chëpìka is a passion project between two friends, Finger lakes native winemaker Nathan Kendall and sommelier Pascaline Lepeltier. The project’s aim is to celebrate the beauty and diversity of the Finger Lakes region and to promote the use of the mostly abandoned grape varietals present in the region dating back over 200 years. The name, coming from the Lenape language spoken by the Native American tribe of the Delaware, means “root”. The name was chosen as a tribute to the history of northeastern America, the presence of the Native Americans and the wild American grapes growing in this region, heritage that is unfortunately often forgotten.
The goal of chëpìka is to go back to the roots of the wine history of the Finger Lakes region, by crafting with care wines made with the original hybrids growing in and around the lakes since the early 18th century. A hybridization between native American Vitis Labrusca and European Vini Vinifera, Catawba and Delaware were among the very first varieties to be used for quality wine production in Northeastern USA. They were major components of an industry of world-renowned sparkling and fortified wines, until Prohibition hit. After the repeal they became used mostly as table grape, juice, and mass-market sweet table wines. Yet these hybrids – along with Concord, and other cultivars - still represent today more than 70% of the planted acreage of the Finger Lakes region, certain able to grow with little to no need of chemical products. It is our opinion they deserved a revival!
From the beginning, chëpìka was created to be about more than just wine. We established chëpìka as a tool for raising indigenous awareness, and giving back to the local communities in support of promoting the Finger Lakes region including the full scope of its history. This is our way to pay tribute to the past and honor it in order to bring new perspectives for today and tomorrow. In this effort we have partnered with the Farnan family, growers committed to organic farming and to the causes they support including the Literacy Volunteers of Yates County, an association supporting vineyard farmers with language skills. We are also honored to support OJI:SDA’ Sustainable Indigenous Futures, Inc., an Indigenous women founded and led non-profit working towards expanding indigenous visibility, land literacy, and good health through land relationships and curriculum for public schools. We hope chëpìka and its symbolic meaning in the Lenape language can build bridges and allow for respectful & critical questioning in order to build a better tomorrow.