In the 1950s, sampling New York wines was nothing to get excited about. The area was known for producing only sparkling and sweet wines, and neither exceedingly well. Cold winters kept more elegant vinifera grapes like Riesling, chardonnay and pinot noir from thriving, much to the dismay of local sophisticated palates.
But then he arrived. A Ukrainian immigrant with a Ph.D. in viticulture, Dr. Konstantin Frank came to New York in 1951 and forever changed the wine industry in the eastern United States. Frank grafted the delicate European vinifera to well-rooted native vines, allowing the vinifera to weather the harsh climate. He opened Dr. Konstantin Frank Vinifera Wine Cellars in Hammondsport, New York, in 1962 on a steep slope overlooking Keuka Lake.
Today, the winery operates under Dr. Frank’s grandson, Frederick Frank, and has been labeled the “Greatest Wine Producer in the Atlantic Northeast” by Wine Report for five years in a row. Attracting 65,000 visitors a year, Dr. Frank’s — as the locals know the winery — has received accolades from the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times and numerous industry publications for its outstanding vintages.
Maybe the best opportunity to sample Dr. Frank’s and other New York wines is the Finger Lakes Wine Festival, held this year July 17–19.
“The Finger Lakes wineries are on five different lakes and they’re all quite a distance apart,” says Frederick Frank. “The festival gives people the chance to taste from all of the vineyards in one place.”