A Dream Vintage, A Dream Realized

October 05, 2024

It's been nearly twenty years since the Rhone project at Unionville began. Through the early 2000's, large blocks of Syrah and Viognier were planted alongside smaller test rows of Marsanne, Rousanne, Counoise, Grenache, and Mourvedre. For the next decade we watched some varieties thrive, some survive, and some struggle. Despite being among the more challenging cultivars to work with in the field, compelling, even brilliant wines were made from these varieties at a relatively young age. The 2015 Syrah and Viognier were two of the best wines ever made at Unionville.

In the field, two specific challenges proved to be widespread crown gall in the Viognier, and winter cold hardiness of Syrah. The polar vortex winters of 2013-14 and 2014-15 proved both immediately deadly and gradual killers, for these two varieties in particular. Some vines didn't survive -14F temperatures, and some were weakened or damaged enough to fail a year or two later. These are understood risks when you are on the northern boundary for such plantings. Outside of the Finger Lakes and Long Island, there are few grape growers, if any working with these varieties on the East Coast. There probably are some growers in southeast Canada taking advantage of an insulating body of water nearby. Without the benefit of lake-effect warming, we are on the farming threshold for these varieties.

With adjusted viticulture practices adopted here over the last 5 years (hilling up in the winter, growing spare trunks) we made the decision to expand our land under vine to Rhone varieties in 2017. Most of the varieties we wanted to work with are not grown on the rootstocks we prefer in New Jersey. Most of the Marsanne and Rousanne in North America is grown on the west coast where they use rootstocks suited for drier climates. On the east coast we prefer "low-vigour" rootstocks that discourage vegetative growth and water uptake in our relatively wetter climate. These vines had to be custom ordered and grafted by the grapevine nursery. A 2018 order meant a 2020 planting.

These vines were ready to give their first crop in 2022; it is typical to take the first fruit in the 3rd year for the vine. However, given the propensity for low-vigour to limit water uptake, the droughty summer put significant stress on these young vines. For the long term health of these vines, the decision was made in July to drop the fruit and forfeit the crop. Later in the season, the drought drove flocks of starlings and grackles into our vineyards, and the crop losses to birds in established blocks were historic. We made very little wine from the Rhone varieties as a result.

Last year's Rhone production was nearly over before it began, as a devastating frost event wiped out the fruitful buds on nearly all of our plantings at Amwell Ridge. Pheasant Hill and Coventry fared better, but it was again a low volume year. Our 2020 plantings again had little to offer, now in their 4th year.

Which brings us to 2024. Frosts were dodged, just enough rain fell to satiate the birds and keep them in the woods, and long stretch of warm, dry weather in August and September has yielded my favorite vintage of my 12 years around Unionville. Our Rhone harvest will be the biggest ever, and the grapes look and taste delicious.

Not only has the weather given us the opportunity to pick at ideal ripeness, it has allowed us to make multiple passes on several varieties. Typically, our picking decisions are driven by rainfall events- when grapes are in the ballpark of ideal, you'll take them in ahead of rain which can have a negative impact on flavor and juice chemistry. This year we have combed through our blocks meticulously, taking only the most ripe fruit before rehanging the nets and returning a week or ten days later for the rest. In most seasons, we have three or four Rhone white lots to work with- this year we have eight. We have two different picks and ferments each for Viognier, Marsanne, and Rousanne. We have our first ever varietal Picpoul Blanc. Some lots have had a period of skin contact, and some have not. Some are fermented in steel, some in barrel. Still hanging (outrageously) in October is about 2 tons of Marsanne, Rousanne, and Picpoul. This will be harvested on Sunday the 6th after a couple more warm days and co-fermented as a Rhone white field blend.

On the red side, we have brought in the first Syrah from a 2020 planting at Pheasant Hill, pressed to rose. On Thursday the 3rd, we brought in 1 ton of Counoise for rose, and these two lots will be blended as the next edition of the Mistral Rose. 2 tons of beautiful, ripe Syrah were harvested in the last days of September from Coventry Vineyard. Historically the Syrah from our Princeton vineyard was dedicated to rosé, so this is to be the first red wine vintage for that Syrah block. Other Syrah lots will come in over the next week. Some Counoise and Mourvedre will hang into mid-October as we take advantage of the dry weather and make a run for red wine from these very late-ripening varieties.

This means that Austin and Eric will have wonderful decisions to make in the cellar when it is time for blending. We will be painting with a full palette of colors, with the opportunity to weave together multiple Rhone blends and varietals. I can't wait to taste the field blend of the late-ripening white grapes still out there, in particular!

The idea of expansion and replant was conceived seven years ago. It is a dream deferred but not denied, and now realized.

-John Cifelli,GM

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