Trying a red wine produced from the Amur grape was one of the delights of a recent visit to the Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery, which is located a few miles north of Hammondsport, New York.
Have you never heard of the grape?
The winter-hardy grape is indigenous to northern China and southern Siberia and belongs to the Vitis Amurensis family. The Amur Valley in China and Russia is where its name originates. The vine grows well in cold regions, is frost-resistant, and ripens early.
The terrace outside the Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery tasting room, overlooking Keuka Lake in the late October.Vigna, Paul
When he started working at the winery five years ago, Jeff Zick, the vineyard manager for Hammondsport, claimed he had never heard of the grape before. Prior to that, Zick spent three years in a similar position in Sonoma and managed vineyards at a few wineries in Pennsylvania.
He stated that since the grape is the earliest blossoming type we have on our property on Keuka Lake, it has the potential to be a good producer provided it can survive the spring frost season. We have planted a little more than 2 acres at our sparkling farm, Chateau Frank, which has never been utilized as a sparkling variety until this 2024 vintage. We must wait two to three years to determine if triage will be effective for Amurensis in bottles.
The sign welcoming guests to the Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery’s tasting room, which is situated near Keuka Lake a few miles north of Hammondsport, New York.Vigna, Paul
The crop level was severely damaged by spring frosts in 2022 and 2023, Zick added, so it was changed to a dessert-port style wine. We used a respectably big crop from the 2021 and 2024 vintages in two distinct wines. Ruby Amur, a port-style wine that is stored in French oak for 24 months prior to bottling, and Amur, a red wine that is aged for 18 months, are both typically 100% varietal.
You may read about the still wine on the website by clicking this link, and you can learn about the port-style wine by clicking this link.
According to Zick, Amur typically grows rapidly in vineyards and has broad, loosely clustered leaves that allow for good airflow, which speeds up drying and lowers botrytis. He said that with a consistent spraying schedule, the vine is relatively disease-resistant and easy to care for in the field.
For those who don’t know, the winery has been there for over 60 years. In 1957, its founder and namesake planted the first vinifera vines in the eastern United States.As the fourth generation to run the winery, Frederick Frank has served as president since 1993, while Meaghan Frank is the vice president.
The award-winning winery’s extensive wine selection includes its Rieslings, Rkatsiteli, Blaufrankisch, and sparkling wines.
Due in large part to its 1886 Wine Experience, USA Today ranked Dr. Konstantin Frank at the top of its list of the best winery tours in America in July. The winery received a 10 Best Readers’ Choice Award for the third consecutive year.
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