Konstantin Frank
Encyclopedia
Dr. Konstantin Frank was a viticulturist
and winemaker
in the Finger Lakes
region of New York
. He was born in Odessa
, Russian Empire
and received his PhD in viticulture
from the University of Odessa, his thesis being on techniques for growing Vitis vinifera
in a cold climate. After working for a time in then Soviet Georgia managing a large state-owned vineyard, he came to the United States
in 1951. While working for the Cornell University
Geneva Experiment Station, he urged New York State winemakers to move away from French Hybrid grapes and Vitis labrusca
and instead plant Vitis vinifera, the traditional grapes of Europe
an winemakers.
His ideas were ridiculed. No one thought that Vitis vinifera would grow in the colder New York area. So Dr. Frank founded Vinifera Wine Cellars in 1962 on Keuka Lake
and began growing Pinot Noir
grapes. Despite his success, other winemakers still doubted him for many years and he had trouble getting New York distributors to handle his wine.
Today, Dr. Frank is recognized as having led the revolution in wine quality in New York State and the East Coast. In 2001, the Vinifera Wine Cellars, under direction of his son, Willy Frank, won the first "Winery of the Year Award" from the 2001 New York Wine & Food Classic competition held at the Hudson River Club in Manhattan
.http://www.drfrankwines.com/drf2_article.taf?_type=&_function=detail&gz_id=67
Viticulture
Viticulture is the science, production and study of grapes which deals with the series of events that occur in the vineyard. When the grapes are used for winemaking, it is also known as viniculture...
and winemaker
Winemaker
A winemaker or vintner is a person engaged in winemaking. They are generally employed by wineries or wine companies, where their work includes:*Cooperating with viticulturists...
in the Finger Lakes
Finger Lakes
The Finger Lakes are a pattern of lakes in the west-central section of Upstate New York in the United States. They are a popular tourist destination. The lakes are long and thin , each oriented roughly on a north-south axis. The two longest, Cayuga Lake and Seneca Lake, are among the deepest in...
region of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. He was born in Odessa
Odessa
Odessa or Odesa is the administrative center of the Odessa Oblast located in southern Ukraine. The city is a major seaport located on the northwest shore of the Black Sea and the fourth largest city in Ukraine with a population of 1,029,000 .The predecessor of Odessa, a small Tatar settlement,...
, Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
and received his PhD in viticulture
Viticulture
Viticulture is the science, production and study of grapes which deals with the series of events that occur in the vineyard. When the grapes are used for winemaking, it is also known as viniculture...
from the University of Odessa, his thesis being on techniques for growing Vitis vinifera
Vitis vinifera
Vitis vinifera is a species of Vitis, native to the Mediterranean region, central Europe, and southwestern Asia, from Morocco and Portugal north to southern Germany and east to northern Iran....
in a cold climate. After working for a time in then Soviet Georgia managing a large state-owned vineyard, he came to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1951. While working for the Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
Geneva Experiment Station, he urged New York State winemakers to move away from French Hybrid grapes and Vitis labrusca
Vitis labrusca
Vitis labrusca is a species of grapevines belonging to the Vitis genus in the flowering plant family Vitaceae. The vines are native to the eastern United States and are the source of many grape cultivars, including Catawba and Concord grapes, and many hybrid grape varieties such as Agawam,...
and instead plant Vitis vinifera, the traditional grapes of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an winemakers.
His ideas were ridiculed. No one thought that Vitis vinifera would grow in the colder New York area. So Dr. Frank founded Vinifera Wine Cellars in 1962 on Keuka Lake
Keuka Lake
Keuka Lake is an unusual member of New York's Finger Lakes because it is Y-shaped, instead of long and narrow. Because of its shape, it was referred to in the past as Crooked Lake...
and began growing Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir
Pinot noir is a black wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. The name may also refer to wines created predominantly from Pinot noir grapes...
grapes. Despite his success, other winemakers still doubted him for many years and he had trouble getting New York distributors to handle his wine.
Today, Dr. Frank is recognized as having led the revolution in wine quality in New York State and the East Coast. In 2001, the Vinifera Wine Cellars, under direction of his son, Willy Frank, won the first "Winery of the Year Award" from the 2001 New York Wine & Food Classic competition held at the Hudson River Club in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
.http://www.drfrankwines.com/drf2_article.taf?_type=&_function=detail&gz_id=67