Standing Stone Vineyards
Finger Lakes Saperavi
Finger Lakes, New York, USA
Startlingly saturated color. Nose jumps out of the glass with crushed boysenberry juice, cassis, turned forest soil, toasty vanilla barrel scents. Bone dry, flavorful, with lip-smacking acids, flavors are just-ripe tangy berries with a hint of an almost Loire Cab Franc-like machine oil note. Tannins, while not prominent, are super-soft. Salivating tanginess in the finish. Distinctive!
Startlingly saturated color. Nose jumps out of the glass with crushed boysenberry juice, cassis, turned forest soil, toasty vanilla barrel scents. Bone dry, flavorful, with lip-smacking acids, flavors are just-ripe tangy berries with a hint of an almost Loire Cab Franc-like machine oil note. Tannins, while not prominent, are super-soft. Salivating tanginess in the finish. Distinctive!
Aug 16th, 2022
Finger. Lakes. Saperavi.
If this ain’t American winemaking in the 21st century we don’t know what is! 🇺🇸🍷🇬🇪🍇
At least, that’s what we were thinking before reading up on Standing Stone and founders Marti & Tom Macinski. They actually first planted this fascinating Georgian grape here in ***1994*** (just 3 years after Georgia left the USSR, for those keeping score at home) intended for blending.
Increasingly impressed by the quality of the grapes, they offered their first varietal Saperavi in 2010 - as “The Dark Red”, since the grape name was as yet unrecognized by the federal government. Once it was, they became the first American winery to release a wine labeled Saperavi.
Fine tuned to the cold, high mountains of Kakheti in eastern Georgia, it makes sense why it would thrive in the Finger Lakes! The name Saperavi literally means “ink”, a sensible name for a grape with pitch-dark skin AND flesh! 🖤
Marti and Tom sold the winery and retired in 2017. But their enduring legacy may just be budding. We’ve heard of Saperavi planting projects underway in New York, Virginia, and Oregon.
Saperavi’s runaway affinity for the Finger Lakes may have been a bit of a happy accident, but the Macinskis deserve every bit of credit for thinking outside the box, putting it in motion, and bringing it to fruition! 🙌🙌🙌
Finger. Lakes. Saperavi.
If this ain’t American winemaking in the 21st century we don’t know what is! 🇺🇸🍷🇬🇪🍇
At least, that’s what we were thinking before reading up on Standing Stone and founders Marti & Tom Macinski. They actually first planted this fascinating Georgian grape here in ***1994*** (just 3 years after Georgia left the USSR, for those keeping score at home) intended for blending.
Increasingly impressed by the quality of the grapes, they offered their first varietal Saperavi in 2010 - as “The Dark Red”, since the grape name was as yet unrecognized by the federal government. Once it was, they became the first American winery to release a wine labeled Saperavi.
Fine tuned to the cold, high mountains of Kakheti in eastern Georgia, it makes sense why it would thrive in the Finger Lakes! The name Saperavi literally means “ink”, a sensible name for a grape with pitch-dark skin AND flesh! 🖤
Marti and Tom sold the winery and retired in 2017. But their enduring legacy may just be budding. We’ve heard of Saperavi planting projects underway in New York, Virginia, and Oregon.
Saperavi’s runaway affinity for the Finger Lakes may have been a bit of a happy accident, but the Macinskis deserve every bit of credit for thinking outside the box, putting it in motion, and bringing it to fruition! 🙌🙌🙌
Blackberry, black cherry, raspberry, currant, vanilla, dark chocolate, mossy earth and oak. Great structure and well-integrated tannins.
Blackberry, black cherry, raspberry, currant, vanilla, dark chocolate, mossy earth and oak. Great structure and well-integrated tannins.
Jan 31st, 2018
Maureen had this 9 years ago
Maureen had this 9 years ago
1 person found it helpfulJan 1st, 2016
Only sold in the finger lakes region, this full bodied red is surprisingly sharp and not too tanic
Only sold in the finger lakes region, this full bodied red is surprisingly sharp and not too tanic
1 person found it helpfulFeb 16th, 2015
I enjoyed the wine that was fruit forward with med acidity and tannins. Bringing this varietal to the Finger Lakes has worked well for this cold climate grape. A really nice change of pace.
I enjoyed the wine that was fruit forward with med acidity and tannins. Bringing this varietal to the Finger Lakes has worked well for this cold climate grape. A really nice change of pace.
Mar 19th, 2017See my comments on the 2014. 2015 balance gets it a slightly higher rating.
See my comments on the 2014. 2015 balance gets it a slightly higher rating.
Mar 19th, 2017Blackberry, raspberry preserves, mossy earthy, licorice, vanilla and oak. Good structure and well-integrated tannins.
Blackberry, raspberry preserves, mossy earthy, licorice, vanilla and oak. Good structure and well-integrated tannins.
Jul 30th, 2016
Wow my first non- republic of Georgia Saperavi.. Kinda kinda like petit Syrah heavy staining tears black and blue fruit and bitter tea, followed by coffee and cocoa.. Med body long finish vanilla and blueberry pie.
Wow my first non- republic of Georgia Saperavi.. Kinda kinda like petit Syrah heavy staining tears black and blue fruit and bitter tea, followed by coffee and cocoa.. Med body long finish vanilla and blueberry pie.
May 22nd, 2016