Steve DiFrancesco is the Winemaker for Glenora Wine Cellars. Steve earned his degree in Biology from Stetson University and has since enjoyed 39 harvests in the Finger Lakes, plus one in Chile. Steve is a very friendly, out going, and personable. He loves to talk 'shop', and has an everyman demeanor that makes everyone comfortable with him.
But don't let that charming, easy-going personality stuff fool ya. Steve is an exceptional winemaker with extensive knowledge. Steve has a very special pedigree in wine making. You see, Steve started his winemaking career in the late 1970s, working with Guy DeVaux and the great Charles Fournier at Gold Seal Vineyards and their excellent sparkling wines. While at Gold Seal, Steve did critical research on secondary fermentations that was later applied to mainstream production. He experimented with the production of sparkling wines using unique grape varieties, as well.
Steve became the assistant winemaker at Glenora in the late 1980s as part of an ambitious expansion program with an emphasis on Sparkling Wines. In 1995, Steve was promoted to head winemaker. Riesling is at the forefront of production for Steve, along with other aromatic white vinifera wines, sparkling wines, and barrel aged red wines.
So, recently, while I was at the Finger Lakes Wine Festival 2018, I stopped by the Glenora booth for a tasting. I had meant to get up to Glenora to visit winemaker Steve DiFrancesco, but my plans got shot to hell. So I thought a quick visit to the booth might yield something, even if it lacked his gregarious company.
The first wine I tasted was the Glenora Brut Sparkling Wine NV. Steve keeps meticulous notes on many of this wines. This wine was a blend of 78% Cayuga from Tom Hunt, grown on the West Side of Cayuga Lake) and 22% Glenora Farms estate Chardonnay grown on the West Side of Seneca Lake. Glenora produces approximately 700 cases a year of this wine. A classic nose of bread-y yeast wafts out of the glass, followed by a lovely peach cobbler transition to green apple and pear. The wine ends with a nice amount of acidity balanced by a slightly prosecco style. A wonderufl, flavorful sparkling wine for all occasions. Beautifully balanced. Lovely!
There were two flavored sparklers, Peach Spumante and Raspberry Spumante. These two are extremely popular in the Glenora tasting room, and are perfect for cocktails such as mimosa's and other sparkling wine cocktails. Real crowd pleasers.
My instant favortie was the Glenora Bubbly Series. Glenora and Steve use the Force Carbonation Process to their (and our) benefit with this series of clever wines! According to the website, "The bubbles in our Bubbly Series are created by using a force carbonation system. Once fermentation is completed, the wine is filtered and put into a specialized tank that can hold pressure, which is needed for the addition of CO2. CO2 is added via a special carbonation “stone,” which diffuses the CO2 into very tiny bubbles. This process takes about 3 days. The wine is then bottled with a special filler that retains the CO2, then is labeled."
I loved the Glenora Bubbly Riesling and the Glenora Bubbly Cayuga. And I've had separately the Bubbly Muscato! I love these wines! All are in the prosecco style. All are highly aromatic and all have just enough acidity to keep it an honest product. These wines are great for sipping or for large gatherings with friends and family, or for a romantic but not expensive evening. Fabulous with cheese and fruit, great sippers, so much fun. They are easy enough for patio get togethers and well crafted and elegant enough for the holidays. I can't rave enough about these fun, enjoyable, gulp-able sparkling wines!!!
Steve DiFrancesco has done a great job with this sparkling wine list, and I can't say enough good thing about it!