The Finger Lakes wine industry began around 1820 when native North American grape varieties thrived. By 1860 the first bonded winery in America was founded in the village of Hammondsport on Keuka Lake. The sparkling and fortified wines made from the native varieties commanded great respect throughout the world. Because of prohibition -- along with changing tastes and the introduction of European grape varieties -- the wines produced from the native, or "vitis labrusca" grapes, soon became a distant memory.
chëpìka is the project of winemaker Nathan Kendall and Pascaline Lepeltier, beginning with the 2016 vintage. The chëpìka sparkling wines are crafted in the ancestral method, relying exclusively on natural yeasts without anything added. Since 2018 they also make a still version of the Catawba, also with no additives. The Delaware and Catawba grapes are grown organically in a certified vineyard near Keuka Lake.
The goal of the project is to work diligently and respectfully with the land, using the native varieties to recreate the traditional wines of the Finger Lakes, and to produce a delicious, affordable, local wine made from the natural and historical resources of the region.
The Label:
Pascaline and Nathan created a label that represents the Finger Lakes region in a modern and minimalist style. Designed by Wendy Wilmoth, the 7 horizontal lines represent the main lakes where viticulture is practiced in the beautiful region of the Finger Lakes. The still Catawba has a distinctive rose-grape symbol.
