UNPRECEDENTED VINEYARD SITES
Certified Sustainable Vineyard Sites
As responsible stewards of the land and vineyard managers we have been implementing sustainable practices since taking over our vineyard sites on both Seneca and Keuka lakes. One of our first actions was to stop the use of herbicides in the vineyard and commit more resources to mechanical weed control. We have also moved to biodiverse and organic products at every opportunity.
When the sustainable vineyard practices certification program was reintroduced by the Cornell cooperative extension, we were one of the first wineries to sign up as a pilot winery, helping to implement this new program.
We’re happy to report that the 2023 vintage represents the first vintage that qualified for certification in the Finger Lakes region and that all of our estate vineyards and the wines made from these grapes qualified.
These practices include:
- no use of herbicides,
- no use of insecticides or other restricted materials,
- improved soil management with erosion control (cover crops), and
- limited use of organic nutrients only; putting back only what the vines remove.
As we move forward, seeking to improve our vineyard practices, our responsibilities are two-fold:
- Responsible long-term stewardship of the land, leaving the vineyards in better condition than we found them.
- An unwavering commitment to produce the highest quality wines every year, that reflect their vineyard origins.
These dual responsibilities don’t allow for a dogmatic approach to grape growing, but require a more sensible, nuanced approach. Our long-term commitment to estate grown grapes allows us to develop a deeper understanding of our vineyard sites and their specific potentials.
Combining the inherent qualities of our vineyard sites( proximity to the lakes, steep slopes, well drained soil) with skillful vineyard management practices, we regularly are able to have a longer hang-time for our grapes and harvest later. Working in a cool climate, such as the Finger Lakes, this is an essential requirement for producing outstanding wines.
Argetsinger Vineyard
A steep-sloped vineyard on the southeastern shores of Seneca Lake, owned by Beren Argetsinger. The shallow, mineral rich limestone soil of this vineyard gives the grapes a leaner fruit profile, with more floral characteristics and focused minerality. Ravines Sparkling wines, Le Petit Caporal (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot & Cabernet Franc), Dry Riesling, Argetsinger Vineyard and Dry Pinot Rose comes exclusively from this site. In many vintages, we release a single vineyard Chardonnay and Pinot Noir and in occasional vintages a single vineyard Merlot as well.
16 Falls Vineyard
Located on the East side of the deepest section of Seneca Lake, in the town of Ovid, this estate vineyard consists of acidic shalestone with significant clay content. The 46 acre vineyard is almost entirely installed with a lyre trellis system. This system, invented by Alain Carbonneau (Morten’s Viticulture Professor in Montpellier, France) significantly increases the amount of sunshine captured by the vines by having a larger foliar surface area. This, in turn, results in greater ripeness.
Limestone Vineyard
This is the location of Ravines main tasting room, cellar and winery operation. The estate vineyard soil composition is Honeoye loam over limestone. The vineyard is located in the northern part of the Finger Lakes region and was one of the first farming sites in Western NY to have a sophisticated irrigation system installed over 150 years ago. With many older vine-plantings, significant slope and perfect eastern exposure, this large 59 acre vineyard site produces ripe, pristine grapes with nuances and complexity.