Dechaunac 2019 – Osmote

The Dechaunac Osmote vines were planted in 1973, own rooted without grafting sourced from the Patrician Verona Vineyard, a third generations grape farm located on the western shore of Cayuga Lake. After three days of cold soak (destemmed), grapes were pressed and the juice was added onto pre-pressed whole clusters of Chardonnay. Fermentation was un-inoculated and occurred naturally on the Chardonnay must. Must was pressed before dryness, using a basket press. The wine was left to age in tank and underwent a natural malolactic fermentation. Racked several times before bottling, the wine is unfiltered.

Ben Riccardi founded osmote in 2014 and brings the sensibilities of a young gun who has worked in Sonoma, New Zealand and France along with Big Apple attitude from time honing his skills at Manhattan’s City Winery. Using fruit from both Seneca and Cayuga Lakes – there are 11 Lakes in total with four considered the best for winemaking and these two with their own AVAs – Ben makes low-intervention, wild-yeast wines that revel in freshness and lower alcohol. We love the lightness of touch he brings to his Chardonnays (both unoaked and with some large barrel influence) and Riesling. The hybrids that can often lead the region astray- along with being freezing in the winter there can be considerable pressure on vines during hot and humid summers – are focussed and original.