Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine & Spirits
Russell, the winemaker for Red Newt, focuses on rosé for his own label. This cabernet franc from the Nutt Road Vineyard is bright and herbal—totally nailing the ‘franc-ness’ in its cherry and lavender scents and dark strawberry flavors. It has an herbal edge that will sing with an alfresco feast, like roast chicken on an outdoor grill.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2020 Dry Rosé Kelby James Russell is a Cabernet Franc made at Red Newt and sourced from Nutt Road Vineyard on Seneca Lake (all of that is only on the back label). Dry, it comes in with just one gram of residual sugar and 5.7 of total acidity, plus 13% alcohol. Tasted with about six weeks in bottle, this was exuberant and expressive of the grape, the nose projecting some herbs and a touch of green that follows through onto the palate. It projects waves of flavor in its youth as well. Probably rounder, richer and deeper than the 2019 (granting that both are not here together this issue, and that's based on memory and my notes), this is a full-bodied pink for the Finger Lakes. On the other hand, it is probably not as energetic as the 2019, the mid-palate balancing the energy differently. It is still dry and fresh but also well suited to being a substantial pairing for foods. The next day, it demonstrated both its concentration and its ability to show some tension. Overall, this looks like another exceptional pink from Kelby Russell.
Whether it’s playful and fun or savory and serious, most rosé today is not your grandmother’s White Zinfandel, though that category remains strong. Pink wine has recently become quite trendy, and this time around it’s commonly quite dry. Since the pigment in red wines comes from keeping fermenting juice in contact with the grape skins for an extended period, it follows that a pink wine can be made using just a brief period of skin contact—usually just a couple of days. The resulting color depends on grape variety and winemaking style, ranging from pale salmon to deep magenta.
As the most historic wine-producing region in New York state, winemaking in the Finger Lakes area dates back to the 1820s and today as a region, accounts for 90% of the state’s total wine production.
Its narrow and deep lakes created by the movement of Ice Age glaciers create an environment similar to the classic Riesling-loving regions of Europe, namely Germany and Austria. The Finger Lakes retain summer heat that incidentally warms up cold winter air, making it fall down from the lakes’ steep slopes. When spring comes, the lakes, already cooled by cold winter weather, stave off vine budding until the danger of frost has subsided. The main lakes of the zone, that is those big enough to moderate the climate in this way, are the focal points of prime vineyard areas. They include Canandaigua, Keuka, Seneca and Cayuga.
While Riesling has fueled most of the region’s success, today Pinot Noir and Cabernet Franc enjoy some attention.