So I was at the Cab Franc Forward tasting in NYC earlier this year, and ran into Richie Pisacano at the Roanoke Vineyards table. Richie is a busy man. He has helped plant or managed numerous vineyards on the island. And many more people have come to him for advice and wisdom. But most notably, Richie is the co-owner of his own vineyard, Roanoke Vineyards.
Richie Pisacano started working the vineyards in Long Island in 1977, at the age of 15. That was only four years after Alex and Louisa Hargrave planted the first vineyard out on the island. Richie has been doing this his whole life. And he's kind of gotten good at it. Richie is a very down to earth guy. He, his wife, and his father Gabby founded Roanoke in 2000 in Riverhead. Gabby passed in 2015. Today, Roanoke Vineyards is among my favorite producers on the island. That make fun whites, and delicious, serious reds. I have been to the tasting rooms at least five times over the years, but Richie is always moving and working. I only seem to see him at events. So it was doubly fun to catch up to him, with Lenn Thompson of The Cork Report, and have him talk us through the wines personally.
The first wine I tasted was the Roanoke Vineyards A Cabernet Franc 2022. The wine is made from a blend of estate Cabernet Franc and fruit from Onabay Vineyard, located on the Peconic Bay in Southold. The final blend is 88.8% Cabernet Franc and 11.2% Merlot. This wine was a rich tapestry of red and dark cherry and raspberry, with hints of cassis, tobacco, and spice. Nice grippy finish. This was an incredible wine. With complexity on every level, and great balance.
Co-founder, Gabby Pisacano, took meticulous care of the Twelve Rows block he started beginning in 2006, and through the epic 2015 vintage. Gabby's 2007 vintage scored 92 points from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, and The New York Times raved about it. “He had a great energy,” Richie once told the press. “People looked forward to seeing him. So many times they walked in and it was, ‘Where’s Gabby?’” Roanoke's esteemed late vineyard master continued to influence the varietals from one vintage to the next. With meticulous pruning, Gabby understood the importance of eliminating fruit to enhance airflow, minimizing disease risks. These rows get more attention and more touches than any other vineyards in the total vineyard. It is a painstaking process.
Roanoke Vineyards Gabby's Cabernet Franc from the Twelve Rows Block 2019 was tremendous. 93.5% Cabernet Franc from the 12 Rows, 5.5% Merlot, and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon. The fruit statement was outstanding, with tremendous flavor and aroma. Amazing.
Roanoke Vineyards The Poet: A Site Specific Cabernet Franc began as a collaborative project, but became a staple of the Roanoke list. The wine is primarily Cabernet Franc with a touch of Long Island Merlot. The Poet is produced in very small lots. The 2021 vintage was released in October of 2024. We got a sneak peak of The Poet 2022, with 86% Cabernet Franc and 14% Merlot. A big, expressive red, with intense fruit, and a lovely finish that lasts and lasts.
If a gun was pressed against my head, I would say my two favorites were the Cab Franc and The Poet, but Gabby's is a sentimental favorite. All three of these exceptional wines were absolutely tremendous. Complex, balanced, nuanced, and delicious, with great grip but also long lasting fruit. Roanoke Vineyards is a red wine lovers fantasy come true. And Gabby would have been very proud of this trio. And of Richie. Great job, folks!
