Living Roots Session Red

From the shores of Cayuga Lake and the gentle slopes above Keuka Lake in New York’s Finger Lakes, Living Roots crafts a red wine that challenges convention. Session Red is not your typical heavy California red, but a vibrant blend of hybrid and vinifera grape varieties, chosen for their cool‑climate precision, texture and aromatic drive.

Hybrid grapes are crossings between vinifera (European grapes) and native American grape species, such as vitis labrusca, riparia, or aestivalis. They were bred by viticultural pioneers to combine the best of both worlds: the flavor precision and elegance of vinifera with the resilience, disease resistance, and cold hardiness of native vines. These grapes aren’t genetically modified. They’re naturally cross-bred, often over decades. Think of them as heirloom varieties, bred with intention, just like apple cultivars or tomatoes, not lab inventions.

The hybrids bring early ripeness, lively acidity and inherent resistance to cold; when combined with vinifera varieties like Cabernet Franc and Merlot, the result is a wine with expressive red‑berry fruit, peppery spice and an effortless drinkability. Grapes were picked early, fermented with a mix of whole clusters and shorter maceration to preserve freshness, finishing at a naturally lower alcohol level.

On the nose, expect wild strawberry, cherry skin, violet and red pepper. The palate is supple yet incisive — red currant, rhubarb, fresh herbs and a gentle tannin grip. The wine finishes with minerality and length rather than brute‑force richness. Serve lightly chilled (14‑15 °C) for maximum clarity.

Session Red is ideal for modern, food‑driven moments: grilled chicken with herbed salsa, wood‑fired burger with roasted onions, or a simple dinner of charcuterie and cornichons. Available in limited quantity for Europe through americanwineclub.ch, it offers a rare style of American red:  bright, terroir‑driven, and ready for now.