Finger Lakes Fun Part II: Farmer, Artist, Gentleman - Kim Engle and Bloomer Creek Vineyard

My next stop in the Finger Lakes was Bloomer Creek, owned and operated by Kim Engle and Debra Birmingham. I reached out to Kim and Debra to schedule a special visit on Friday, as Bloomer Creek’s tasting room is typically not open on the weekdays. When we were trying to figure out a time, the exchange went something like this:

Me:  How about Friday?  Would midday work?

Kim: Actually later would be better, the three of us are in the fields tending to the grapes during the day.  We think by 3:30 or so we should be reasonably cleaned up and presentable.

Wait, did they say ‘the three of us’?

Yes. Just three people. Essentially, Kim, Deb and one extra pair of hands manage the entire operation: grapes, to harvest, to winemaking, to bottling, to staffing the tasting room.  I was happy to hear that tending to the grapes takes first priority.

Their reply about setting up time for a tasting speaks to who they are and why their wine is so special.  Kim and Deb are farmers and artists first, retailers second. Truth be told, the wine sells itself. 

The Bloomer Creek tasting room is a lovely light-filled and airy carriage house with vaulted ceilings and exposed beams. Kim and Deborah built the structure themselves in 2007.  Their wines reflect the same labor of love and the deft hand of artists.  “My wife is the REAL artist,” he explained.  Kim and Deb were fellow Cornell students when they met.  Kim had spent time working on organic farms as a student. He landed a job at a vineyard, “which back then was not even producing wines yet.”  He fell in love with area and the grape growing and harvesting process. Deb, a painter and professional artist, joined Kim in the artistry of wine making.

As Kim poured his Vin d’ete Cabernet Franc 2011 for us, he continued, “some winemakers play it safe, they want to replicate something that works – that is the ‘same’, season after season. The wine is highly processed, manufactured wine. This kind of wine that isn’t 'alive' to me.  Here, we let grapes and the natural yeasts do their own work; we intervene very little in the process.  The whole idea is to let the wine be the best expression of the terroir -- land, the soil, the conditions and the fruit.”

For Kim and Debra, part of the joy of wine making is this ‘artists way’: allowing the process to unfold naturally, but with careful awareness of and attention to the details. They coax out wines that have a personality and are truly memorable.

And the Vin d’ete Cabernet Franc 2011 was exactly that - a memorable wine with personality.  This 100% Cabernet Franc had fruit aromas of red cherries and plums, and I could also pick up an herbal notes of thyme and delicate floral notes as well.  On the palate, a medium to light bodied wine, delicate for a Cabernet Franc, with bright acidity, raspberry and hints of black candied cherry fruit, very well balanced with deeper peppery, earthy notes on the finish.  The wine has seen very little oak and the tannins are soft and elegant.

Kim and I discussed the touch of carbonic maceration (often used in the production of Beaujolais), which contributes to the wonderful aromas and cherry fruit character.  The wine is unfined and unfiltered, as are all of Bloomer Creek’s wines.

What was an absolute pleasure to me was that there was nary a green note in this wine. I enjoy Cabernet Franc, but the downfall of many producers is ‘rushing it’ – with less careful harvesting methods that result in the use of some unripe grape clusters which give Cab Francs a green bite.

The Vin d’ete was was bright and lively as well as nuanced and delicate – is that possible? It was both easy to drink and also a bit enigmatic.  In fact, I might not have guessed it was a Cabernet Franc.  Kim’s inspiration for this wine is the cooler climate Cabernet Franc from the Loire Valley, a style that makes perfect sense for the Finger Lakes.  It was was a delight to drink and would be wonderful with food.  I picture this wine with a summer meal outdoors at a café; a green salad with fresh garden herbs and a simply roasted chicken would hit the spot.    

I am not the only fan, it seems. The New York Times’ wine critic, top Eric Asimov, gave high praise to Bloomer Creek’s Cabernet Francs as ‘deliciously fragrant peppery wines.’ The Wine Spectator gave it a 90 (if scores matter to you). The Bloomer Creek Vin d’ete Cabernet Franc averages about $20.00 retail, which is a terrific value, as it drinks like a much more expensive bottle of wine.   Kim and Debra really ARE artists. They take risks with their wines and the resulting alchemy is memorable. Their wines are produced in small quantities. If you can find the Vin d'ete Cab Franc 2011, or any Bloomer Creek wine, buy it. 

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