Review: Rose Wines of Dr. Konstantin Frank, 2024 Vintage
Returning to the Finger Lakes region in time for the summer months, we’re revisiting Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery, a familiar name in upstate New York’s wine production landscape. Established in 1962, the winery gained attention for challenging conventional wisdom and setting up shop in a region not traditionally associated with viticulture. Several decades later, the Frank family continues to produce wines reflecting their founders’ original experiments with European grape varieties in cold-climate conditions. This time, we’re looking at the winery’s expansive offering of rosés, just in time for summer’s arrival.
2024 Dr. Konstantin Frank Dry Rosé of Saperavi – Robert’s survey of Georgian wines in April 2025 featured several wines made with Saperavi, a grape indigenous to the region. And while it is normally associated with a deep, dark hue of red, it makes an appearance in lighter wines to showcase its versatility. Its potency is certainly on display here, which displays the deepest shade of pink I’ve seen in a rosé in quite some time. Red berry and cherry are present on the nose, punctuated by mild tea leaf and lavender, resulting in an almost perfume-like quality. The palate carries a balanced sweetness of raspberry preserves and plum, pronounced acidity and good structure throughout, accentuated by a soft creaminess working well with the more herbaceous elements. This is certainly one for those seeking something off the well-traveled path of rose styles. A- / $25
2024 Dr. Konstantin Frank Dry Rosé – Predominantly strawberry throughout, followed by significant notes of orange blossom and raspberry cutting through midpalate. The wine is moderately acidic, with the floral notes carrying on to an easygoing finish on what is the most approachable of the four rosés (no pun intended here, I swear) in the cohort. A full ensemble is present for this wine, featuring 40% Saperavi (more on this in a bit) tempered by 20% Chardonnay, 15% Pinot Noir, 10% Riesling, 8% Gruner Veltliner, 4% Pinot Menuier, and 3% Pinot Blanc. And I am 100% certain this pairs deliciously with Chicken Pad Thai, as spicy as one can tolerate. B+ / $17
2024 Dr. Konstantin Frank Dry Rosé of Blaufränkisch – Big strawberry notes on the nose are accompanied by spice and floral undertones, delivering a light-bodied palate with juicy acidity and a tart cranberry core. The tartness carries through on a texture that is, at first, somewhat chalky. However, the re-emergence of hibiscus near the end balances the sweetness and lifts things to a reasonable finale. B+ / $20
2024 Dr. Konstantin Frank Dry Rosé of Pinot Noir – Pronounced red plum and cherry aromas are consistent characteristics throughout this 100% Pinot Noir rosé, with mild restraint on the palate. It’s full-bodied with moderate acidity, and a subtle minerality kicks in on the finish, adding needed dimension and refinement to the layers of red fruit. It’s a solid and straightforward representation of Pinot Noir rosé that will serve well as a gift for a patio cookout or poolside session. B / $20
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