ABOUT THE PRODUCER: Agricolāe
With Agricolāe, Lisa & Morten have focused their attention on a unique property on the east side of Keuka Lake that dates back to the 1970s. Original plantings of Riesling, Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer, Muscat Ottonel, Pinot Noir, Cayuga, Vignoles, and Noiret are still there, making them some of the oldest extant vineyards on Keuka Lake. Additional plantings on the Hyatt Hill vineyard site include Cabernet Franc, as well as some of the regions first plantings of Gamay Noir and Savagnin.
These two parts, which together form the vineyards of Agricolāe, sit on steep slopes above the deepest part of Keuka Lake, offering the best possible protection and the longest growing season. The poor, rocky soil naturally restricts vine vigor. Because the site is inherently self-limiting, it yields exceptionally high-quality grapes with expressive aromas, racy acidity, and texture without requiring crop thinning.
While the Hallgrens have owned the property since 2000, the first vintage released under the Agricolāe label was 2017. Until recently, most of the fruit was blended into broader Ravines bottlings. Now, the site has come into its own and is bottled under its distinct estate designation. Agricolāe (Ah-Gree-Co-Lay), Latin for the people of agriculture, pays homage to the vineyard workers who do the hard manual labor in the fields.
