WINE AGENCY
Forge Cellars
Finger Lakes, NY
Bone Dry Riesling and Cool Climate Pinot Noir from Seneca Lake
Forge Cellars is made up of friends (Louis Barruol of Gigondas, Rick Rainey and Justin Boyette) with a common goal: to grow grapes and handcraft wines of interest and value that perfectly balance minerality, aromatics and fruit to reflect the exceptional terroir of southeast Seneca Lake. Each vintage is viewed as an opportunity to express our region — to reflect its soils, cool climate, and diverse terroir.
Forge Cellars focus is on the east side of Seneca Lake, the deepest (620ft) of the eleven Finger Lakes. They look for premier sites with considerable slope and an abundance of different clones and soils.
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PINOT NOIR
Seneca Lake
NETTLE - RED PLUM - LICORICE
Like Les Alliés Riesling, our Classique Pinot Noir is a blend of several sites. It is a “classic” Pinot with plentiful aromas of little red fruits and a beautiful texture. It has the softness of a ripe Pinot Noir made in a cool, long ripening region. Aged in both barrels and demi-muids.
Harvest Dates: Sept.
Soils: shale, gravelly loam and clay with limestone
Hand-harvested, sorted, and whole cluster pressed
Alcohol: 12% by vol.
Production: 415 cases
PRESS REVIEW
RIESLING
Seneca Lake
LICORICE - APRICOT - CHAMOMILE
This wine reflects the substance and diversity of southeast Seneca Lake. It fermented in both vats and old oak (228 liter Burgundy barrels and demi-muids) with indigenous yeasts for several months, as is typical of our wines. Combining aromas of mineral and fruit: mango, jasmine, flint, it delivers a balanced texture, straightforward while being both long and soft.
American viticulture has the ability to deliver fantastic mineral-driven, complex, refined, long-aging, and refreshing white wines that remind of great Burgundy or Sancerre. This is Riesling, this is southeast Seneca Lake, this is Forge.
Harvest Dates: Sept. 30 - Oct. 20
Soils: shale, gravelly loam and clay with limestone
Hand-harvested, sorted, and whole cluster pressed
Fermented in 70% French oak barrels and 30% stainless steel tanks
Residual Sugar: 0.3% (3 g/L)
Alcohol: 12% by vol.
RIESLING CLASSIQUE 2018
91 POINTS, “SMART BUY” - Distinct, with mustard flower, yellow apple, quince and jasmine notes mixed together, carried on a slightly rounded, waxy frame and ending with a flash of quinine.
— James Molesworth, Wine Spectator
RIESLING LES ALLIES 2018
91 POINTS - A hint of honeycomb melds into the background as juicy lemon peel, star fruit and gooseberry notes slowly take over. Picks up a citrus oil accent but stays zingy through the finish.
— James Molesworth, Wine Spectator
RIESLING BELLOWS 2018
92 POINTS - Peach, singed almond and beeswax notes give this a rich yet tense feel, with a zing of grapefruit oil lining the finish.
— James Molesworth, Wine Spectator
...producing some of the most polished and sophisticated wines in the appellation.
— Kelli White, Vinous
USA, EAST COAST: THE FINGER LAKES – AMERICA’S BEST WINE REGION BEYOND THE WEST COAST
WINE ADVOCATE, JUNE 2018, WRITTEN BY MARK SQUIRES
"[…] the Finger Lakes is America’s best wine region beyond the West Coast."
“The two clearest winners to me that I haven’t seen much of before would be Forge and Weis. Put a star and a rising rocket next to their names.”
Their wines could go head-to-head with those from anywhere in the world.
— Ray Isle, Travel + Leisure
THREE WINES TO STOCK UP ON FOR THANKSGIVING, PLUS 2 MORE TO SIP ON WARM DAYS
THE WASHINGTON POST, OCTOBER 2018, WRITTEN BY DAVE MCINTYRE
"Their rieslings do not follow the Finger Lakes style of crisp, fruity and citrusy, but they are rather more substantial in body because of long, slow fermentations."
The approach at Forge isn’t new—it’s been tested often enough by Barruol back home in France. But it is new to the Finger Lakes. The results are dramatic enough that the rest of the region—and you the consumer—should pay close attention.
— James Molesworth, Wine Spectator
20 WINES UNDER $20: WHEN ANY NIGHT CAN BE A WEEKNIGHT
THE NEW YORK TIMES, SEPTEMBER 2018, WRITTEN BY ERIC ASIMOV
"The Finger Lakes has begun to attract attention around the world, drawing winemakers like Louis Barruol of Château St. Cosme of Gigondas. In the Finger Lakes, he is working with two local partners, Richard Rainey and Justin Boyette, at Forge Cellars, focusing on riesling and pinot noir. The Classique cuvée is an excellent introduction to their riesling style, bone dry yet rich, with spicy mineral and ginger flavors."