Galer Estate winemaker Virginia Mitchell samples some of the new offerings from the barrel.
EAST MARLBOROUGH — Galer Estate continues to push the boundaries of Pennsylvania winemaking with the simultaneous release of two 2012 Cabernet Franc wines from two distinct vineyards or what’s called “single vineyard designate” wines.
One wine is made with 100% cabernet franc grapes from Galer Estate’s Home Vineyard in Chester County, Pocopson Township and the other with 100% cabernet franc grapes from Balla Cloiche Vineyard in York County, Stewartstown. The Galer Estate Home Vineyard was planted in 2008 and 2009 with 3 different clones of Cabernet Franc. This vineyard is on an east facing steep 8-25% slope with Manor Loam , Glenelg Silt series soil type, and vines planted north-south orientation using VSP training. The Bella Cloiche Vineyard’s vines are over 20 years old with Chester Silt Loam soil type at 3-15% slope.
Wine drinkers know that a vineyard’s vines (age, vine clone type, and vine management) and terroir (soils, climate, air flow, and aspect of the sun) will all have an effect on the taste and aromatics of a wine.
To truly understand and appreciate the nature of each vineyard, Galer Estate decided to keep the fruit from these two vineyards separate during the entire winemaking process, though each wine was made in the same way. Each had a week of cold soak, followed by a 30 day maceration and then was kept in 40% new French oak barrels for 19 months. And indeed you can smell and taste the differences from these two wines. This Friday Galer Estate Winery offers each wine at a specially discounted price to encourage you to compare the differences between the two wine growing area soils – a unique wine experience for Pennsylvania.
