It was lovely catching up with Meaghan Frank of Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery from the Finger Lakes last month at the Cab Franc Forward 2026 tasting event in New York City. I have been a fan of the winery since I first tasted them, and have had the thrill of meeting Willie, Fred, and Meaghan each on separate occasions. I remain a huge fan of their historical label and their quality wines. And I love how Meaghan has steered the ship since jumping on board as the new day-to-day captain of the team and the changes she has made.
Many hear the name Dr. Konstantin Frank and think of Riesling or even Rkatsiteli, and of course their sparkling, but their red wines are excellent too. So I was easily pleased to try their newest bottling of Cabernet Franc made by Sarah Gummoe and Eric Bauman. Eric specializes in the sparkling program and has been with the company over two decades.
On the other hand, Sarah Gummoe joined Dr. Konstantin Frank as winemaker in 2024. A Rochester native, she earned her undergraduate degree from Hobart and William Smith Colleges and a Graduate Diploma of Oenology from the Eastern Institute of Technology in New Zealand. She also completed studies within the UC Davis Winemaking Extension Program and holds her Wine Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Level 3 certification. Sarah discovered her passion for wine and the Finger Lakes through early experience at Fox Run Vineyards and went on to work harvests in Austria, Oregon, New Zealand, and Australia. She later held winemaking roles at leading producers in Marlborough, New Zealand, including Saint Clair Family Estate, Pernod Ricard Winemakers, and Delegat Wine Estate. She is a great new addition to the team.
Dr. Frank's Cabernet Franc was planted in 1974, 1997, and 1999 on 3309 rootstock on their Keuka Estate vineyards. Vineyards on Keuka are shallow, shale-based soils which add minerality, acidity, and elegance. A small portion of the blend comes from Eric Volz Vineyard, just north across the road from Dr. Konstantin Frank’s plantings on Keuka Lake. These vines were planted in 1990 by Walter Volz, the winery’s first Vineyard Manager. This vineyard is managed by Eric Volz, current Vineyard Manager for the winery, who worked alongside his father Walter and grandfather, Dr. Konstantin Frank. Soils here are shallow with high natural acidity and high amounts of shale.
The Dr. Konstantin Frank Cabernet Franc Gold Leaf 2022 was poured at the event. The 2023 vintage is available at the tasting room currently, but the 2022 is the vintage available in the marketplace at this time. I tasted the wine with Meaghan Frank. This wine was gorgeous, sumptuous, and seductive. On the nose there were rich notes of red and black fruits - black cherry, red currant, dark raspberries, a hint of bramble. There were also notes of cracked pepper, dark chocolate, s touch of savories, and subtle oak spice. The wine on the palate was smooth and delicious, with all those fruits coming forward, but with also some serious backbone. The wine ages in 100% French oak, with 20-25% being new, the rest being neutral. The wine had many layers, and much complexity, with refined tannins, think black tea, and bright acidity. The fruit lingered a long, long time. This was a sophisticated wine with immense structure but with lots of lively fruit. An absolute triumph. An elegant and delicious wine, perfect for sipping, but absolutely calls out for friends, family, and a fine meal.
Dr. Konstantin Frank Cab Franc 2022 is as much of the Frank family tradition as it is about excellence.