Lightfoot & Wolfville Kékfrankos 2020
Possibly LW's most highly anticipated release of the year! After not making this wine since 2017, the 2020 growing season gave them the best conditions yet to ripen this grape as a red wine. Kékfrankos, a dark-skinned grape variety from Hungary (AKA Blaufränkisch in Austria and Lemberger in Germany), is relatively obscure in Canada and grown by only a handful of producers. As part of their ongoing quest to uncover cold-hardy red varieties suitable for our cool climate, they planted a small block of this variety in their Avonport vineyard in 2013.
| Country | Canada |
|---|---|
| Province | Nova Scotia |
| Region | Annapolis Valley |
| Producer | Lightfoot & Wolfville Vineyards |
| Vintage | 2020 |
| Color | Red Wine |
| Varietal(s) | Kekfrankos |
Possibly LW's most highly anticipated release of the year! After not making this wine since 2017, the 2020 growing season gave them the best conditions yet to ripen this grape as a red wine. Kékfrankos, a dark-skinned grape variety from Hungary (AKA Blaufränkisch in Austria and Lemberger in Germany), is relatively obscure in Canada and grown by only a handful of producers. As part of their ongoing quest to uncover cold-hardy red varieties suitable for our cool climate, they planted a small block of this variety in their Avonport vineyard in 2013.
| Country | Canada |
|---|---|
| Province | Nova Scotia |
| Region | Annapolis Valley |
| Producer | Lightfoot & Wolfville Vineyards |
| Vintage | 2020 |
| Color | Red Wine |
| Varietal(s) | Kekfrankos |
| Closure | Cork |
|---|---|
| Volume | 750ml |
| Alcohol | 12.1% |
| Product Code | D002R00120 |
| Inventory | In Stock (23) |
Tasting notes
Pale ruby red shines in the glass. Subtle, elegant and refined with notes of brambleberry, brown spice, dark cherry and sandalwood. Fine, grippy tannins that will soften over time in bottle are framed by bright acidity.
Pairing
Roasted lamb or small game, dishes with Mediterranean spice and roasted vegetables.
Viticulture
All grapes for this wine were hand-harvested from our Oak Island Vineyard (Avonport) on October 25th,
Vinification
Crushed and destemmed, and spontaneously fermented with wild yeasts. Aged in older (neutral) French oak barriques for eight months and bottled September 7th 2021.
Certification: Organic by Ecocert Canada & Biodynamic by Demeter
Production Amount
3636Producer Description
Lightfoot & Wolfville is owned and operated by the Lightfoot family who have been farming in the Annapolis Valley for eight generations. Originating in Northern England, the Lightfoot name referred to the swift-footedness of our forebears who traditionally worked as messengers. At Lightfoot & Wolfville we like to think we bring a light touch and enlightened approach to both the agricultural and artisanal parts of our work – working in harmony with nature and letting the land offer up its innate best, without subjecting it to aggressive inputs. We believe being present on our land means recognizing the living memory of its past inhabitants while keeping in tune, daily, with the life of our soil and vines. Our Home Farm has been in Michael’s family for four generations – working the land is in our blood. We’ve also found evidence of earlier history on both our sites, including Acadian and Planter artifacts and even an Acadian-era house foundation where our current winemaking facility stands.
OUR STORY
Lightfoot & Wolfville is owned and operated by the Lightfoot family who have been farming in the Annapolis Valley for eight generations. Originating in Northern England, the Lightfoot name referred to the swift-footedness of our forebears who traditionally worked as messengers. At Lightfoot & Wolfville we like to think we bring a light touch and enlightened approach to both the agricultural and artisanal parts of our work – working in harmony with nature and letting the land offer up its innate best, without subjecting it to aggressive inputs.
We believe being present on our land means recognizing the living memory of its past inhabitants while keeping in tune, daily, with the life of our soil and vines. Our Home Farm has been in Michael’s family for four generations – working the land is in our blood. We’ve also found evidence of earlier history on both our sites, including Acadian and Planter artifacts and even an Acadian-era house foundation where our current winemaking facility stands.
ETHOS
We believe that the best wines are the result of a deep connection between PEOPLE & PLACE, as reflected in our winery’s name - “LIGHTFOOT & WOLFVILLE” - “Lightfoot” is our family name and “Wolfville” is the name of the town we call home.
We believe great wine is grown by farmers and viticulturists respectful of the land’s particular gifts and energies. That management of a vineyard in harmony with nature allows for maximum expression of its unique individuality. Our commitment to regenerative agriculture practices is driven by a duty to protect and promote the vitality of our soils for future generations, and has led us to successfully pursue organic certification through Ecocert Canada and biodynamic certification by Demeter Canada.
Minimal-intervention vinification from healthy, balanced fruit allows us to produce distinct wines that faithfully convey the purest sense of time and spirit of place.
THE PLACE
GROWN ON THE SHORES OF THE MINAS BASIN
The Annapolis Valley is a long, relatively narrow valley located on the western edge of Nova Scotia, situated between two parallel mountain ranges, along the shores of the Bay of Fundy. Close proximity to the Bay of Fundy and the world’s highest tides creates an incredibly unique growing environment with tremendous potential for the production of distinctive cool-climate wines.
Our 40 acres of vines are planted on two distinct sites along the shores of the Minas Basin, an inlet of the Bay of Fundy, where hilly slopes extend the frost free period and provide excellent exposure. Natural airflow and incessant saltwater breezes off the basin provide an important moderating effect, especially critical during the winter months when temperatures dip below freezing. Throughout the growing season, these same cool breezes slow ripening, extending the hang times of our fruit. This microclimate creates balanced, full-flavored grapes that tend to have relatively low sugar content, yet full phenolic maturity and beautifully retained natural acidities. The ultimate result is wines that are firmly rooted in a distinct sense of place, characterized by vibrancy, freshness, finesse, and a brilliance and clarity of flavor that can only be achieved in very cool climate regions.
THE VINES
We farm 40 acres of vines on two distinct sites, one on the edge of the Town of Wolfville and the other in nearby Avonport. Both vineyards have breathtaking views of Cape Blomidon, and benefit from the Minas Basin's moderating impact on climate.
Another shared aspect of the terroir at both sites is the rare Wolfville Formation Soil that makes up a mere 3 percent of our province's soil spectrum. The upper root horizon consists of glacial till with coarse sandy loam, while the deep root horizon’s clay content provides ideal moisture retention.
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Possibly LW's most highly anticipated release of the year! After not making this wine since 2017, the 2020 growing season gave them the best conditions yet to ripen this grape as a red wine. Kékfrankos, a dark-skinned grape variety from Hungary (AKA Blaufränkisch in Austria and Lemberger in Germany), is relatively obscure in Canada and grown by only a handful of producers. As part of their ongoing quest to uncover cold-hardy red varieties suitable for our cool climate, they planted a small block of this variety in their Avonport vineyard in 2013.
Possibly LW's most highly anticipated release of the year! After not making this wine since 2017, the 2020 growing season gave them the best conditions yet to ripen this grape as a red wine. Kékfrankos, a dark-skinned grape variety from Hungary (AKA Blaufränkisch in Austria and Lemberger in Germany), is relatively obscure in Canada and grown by only a handful of producers. As part of their ongoing quest to uncover cold-hardy red varieties suitable for our cool climate, they planted a small block of this variety in their Avonport vineyard in 2013.
Possibly LW's most highly anticipated release of the year! After not making this wine since 2017, the 2020 growing season gave them the best conditions yet to ripen this grape as a red wine. Kékfrankos, a dark-skinned grape variety from Hungary (AKA Blaufränkisch in Austria and Lemberger in Germany), is relatively obscure in Canada and grown by only a handful of producers. As part of their ongoing quest to uncover cold-hardy red varieties suitable for our cool climate, they planted a small block of this variety in their Avonport vineyard in 2013.
Possibly LW's most highly anticipated release of the year! After not making this wine since 2017, the 2020 growing season gave them the best conditions yet to ripen this grape as a red wine. Kékfrankos, a dark-skinned grape variety from Hungary (AKA Blaufränkisch in Austria and Lemberger in Germany), is relatively obscure in Canada and grown by only a handful of producers. As part of their ongoing quest to uncover cold-hardy red varieties suitable for our cool climate, they planted a small block of this variety in their Avonport vineyard in 2013.