Wine Reviews
Unusually warm early spring days led to a late April bud break – our earliest on record. On May 18th, a late-season frost caused devastating losses in the region. We were extremely lucky to be on the edge of this cold front, and were largely spared from the damage. Early summer brought warmth and slightly above-average rainfall, which dramatically increased berry weights. Fortunately, warm, dry late autumn weather ripened the grapes, kept disease pressure at bay, and yielded elegant, beautifully balanced wines.
2022 Vintage
The 2022 vintage was spectacular – one of our best growing seasons to date. It began with a warm, dry spring, mid-May bud break, and a mid-June bloom. Early summer brought drought-like conditions, then rain and humidity as fall approached. Fortunately, warm, dry weather returned in fall. The drought led to small berry sizes and lower yields, and the resulting wines have deep, concentrated flavors, beautiful balance, and character. An exceptional vintage with extremely low yields. This was the first vintage that we harvest and vinified several of our esoteric series grapes, Aligoté, Petite Arvine, and Lagrein.
2021 Vintage
A mild winter was followed by a cool spring, a mid-May bud break, and a mid-June bloom. Early summer temperatures and rainfall were on par with regional averages, but late summer brought heavy rain. Happily, September’s sunny, dry conditions allowed the grapes to ripen and develop beautiful balance and character fully. This was a vintage where good viticultural management was vital – there was higher than normal disease pressure, and keeping weeds managed and leaves pulled to ensure good airflow was critically important to keep the grapes healthy, especially Pinot Noir.
2020 Vintage
The 2020 vintage was simply spectacular for viticulture in the Finger Lakes. The vintage began with a mild winter and a cool spring, followed by a mid-May bud break. May and June were very dry, and July was warmer than normal with normal precipitation. Autumn featured warm, sunny, dry weather. The vintages’ ideal growing conditions provided good yields of exceptional quality fruit. Fall weather allowed us to pick grapes at optimal ripeness and perfect balance. One of our most exceptional vintages to date. The 2020 vintage was highly regarded by reviewers, and 2020 Mo Chuisle Pinot Noir and other Estate Pinot Noirs received significant critical acclaim.
2019 Vintage
The 2019 vintage began with a mild winter followed by a warm spring with normal precipitation, a seasonal bud break, and a June bloom. July and August were cooler than normal with significant rainfall. In late August, the weather turned, and we had a hot and dry September, which allowed the bountiful crop of grapes to fully ripen.
2017 Vintage
Th e 2017 vintage began with a mild winter, followed by a warm spring with normal precipitation, a seasonal bud break and a June bloom. July and August were cooler than normal with signif cant rainfall. Fortunately in early September, the weather turned hot and dry which allowed the bountiful crop of grapes to fully ripen. The vintage produced Pinot Noirs with tremendous complexity, balance, and beautiful ripeness and Rieslings with vibrant acidity and harmonious balance.
2016 Vintage
The e 2016 vintage began with a mild winter followed by a late April bud break and early June bloom. Spring and summer were exceptionally hot and dry in the Finger Lakes. Some well-timed rain in September allowed the grapes to reach full maturity prior to harvest. The wine from this vintage is quite alluring, showing beautiful ripeness and decadent fl avors and aromatics.
2015 Vintage
The 2015 vintage began with a cold winter followed by a cool, rainy spring, a seasonal bud break and a June bloom. Summer delivered significant heat and sun, bringing the ripening back on pace with historical regional norms. Late August and September conditions were ideal for vinifera grapes: the weather was warm, sunny, and dry, enabling the grapes to develop intense flavors and aromatics, and allowing us to pick each vineyard at optimal ripeness.
2014 Vintage
Th e 2014 vintage began with two polar vortex events which tested vine hardiness. Spring weather brought a seasonal bud break in May, and bloom in June. The early summer months were warm with heavier rainfall than average, but happily, the month of August was hot and dry, which allowed fruit development to progress nicely. Warm, dry weather in September provided plenty of sunlight which fully ripened the fruit.
2013 Vintage
A moderate winter was followed by a seasonal bud break and bloom. Early summer brought a record-high 5 inches of rainfall in June, but happily the rest of the season was hot with normal precipitation. A gorgeous, dry September delivered ample sun which fully ripened the fruit, while cool nights preserved acidity. The 2013 harvest turned out to be a bumper crop for the region.
2012 Vintage
A mild winter and unseasonably warm 80 degree March temperatures caused a record-early bud break. Warm weather continued through summer leading to the earliest harvest on record. The Pinot Noir benefited from the heat with intense flavors and additional structure. The Rieslings showcase a softer palate from the vintage, but still resonate with a crisp finish.
2011 Vintage
With an abundance of moisture in the spring, the summer became warm and dry with intermittent thunder storms. Harvest received a great deal of moisture pressure from two hurricanes. Despite the tough conditions at harvest, the Pinot Noir wines are aromatically expressive and the Rieslings are crisp and refreshing.
2010 Vintage
A mild winter led to a early bud break and bloom. Hot and humid weather persisted throughout the growing season, transitioning to cooler seasonable temperatures in September.
2009 Vintage
A mild winter led to a seasonal bud break and June bloom. A cool, moist summer was followed by a dry September, ensuring a bountiful harvest. The warm September was perfect to enable the Pinot Noir grapes to develop deeper ripeness, superior flavor complexity and harmonious balance and the Rieslings to have a crisp, snappy finish.
2008 Vintage
The 2008 summer was highlighted by the warm days and cool nights that are typical of the Finger Lakes. September and October brought warm and dry weather, exactly what was needed to enable the Pinot Noir grapes to develop deeper ripeness, superior flavor complexity and harmonious balance.
2007 Vintage
2007 was an unusually warm and dry growing season in which vines thrived, producing Pinot Noir grapes with incredible intensity and ripeness. The hotter vintage supplied the Rieslings with a softer palate from the lower acidity found in the grapes.
2006 Vintage
Seasonal spring temperatures were on-par with other Finger Lakes vintages. Significant heat in July expedited grape ripening, which proved to be critical as fall arrived early with wet weather in September, lengthening harvest into October.