There’s something magical about the transformation that happens when grapes are given time to rest—slowly drying in the cool air, their flavors deepening with each passing day. This age-old process, known as appassimento, has been used for centuries to craft some of Italy’s most luxurious wines.
At Six Eighty Cellars, we’ve brought that ancient technique to the Finger Lakes, reimagining it through our own lens. Instead of the traditional Italian varieties, we use Cabernet Franc, a grape that thrives in our cool-climate vineyard. Instead of oak barrels, we age our wine in porous terracotta vessels, creating something that bridges old-world craftsmanship and modern innovation.
The result is a deeply expressive sweet red wine—decadent and full-bodied, yet balanced by natural acidity and structure. It’s a wine that celebrates both patience and creativity.
At its core, appassimento wine is about concentration. The word itself comes from the Italian “appassire,” meaning “to dry up.” The process involves partially drying grapes after harvest before fermentation, allowing them to lose water while retaining and concentrating sugars, acids, and flavor compounds.
As the grapes slowly dehydrate, their flavors intensify—what was once bright fruit becomes darker, richer, and more complex. This technique is most famously used in Northern Italy to make Amarone della Valpolicella and Recioto, two wines known for their powerful character and lush, layered profiles.
Traditionally, winemakers spread clusters on straw mats or racks in airy lofts, letting natural breezes and time do the work. Today, modern technology allows more control—monitoring humidity, temperature, and airflow to achieve ideal drying conditions.
The result? Wines that are velvety, concentrated, and often slightly sweet, with signature notes of dried fruit, chocolate, and spice.
The history of appassimento wine stretches back thousands of years. Ancient Roman winemakers dried grapes in the sun to create wines with higher sugar and alcohol content—a practice that became synonymous with celebration and luxury.
Centuries later, in Northern Italy’s Veneto region, this technique evolved into what we now know as Amarone and Recioto. The story goes that Amarone was born by accident when a Recioto—a sweet red wine—fermented longer than intended, leaving less residual sugar and creating a bold, dry style.
Over time, the appassimento method became a defining part of Italian winemaking identity. But as wine regions around the world began exploring new techniques, this tradition found fresh expression far beyond the hills of Verona—including here, in the Finger Lakes, where innovation meets terroir.
At Six Eighty Cellars, we honor this legacy while giving it a distinctly New York perspective—replacing Corvina with Cabernet Franc, oak with terracotta, and Mediterranean sun with cool lake breezes.
There’s a reason appassimento has stood the test of time: it creates wines with a depth and richness that few other techniques can match.
When grapes are dried before fermentation, the water content decreases, but everything else—flavor, sugar, acidity, and aroma—becomes more concentrated. The process also encourages subtle oxidation, adding notes of dried fruit and spice that give these wines their unmistakable complexity.
Concentrated flavor: Expect deep notes of black cherry, fig, molasses, and cocoa.
Natural sweetness: The sugars that remain are not added later—they’re born from the grape itself.
Full-bodied structure: Elevated alcohol and glycerol create a round, luxurious mouthfeel.
Aromas that evolve: With age, appassimento wines develop layers of tobacco, spice, and dried fruit.
It’s a process that requires patience and precision—too little drying and the wine lacks depth; too much, and balance is lost. The art lies in knowing when to press the grapes, and how to guide their transformation into something extraordinary.
At Six Eighty Cellars, we’ve reimagined appassimento for a new context—a small-batch, sweet Cabernet Franc Appassimento that speaks to our region and our ethos of innovation.
The process begins with ripe Cabernet Franc, handpicked at optimal ripeness from our Certified Sustainable vineyard. After harvest, the clusters are carefully laid on wire racks to dehydrate, concentrating their sugars and flavors. Once they’ve reached the ideal balance, they’re gently pressed, and the rich, syrup-like juice begins fermentation.
Where we diverge from tradition is in the aging process. Instead of oak barrels, we use terracotta vessels—a material that’s as ancient as the method itself. Terracotta allows a natural exchange of oxygen, softening the wine’s tannins while maintaining purity and freshness. It also enhances the wine’s earthy depth without imparting any wood flavor, letting the essence of the grape and the land shine through.
The result is a wine that’s lush and sweet but not heavy, structured yet indulgent, with all the richness of appassimento balanced by the lift and energy of Cabernet Franc.
While Amarone remains the benchmark for appassimento wines, Six Eighty Cellars’ version offers a distinctly Finger Lakes interpretation—one that celebrates both tradition and innovation.
| Feature | Traditional Amarone (Italy) | Six Eighty Cellars Appassimento (Finger Lakes, NY) |
|---|---|---|
| Grape Varieties | Corvina, Rondinella, Molinara | 100% Cabernet Franc |
| Style | Usually dry or off-dry | Sweet, naturally balanced |
| Aging Vessel | Oak barrels | Terracotta amphora |
| Climate | Mediterranean | Cool-climate continental |
| Profile | Rich, raisined, warm | Luscious, spiced, with bright acidity |
| Production Scale | Large, long-established tradition | Small-batch, artisanal (80 cases) |
While both wines share the same foundation—a dedication to the art of grape drying—their expressions couldn’t be more different. Amarone leans opulent and savory; Six Eighty’s Appassimento is decadent and fruit-forward, with notes of black cherry, fig, and sweet spice balanced by Cabernet Franc’s signature freshness.
The grape drying process is the heart of appassimento. It’s not as simple as leaving grapes in a barn and waiting—it’s a careful dance of timing, temperature, and airflow.
At Six Eighty Cellars, the grapes are spread on wire racks in a controlled environment to dry. Over several weeks, they gradually lose water, concentrating their sugars and natural compounds. Each cluster is monitored for texture, aroma, and color—pressed only when the balance between sweetness and acidity feels just right.
This stage is where art meets science. Temperature and humidity must be closely managed to prevent rot or over-drying. Patience and precision are everything. The result is fruit that’s intensely flavorful before fermentation even begins—setting the stage for the luxurious texture that defines every bottle of our Cabernet Franc Appassimento.
So, what does all this effort taste like?
Our Cabernet Franc Appassimento opens with generous aromas of sweet molasses, dried fig, and tobacco. On the palate, waves of stewed black cherry and spiced clove unfold with velvety texture and remarkable length. Despite its richness, the wine remains balanced—its natural sweetness lifted by refreshing acidity and gentle minerality from the terracotta aging.
It’s not just sweet—it’s structured, with layers that evolve as you sip. This is a wine meant to be savored slowly, to linger long after the glass is empty.
After-dinner musings with dark chocolate
A cheese plate shared with friends
Cozy evenings that call for something a little decadent
Bittersweet chocolate torte
Blue cheese drizzled with honey
Braised short ribs with a touch of spice
Sweet but sophisticated, this wine proves that indulgence and balance can coexist beautifully.
Terracotta isn’t just a vessel—it’s a philosophy. Unlike oak, which imparts its own flavor, terracotta aging allows the wine to breathe and evolve naturally. Its micro-porous structure encourages subtle oxygen exchange, which softens tannins and enhances mouthfeel without masking fruit character.
In the case of our Appassimento, terracotta complements the wine’s sweetness with earthy depth and minerality. It’s the perfect partner for a wine that’s already rich in flavor—adding nuance instead of weight.
This combination of ancient material and modern mindset is at the heart of how we approach winemaking at Six Eighty: honoring tradition while pushing it forward.
Every bottle of Six Eighty wine starts in our Certified Sustainable vineyard, where every decision—soil management, crop balance, and energy use—is made with care for the environment.
For the Appassimento, that means using mechanical weed control instead of herbicides, employing bio-pesticides, and recycling pruned vines back into the soil. Even the drying process is energy-efficient, relying on natural air circulation instead of artificial heat whenever possible.
The connection between sustainability and the appassimento method is fitting: both are about patience, resourcefulness, and respect for nature’s pace.
Beyond the technical craft, appassimento wines are special because they evoke emotion. They’re wines of intention and time—made slowly, aged carefully, and meant to be enjoyed the same way.
They offer:
Richness without heaviness
Complex sweetness balanced by structure
A story in every sip
And in the case of Six Eighty’s Cabernet Franc Appassimento, that story blends Italian heritage with Finger Lakes innovation—resulting in a wine that feels familiar yet entirely new.
Our Cabernet Franc Appassimento isn’t just a wine—it’s an experience. It’s the culmination of months of care, balance, and curiosity, capturing the essence of both place and process.
With only 80 cases produced, it’s as rare as it is rich—crafted for those who appreciate wines that tell a story from the first sip to the last.
Come see for yourself. Visit our Cayuga Lake winery, meet the team, and taste where patience meets innovation.
