Paging Dr. Frank. Rkatsiteli, Stat!
Dr. Frank, Can I call you Konstantin? How about, "Big K?" I want to congratulate you on producing such a fine, compelling white wine from an unheard-of Georgian (as in Eastern Europe) grape variety. Your Rkatsiteli is zesty, in the Jungwein/Vino Joven style. It's a mouthful of spritz, fresh peach & pear and a hint of greenness (in the running-across-an-alpine-meadow sense). Huzzah to you, sir.
Get it: Dr. Frank Rkatsiteli, 2006 ($25).
However, Doc, you've got some splainin' to do. When I hit your 'Wine Facts' page to have a gander of all the oeno-goodies you produce, I see something that is a mite bit disturbing. I see something called, "Chateau Frank Champagnes." Unless I've missed something (i.e. did you recently purchase a patch of vines in the Aube of Seine-et-Marne?), your "champagne" is produced in upstate NY from grapes grown near the Finger Lakes, no? Well then, please Kahuna Konstantin, drop the champagne moniker and use the less confusing label of, "New York Sparkling Wine." Hell, follow the Spanish (see: Cava) example and come up with a name for your bubbly. How about, "Frank's Fizz" or "Dom Konstantin"? Anything, just do away with bogarting the Champagne title. Merci!
awh, Beau, do you have to be so hard on a dead guy?
No, but seriously, Dr. Frank is no longer with us in body, but is with us in spirit. He was THE guy to introduce vinifera grape varietals to the Finger Lakes. Before that it was all disgusting native grapes, Concord wines and fortified kosher Manischevitz stylee winemaking up there in the prettiest corner of the Empire State. I've had his champers and it's delightful. Incredibly tasty and better than half the stuff I've had that actually came from France. While I know it's not right, if there's anyone in NYS that should be able to call their bubblies champers, it's the heirs of Dr. Frank.
Posted by: ann | 18 September 2007 at 11:48 AM
awh, Beau, do you have to be so hard on a dead guy?
No, but seriously, Dr. Frank is no longer with us in body, but is with us in spirit. He was THE guy to introduce vinifera grape varietals to the Finger Lakes. Before that it was all disgusting native grapes, Concord wines and fortified kosher Manischevitz stylee winemaking up there in the prettiest corner of the Empire State. I've had his champers and it's delightful. Incredibly tasty and better than half the stuff I've had that actually came from France. While I know it's not right, if there's anyone in NYS that should be able to call their bubblies champers, it's the heirs of Dr. Frank.
Posted by: ann | 18 September 2007 at 11:49 AM
Can't we let Champagne be Champagne, and make fabulous sparklers elsewhere with dignity and pride? Why the fakey-fakey? I have the same issue with Gruet, all selling their New Mexico bubbles with no mention of the region except really little on the back label. First time I saw it, I was all, "Gruet for $12!" and then when I figured it out, I thought it was a cheap trick and didn't buy any. If they had sold it to me with some braggadaccio, like "Dude! Check out our New Mexico fizz!" I would have been much more inclined to partake.
Posted by: Wine Scamp | 19 September 2007 at 08:26 PM
Ann:
Yup. I know the big K is in the vineyard in the sky. Just a little fun with his memory...
I must agree with the scamp. There's no need to copy a place & product name. Champagne is champagne, Cava is bubbly from Spain, etc. Call it NY Sparkling wine. Nothing wrong with that...and it's accurate & honest!
Posted by: Beau | 24 September 2007 at 04:31 PM