Distinct Expressions and a Crisp Edge: New York Cabernet Franc Finds its Voice

After James Suckling, Andrew McMurray and I conducted an extensive tasting of cabernet francs from throughout New York State at the renowned Hotel Chelsea in Manhattan earlier this month, we came away impressed with the range of styles across the state, as well as the ability of producers to accurately express the character of what are often widely divergent vintages.

New York is, after all, prone to significant variation from one year to the next. The Finger Lakes is a decidedly cool-climate region, while Long Island is more moderate. Both can be impacted by frost in the spring, rain near harvest and unpredictable swings in temperature and weather patterns. Conscientious, detail-oriented farming and well-timed harvesting are critical throughout the state.

Of the 76 wines tasted, including some earlier on-site in the Finger Lakes and Long Island, 67 scored 90 and above, with six crossing the 94-point threshold. Top producers included Damiani, Forge Cellars, Hermann J. Wiemer, Red Newt and more. Our highest-scoring wine, the classy and complex Boundary Breaks Cabernet Franc Finger Lakes Reserve 2024, stood out for its red cherry, Sicilian orange, violet and light cream aromas, round tannins and pretty, caressing finish.

Most of the wines were from the 2023 and 2024 vintages, which offer a fascinating snapshot of how dramatically the weather can vary from one year to another. We found the former to be lighter and fresher in general, and what they lacked in power they typically made up for in liveliness. 2024, on the other hand, brought more concentrated wines whose fruit and structure embodied the dryer, hotter nature of that particular vintage.

In our tastings, many 2024s felt more precise and balanced, while a number of 2023s showed a slightly more rustic, compact profile — a reminder that producer decisions (especially harvest timing and extraction) can matter as much as the headline weather narrative.

Oskar Bynke, co-owner of Hermann J. Wiemer, a standout Finger Lakes winery, observed that 2023 was “a cooler year that emphasized delicacy, acidity, and aromatic precision. These wines are agile, lifted and very expressive early on.” By contrast, he said, “2024 was shaped by heat and dryness that brought more concentration and natural richness. This gave the wines broader shoulders and darker tones.”

The Weis Vineyards Cabernet Franc Finger Lakes 2023 embodies the character of the vintage with its mint and cherry aromas that set the stage for a juicy, lightly chewy palate. As a counterpoint, the Ryan William Vineyard Cabernet Franc Finger Lakes 2024 is a rich wine that still has plenty of tension, with round tannins and a creamy finish.

While the Finger Lakes and Long Island both experienced similar climatic patterns in those two vintages, the wines express them differently – as they do in most years.

“Long Island seems to have a much longer growing season with a higher accumulation of heat,” noted Rich Pisacano, the co-owner of Roanoke Vineyards on the North Fork. “For Long Island, we find this length of season and heat to be essential for reaching a level of ripeness needed for the wines we aim to make, both as varietals and as blending components. I think if Long Island experienced vintages as cool as most in the Finger Lakes, our cabernet franc would retain pyrazines and be thin.”

Because of the presence of pyrazines, Finger Lakes wines tend to retain more of the herbal notes associated with the variety. In this regard, they are more Loire-like. By contrast, Long Island cabernet franc is generally riper and less herbal.

What ties New York cabernet franc together across regions and vintages is their food-friendliness and overall drinkability. And after spending several hours tasting through dozens of cabernet francs, we were more than happy to bring several of them to lunch, including standouts from Boundary Breaks and Red Newt. What sets them apart is their energy, freshness and vibrancy, and that's especially true of the cab francs from the Finger Lakes region. But regional differences in the wines aside, what is clear is that cabernet franc is New York is gaining serious attention as a variety that's cooly standing on its own.

– Brian Freedman, Staff Writer & Critic

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