Gabby Pisacano, Vineyard Master
Not even Gabby himself remembers how long he's been tending vineyards on the North Fork, but it's been quite a while. Now in his 80th year, Gabs has become a celebrity with the much-heralded release of his 2006 Gabby's Cabernet Franc. The New York Times called this wine "beautiful", and it certainly is.
The story of Gabby's wine begins in the dead of winter of 2006. Struck by an idea that arrived like a bolt of lightning, Gabby burst into the Roanoke offices announcing "I'm takin' over twelve rows of the Cab Franc vineyard! Call it 'Eminent Domain'!" Gabby had the idea that if he ultra-manicured the vines, so that each grape had perfect exposure to the sun and wind, and that there was plenty of space around the fruit for the breeze to circulate, his rows would avoid any disease pressure and ultimately deliver pristine fruit. Add in the fact he edited the fruit down to less than 1.8 tons per acre, and he was more than willing to harvest the western facing clusters first. Suddenly the concentration of his grapes was unmatched. "Great wine is made in the vineyard . . . wait . . . make that in MY vineyard!" he says.
We've now harvested, pressed, and patiently waited as four vintages of Gabby's Cabernet Franc made their way from the vineyard, through the cellar, and (two vintages) into the bottle. Each vintage is truly beautiful, and documents the passion Gabby has for his twelve rows, as well as the growing season of each particular year. Here at the vineyard, on one of the last days of January, the temperature outside is hovering in the mid-thirties. Gabby's white hair is barely visible above row 7. His head rises up and down in no particular hurry as he studies each squeeze of the pruners. There's no rush to get the vines pruned; great wines take time.
Winemakers' SMACKDOWN 2! August 14th, 6 PM, under the tent!
June 28, 2010
Gabby's Cabernet Franc Reservation List
June 07, 2010
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