HONORING FOUR GREAT WOMEN
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Cynthia,
In honor of Women's History Month, we would like to share with you the stories of four great women. As the first woman of the Frank family to run our winery, Meaghan Frank wanted to create our most-premium line of wines which give gratitude to the women through our four generations of history.
These wines are our most distinctive wines that focus on originality, made from exceedingly old vineyard sites, and wines chosen from our highest quality barrels.
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Konstantin and Eugenia Bartle met in 1923 in Selz while Konstantin was working as a schoolteacher. Eugenia always pushed Konstantin to follow his dreams even from the beginning. In 1925 she encouraged Konstantin to finish his degree in agriculture. Through the decades, Engenia worked tirelessly to keep the family together as they survived the Russian Revolution, two World Wars, and ultimately started a new life in America. She devoted herself to their American dream. In the beginning, it was only Eugenia and Konstantin who ran the business. While Konstantin was in the vineyards conducting his research, Eugenia welcomed guests, created culinary treats, and kept the newly formed winery strong.
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Konstantin and Eugenia in 1923
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Konstantin and Eugenia During Harvest
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Our Eugenia Dry Riesling honors her commitment to our Keuka farm. This Riesling comes from a single plot on our Keuka estate vineyards planted in 1968. Soils in this plot have higher slate content creating a wine with a distinct Keuka Lake minerality. Pairs perfectly with all things seafood but rich enough to handle sausage and pork.
Unfortunately our 2020 Eugenia Dry Riesling is sold out. The 2021 vintage will be released this upcoming Spring.
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Margrit was born in Hamburg, Germany and immigrated to America shortly after her 25th birthday. Soon after arriving in New York, she gained a reputation as a highly sought-after seamstress creating dresses for fashion models and wealthy individuals. She met Willy Frank in 1956 and they began to build their life together, ultimately purchasing Chateau Frank in 1980 and moving to the Finger Lakes.
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Margrit worked side-by-side with Willy. She would entertain many important guests in their home and delight them with her excellent cooking and warm personality. Her regular evening routine after the winery closed was to walk the property, water all the plants, and make sure everything was tidied for the next day. Even in her last days, she would say to Meaghan, "Sweetheart, how was business today."
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Our 2020 Margrit Dry Riesling honors her warmth, enthusiasm, and passion that she brought to our family winery. This Riesling comes from a single plot on our Seneca estate vineyard. The warmer temperatures at this location produce a more expressive, generous, and warm character in the wine, just like the woman this wine is named after.
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94 Points from James Suckling. $34.99 per bottle.
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Konstantin and Eugenia's second child, Hilda, would immigrate to New York City with the family in 1952 and within a few months, she would meet her future husband Walter Volz. Hilda and Walter would be the first family members to join Konstantin and Eugenia in the 1960s. They left stable careers in New Jersey for the uncertainty of the winery startup. Walter knew nothing about grapes or winemaking, though he worked hard and eventually became Konstantin's vineyard manager. Hilda and Eugenia became very close, and she took over one of the most important aspects of running the business - the finances and bookkeeping.
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Hilda in the Vineyards
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Walter and Hilda Volz
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Our 2021 Hilda Chardonnay honors her leap of faith taken in the early days when joining an uncertain future. She was known for her work ethic and her unrelenting commitment to her family. This Chardonnay comes from the Volz Vineyard which was planted in 1985 by her husband Walter. This vineyard is now managed by their son, Eric Volz.
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As with her siblings Willy and Hilda, Lena grew up in the USSR when her father Konstantin was tasked with rebuilding the Troubetskoy vineyards. Lena, as Kostantin's youngest daughter, would often accompany her father on his rounds through the estates and on hunting and fishing trips. Lena was to keep a sharp eye on her father and collect his hat, coat, shoes or other items that he was prone to leave behind. She recalled once wading into the Dnieper River to retrieve ducks that her father hunted. Her wild and adventurous spirit kept with her throughout her life.
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Lena was bold and courageous. She traveled back and forth to Ukraine many times throughout her life, often when it was not a safe travel route. She would take a suitcase full of American dollars and one box of cigarettes to bribe her way through various checkpoints and sticky situations. Her charm, wit, and ability to speak a multitude of languages kept her safe. She kept the Frank family together across continents.
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Our 2020 Lena Reserve honors her adventurous spirit and the incredible storytelling abilities that she shared with passionate fans. A blend of 6 different grape varieties matches Lena's spirit, elegance, and beauty, and aged in only our most unique barrels.
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