Eminence Road Pinot Noir Lamb’s Quarters Vineyard Finger Lakes 2022

One of our favorite New York producers, Eminence Road Farm Winery marches to the beat of its own drummer. Based in a converted cow barn in the mountain valley of Long Eddy, NY, on the western edge of the Catskills, Eminence Road is, in a way, a Finger Lakes winery. All of their wines are made from sustainably grown Finger Lakes grapes, fermented with native yeast, and bottled by hand, unfined and unfiltered with the only addition being a minimal amount of sulfur for stability. This pinot noir comes from grapes grown in Lamb’s Quarters Vineyard, situated on the eastern shore of Seneca Lake in Lodi, NY. Grapes were harvested by hand, foot-crushed, then fermented whole cluster in one ton bins. After 12 days the juice was moved to old French oak barrels to complete fermentation, then bottled after 12 months with an additional 6 months in stainless steel, without fining or filtration. This is light and juicy, with cranberry fruit opening the show before luscious cherry flavors emerge from the wings. A touch of cracked black pepper, fresh clove, and fine-grained tannic grip on the finish make for a refreshing, savory, and subtle sip, especially enjoyable with a slight chill. Sustainably grown, low-intervention/natural wine, vegan.