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THE CLUSTERS COME IN

The beautiful fall weather allowed the Pinot Noir and Riesling grapes enough time to develop ripe flavors and higher sugar concentrations.

2013 VINTAGE REPORT...

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IN THE NEWS...Page 4

UPCOMING EVENTSPage 5

WINERY DOG WHISPERS...

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GREETINGS FROM HEART & HANDS!We are in the midst of the harvest season here at the winery, but wanted to take a quick break from the action to share an update on the season and happenings in the vineyard and in the tasting room!

As always, we thank you for your continued patronage and support! We look forward to seeing you in the tasting room this fall and winter, and to sharing our wines with you!

Cheers, Tom & Susan

HEART & HANDSWINE COMPANY

N e w s l e t t e r

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2013 Vintage ReportAs this goes to print, we are nearing the end of our second month of harvest. All of the fruit has been

picked at this point, and while we never call the vintage until all the fruit is resting comfortably in tank or barrel – we are quite pleased with what we are seeing thus far!

The season started with an on-time bud break in late March. We had a bit of a scare with some late spring frosts, but all of our Vineyards managed to make it through unscathed! Some early season rain made getting out into the vineyard more of a challenge, and required our vineyard team and our growers to make the clear days count – doubling down on vineyard hours when the weather permitted.

Midsummer heat pushed the ripening along, and September and October were absolutely beautiful – clear sunny 70 degree days, and 50 degree nights, and minimal rainfall. The fruit has been truly beautiful – fully ripe, with minimal disease pressure – thanks to the careful efforts of our vineyard team and our growers! We are looking forward to finishing the harvest activities, and exploring the wonderful potential of the 2013 vintage in the cellar!

Once the grapes are ready, the nets are lifted and the race to beat the birds begins!

Spring 2013 - Leaves emerge from tender shoots

Summer 2013 in the Heart & Hands Vineyard

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A Great Vintage Begins in The Vineyard:

The foundation for a solid 2013 vintage can be credited to our vineyard team. The early season weather meant that the vineyard needed extra care and tending, and our crew met the challenge! From hand-hoeing to eliminate weeds, suckering, shoot thinning, leaf pulling, and netting, the team shepherded the grapes from bud break through veraison, and we are now beginning to enjoy the literal fruit of their labor in tank and barrel!

Caption describing photo

Our Second Pinot Noir Estate Vintage:

This year, we harvested Pinot Noir from all three Vineyard blocks…the lower and middle vineyard blocks are nearly at full production and the upper block of Pinot Noir produced a very small amount of fruit this year.

A wonderful crew of friends, family, and customers joined us in the vineyard to bring in the fruit. We picked and fermented each of our seven clones of Pinot Noir separately, and are now carefully monitoring their progress as they begin the barrel aging process!

The First Vintage of Estate Riesling:

We are very excited about the first-ever harvest of Riesling from our estate vineyard! This year, we secured the fruit with netting very early in the season to protect it from the hungry songbirds and Turkeys. As a result, we had a bountiful crop of Riesling hanging on the vines.

The beautiful Autumn days pushed along the ripening and we hand harvested the Riesling in Mid-October. The wine is now fermenting away in the cellar, and we are really looking forward to exploring the impact of our limestone terroir on Riesling!

Estate Vineyard Harvest Update

Plenty of hands-on care allowed estate vines to thrive!

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In Early October, Heart & Hands was featured on Wine Spectator’s homepage, along with an article which highlighted our Single Vineyard Riesling program, and some strong scores on our 2012 Rieslings!

HEART & HANDS 2012 Hobbit Hollow Vineyard Riesling Score: 91 Fresh and pure, with a piercing feel to the up-front notes of jasmine and green almond, followed by the core flavors of pear eau-de-vie, green apple and green fig. Shows good cut and length on the finish. Drink through 2017.

HEART & HANDS 2012 Patrician Verona Vineyard Riesling Score: 90 Tight for now, with a talc note out front, featuring a core of green plum, Key lime, pear and green almond. Very juicy, this should stretch out with brief cellaring. Best from 2014 through 2016.

HEART & HANDS 2012 Riesling Score: 88 Plump and forward, with an off-dry edge to the mix of pineapple, lime, star fruit and green melon flavors. Features enough zip for balance, but stays open and easy through the finish. Drink now.HEART & HANDS 2012 Nutt Road Vineyard Riesling Score: 88

A friendly, forward style, with plantain, lime curd and green plum notes.

Media Mentions

October’s Food & Wine Magazine featured a guide to the worlds best Riesling wine regions - and included the Finger Lakes! Heart & Hands was listed as an Up and Comer: “Husband-and-wife team Tom and Susan Higgins produce tiny amounts of exceptional Riesling and Pinot Noir” ... Click here to read the article

The 2013 Wine Issue included a story on “Why dirt, rocks and hills matter in winemaking” discussing the glacially formed terroir of the Finger Lakes. The story covers the unique limestone-based geology of the Heart & Hands estate vineyard, and the distinctive nuances of our 3 different vineyard blocks. We are looking forward to exploring this terroir in the glass next year with the release of the 2012 Estate Vintage!

The Fall issue of Life in the Finger Lakes magazine visits the neighboring village of Union Springs. The article explores the history of the village and surrounding areas. The limestone quarries drew settlers to the east shore of Cayuga lake to work in local mills, and the natural springs, and historic stone buildings charm the visitors of today!

Amtrak’s September edition of Arrive Magazine includes a

story on the coming of age of the East coast wine industry - from the early efforts of Thomas Jefferson to the modern viticulture and premium quality wines we see today. Heart & Hands is mentioned as a producer of “very good Pinot Noir” per the NY times Eric Asimov.

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Claddagh Club Release!Saturday, November 30th through Sunday, December 23rdThe next Claddagh Club release is just around the corner! Specific wines vary by membership type, but this shipment includes critically acclaimed wines from Hobbit Hollow Vineyard, as well as some special bubbles! The Claddagh Club is the perfect gift for the wine lover in your life! Sign up today!

Claddagh Club related bottle shot here?

Aurora Inn - Polarity Blending WeekendFriday, January 31st - Sunday February 2ndThe Aurora Inn is offering an experience package which includes overnight lodging at the Inn, some delicious meals and a behind-the-scenes workshop where you will blend your very own bottles of Polarity! For reservations, please call the Inn at 315-364-8888!

Thanksgiving Food & Wine Pairing

Saturday November 23rd, 12 - 5 Sunday, November 24th, 12 - 5Join us in the tasting room and enjoy some Thanksgiving nibbles along with your tasting. Find out which Heart & Hands wines pair best with some traditional, and non-traditional Fall favorites!

Aurora Inn - Heart & Hands Wine DinnerSaturday, January 18th, 20146:30 reception, 7:00 dinnerThe Aurora Inn kicks off the 2014 season with a Heart & Hands wine dinner! Join us as we enjoy several courses created by Chef Patrick, paired with Heart & Hands wines. For reservations, please call the Inn at 315-364-8888! (This event usually sells out, so plan ahead!)

U p c o m i n g E v e n t s

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New Releases

2012 BRUT ROSÉOur 2012 Brut Rosé has just been released! This delicious sparkler is made from 100% Champagne-Clone Pinot Noir Grapes.  The grapes were hand-picked, hand sorted, then allowed to rest on the skins for 16 hours to allow the colors and flavors from the skins to transfer to the juice. The juice was then pressed and fermented in stainless steel. Finally, the wine was bottle fermented in the traditional method, hand-riddled and disgorged!

This wine begins with tempting notes of delicate strawberries and tart cherries on the nose, followed by a rush of raspberries and pomegranates on the palate. The finish is clean, crisp,  and refreshing.

The Brut Rosé is available for purchase in our tasting room, or online! Click here to visit our website...

Current Releases

2010 Barrel Reserve Pinot Noir

2011 Pinot Noir

2012 Dry Riesling

2012 Riesling

2011 Brut Rosé

2011 berry Select Riesling

The pop of the cork... ... the sound of the magic elixir being poured,The beautiful effervescence in the flute... ...the aromas of brioche on the nose... and the velvety mouse of bubbles on the palate

Enjoying a bottle of sparkling wine is a feast for the senses! Once reserved for celebratory toasts, sparkling wine is becoming more popular as an everyday beverage for a couple of reasons:

~ The bubbles can make an ordinary day extraordinary ~ and they are incredibly food friendly

We are always amazed at the versatility of our Brut Rosé - we have enjoyed it everything from miso-glazed salmon, to roasted chicken to strawberry shortcake... and are always looking for inspiring new pairings!

What is your favorite way to enjoy the beautiful bubbles...?

Share your best pairing with us on Facebook

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Winery Dog WhispersWhile we know that most of you visit Heart & Hands to enjoy the wine, we also know that some of you also visit to enjoy the company provided by our beloved Winery Dog, Fíon. Many of you have noticed that Fíon spent less time in the tasting room this summer. Unfortunately, our sweet girl was battling cancer, and we chose to allow her to spend her final days resting comfortably, and expending her limited energy on vineyard hikes, and play time with her family. We were blessed to be able to say goodbye in our own way when she let us know that she was ready.

We appreciate all of our tasting room guests who took the time to get to know her. Despite her initially shy demeanor, her heart was always bigger than her “bear” paws and she favored those that could give a good ear scratching.

To Fíon - We are so thankful for all of the wonderful memories – the romps in the snow, playing in the vines, and the endless list of your charming antics. You were such a wonderful companion and confidante – the best dog and friend we could ask for, and we miss you terribly. Thank you for your unwavering love & trust.

January 20th 2005 – October 14th 2013

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Harvest is an exciting but exhausting time. There is exhilaration as the first grapes are picked, the sorting table hums, and the air is filled with the chatter of enthusiastic staff and volunteers. There are long days and nights, where we need to push to get through that last ton of fruit, or last press run so that we provide the fruit with the best chance of becoming something truly divine.

It is only toward the end of harvest, when the grapes are picked, fermented and tucked safely away in the cellar as wine, that we begin to reflect on what the 2013 vintage was, and what it will become. This year is bittersweet, as it was our last harvest with Fíon. We like to think that a little bit of her exuberant spirit will shine through in the

2013 wines, and make them just a little bit more special!

We also like to think about where the wines will go, and how you, our friends, family, and patrons will enjoy them. Will you celebrate the arrival of a new baby with a flute of Brut Rosé, enjoyed in your hospital room? Share a bottle of Pinot Noir with a dear friend? Or simply enjoy a glass of crisp Riesling while catching a beautiful Finger Lakes sunset? We look forward to hearing your stories, and thank you for your continued support. We commit to you that we will do our very best to continue delivering the best possible Pinot Noir and Riesling for your enjoyment!

Cheers! Tom & Susan

A Word of Thanks...