Introducing Burnt Hill Regent
We’re introducing something new and quite special to the “Taste of Burnt Hill” estate wine flight. It’s the first release of Regent, a single-barrel expression from the South Block that captures Burnt Hill’s intensity, patience, and sense of place in every glass.
A Variety Built for the Future
Born in Germany and bred for resilience, Regent was developed in 1967 by Gerhardt Alleweldt at the Geilweilerhof Institute. Its parentage — [(Silvaner × Müller-Thurgau) × Chambourcin] × Silvaner — gives it remarkable resistance to mildew and other vineyard pressures. That hardiness has made it a favorite among organic and biodynamic growers across Europe, and a rising star in the eastern United States, where it’s helping shape the future of sustainable viticulture.
Despite its hybrid heritage, Regent often surprises with its refinement — wines reminiscent of Pinot Noir or Merlot, medium-bodied with soft tannins and notes of dark cherry, plum, and spice. It’s one of the few disease-resistant grapes capable of producing truly fine, cellar-worthy wines.
The South Block
The 2021 Regent was grown on the South Block at Burnt Hill, a marginal, variable parcel defined by shallow, schist-laced soils and uneven organic matter. It’s a site that tests both the vines and the grower — a place where resilience is rewarded with character.
Planted in 2019, Regent clone 01.1 grafted to 101-14 rootstock has proven beautifully suited to this rugged hillside. The vines were hand-harvested on September 1, 2021, their fruit meticulously sorted before a slow native yeast fermentation in a Burnt Hill ashwood foeder — one of the vessels we built from trees that once stood on this land.
Fermentation lasted 13 days. The wine was then aged for three years in neutral Tonnellerie Saury barrels, undergoing natural malolactic fermentation and periodic bâtonnage to build texture and complexity. From these nine barrels, Barrel 5 stood out for its harmony and concentration — and became the single source for this inaugural release.
The Taste of Burnt Hill
The 2021 Regent is dark, brooding, and mineral-driven — blackberry, plum skin, and violet layered over a graphite backbone. It carries the forest’s quiet energy and the soil’s rocky grip, showing the grit and grace of the South Block in vivid form.
Only 25 cases (300 bottles) were produced. You can taste it exclusively on the farm this weekend as part of the Taste of Burnt Hill Farm experience, and it’s available for purchase only to members of our Estate Wine Club.
This wine is a reflection of who we are and where we’re headed. Regent embodies our commitment to regenerative viticulture, low-intervention winemaking, and creating wines that are Burnt Hill.
