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Bellwether Wine Cellars

Bellwether was founded in 2011 by Finger Lakes native Kris Mathewson. Kris grew up alongside the wine industry, and attended Cornell with an eye towards a future in cellar work. Following graduation, he assumed a series of local positions, including a stint as assistant winemaker at Swedish Hill and co-winemaker at Atwater. Up until this point, his winemaking was fairly conventional, but trips into New York City to peddle Atwater wines opened his eyes to a new wave of winemaking. There he was exposed to the natural wine movement, which was more accepting of experimental methodologies and their occasionally attendant “flaws,” such as brettanomyces, volatile acidity, and bound-CO2. As none of his employers would allow him to play in this arena, Mathewson started his own company. His initial vision was to focus exclusively on single vineyard Rieslings and Pinot Noirs, but after 2015 Mathewson will no longer be making red Pinot Noirs, as the challenges are simply too daunting. The Bellwether wines, especially the Rieslings, are thoughtful and compelling, made via a combination of gut instinct and intellect. Though some can have a seriously funky edge, many are quite brilliant and certainly characterful. Production is extremely limited, at less than 2,000 cases per year.

From Finger Lakes Rising (Jul 2016) by Kelli White

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2014 Riesling "S"

Release Price: $17

Color: White

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