For many wine-loving daytrippers and tourists, a trip to the Finger Lakes isn’t complete without a pilgrimage to Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery. And for good reason. The winery was founded in 1962 by Konstantin Frank, an immigrant from Ukraine who introduced the classic vinifera grapes of Europe – Chardonnay, Riesling and Pinot Noir – to his new cold-climate home. In doing so, he sparked a grape-growing and winemaking renaissance.
There are several ways to experience this pioneering winery on the west side of Keuka Lake. You can order wine by the glass, flight or bottle in Eugenia’s Garden, named for Konstantin’s wife. And you can enjoy a seated tasting ($15 per person) inside or on the deck overlooking the Y-shaped lake and some of the oldest vineyards in the region.
Or you can take a deep dive into Frank family history and viticulture practices as part of the 1886 Food and Wine Experience. This intimate, next-level offering ($75 per person, reservations required) was named the best winery tour in the nation this year (and last year) by readers of USA Today. It takes about 20 guests into the vineyard and into the sparkling wine production and aging cellar at Chateau Frank, a stone structure a short distance from the main winery that dates to 1886. Guests then sit down to a flight of wines paired with seasonal small bites.
I’ve been wanting to experience the 1886 Food and Wine Experience since Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery, now run by the fourth generation of Franks, started offering it in 2016, and two friends who live in the Hammondsport area were happy to come along. Mother Nature delivered a warm and sunny Saturday with a nice breeze, and our wine educator and tour guide, Lauren, greeted our group seated at individual tables and set the stage for a memorable two-hour visit.
Outside, Lauren shared details about Chateau Frank, a gorgeous stone house that’s on the National Register of Historic Places. The structure was built for Philip Argus, a German immigrant, and prior to Prohibition was the home of the Western New York Wine Company. Konstantin Frank’s son, Willy, wanted to make “methode champenoise’’ sparkling wine using vinifera grapes grown in the Finger Lakes – his father preferred to focus his attention on still wines, according to Lauren. Willy Frank’s dream came to fruition in 1985, when he released his first vintage of pioneering and award-winning sparkling wines.
In the vineyard, Lauren steered us down rows planted with traditional Champagne grapes (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier), pointing out the thick, gnarly stems of old-growth vines and the pockmarked leaves of grapes damaged by this year’s devastating late-season frost. Fun fact: These sparkling wine grapes are harvested by hand.
In the controlled atmosphere of the wine cellar, Lauren explained the labor- and time-intensive methode champenoise process, which involves nearly three years of bottle fermentation and giving thousands of bottles a slight turn by hand each day. I get carpal tunnel syndrome just thinking about it – and now have a better understanding of why sparkling wines made using this traditional method cost $25 a bottle or more.
If you’ve read this far you probably want to know about the food part of the 1886 Food and Wine Experience. We arrived back at the tasting room to find our tables set with four pours of wine to be paired with four small bites of food prepared by Lake Life Catering of Hammondsport: julienned summer squash “Caesar’’ style with a 2012 Brut “library release,’’ salmon mousse Nicoise with 2021 dry Rose, chicken and waffles with a maple-chili glaze with 2022 dry Riesling, and a melange of wild mushrooms and blackberries matched with 2020 Cabernet Franc. Each dish was as creative and tasty as it was elegant – and gave us ideas for pairings at home. (Bubbles with Caesar-style summer squash? Or with Caesar salad? Who knew?)
Lauren sent us off with one last pairing, a piece of white chocolate garnished with orange peel (from Hedonist Artisan Chocolates of Rochester) served with one of Dr. Frank’s Port-style dessert wines, before we made our exit through the bottle shop and picked up some souvenirs.
The 1886 Food and Wine Experience lives up to the buzz and is worth the price of admission. It's offered May through October. Don’t forget to take a few minutes to drink in the beautiful views from Chateau Frank.
Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery is at 9749 Middle Road, Hammondsport, about two hours from Syracuse. The winery is open daily for tastings. Reservations are highly recommended for seated tastings and are required for the 1886 Food and Wine Experience. Walk-ins are welcome at outdoor venue Eugenia’s Garden, which is open seasonally. Go to the website for complete visitor information.
