will be to the third and fourth generation of his family who operate the winery today.
A second nudge to place an order from this vineyard came when we spotted their dry Riesling on the menu at the Dubliner, where we’ve enjoyed this selection by the glass while lunching with friends.
Here’s what the winemakers say about their Sparkling Riesling Nature 2019.
“Our Riesling Nature is 100% Riesling from our estate vineyards on Keuka Lake. Secondary fermentation took place in bottle for a minimum of 24 months in our historic underground cellar. The wine is finished without any additional dosage creating a very dry wine.”
“Toastiness comes first, with prominent fruit flavors of crisp red apple, lemon curd, and ginger come to meet up. Driven by its freshness and austerity, the creamy mouthfeel balances the dry, crisp, and bright green apple flavors.”
We purchase our bottle directly from the vineyard for $34.99.
We were pleased with every aspect of the transaction. They were offering a quantity discount, so we added three bottles of the dry Riesling and two more of their sparkling wines. The cost of shipping was reasonable. The packaging was sturdy, and our wines arrived promptly as promised.
Trying wines from different places, made with different grapes, and produced by different methods adds spice to our monthly ritual. Since 2007 we have raised a glass of sparkling wine to greet each new month!
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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2022 Penny Cherubino