Wild Arc Farm 'Qamar Alhisad' Finger Lakes 2023

Todd and Crystal Cavallo left Brooklyn in the summer of 2016 to try their hand at building sustainable food systems in the Hudson Valley. The couple had limited experience in agriculture, mostly confined to growing tomatoes, peppers, herbs, and hops on city fire escapes, fending off the depredations of spiteful neighborhood squirrels. The fertile Hudson Valley has been a center of New York State's food production for hundreds of years, with a winemaking history to match. Having grown up in northern NYS, Todd and Crystal wanted to show that the granitic soils and Atlantic/Catskills-influenced microclimates of the Hudson Valley can produce world class wines. Beginning with ten acres, this small, biodynamic, permaculture-focused farm is making outstanding wines and ciders from locally sourced apples and grapes as their own vineyards finally begin to come of age. The late spring frost of 2023 provided direction (via limited yields) for this unique cuvée, made from a blend of riesling, cayuga, traminette, and De Chaunac grapes from the sustainably farmed Folts Farm vineyard in the Finger Lakes. Whole cluster riesling was macerated individually for 2 weeks, put in barrel, and then blended with direct press rosé at bottling. The late addition of rosé provides a pop of fruit and an overall lift to the finished bottling, which delivers layers of stone fruit and spice on a backbone of palate cleansing acidity. Evocative of eating spiced fruit around an autumn bonfire! Sustainably grown, low-intervention/natural wine, vegan.