Red wine making process:

Hand harvested Cabernet Franc grapes will be hand sorted while in the vineyard and again in the winery before crush.  The grapes will then go into the crusher/destemmer that rests on top of fermentation bins.  The grapes will have sugar/acids adjusted prior to fermentation.  Fermentation will proceed to dryness with considerable punching down.  The wine will then be pressed and transferred to French Oak barrels for 18-48 months.  The wine will most likely be racked twice during the barrel aging.  Will undergo ML fermentation in the barrel.  Wines will be bottles unfined and unfiltered to preserve the unique terrior  of the Ohio River Valley we have worked so hard to achieve.  The wines will be bottled, closed, labeled, and capsuled then aged 6-12 months prior to release.  Thus, the wine will be released 2 to 5 years after harvest.

White wine making process:

Hand harvested Petit Manseng is made in a similar fashion except the grapes are crushed/destemmed, pressed, and placed in a holding tank to settle overnight.  When fermentation is complete, the wine is transferred to French Oak barrels and undergoes ML fermentation.  Wines are bottled unfined and unfiltered.  The wine is released 1 to 3 years after harvest.

Production:

Annual production will begin with as little as 60 cases in 2009 and increase to about 1000 cases by 2015.  The winery will produce the following two vinifera varietals: Cabernet Franc and Petit Manseng.  The majority of the wine will be sold by mailing list only, but as production increases we will utilize other distribution channels to reach our customers.

The key to the wineries success will be its high quality vinifera wines.  Few wineries in the Ohio River Valley focus exclusively on vinifera varietals and doing so will differentiate use from local competitors.