Eminence Road 'Acidalia' Red Blend Finger Lakes 2022

“If you really want to learn about wine, why don’t you make some?” The somewhat-taunting, somewhat-encouraging words, scrawled on the card gifted to Andrew Scott in 1996 alongside his first home winemaking kit, would kick start an endeavor that today lends consistent credence to the overall rising quality of New York State viticulture. Moving from New Jersey to the mountain valley of Long Eddy, New York, on the western edge of the Catskills, in 2008, Andrew and wife Jennifer established Eminence Road Farm Winery with zero formal training or winery experience, developing a “self-taught methodology based on patience, low-intervention and faith in the natural processes of fermentation.” Using sustainably grown grapes from a few select sites across the Finger Lakes, the two make a handful of delicious naturally fermented micro-batch wines, all bottled by hand, unfined and unfiltered with the only addition being a minimal amount of sulfur. ‘Acidalia’ comes from the name of the area where their farm is located, and this vintage is 78% merlot and 22% cabernet franc. Grapes were crushed (the cab franc has stem inclusion while the merlot was destemmed) and left to ferment with once daily punchdowns. After a 21 day maceration, grapes were pressed and moved to old French oak barrels to complete fermentation, including full malolactic fermentation. The result is silky, supple, and composed. Smooth layers of red and purple fruit are balanced by tobacco, leather, and a whisper of smoke. Sustainably grown, low-intervention/natural wine.