Rediscovering Rkatsiteli: A Journey Through Time with Meaghan Frank and Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery

So excited about this episode of Winephabet Street. We are exploring the letter 'R' with one of the wine world's hidden gems, the Rkatsiteli grape. This ancient varietal, which hails from the storied vineyards of Georgia, offers a captivating blend of history and unique flavors that few other wines can boast.

Joining us is a very special guest, Meaghan Frank from Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery located in the Finger Lakes region of New York. Meaghan represents the fourth generation of her family's winemaking legacy, bringing both a deep respect for tradition and a fresh perspective to the craft.

The Journey of Rkatsiteli

The Rkatsiteli grape is considered one of the oldest known to viticulture, with origins that trace back over 3,000 years in the Republic of Georgia. This grape has survived and thrived through millennia, making it a testament to the resilience and enduring appeal of indigenous varietals.

At Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery, the journey of Rkatsiteli is intertwined with the personal history of the Frank family. Dr. Konstantin Frank, a visionary viticulturist and Meaghan’s great-grandfather, first introduced Rkatsiteli to the Finger Lakes, recognizing the region's potential to nurture this robust and versatile grape.

Tasting Notes and Pairings

Rkatsiteli produces a wine that is vibrant and aromatic, with a crisp acidity that makes it incredibly food-friendly. It exhibits flavors ranging from ripe apple and pear to herbal and floral notes, making it versatile for pairing with a wide array of cuisines. The wine's high acidity cuts through the richness of fatty foods and complements spicy and aromatic dishes, making it an excellent match for everything from Indian curries to traditional Georgian recipes.

We were spoiled and got to taste 3 types of Rkatsiteli Dr. Frank produces.

2021 Amber Rkatsiteli - Spent 2 weks on skins. Fresh floral with orange blossom and chamomile

2022 Rkatsiteli - Bright acidity, notes of pear and nice salinity on the finish

2021 Rkatsiteli Extra Brut - it has a touch of dosage and spent 3 years aging. Nice floral notes and fresh and exciting.

Sustainability and Innovation at Dr. Frank Winery

Under Meaghan’s stewardship, the winery continues to focus on sustainable viticulture practices, including the use of solar energy and participation in New York State's Sustainable Winegrowing program. This commitment ensures that the legacy of Dr. Konstantin Frank not only preserves the environment but also continues to innovate and lead in the American wine industry.

Experience and Education

Meaghan’s approach to winemaking is deeply rooted in both tradition and science. With a background in wine business and enology, she blends practical experience with academic knowledge, enriching the winery’s offerings with both classic and innovative wines. Her involvement in teaching local WSET courses further reflects her commitment to educating others about wine, ensuring that the passion for viticulture is passed on to the next generation.

Visiting Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery

For those intrigued by the story of Rkatsiteli and the rich history of Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery, a visit to the Finger Lakes offers a picturesque setting to experience these exceptional wines. The winery provides a range of tasting experiences that showcase the diversity of their wine portfolio, from their traditional method sparkling wines to their exquisite Rkatsiteli.

Rkatsiteli is not just about a grape, but about the enduring legacy of a family that changed the American wine landscape. Meaghan Frank continues this legacy with a dedication to quality, sustainability, and education, ensuring that the history of Rkatsiteli will continue to be enjoyed for generations to come.

We hope you enjoyed this exploration of Rkatsiteli on Winephabet Street. Watch or listen the complete show below

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Finger Lakes Whites Beyond Riesling

The Finger Lakes region in New York has become known as producing some fantastic Rieslings.  Yes, they are great, but they also produce some great whites besides Riesling.

I recently took part in a twitter tasting of 5 of those "other whites".  The varietals tasted were Pinot Gris, Gruner Veltliner and Gewurztraminer.  Gruner Veltliner is new to the Finger Lakes and it taking quite well to the region. Yes I am impressed!

When seeking out other white wines from the Finger Lakes, you might want to give these a try.

Thirsty Owl Wine Company 2012 Pinot Gris - While I am not a big fan of Pinot Gris, I was quite impressed with this wine.  I have to admit, I cheated as Thirsty Owl table was next to mine (Happy Bitch) at a trade show that week and I tasted the Pinot Gris.  Looking forward to more than an ounce in my glass, I embraced this wine at the tasting.  All estate grown fruit in this dry Pinot Gris that was very light in color.  It showed beautiful aromas of honeysuckle, pear, apple, citrus and some minerality.  Flavors of pear was dominate but had some lime mid palate and minerality towards the finish with very nice acidity. (yes that's my daughter in the picture being silly)

Three Brothers Winery Stony Lonesome Estates 2011 Gruner Veltliner is all estate grown and stainless steel fermented. This is the second vintage for them.   The initial aroma I got with this wine was stinky feet.  After a few swirls the aroma dissipated that brought on a nice floral smell. There were soft flavors of pear and melon.  Even though the technical sheet says 0% residual sugar I thought it was sweet.  My residual sugar taste buds would give it a 1.2% and others taking part in the tasting thought the same. There were 300 cases of this wine produced and it retails for $14

Fulkerson Winery 2012 Gruner Veltliner - here's another confession. I received a media sample from the winery and didn't realize it would be one of the wines featured in this tasting.  I had reviewed this wine the week before giving it it's own post.  You can read about it here. 

Knapp Winery 2011 Dry Gewurztraminer was a happening wine. After the grapes were harvested they sat on the skins overnight before they were pressed. Nice nose of jasmine, tangerine and some floral notes.  On the palate we saw some soft pineapple and lemon with some white spice. As a dry Gewurztraminer it did have .95% of residual sugar which balanced out the acidity nicely.   There were 116 cases of this wine produced and it retails for $14.95

Dr Konstantin Frank Vinifera Wine Cellars 2012 Gewurztraminer had a beautiful nose.  Aromas of soft jasmine, wet stone and citrus with a hint of floral filled the glass.  This very nicely balanced wine had flavors of orange blossom with a slight spice on the finish.  Even thought this had 1.1% residual sugar it wasn't a "sweet" wine.  The sugar balanced out the acidity to make it a very nice wine.  Discussions during the chat were what to pair this wine with.  Cheese Master Wendy Crispell suggested a "goey stinky washed rind cows milk cheese"  This wine retails for $14.99

Disclaimer:  I received these wines as a media sample from the Finger Lakes Wine Alliance.

Aroma Thyme Bistro & Dr Konstantin Frank Wine Pairing

It is all about the food and wine!  After a long day of work, traffic, across the bridge and over the mountain, I was seated at Aroma Thyme Bistro for a Dr Frank wine paring dinner.  I was lucky enough to be seated with Jan McGuire who is the sales representative with Dr. Frank.

If you are not familiar with Dr Konstantin Frank (Dr. Frank for short) he initiated the "Vinifera Revolution in the Finger Lakes Wine Region.  He was a European immigrant who came to the States in 1951 and was a professor of plant sciences and held a Ph.D in viticulture.  He moved to upstate New York and took a job at Cornell Uniersity's Geneva Experiment Station.    Dr Frank believed that it was the lack of proper rootstock, not the cold weather that was the reason for the failure of Vitis Vinifera in the Finger Lakes.    Long story short in 1962 he founded Vinifera Wine Cellars and earned a reputation for producing great Rieslings and wold class champagnes.  Today they produce wine under three labels, Dr. Konstantin Frank which is all estate grown, the Chateau Frank label produces champagne, and Salmon Run produces wines from grapes sourced from other regions in the Finger Lakes and has a higher residual sugar especially in the whites that the Dr Frank label.  They produce 56,000 cases annually.

Now on to dinner....we began with a Chateau Frank NY Champagne Blanc de Noir paired with Grilled Pairs, Caved Aged Raw Cheddar Strudel, Praline Walnuts, Baby Red Romaine Walnut Tarragon Vinaigrette.    I am not a big fan of sparkling, I don't know why, but this Blanc de Noir which was 95% Pinot Noir and 5% Pinot Meunier I really enjoyed.  It is crafted in the traditional method and bottled for 8 years before it is disgorged. It went very well with the pears.

Next on the menu was the Dr. Frank 2009 Dry Riesling paired with curried winter squash, onions and mushrooms. Some of this butternut squash was pureed which gave it almost a soup presentation.  It as in a mild Thai and Indian Madras Curry. The curry was mild but it did have kick.  So.......Marcus brought out the Dr Frank Semi Dry Riesling and we got to do a side, by side comparison.   The Dry Riesling had slight hints of citrus and wet slate leading way to soft apricot and was .9 RS.    It went well with the curry but the semi dry Riesling which was 2.1% RS did cut the spice.

We moved on to the 2007 Pinot Noir.  2007 was a banner year for wine growing in New York State.    The Pinot was paired with Grilled Wild Alaskan Sockeye Salmon, Savoy Cabbage with Truffle, Onion and Bacon.  This salmon was caught with one line.  One line, one hook improves the quality as we were educated by  Marcus.  The Pinot had less the .2% RS hints of red berry and a dry mid palate.

Now that you are full and may or may not be ready for dessert there is another course waiting for you.  Yes, a Slow Braised Local Brisket with Roasted Potatoes served with Dr Frank's 2008 Cabernet Frank was served.  The pairing was wonderful, but I was full.  I guess it didn't stop me because I ate most of what had been put in front of me.

Now for the final course.  What we all save room for.....Local Apple Crisp, Pumpkin Ice Cream paired with Celebre Rose.  The Celebre Rose was made with 100% Pinot Meunier and was 2% RS.  I found the Rose very yeasty on the nose and very effervescent.  I think it's the bubbles that get me.  The apple and pumpkin ice cream....well what can I say. The apple crisp was actually baked in the half of apple.  I thought that was pretty cleaver.  The pumpkin ice cream was not over powering in flavor and it went very well with both the Celebre Rose and the apple crisp.

Marcus, Jamie and Aroma Thyme Bistro did a wonderful job with the food and wine pairing.  They do offer different wine and food pairings dinners along with beer pairing dinners throughout the year.