In the Finger Lakes, Cabernet Franc Is The New Superstar

Josh Wig, co-owner of Lodi, NY-based Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars (a third generation wine family), explains that it’s true the region gets caught up in the Riesling hype. But, the Finger Lakes, he says, have all of the natural tools necessary to make Cabernet Franc a superstar in the region.

“Our steep western facing slopes, calcareous silt and gravelly loam soils and deep glacial lakes create a unique terroir which accentuates and plays to the natural strengths of the Cabernet Franc grape. Long sunny days promote depth of character, while cool nights preserve freshness and acidity,” he says.

And, it seems that Cabernet Franc has come just in time for a shift in consumer demand. Christina Zapel, lead winemaker at Red Newt Cellars in Hector, NY, says that wine drinkers are becoming more aware of food-friendly wines; they’re looking for sippers that complement their meals and enhance them, instead of becoming the star of the show or being limited in their food counterparts.

“Cabernet Franc from this region can range from light and fruity to full-bodied and structured, depending on the vintage and style of the winemaker. Even in warmer years, they are lower in alcohol, medium in body, with lively acidity, which, while not yet mainstream, makes for a perfect wine to throw on a dinner table,” she says.

But, it hasn’t been all rainbows and butterflies for the varietal, as growing practices, climate impediments and consumer education have all been creating a bit of an uphill battle. Bruce Murray, owner of Boundary Breaks Wine in Lodi, NY, says that while Cabernet Franc isn’t as temperamental and delicate as Pinot Noir, it does require a lot of time and attention to make the best version of a wine or a blend as it can — something he feels is one of the challenges for the Finger Lakes region.

“The primary challenge is having the manual labor available to perform specific vineyard management tasks, like early leaf removal and consistent shoot-positioning,” he says, noting that for those estates that grow their own wine, this can be easier to control. However, ones that purchase fruit will need to be more hands-on in the process, or will have to adapt winemaking practices, as these growers have been slower to shift gears.

Wig explains that while climate change may have created the perfect storm of conditions to make wonderful renditions of a grape that is still struggling to get out of its older brother’s shadow (Cabernet Sauvingnon, naturally), it has also made growing wine in the region a lot riskier. The region is faced with extreme heat and drought; record setting rainfall; polar vortexes in the winter; spring frosts that occur later and later; and other one-off instances that have impacted fruit production. But with its resilient, cold-hardy, loose clustered, and early ripening qualities, Cab Franc is just the thing the region has been looking for. And, to that, winemakers have been making stellar renditions of it as well, both standalone and in blends.

“Cabernet Franc makes wines that are very expressive of where they are grown and, when planted in the Finger Lakes, it is very versatile in the number of wine styles into which it can be made. It has the ability to carry or even steal the show in a number of lead roles and, in the New World, we are bound by neither tradition or law to relegate it to the supporting cast,” says Wig. Lamoreaux Landing’s Cabernet Franc line up is unique, as they use different clones; plant in different soils; and age both in stainless steel, concrete as well as the traditional oak barrel. Each of these sippers has its own personality, while the winery’s dry rosé of Cab Franc is pretty much perfection in a glass. Three Brothers Winery and Estates, located in Geneva, NY, bottled a Cabernet Franc/Zweigelt blend that is complex and textured — not only could it be a delicious chilled porch pounder, but it has enough heft that it would stand up to spice and grilled meats, too. And, Atwater Vineyards, located in Burdett, NY, has blended its Cabernet Franc with Blaufränkisch for a wine that is structured, vibrant and brings just enough acidity to add playfulness and interest.

As for that green bell pepper note that has been the calling card of the grape, winemakers are split on it. While the terroir lends itself to a bit of a different expression than a wine drinker may be used to, there have been advances in technology that have helped evolve that flavor further. “Cabernet Franc from the Finger Lakes tends to have fewer green pepper and vegetal characteristics and leans towards more cherry and cranberry aromas with a slight herbaceousness,” says Zapel.

Wig moved to a trellis system that transforms that one note spice into something more earthy and complex; while other winemakers are embracing that peppery note as a characteristic that makes Cabernet Franc special.