Finger Lakes Friday!
8/21/26 -
New Arrivals from Barbichette, Eminence Road, Nathan K / chëpìka, Ria's Wines, Usonia, Wild Arc and More!
As wine lovers who fancy ourselves students or even professionals with a thirst for knowledge (among other things), it can sometimes feel as though we fall into a bit of an echo chamber of, quote, unquote, “great wines” from wherever our particular focus lies at any given time. Being in New York we have access to wines from all over the world, and it’s understandable to fall in love with a particular region or grape or style with so many great options at our fingertips. I do feel it is important, however, to acknowledge the breadth of amazing wines being made just a few hours’ drive north, in an area that has a long history of winemaking dating back to the 1800s. An integral part of the history of winemaking in the Finger Lakes is the use of native hybrid varietals, or "Vitis labrusca", which dominated the landscape early on but have fallen out of favor over the past century in favor of Vitis vinifera such as Riesling and Cabernet Franc. Today we are seeing a beautiful re-emergence of some of these early hybrids, spearheaded by a new generation of winemakers making natural wines using a combination of grapes that speak of the unique history and geography of the Finger Lakes. Today we have an exciting offer that includes many of our favorites, from longtime staples like Eminence Road Farm Winery and Nathan K to some more recent projects like Usonia, Ria’s Wines and Barbichette. These are all outstanding examples of the variety of exciting wines coming from a region that many of us might not fully understand despite its close proximity to home.
One estate that is working to champion some of these unique hybrid varietals native to the Finger Lakes is chëpìka, a project between Finger Lakes native Nathan Kendall and our very close friend and sommelier at Chambers Restaurant Pascaline Lepeltier (pictured above). The name chëpìka comes from the Lenape language spoken by the Native American tribe of the Delaware, which translates to “root”. Their goal is to use these often overlooked and forgotten about varietals, such as Delaware, Catawba, and even Concord, to make natural wines that speak to the region's long past while looking toward the future. We’re down to just under a case of their singular Concord/Catawba Sparkling, which has become a bona fide cult favorite among those in the know. We also have some new vintages of Nathan K’s outstanding wines, including his 2025 Dry Riesling, a 2025 Rosé of Pinot Noir, and the return of the juicy and fresh 2024 Cabernet Franc En Primeur, a beautiful expression of Finger Lakes Cab Franc that shows off the excellent 2024 vintage.
Several new wines from Barbichette have just landed, another producer using a combination of hybrids as well as some Vitis vinifera from the Finger Lakes. We've written more in depth about César Vega and Louisiane Remy's wines here, but today we have an exciting new 2024 Tibo Pinot Noir along with the return of Le Rouge and the lighter chillable red Oui Non. These are all great summer reds that can take a chill, perfect for your next cookout.
We're also happy to welcome some new arrivals from Ria's Wines, a project started in 2022 by Ria D’Aversa and Mike Penn. Ria is an expert in organic farming and cool-climate viticulture, having worked for a number of winemakers including Broc Cellers in Berkeley and Hermann Wiemer in the Finger Lakes, among others. She is a professor at the Cornell School of Integrative Plant Science and is working toward organic, sustainable, regenerative farming in an area known to be difficult to achieve such practices. She is accompanied by winemaker and co-owner Mike Penn, with whom she moved to the Finger Lakes in 2021 and found what would become their Estate Vineyard, located along the eastern shore of Seneca Lake. The 2025 Sunny Side White is a deliciously crisp summery blend of Cayuga and Vidal Blanc, two hybrids with a long history in the Finger Lakes. They also work with some Vitis vinifera, with the chiseled and fresh 2025 Aurora Riesling and a light and juicy 2025 Gamay from Cayuga Lake. These are clean and precise wines that are full of energy and character while still giving lots of pleasure—perfect for summer and fall drinking!
-Jeff DiLorenzo
During a trip to Ithaca earlier this summer I was lucky enough to visit Julia and Alex Alvarez-Perez at their winery, Usonia. Every part of the experience was personal and deliberate, all while humbly delivering staggeringly good wines. On offer today I am thrilled to present two wines from their home vineyard, New Suns Riesling and New Suns Cabernet Franc. Julia and Alex started Usonia in 2019 and began farming New Suns in 2021. They started converting to organic and introducing biodynamics in 2024 and replanting with hybrid varietals in 2023. As of 2025, the whole vineyard is farmed organically. These wines are stunning, boasting an elegant, restrained style that shows finesse and expertise in craft. Usonia uses all native yeast fermentation with minimal additions, fining or filtration. The low-intervention winemaking allows these wines to carry a strong sense of place, letting the earth and the vintage tell the story. Their wines are notably structured, highly aromatic and expressive—these are wines to pay attention to. Well done, Julia and Alex!
-Kaelen Ghandhi
Todd Cavallo (above) & Crystal Cornish have been on the cutting edge of the New York natural wine scene since they started Wild Arc Farm in 2016. While they are located in the Hudson Valley and farm both apples and grapes there (as well as other produce), they also use fruit from the Finger Lakes to make some of their low-intervention wines that have gained a following over the years for their high energy and unique expressions of both hybrids and Vitis vinifera. The 2023 Blackbird is a blend of Noiret and Riesling, a light but punchy red that can take a chill but still hold up to red meats. The 2023 Niagara is an incredibly interesting wine, with a hint of intense tropical fruit on the nose that gives way to an elegant and mineral palate, unlike anything I’ve tasted but so delicious and flexible with food. The 2024 Hilal is a blend of macerated Riesling and Cayuga that’s both fruity and savory with broad texture and crisp acid. These are all great wines, but a secret favorite of mine has always been the Carbonic Concord, which comes in convenient cans for on-the-go drinking. Imagine if grape soda wasn’t sugary sweet, had a bit of alcohol, and actually expressed terroir… a delicious slightly-more-adult beverage for those who are still on speaking terms with their inner child. Todd has also been instrumental in guiding some of the more recent generation of winemakers in the area, including Mito Americano, a small project spearheaded by Nicolle Borrero along with Sam Lefalher White and Mariel Frankl using a combination of Long Island and Finger Lakes fruit. We've been lucky enough to snag some of the last of their 2022 Duck Soup, a blend of Merlot and Vignoles that is reminiscent of Côte-Rôtie in its combination of depth, elegance and lift.
With so many great producers and wines on offer today, it’s hard not to get excited about the direction New York wine is heading in. Whether it’s through more classically styled Rieslings or Cabernet Francs or the various hybrid varieties that look to play a more important role in the future of winemaking here (and everywhere, for that matter), there is no shortage of great wine coming from a new generation of visionaries upstate, alongside some of the area’s stalwarts. This weekend we’re offering a special 10% off six bottles and 15% off a case, so you can feel free to mix and match and try something new, or grab some old favorites!
-Jeff DiLorenzo
