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In the News

As see in the Chronicle Express on August 13, 2003
By Douglas Robb

 Rooster Hill owners are passionate about wine

   MILO - Amy and David Hoffman tell you they moved from Southern California to Keuka Lake in 1999 in order to simplify their lives. Listening to Amy speak at a recent Twilight Tasting and Wine Workshop about grape varietals and winemaking you can tell she is passionate about what she is doing.
    Hoffman's eyes sparkle and her enthusiasm bubbles out when she discusses rescuing the old vineyard behind their lakeside Victorian home. The Hoffmans are proud of their vineyards, their new Tuscan inspired winery located four miles south of Penn Yan on Route 54 and their wines. To date their first vintages have won eight medals in recent wine competitions.
   At present Rooster Hill offers two types of wines: French hybrids and Vinifera. The French hybrids include: Seyval Blanc, Cayuga White and Vidal. The latter is used on their Silver Pencil blend along with Seyval and Cayuga. Their Vinifera wines include: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Lemberger and Riesling.
   On Friday, August 1, 20 wine lovers gathered at Rooster Hill to sample 12 Cabernet Franc wines from France, California and New York. Rob Bourdelais, an Eastman Kodak Scientist and wine expert, was brought in by the Hoffmans to lead the discussion.
   Bourdelais predicts that "Cabernet Franc will become one of the signature grapes of the Finger Lakes along with Riesling, Lemberger and Gewurtztraminer." Said Bourdelais, "Cab Franc matures up to three weeks earlier than other reds which is a decided advantage in the relatively cold climate of the Finger Lakes."
   Under his expert guidance the group quickly learned to identify various fruit flavors in wines, the amount of acidity and tannins present, and whether the signature Cab Franc bouquet of "pencil shavings" was present.
   Initially, disparate and quiet, after the first flight of three wines was tasted and discussed, the group quickly lost it inhibitions and the noise level rose rapidly as everyone wanted to share their opinions of the various wines.
   Bourdelais had selected the wines specifically to illustrate the various "styles" of Cab Franc wines. His favorite, and the most expensive, was a 1998 Chinon "Les Picasses" from the Loire Valley of France. Most of the group preferred one or more of the local wines. The highlight of the evening was the pre-release of Rooster Hill's 2002 Cab Franc.
   The wine was sampled from the vat. Bottling is not scheduled to take place for at least another week and the wine will be allowed to "rest" for a minimum of two weeks after that. Despite those disadvantages, the young wine compared very favorably with the other Cab Francs. Most agreed it has the potential of being another medal winner for Rooster Hill.
   Barry Tortolon, Rooster Hill winemaker, said he particularly wanted to increase the tannins so he left the newly crushed grapes in contact with the skins and stems for a week. Like all grapes, except the Merlot, the cab franc grapes were purchased from the local area, in this case, Seneca Lake. Based on the reaction of those present, Rooster Hill's limited production of 185 cases will not be enough.
  The Hoffmans have 7 acres planted with their own vines. The first grapes will not be ready for harvest until 2004. They purchased the parcel of land in early 2002. Both worked clearing the neglected vineyard and planting new vines. Local residents watched in amazement as they nurtured the vineyard back to its former glory and built the new tasting room and winery. Their first planting in the Savina Estate Vineyard consisted of Cab Franc, Riesling, Pinot Noir, Gewurtztraminer and Lemberger. Earlier this year they planted the Catherine Estate Vineyard with Cabernet Franc, Riesling, Gewurztraminer and Lemberger. They hope to begin harvesting those grapes in 2005.
   Amy Hoffman is a former marketing executive for a Fortune 50 company high-tech company. David Hoffman is a financial planner and tax advisor with a private tax practice. Both appear to be having too much fun to have any second thoughts about their new careers.