Wine of the Week: Usonia Wine 2022 "New Suns" Cabernet Franc
April 9, 2025: Complex and concentrated, this cabernet franc delivers rare power from the Finger Lakes
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I don’t expect power from Finger Lakes reds. I’m not looking for it and don’t really want it. The best Finger Lakes reds have a freshness and savory complexity that I find much more interesting than burly, often oak-laden reds from warmer districts.
And yet, I’m going to tell you that what made this Usonia Wine 2022 “New Suns” Cabernet Franc ($32*) stand out during my tasting of some impressive cabernet francs last weekend is its power — along with plenty of the freshness and savory complexity I demand of Finger Lakes cabernet franc.
The first release from the winery’s home vineyard on Cayuga Lake, the fruit was 100% destemmed before an 18-day maceration and what co-owner Alex Alvarez-Perez calls “gentle infusion”—meaning no punch-downs or pump-overs. The wine was pressed into neutral barrels and aged one year in barrel and one year in bottle before release.
Dark, brooding fruit aromas drive the nose—blackberry, black cherry, and plum—with woodsy herbs, dried flowers, and a couple of cracks of black pepper. Full-bodied and concentrated, the palate shows more of those ripe, mostly-darker fruits with layers of spice, savory herbs, and flowers. There is a nice bit of fresh acidity here with young tannins that probably need some time to integrate and resolve. Those tannins won’t keep anyone from enjoying this wine right now, but it’s at its best on days three and four open.
This is an impressive, delicious wine.
It’s not confirmed yet, but I’m doing everything I can to get this wine for my club this month—mostly because I’m a member myself and want to tuck a bottle into my cellar for a few years to see how this one evolves.
Usonia Wine 2022 “New Suns” Cabernet Franc
Region: Finger Lakes AVA (New York)
Grapes: 100% cabernet France
TA: 6.8 g/L
pH: 3.59
ABV: 13.5%
Rating: 93 pts
Price: $32* (Available Here)
*Sample Provided by Winery