2024 Forge Cellars - Cabernet Franc Seneca Lake Caywood Vineyard (750ml)

Forge Cellars was conceived in 2011 by Rick Rainey and Louis Barruol, a partnership built around an analytical exploration of the terroir along the eastern shore of Seneca Lake through Riesling, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir. The winery has since expanded into Cabernet Franc, releasing its first single-vineyard example from Willow Vineyard in 2019 before pausing after a brutal 2022 winter froze out the crop entirely, then returning strong in 2023 with an ambitious lineup of four single-vineyard bottlings. Forge's approach treats each of its sixteen vineyard sites along the lake as a distinct expression of place, with lieux-dits bottlings like this one designed to isolate the character of a single piece of ground.

Caywood Vineyard sits near the village of Caywood on Honeoye silt loam over shale, and holds real historical significance as one of the Finger Lakes sites planted by Charles Fournier, the pioneering figure credited with bringing European vinifera grapes to the region. The vineyard's relatively flat terrain and notably thin topsoil naturally limit vigor, concentrating flavor in the fruit it does produce. That combination of old vines and lean soils gives the Cabernet Franc grown here a distinctive earthy intensity uncommon in warmer growing regions.

The wine shows deep, enticing aromas of violets, red currant, and black currant, backed by a serious structural core. Carefully managed tannins keep the wine's natural rusticity in check, delivering a medium-bodied palate with real length. It pairs well with roasted duck breast, herb-crusted lamb, or a rustic country pâté.