About this wine
Hand picked on October 19th 2022, this wine upon arriing at the winery was hand sorted a second time. This is done to preserve the utmost quality in the vintage. Following a wild fermentation and an extended elevage in barrel, the winemaking team thought that 4 barrels stood out as exemplary of Sawmill Creek’s unique terroir. These Barrels were aged for 18 months. This prolonged aging was done to increase color and concentration that shows a rich and vibrant expression of one of the grapes that grows the best in the Finger Lakes.
Suggested Food Pairings
Lamb with mint jelly, eggplant Parmesan, duck confit, chevre and other bold cheeses, pork with stewed apples
Wine Details
Vintage Notes
2022 reflected the duality of Finger Lakes Vintages. A relatively short vintage in comparison to the previous years was defined by a small but high-quality crop. A warm and dry spring led into summer creating low vigor in the vines. August and September were marred by hurricane season leading to above average rainfall in August and September. We were rewarded by delaying harvest as we had the driest October of the last 21 years. This harvest schedule allowed for crisp and linear whites and luscious full body reds.
Vineyard & Soil
Sawmill Creek is one of the iconic vineyards of the Finger Lakes. This Farm was planted in 1852 and has been farmed for 7 Generations by the Hazlitt family. Located right across the street from our tasting room, this 70 acre site highlights the terroir of the finger lakes. The vineyard rocky shale and limestone soils slope towards the lake. The grapes have full exposure to the warm afternoon sun, leading to increased ripeness and varietal typicity.
This vineyard was planted in 1990. Located 1200 feet from the lake, the vineyard provides a tension in the wine. The cool breezes off Seneca Lake in the summer provide a crisp, refreshing acidity to the wine. The steep 18% grade slopes increase sun exposure, giving this wine its weight and tannic profile. Cabernet Franc is planted on a deep Lansing gravelly silt loam. This soil sits on a mix of shale and limestone. The deep soils provide plenty of micronutrients to create a plush, ripe food friendly wine.
Tech Sheet
Composition
Alcohol
12.8%
Harvest Brix
-
Total Acidity
5.8 g/L
Residual Sugar
0
pH
3.3
Cased Produced
100
Retail Price
$38
Dietary notes
Vegan, Gluten Free
Dietary notes
Vegan, Gluten Free
