2024 Pinot Blanc
Notebook: This is a first for Billsboro. We were able to source a very small amount of Pinot Blanc from our friends at Nutt Road Vineyard on the west side of Seneca Lake. A mutation of Pinot Noir - as is Pinot Gris - Pinot Blanc is grown throughout western Europe and is made in a wide range of styles (from dry to sweet as well as sparkling).
In comparison to Gris, Pinot Blanc has a little less zip and tends to have a little more wight. The flavor leans more to ripe tree fruit as opposed to citrus. Ours packs golden apple and pear along with intriguing spice from a short period of barrel aging.
Vineyard: Nutt Road Vineyard
Winemaking:
Harvest Date: September 28
Fermentation: Pressed, cold-settled, and racked into 4 year old French oak barrels for 10 weeks. Malolactic conversion occured.
Aging: Moved from barrel to stainless steel tank on December 16th. Filtered and bottled on April 3rd, 2025.
ABV: 13.2%
Cases Produced: 90
Pinot Gris
Planted 1982 and 2008
Lansing soil, gravel silt loam, 8%-15% slope
'Own Rooted'
Atwater Vineyards in Burdett, NY is located along the southeast corner of Seneca Lake, in a stretch of sloping vineyards many refer to as the "banana belt" of the Finger Lakes. We thank Chris, Mike and Wes for their dedication and passion!
Vinny Aliperti started his wine journey making wine as a teenager with his relatives, never considering it would one day become his profession. After graduating college with a liberal arts degree and a stint in the Peace Corps, an opportunity to pursue commercial winemaking on his native Long Island was presented and he never looked back. From 1997 through 1999, Vinny apprenticed under winemaker Roman Roth at Wolffer Estate, producing mostly Chardonnay and Merlot at its state-of -the -art facility.
In early 2000, Vinny moved his family to the Finger Lakes to work at the legendary Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard, where he was first exposed to Riesling production. In 2001, Vinny joined the startup Atwater Estate Vineyards, where he continues today heading up winemaking operations for over 15 varieties. Its 8000 case facility produces estate grown wines, including multiple Rieslings, Gewurztraminer, Blaufränkisch and Cabernet Franc.
With Atwater's blessing, Vinny and his wife, Kim, started their own label, Billsboro Winery, in Geneva, NY in 2007. Sourcing grapes from Sawmill Creek Vineyards on Seneca Lake, Billsboro specializes in producing small lots dry vinifera wines, including Sauvignon Blanc, Albariño, Syrah, and Pinot Noir.
