2015 Frontenac
This wine crosses the dark berry quality with earthy undertones of wild brush. The tannins are in check so there is no astringency only smooth crushed velvet on the finish.
The 2015 Minnesota Frontenac is our first ever Frontenac for Chankaska Winery! Most of the Frontenac came from John Roisen’s amazing plot of ground near Montevideo. It was the last fruit we picked for the 2015 Harvest.
Once the fruit arrived at the winery, we destemmed it with no crushing of the berries. We followed the destemming up with a 5-day cold soak at 50 degrees to insure the most extraction possible. Fermentation lasted nearly 3 weeks. After the fermentation was complete we gassed the head space with Carbon Dioxide and sealed the tank. This process is called Extended Maceration. Josie and I tasted the wine daily to see if we could hit the “sweet spot” where the wine is at its peak. After nearly 6 weeks the wine found a perfect balance. It happened to snow the day we pressed it which was quite the sight to see. After 9 months of aging we bottled 304 cases in early July. I am thrilled with the way this wine turned out.
Frontenac reminds me of the California grape Petite Sirah. A massive red wine with a giant, monolithic feel to it. This wine crosses the dark berry quality with earthy undertones of wild brush. The tannins are in check so there is no astringency only smooth crushed velvet on the finish. This wine will easily age for 12 to 15 years but enjoy it in its youth too. If you can, I would recommend decanting it before drinking.
My ideal pairing with the 2015 Minnesota Frontenac is Smoked Wild Duck with a classic side of Minnesota Wild Rice.
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International Cold Climate Wine Competition, Minnesota
2016
Silver
