Eminence Road 'Basket' White Blend Finger Lakes 2021

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 ‘Basket’ cuvée, named after Basket Creek that runs behind the farm, consists of a serendipitous blend of pinot gris from the western shore of Cayuga Lake and chardonnay from the eastern shore of Seneca Lake, plus a touch of gewürztraminer. After crushing and destemming, the grapes macerated on the skins for up to five days. Two thirds fermented and aged in stainless steel, the other third in old French oak. Beautifully textural and savory, with meaty notes of papaya, apricot, and grapefruit, it finishes with gentle tannins. Both orange and rosé lovers will gravitate towards this bottle, which is a versatile accompaniment to a variety of dishes. Sustainably grown, low-intervention/natural wine, vegan.