The Chthonic Winery

Ancient techniques. Native vines. Northeast terroir.

A natural wine project exploring ancient winemaking traditions - flor, reductive aging via evoo, botanicals - applied to the hybrid and native grapes of the American Northeast.

Techniques we work with

The olive oil reductive layer, with native flor yeast underneath

Olive Oil Reductive Layer

A blanket of extra virgin olive oil applied right after primary fermentation limits oxygen exposure, preserving terpenes and esters.

Piquette under fermentation

Piquette (roman lora / greek thamna)

Made from fermenting a second pressing of rehydrated grape skins with honey or sugar. Typically fizzy and stylized as a lighter drink that highlights floral, herbal, and fresh fruit notes due to the increased ratio of skins by volume.

Coming this fall in two versions from Seyval Blanc skins: a straight rendition, and one with elderberry (Sambucus nigra), ceylon cinnamon, and cloves.

Demi-rancio light exposure

Demi-Rancio

Controlled light exposure and heat to coax out nutty, caramelized, and aged notes deliberately, with only partial oxidative aging and without acidity and alcohol concentration. This is a spin on the ~2,000-year-old winemaking technique developed on both sides of the Pyrenees.

We're also exploring native flor yeast, botanical co-ferments / pairings (thyme, rosemary, pine needles, elderberry, cinnamon, clove), appassimento, and dry barreling - no dedicated products or photos for these yet, so we'll share more as those wines come together.

Current release

Persephone's Boon bottle, front label

Persephone's Boon

2025 Seyval Blanc — Hudson River Region, NY

Made from Seyval Blanc grapes planted in the 1990s and sustainably farmed along the Hudson River in Marlborough, NY. Aged under a blanket of extra virgin olive oil following an ancient minimal-intervention reductive method - a process that fostered the growth of native flor yeast, unlocking tropical notes and umami undertones.

Persephone's Boon 2025 is a collaboration between Dear Native Grapes and The Chthonic Winery.

750ml  ·  10% ABV  ·  Contains sulfites

Pigeage - foot-treading the Seyval Blanc must
A hand-picked cluster of Seyval Blanc grapes
Treading grapes together in the harvest totes
The olive oil reductive layer, with native flor yeast underneath
Dennis and Leyana treading grapes together in the harvest totes
The production setup, with fermenters in the background
non-commercial · test batch

Even Devils Fear What They Cannot Understand

A single varietal - Alicante Bouschet (Garnacha Tintorera) from Contra Costa County, California - carried through five different vinification paths side by side, to see how the same fruit responds to each. That includes our first attempt at the olive oil reductive layer on a red wine, a technique we've so far only run on whites. Not for sale - this batch is purely for comparison.

Demi-Rancio (Semi-Sweet)

Light-strike and heat aging, finished with residual sweetness.

Demi-Rancio (Dry)

The same light-strike and heat process, fermented fully dry.

Control (Reductive)

No oxidative intervention - a reductive baseline to compare the rest against.

Olive Oil Layer

Aged under a blanket of extra virgin olive oil - untested on a red wine until now.

Oxidative (Flor)

Aged oxidatively, likely developing a native flor layer of its own.

Alicante Bouschet grape must
Pressing the Alicante Bouschet must
Demi-rancio wine undergoing light exposure
Basket press in action