Dear Native Grapes

Dear Native Grapes, a small vineyard and winery located in the Catskill Mountains of New York, is a project dedicated to restoring America's "forgotten" wine grapes. Led by Deanna Urciuoli and Alfie Alcántara, the venture is a love letter to the indigenous and hybrid varieties that once formed the backbone of a thriving pre-Prohibition American wine industry. Their technical approach is a deliberate effort to honor these resilient grapes and showcase their potential through holistic farming and "wild" natural winemaking.

Terroir: The Catskills and America's Native Grapes

The foundation of Dear Native Grapes is its focus on grape varieties uniquely suited to the North American landscape, particularly the challenging, cool-climate environment of the Catskills.

• Pre-Prohibition and Hybrid Varieties: The project is built around grapes like Delaware, Catawba, and Isabella, which were once widely planted and prized for their quality. They are also exploring newer hybrid varieties, such as Frontenac and Marquette, that were bred to survive harsh winters and thrive in short growing seasons. This focus on climate-resilient grapes is a key part of their vision for regenerative winegrowing in America.

• Experimental Vitis Species: Beyond well-known hybrids, Dear Native Grapes is also working with experimental varieties from little-known native American grape species, such as vitis aestivalis. This forward-thinking approach is a testament to their dedication to exploring the untapped potential of America's indigenous viticulture.

• Holistic and Regenerative Farming: Their farming methods are modeled after holistic and regenerative philosophies. They believe in building a healthy, self-sustaining ecosystem. This is a direct response to the specific needs of these grapes, which are naturally more resistant to pests and diseases than vitis vinifera, allowing for a minimal-intervention approach in the vineyard.

Winemaking: "Wild" and Natural

In the cellar, the winemaking at Dear Native Grapes is as unconventional and hands-off as their farming. They embrace a "wild" approach, letting the grapes and the environment guide the process.

• Native Yeast Fermentation: All of their wines are fermented using indigenous, wild yeasts that are present on the grapes. This spontaneous fermentation is a crucial element of their natural winemaking ethos, as it allows for a more authentic and complex expression of the terroir.

• Minimal Intervention: The winery is committed to a "nothing added, nothing removed" philosophy. This means they do not use commercial yeasts, enzymes, or other additives. This is particularly important for native grapes, which have a distinctive character that can easily be stripped by conventional winemaking techniques.

• Skin Contact: For their white wines, they utilize extended skin contact, a practice that gives the wines a rich color, texture, and a more complex aromatic profile. A prime example is their Delaware wine, which is often aged with seven days of maceration on the skins.

• Neutral Vessel Aging: The wines are aged in neutral vessels, such as older oak barrels. This choice allows the unique flavors of the grapes to be the focus, without the influence of new wood.

• No Fining or Filtering: In line with their minimalist philosophy, the wines are typically unfined and unfiltered, preserving their natural character, texture, and color.

• Minimal to No Sulfur: They use sulfur judiciously, if at all, to ensure stability, with a goal of keeping sulfur additions as low as possible to produce a "living," vibrant wine.

Dear Native Grapes is more than a winery; it's a technical and philosophical statement about the history and future of American wine. By focusing on the unique potential of native and hybrid grapes, and by adhering to a strict, non-interventionist approach in both the vineyard and the cellar, they are producing a new style of wine that is a vibrant expression of the American land.