press kit
2015
generally information
damiani wine cellars
4704 State Route 414
Burdett, New York 14818
Damiani Wine Cellars celebrates the unique microclimate and dramatic
(p) 607-546-5557
(f) 607-546-5558
info@damianiwinecellars.com
www.damianiwinecellars.com
amount of fruit per vine to achieve concentrated flavors, and work with other
landscape that is New York’s Finger Lakes. We cultivate several vineyards
nestled along the eastern shores of Seneca Lake where we purposefully limit the
premier growers in the area to source the finest grapes each vintage. The results
are award-winning wines that yield extraordinary complexity and finesse, wines
showing distinct character and expression of the land.
winery established: June 2004
vineyards/acreage: ~25 planted acres
business owners:
Glenn Allen (General Manager/Partner),
Lou Damiani (Partner) & Phil Davis (Partner)
winemakers:
Phil Arras & Lou Damiani
Phil Davis
Approximately 8,000 cases annually
Opici Wine Company (New York State)
Carter Distribution (Tennessee)
grape-grower:
case production:
distribution:
general inquiries:
business inquiries:
marketing inquiries:
tasting room inquiries:
www.damianiwinecellars.com
info@damianiwinecellars.com
glenn@damianiwinecellars.com
kristina@damianiwinecellars.com
michael@damianiwinecellars.com
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our story
Bonding over their love for the region
and an admiration for bold and
distinctive red wines, in the mid 1990s
lifelong friends Lou Damiani and Phil
Davis began conceptualizing what is
now Damiani Wine Cellars.
In 1996 and 1997 the pair hand-planted
their first vinifera vines in the presentday Davis Vineyard and Damiani
Vineyard, both located in Hector, New
York.
Among those varieties first
planted
were:
Merlot,
Cabernet
Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Pinot
Noir.
Damiani Wine Cellars produced their
first commercial wines in 2004, debuting
a Riesling and six red wines including a
Reserve Pinot Noir and Meritage, and a
Riesling. For the next 6 years Lou and
Phil nurtured their vineyards and cellars,
making a mark in the Finger Lakes
region, becoming known as quality
producers of dry, red vinifera wines.
With an impressive background in
business operations and management
coupled with his love of wine, Glenn
Allen joined Damiani Wine Cellars as a
Partner in 2009.
www.damianiwinecellars.com
In 2010, Phil Arras, a Cornell University
graduate, joined Damiani Wine Cellars
as winemaker alongside Lou Damiani.
Since then, Phil has lead the winery to
numerous high scores and awards,
crafting wines of extraordinary quality
and distinction.
Having originated in the wine
production barn, the tasting room
relocated to its current location at 4704
Route 414 in Burdett, New York in
2010. The Italian-styled villa overlooks
Seneca Lake to the west, and features
two floors dedicated to wine tasting and
special events.
Damiani Wine Cellars maintains their
commitment to producing wines that
reflect the unique terroir and inherent
nature of the Finger Lakes region. Red
varietals continue to be at the forefront
of our portfolio, showcasing the history
of the winery and the endless
possibilities
of
our
remarkable
landscape.
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Great wines reflect the landscape
winemaking
philosophy
upon which they are grown. The relationship between the process of
winemaking and the winemaker is
something alchemical, and if done
correctly, transforms the wine, the
winemaker, and the wine drinker into
something nobler, more in touch with
nature and beauty. It is the job of our
winemakers to transport you from your
glass to breathtaking vistas of rolling
hills and romantic vineyards, gently
sweeping down to the remarkable
glacial Finger Lakes.
They breathe life into your glass,
telling a story of place, seasons,
history, and culture. An expression
of the love, beauty, and soul that
comes from winemaking should
be present in every sip.
It is not about competing to see who can
make the biggest blockbuster wine of
the Finger Lakes, it is not about vast
unnecessary additives, nor is it about
making wines that are uncharacteristic
of the Finger Lakes region. At Damiani
Wine Cellars we are devoted to making
wines that reflect the richness of life,
wines that entice the palate, and wines
that create memories that last forever.
With our strong emphasis on natural,
terroir-driven winemaking also comes
an experimental approach. Minimalist
techniques are utilized in barrel aging,
fermentation, filtration, and fining.
While this strategy stresses hands-off
action, it does not go without careful
observation. It enables the fruit to
express itself as naturally as possible in
our wines.
www.damianiwinecellars.com
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At Damiani, we celebrate the unique
viticulture
philosophy
microclimate and dramatic landscape
of the Finger Lakes. We cultivate
several vineyards nestled along the
eastern shores of Seneca Lake where
we purposefully limit the amount of
fruit per vine to achieve concentrated
flavor, and work with other premier
growers in the area to source the
finest grapes each vintage.
www.damianiwinecellars.com
For those vineyards that are our own,
we maintain what owner and grapegrower Phil Davis calls “a natural-world
based philosophy.” We let the vines
speak for themselves, and communicate
with us through their growth and
maturity each vintage. By leaving the
landscape moderately uninterrupted, the
vines struggle, searching deeper into the
nutrient-rich soils, collecting and
releasing the terroir of the Finger Lakes
into their grapes, and eventually your
glass. Balance is a key component of
grape-growing. While on one hand we
adhere to minimalist viticultural
techniques, we also believe that there
are strategies that can be employed to
enhance fruit quality. From early leafpulling, to fruit thinning, and later
harvest dates, the fruit has the ability to
thrive throughout the entirety of the
vintage, achieving optimal ripeness and
flavors.
In order to preserve the natural
vegetation in our vineyards we do not
use herbicides. Instead, we focus on
sustainable agricultural tools. Mulching
is employed to achieve an adequate
level of weed control as well as
maintain a healthy microbial population.
Where cultivation is necessary, the area
is worked chiefly by hand with the
intermittent help of machines. And
while tractors are incredible modern
marvels, we pride ourselves on the
balance between tractor-farming and
hand-farming. Even in the midst of the
rigorous harvest season, each cluster
from every vineyard is hand-harvested,
ensuring that only the most desirable
fruit is chosen for our wines.
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sustainability
We maintain what owner
and grape-grower Phil Davis calls
“a natural-world based philosophy.”
In order to preserve the natural
vegetation in our vineyards, we do not
use herbicides. Instead, we focus on
sustainable agricultural tools. Mulching
is employed to achieve an adequate
level of weed control as well as
maintain a healthy microbial population.
Since we live in a region that sees
moderate rainfall and sometimes extreme
humidity, it is very difficult to avoid
rigorous “spray programs.” When the
vintage or season calls for it, we will use
natural and organic materials to control
fungal diseases occurring on our fruit.
www.damianiwinecellars.com
During harvest, all of the excess organic
materials produced, including grape
pomace, stems, and other plant matter,
are combined and composted among the
rows of our vineyards. This sustainable
practice aids in our floor management
program by slowly and naturally
reintroducing valuable nutrients back
into the soil. Eventually these nutrients
flow into the roots of our vines,
stimulating
a
healthy
internal
environment in which the vine can thrive.
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portfolio of wines
white wines
Barrel Fermented Chardonnay
Gewürztraminer
The Finger Lakes contains a mosaic of soil types, slope, aspect to the sun, and
Pinot Grigio
microclimate giving each vineyard its own identity. While this variety adds
Dry Riesling
multiple dimensions to our wines, it also presents an opportunity for us to further
Semi-Dry Riesling
Sauvignon Blanc
single vineyard series
Dolce Bianco
celebrate the land in our Single Vineyard Series. We bottle the special flavors
produced from one particular vineyard in years when the fruit is of intense
quality and such distinctive character that it demands to stand alone as a pure
expression of terroir.
red wines
Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Sauvignon Lemberger
Pinot Noir
Merlot
MC2
reserve wines / barrel select
When the stars and the moon and the good fairies conspire to bless us, we are left
standing with eyes-wide and heart pounding before a barrel of wine we call
“Reserve”. The result of perennial nurturing of vine balance by our vineyard
managers, meticulous winemaking, and the favor of gods, these wines are our
highest expression of the land.
Meritage
Vino Rosso
www.damianiwinecellars.com
Page 1
in the press
huffington post
October, 2014
Wine Tasting in the Finger Lakes:
7 Must-Visit Artisanal Wineries
Author: Nish Gera
"The Meritage and Syrah are must-try wines, and you'll
want to sample the Sauvignon Blanc for its very
unconventional palate profile.”
new york cork report
February, 2014
Damiani Wine Cellars
2010
Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve
Author: Lenn Thompson
"...this wine is a new benchmark for the variety in the
Finger Lakes.”
wild 4 washington wine
December, 2013
4 Wines of Damiani Wine Cellars
- Finger Lakes, NY
Author: William Pollard, Jr.
"...this New York winery is crafting not only worldclass Riesling, but also Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and
even Cabernet Sauvignon.”
edible finger lakes
Winter 2013
Damiani 2010 Reserve Cabernet
Sauvignon: A record breaking red
Author: Sally Kral
"...their dedication to red wine has paid off: In October,
Wine Spectator’s James Molesworth awarded
Damiani’s 2010 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon the
highest rating to-date for a Finger Lakes red wine…”
wine spectator
March, 2010
Stirring the Lees
Author: James Molesworth
“it's part of the fun mix at Damiani, where
experimentation is actually being fueled (rather than
stifled) by experience.”
www.damianiwinecellars.com
Page 1
Shelf-Talkers
Available upon request or via the Damiani Wine Cellars website. Visit damianiwinecellars.com/press for high
resolution PDF downloads of all current release shelf-talkers.
Tech/Sell Sheets
Available upon request or via the Damiani Wine Cellars website. Visit damianiwinecellars.com/press for high
resolution PDF downloads of all current release tech sheets.
www.damianiwinecellars.com
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