Fossil & Till

Fossil & Till was started in 2013 as a project between three friends with the goal of producing unorthodox, naturally made wines in the Finger Lakes.  Inspired by natural winemaking from regions like the Loire and Beaujolais, Fossil & Till focuses on a minimalist approach to winemaking: native yeast fermentation, no additions of acids, sugars, or enzymes, little to no fining or filtration, and minimal additions of sulfur.  For the first vintage in 2013, they created a pétillant naturel- a traditional method used to make sparkling wines that predates the Champagne method.

"The aim of Fossil & Till is to explore the terroir of the Finger Lakes through an unorthodox, experimental, and natural approach" - Eric Clemons

Wines

Riesling Pet Nat

Varietal: Riesling

Color: White

Farming Practice

100% Riesling. The 2016 was sourced entirely from the Tuller Vineyard. Planted in 1976 and located on the western side of Seneca Lake at its widest point, Tuller Vineyard sits on well drained, gravelly loam underlying shale subsoils. Hand-picked at 20 Brix into 25 kg lug bins then re-sorted at the winery. Whole-cluster pressed in a half ton press at a low pressure into stainless steel. Spontaneous fermentation in steel (with a small portion going into neutral wood for part of fermentation) and bottled around 1 brix. Aged on the lees and non-disgorged.

Press