About Us
dear native grapes, is a small vineyard and winery run by Deanna Urciuoli & Alfie Alcántara.
We are focused on growing North American native and hybrid grapes in order to make exceptionally wild natural wine.
In the mid-1800s, America had a blossoming wine industry. Native and hybrid grapes were praised by winegrowers for their extraordinary flavors and natural resilience. But then Prohibition swept through, and these valuable varieties fell by the wayside.
Located in the Catskill Mountains, dear native grapes, is a project dedicated to restoring America’s viticultural heritage. Our winegrowing methods are modeled after holistic and regenerative philosophies, applied both on the farm and in the cellar.
dear native grapes, is primarily focused on:
Pre-Prohibition varieties once widely planted across the U.S. like Delaware, Catawba, Bacchus, Dutchess, Moore's Diamond and Isabella. In collaboration with our friend and author, J. Stephen Casscles, we’re working to find and propagate nearly-extinct heritage varieties from New York’s Hudson Valley region such as Jefferson, Iona, Empire State, & Eumelan––as well as grapes from the Cape Ann region of Massachusetts, such as Agawam, Salem, Massasoit, & Lindley.
Contemporary hybrid varieties cultivated to survive harsh winters and ripen in short growing seasons. Minnesota wine grapes like Frontenac, Marquette and Itasca hold the keys to regenerative winegrowing in America.
Experimental varieties from little-known North American native grape species such as Vitis aestivalis, V. cinerea, V. labrusca and V. riparia. We are working with grape breeders across the country who have dedicated their lives to exploring the untapped potential of America’s native grapes.
dear native grapes, is more than a vineyard. It’s a love letter to America’s beautifully diverse species of native grapes. We strive to reinvigorate a facet of American winemaking that’s been under our noses all along.
