WINELIST – Slow Wine Tour New York 2025

Owners Ron and Marianne Lachini have owned the winery since 1998. making their first vintage in 2001. Florent Merlier is the winemaker. Ernesto Mendoza manages the vines. Their focus on their high end wines is structure, balance and long-term age worthiness. On their estate, they grow 30 acres of Pinot Noir, three acres of Chardonnay and 10 rows of Muscat Canelli. Most of the vineyard is planted on grafted rootstock though ten acres are own rooted. On their own estate, they say they use only organ- ic approved materials. They also buy fruit from local growers. (Some of the wines, not featured here, may be grown with herbicide.)

When it comes to organic farming, second generation Napa grower and vintner Mark Neal is the O.G. He runs his own vineyard management company, founded by his dad in 1968. He farms Martha’s Vine- yard, one of Napa’s Grand Cru sites. Certified organic (since 1984!) and biodynamic (since 2021), he was the first in Napa to receive Regenerative Organic certification (in 2022). The 2024 harvest marks Mark’s 58th harvest in Napa and his 41st organic harvest. Neal prides himself on his 22 clones of Cabernet which give complexity to the wines. He farms 17 acres in Rutherford (originally planted by his father Jack) and 12.5 acres on Howell Mountain, purchased in 1990, for its sunny microclimate and red volcanic Aiken soil. To double his crop, he’s interplanted a wide variety of climate friendly whites (Assyrtiko, Vermentino and more) on the Rutherford property between the Cabernet vines.

Deeply rooted in Napa, vintners Ren and Marilyn Harris are among the local leaders who made Napa what it is today. Marilyn, 81 (a descendant of the Pelissa family, Napa’s largest organic growers; see Ghost Block listing), and Ren, 82, founded key community organizations. In 2024, they appointed Jake Pickett, husband of Morgaen Hoxsey (also of the Pelissa family), as the new general manager. They are also part of the 1% for the Planet organization. Certified organic in 2021, the gravelly soils on the west side of the acclaimed Oakville appellation grow Cabernet Sauvignon as well as Zinfandel, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. They added a bit more Cab Franc in 2024. They also grow 147 olive trees and sell organic estate olive oil. The property is uniquely positioned between the Mayacamas and Yountville Hills where ocean influences create cooler tempera- tures and beneficial airflow.

In 2003, founders Lou Damiani and Phil Davis set out to create noteworthy red wines from their east Seneca Lake vineyards. Today, with co-own- er Glenn Allen, and winemaker Katey Larwood, they make award winning reds, as well as sparkling wine and nuanced whites. Katey’s winemaking is vineyard focused letting the fruit guide decision making. Native yeast fermentation creates refreshing and approach- able wines that are lean, bright and lower in alcohol. The two estate vineyards, Damiani and Davis, were planted in 1997 and 1998. West-facing, gravelly loam slopes in a “banana belt” microclimate capture extended sunlight and warmth. The vineyards have been herbicide free for decades, and the team incorporates a hybrid model of organic approved fungicides for disease control. They also buy grapes from local growers.

A leading producer in the Finger Lakes, winemaker Morten and chef Lisa Hallgren founded the winery in 2001. Danish by birth yet raised in Provence by his winemaking family, Morten trained at Montpelier, a top wine school, and then worked in Bordeaux before coming to the Finger Lakes. He pioneered the bone dry, mineral driven Riesling style, now popular in the region. Sparkling wine production is expanding. Their estate vineyards are meticulously managed to maintain balance and purity in the grapes. Limestone Springs Vineyard (59 acres), with its sloped soils and Onondaga limestone provides ideal conditions. The 16 Falls Vineyard (46 acres), on a steep slope and close to water, offers excellent temperature moderation. They also buy from the acclaimed Argetsinger vineyard.

Founded in 2005, owners Nancy Irelan, winemaker, and Mike Schnell, viticulturist, came from California with extensive, major league, wine industry experience. The two wanted to explore cool climate, minimal intervention winemaking. In 2009, they built their winery, the only LEED Gold certified winery in the state. In 2024, they opened a stunning tasting room, paneled in natural wood from trees on the property. They’ve also been James Beard Award semifinalists. They planted their first vines in 2005, focused on the popular European varietals typically grown in the Finger Lakes. but adventurously expanded to grow- ing atypical varieties including Blaufränkisch, Lagrein and Teroldego (which they make in a unique blend along with Cabernet Franc). The soils of glacial till and deep clay de- posits help with water management. In 2023, they converted an acre of their estate to serve as a pollinator field.

The winery was founded by a regional eco-pioneer in 1982. Winemaker Paul Brock, and General Manager Shannon Brock, both wine educators, purchased the winery in 2011. Today, as leaders for their sustainable practices, they helped to develop the New York State Sustainable Winegrowing certification program. The winery generates its energy from a solar array. They also make ecofriendly packaging decisions and are on the path to becoming zero waste. Located on the east side of Seneca Lake, the vines grow in a temperate microclimate on shallow silt loam over shale rock. They describe their farming as biointensive viticulture , using free range chickens, compost and biochar to enrich the soil. They recently added a plot of hybrid varieties (including Regent) that enable them to farm those grapes organically. Thirty year old Chardonnay and Riesling vines were replanted. They also buy grapes from local growers.

Founded in 1979, Hermann J. Wiemer pioneered viticulture and winemaking in the Finger Lakes. Today’s owners Oskar Bynke, Fred Merwarth, Maressa Tosto-Merwarth continue the pioneering legacy by be- ing the first farm in New York State to earn Demeter Biodynamic Certification for their 33-acre HJW Vineyard. They view their work as essential for navigating the future of Finger Lakes wine growing. In their nursery, they experiment with potential varietals for the region. The use of all herbicides and synthetic inputs were first eliminated in 2003. The certified biodynamic HJW vineyard (a decade-long process) is managed by Thijs Verschuuren. In the vineyard, you pass the chickens and geese (for pest control), and their organic-certified, pea and clover pollinator field. Their herd of sheep graze the cover crop and spread the seeds. Organic teas of horsetail and lavender are “brewed” and sprayed for fungal and insect control.

Founded in 1988, the winery is owned by second generation siblings Marc and Joey Wölffer, along with head winemaker and partner Roman Roth. Their White Horse line features premium wine from estate grown fruit. The Cellar Series consists of small lot, limited release wines. Located in a popular summer water- ing hole, the winery make no less than six rosés. They also offer summer music concerts and yoga classes.  Vineyard Manager Richie Pisacano oversees 55 acres of vines on their main South Fork estate and 24 acres on the North Fork estate. Their es- tate vineyards, which sit on Bridgehampton loam soil, ha ve been herbicide free since 2023, and they ha ve been expanding their composting and cover crops. They uniquely planted Trebbiano, a fungal resistant Italian variety. They buy grapes from growers. Some of the wines (not featured here) may be grown with herbicide.