The Atwater Times - February 2020
Be sure to tune in to our LIVE webcam to watch the winter weather.
Our vineyard is covered in snow from recent storms, but Punxsutawney Phil predicts we only have six more weeks of winter.
IN THE VINEYARD
Now that we are in the heart of winter, the vineyard staff’s primary activity has been pruning. Although only about a quarter of the way through the vineyards, they are starting to pick up the pace since we will turn the corner toward spring very soon.
It is also a good time to prepare for the upcoming season by doing equipment maintenance and repairs since we don’t use our tractors and equipment as much use this time of year. In the heat of the growing season, it is important to have everything running properly so that we don’t have a breakdown at a critical stage.
WINE CELLAR UPDATES
The 2019 rosés are officially on deck for the first bottling run of 2020 season.
We sent all the rosés through their initial filtration to help clarify and aerate the wine, delivered samples for lab analysis to check the chemistry, and finally ran cold stability trials to ensure their integrity.
If all goes according to plan we should have what is shaping up to be an excellent batch of rosés coming this spring.
FROM THE TASTING ROOM
New Release
2018 Cabernet Franc
Our Cabernet Franc underwent 61% spontaneous fermentation in stainless steel tank, 39% fermentation in open top bin and was aged nine months in neutral French oak barrels.
Its grapes produce delicate flavors of red cherry, raspberries, and sweet tobacco.
THE VINEYARD TABLE
We are pleased to announce dates for our greatly anticipated Vineyard Table dinners.
Experience fine dining prepared table-side by acclaimed local chefs Giulietta Racciatti and Rune Hilt of Red Dove Tavern while nestled in Atwater’s beautiful vineyards overlooking Seneca Lake. Giulietta and Rune craft menus that focus on local and seasonal ingredients and are thoughtfully paired with Atwater wines. Meet our winemakers, learn about the chefs and the passion they bring to their craft, and enjoy lively conversation with friends.
Space is limited to 22 guests, so book your experience early to guarantee a spot. Club members receive $10 off per ticket (limit 2).
PURCHASE VINEYARD TABLE TICKETS NOW
SHIPPING NEWS
We are pleased to announce that we are now able to ship orders to customers in Arizona!
CLUB HOUSE
FEBRUARY PICK-UP PARTY
Thank you to our Wine Club members who came out for the first pick-up party of 2020! From our cozy tasting room, we watched the snow hide Seneca Lake while tasting an array of wines including pre-releases and library wines and enjoying small bites. George brought winemaking equipment and barrel samples from the cellar for show-and-tell. Our next wine club shipment and party is in May.
ANNUAL WINE CLUB PARTY
Save the Date: June 13th
Our annual Wine Club Party will be held on June 13th from 5:00 until sunset. Enjoy hayride tours throughout the vineyards, vertical wine tastings with the winemakers, great music with Aaron Lipp & the Slacktones, catered hors d'oeuvres with a full buffet dinner and delectable desserts. Close the evening by watching the sun set over the vineyards and Seneca Lake.
If you are not yet a member, please join our wine-loving community! Visit our website for more details.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Check out our Events Calendar for the latest events at and around Atwater Vineyards.
Feb 17, 2020 at 3:46 PM
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The Atwater Times - January 2020
Be sure to tune in to our LIVE webcam to watch the winter weather.
2020 marks Atwater’s 20th anniversary.
We are excited to meet this milestone and hope you will join us in celebrating throughout the year.
IN THE VINEYARD
On cold days, we've begun pruning our hardier varieties which is ideal since we can bundle up and stay warm. Each vine is pruned by hand so that we can assess how it is doing. Proper pruning is the foundation for managing the growth, crop load, and health of our vines. On January 31, we will be participating in the second annual Felco East Pruning Competition at Anthony Road Winery for a friendly test of our pruning skills.
Warmer weather during December and January, however, has allowed us to keep doing trellis work, which we need to have more dexterity (i.e., thinner gloves) for. It has also been wet, which makes it hard to get tractors into the vineyard. Even so, we’ve already gotten much more tractor work in than average for this time of year.
IN THE WINERY
The winemakers are closing in on most of the major blending decisions for the 2019 whites and rosés, with only a few more adjustments as we head toward the bottling season. In the barrel room, our reds are just finishing up malolactic fermentation and will soon be ready for their winter hibernation. With the benefit of time, we can report with more confidence that the wine quality of last fall’s vintage appears quite strong across the board.
FROM THE TASTING ROOM
Cheese Plates and Charcuterie Boards
Cheese plates and charcuterie boards are available throughout the winter and are perfect to enjoy with a glass of wine or with one of our tantalizing wine cocktails in our cozy tasting room overlooking the sleeping vineyards.
SLWT Bargain Bash
Held January 11-20 after the busy holiday, the Seneca Lake Wine Trail’s Bargain Bash is an inventory reduction and clearance sale with many wineries providing discounts on wine and a variety of retail items. It is free to attend and no tickets are required. We will be offering can’t-miss deals such as:
Dry Rosé of Blaufränkisch 2017: $7 per bottle
Atwater White: $6.50 per bottle
Finger Lakes Wine Glasses (Set of 12): $35 normally $70
Available in tasting room only while supplies last. No additional discounts apply.
SLWT Global Eats and Local Wine
International flavor comes to Seneca Lake during the Global Eats and Local Wine event! Enjoy a tour around Seneca Lake while exploring the unique, delicious pairings of Seneca Lake wines with foods from a variety of nations and cultures at twenty-one participating Seneca Lake Wine Trail wineries. At Atwater, we are pairing Apple Butter Rugelach, a taste of Poland, with our Riesling 2015. Tickets, available through the Seneca Lake Wine Trail, are $40 per person, $20 for designated drivers.
SLWT Wine Weekday Passports
Seneca Lake Wine Trail Wine Weekday Passports are available in our tasting room or through the Seneca Lake Wine Trail. Good through June 30, 2020, these passports allow one guest a tasting at each of fifteen participating wineries and are valid Monday through Friday during regular business hours. They can be used in a single week or over the course of several and provide a convenient way to enjoy many of the wineries on the Seneca Lake Wine Trail.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Check out our Events Calendar for the latest events at and around Atwater Vineyards.
Jan 15, 2020 at 11:11 AM
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The Atwater Times - December 2019
On December 2nd, the first snow of the season blanketed our vineyards. Be sure to tune in to our LIVE webcam to watch the winter weather.
In the Vineyard
The vineyard staff is working on our post and trellis repairs and moving catch wire clips before the ground freezes. Our typical trellis setup consists of six wires—two “fruit wires” and four “catch wires.” Fruiting canes (the branches that grow from the main trunk) are tied to the fruit wires in the spring before bud break while moveable catch wires support the growth of leaves and shoots. Since vines can grow quickly, we must ensure a proper setup so we move quickly and efficiently throughout the season.
We’ve also just received our yearly soil tests results so that we can tailor our treatments for each block as we spread mulch and fertilizer to continue to keep our soils healthy and productive.
In the Winery
The 2019 harvest is officially in and early reports are quite favorable thanks in part to cooler nighttime temperatures which kept disease pressure low and for mostly dry conditions during September and October. Alcoholic fermentations this season are winding down for the most part with the exception of a few late harvest Riesling lots that are still ticking away. Our reds are finishing up malolactic fermentation in the barrel hall and will soon begin their winter hibernation. In the next stage, we will begin looking at each of the early new release wines to assess whether they need any corrective intervention, which usually involves a series of blending bench trials to determine how best to finish the wine—one of the best parts of the winemakers’ jobs!
This month, George and Matteo also bottled the Pétillant Naturel 2019 (photo above) which has a very narrow window for bottling when the wine is at the appropriate sugar level.
From the Tasting Room
Around 5,000 guests, including Santa, Ms. Claus, reindeer, the ghost of Christmas past, and merry elves visited Atwater over two weekends for Deck the Halls, the popular Seneca Wine Trail event that sells out every year. Atwater’s Santa’s helpers served Riesling 2015 paired with a tamarind/apple butter chutney on samosas.
During the three-day event, revelers received a wreath and souvenir wine glass, and at every participating winery they visited, they got a special ornament and wine and food pairing. Visit Seneca Lake Wine Trail for information about 2020 tickets.
Upcoming Events
You can view all of our upcoming events on our events calendar.
Dec 14, 2019 at 7:36 PM
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Who Makes Your Wine? Wes Andrew
Our 2019 Harvest Assistant, Wes Andrew, currently attends Finger Lakes Community College for an A.A.S. in Viticulture & Wine Technology. His early experiences with wine and grapes started in his aunt and uncle's vineyard in the Shawnee Hills AVA in Illinois. Although the wine industry had always been of interest, he didn't consider pursuing a career in the industry until he spent a summer working for Blue Sky Vineyard in Illinois and decided that he wanted to pursue education in the field. He was interested in the Finger Lakes, and the FLCC program seemed like a good fit. After graduation, he'd like to explore the wine regions in Oregon and Washington. While Wes don't yet know where he'll settle down, his long-term goal is to own his own winery and vineyard.
Wes likes how interconnected everyone is at Atwater. Since it's a small place, everybody knows each other which is a nice feeling. Besides learning practical knowledge from Vinny and George, Wes says that while it may sound odd, he really enjoys power washing the floor. There's something very satisfying about watching the dirt and grime get blasted away and seeing the stark contrast between the unwashed and washed floor.
Wes was surprised by the amount of non-"wine" knowledge you need to know as a winemaker. On top of knowing how to make the wine, you also need to be an electrician, plumber, and a mechanic. So many things could go wrong: the press could stop working, something could go wrong with the glycol plumbing, the forklift could break, the list goes on and on, and you need to be ready to fix anything and everything if you have to.
Previously, Wes was enrolled in a B.S in Music Performance, his instrument being the double bass, but he decided not to pursue music as a full time career. However, he still plays almost everyday and has no plans of stopping anytime soon. He's hoping to find an orchestra to perform with once he has a more consistent schedule and is done with school. He's also a big road biker! Wes loves to ride his bike both casually and competitively in regional races and events. He tries to put in at least 100 miles a week either on the road or on the trainer when the weather is bad. He also enjoys cooking, and his favorite cuisines are from Asia, specifically Korean, Thai, and Szechuan. He cooks every day, and sometimes twice if he's home for lunch. He thinks there's something magical about chopping up all of the ingredients and slaving over a hot stove in order to put together a delicious dish. His favorite thing about cooking is that you're always rewarded for your hard work.
Atwater is proud to recruit many of our interns, including Wes, from the FLCC Viticulture & Wine Technology program. We've enjoyed working with Wes this season, and wish him the best as he finishes his degree and embarks on what we're sure will be a successful career!
Nov 29, 2019 at 2:39 PM
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