Posts Tagged“riesling”

What We Drank ( July 23, 2014)

Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor: The Commons Brewery, Flemish Kiss Among all of my beer-loving friends, I have two guys that I always absolutely geek-out with when we get together. We always try to pick up new beers that we haven’t had, explore styles that we know we like and occasionally try something that we don’t really expect to like. Over the weekend, I got together with one of these friend and we tasted a bunch of stuff but mostly farmhouse styles and Brett-influenced beers. Of the two Brett beers, the one was harsh, searingly dry and too much about the…

Finger Lakes Wine by the Numbers: Balance, Value and Single-Vineyard Wines

The Finger Lakes can make a statistics-based case for being the most balanced wine region in the country. Its sparkling wines offer far better value than sparkling wines from other regions. And how much more would you pay for scarcer, single-vineyard wines? Those three themes fill out our newest edition of “Finger Lakes Wine By the Numbers.” The purpose of this series is to provide a quantitative view of the Finger Lakes wine industry based on a survey of wines offered by Finger Lakes wineries on their websites. The introductory post presented information on three aspects of the industry: The…

The 2012 Finger Lakes Vintage: Finally, the Hype is not Hyperbole

“Don’t judge me by the size of my parents’ house.” These were the words a friend said to me in ninth grade before I came to hang out. He was concerned that I might judge him based on the opulence in which he was being raised. He worried I would assume he was just like his house: extravagant, showy, boasting of power. He needn’t have felt that way. No one should have to apologize for their parents’ success; we can simply hope it won’t make them lazy and entitled. The house is not the person. Circumstances change. I couldn’t help…

Anthony Road Winery Teams with the New York Yankees for 2013 Riesling

It wasn’t in the morning box score, but the 2014 season marked the Major League Baseball debut of a Finger Lakes native. Seneca Lake winery, Anthony Road Wine Company, teamed up with the New York Yankees and Major League Baseball to introduce New York YankeesTM Reserve Dry Riesling, a custom-bottled version of its Dry Riesling. Yes, it’s the same wine as the standard Dry Riesling. But labels have drawing power, and the New York Yankees offer one of the most powerful brands in the marketing world. In addition to the Yankees, a handful of major league franchises, including the Boston…

Treleaven Wines 2012 Semi-Dry Riesling

  Peachy and floral on the nose with notes of gritty pear and a touch of clover honey, Treleaven Wines 2010 Semi-Dry Riesling ($15) is a fresh, friendly example of Finger Lakes riesling. The mouth-watering, crunchy palate offers similar pear and peach fruit character with honeysuckle and citrus overtones. Subtle sweetness fills out the mid-palate, leading into a nearly dry, grapefruity finish with plenty of cut. Harvest Date(s): October 2 ABV: 11.3% RS: 3.5% TA: 12 g/L pH: 2.9 Production: 1,991 cases Price: $15* (3 out of 5, Very good/Recommended)

Red Tail Ridge Winery 2012 “Block 606” Riesling

Red Tail Ridge co-owner and winemaker Nancy Irelan clearly enjoys experimenting.  She’s already garnered attention for growing and working with unique varieties like teroldego and dornfelder, but with the 2012 vintage she also tried some different things in the cellar with the Finger Lakes’ most beloved grape — riesling. This Red Tail Ridge Winery 2010 “Block 606” Riesling ($25) was made with hand-picked fruit that was whole-cluster pressed and allowed to ferment without inoculation. Fermentation took 76 days to complete. The result is a dry, lower-acidity style of riesling that shows some complexity — particularly on the nose.  Featuring aromas…

Experiencing Riesling at Villa Bellangelo

Although there is no known method for preventing the “Polar Vortex Blues”, a wine dinner is an effective remedy. A group of nearly forty food and wine lovers discovered this at “The Riesling Experience” wine dinner that was recently held at Villa Bellangelo. The evening featured a seven-course dinner of wonderfully prepared dishes that had been created by Chef Mike Colvin (Beef and Brew in Geneva) along with rieslings from Villa Bellangelo’s 2011, 2012 and 2013 vintages. Featured among the wines was the limited release 2012 Villa Bellangelo 1866 Reserve Riesling. The 2012 vintage is a blend of two rieslings that were produced from grapes grown…

Keuka Spring Vineyards 2012 Riesling

People sometimes ask me what a “typically Finger Lakes riesling” tastes like. This Keuka Spring Vineyards 2012 Riesling ($15) is a well-priced example. Aromas of mixed apples and pears meld nicely with notes of fennel frond, lime and citrus blossom on a fresh, appealing nose. Crunchy, racy acidity frames flavors of apple, pineapple, fennel, citrus and green melon. There is some sweetness on the midpalate, but it’s well balanced by that same acidity, finishing crisply and nearly dry with a subtle river rock minerality. This is the kind of riesling that will appeal to a wide array of palates —…

Red Newt Cellars 2011 Lahoma Vineyard Riesling

As my colleague Evan Dawson wrote last spring, there is an emerging style of riesling in the Finger Lakes — one that is sweeter, yes, but also richer and more concentrated on the mid-palate. These aren’t sweeter to appeal to those looking for sweet wines. Instead, they are sweet to express a vineyard or a vintage better than a bone dry wine might. And these aren’t dessert wines. Balance is the key here and Red Newt Cellars 2011 Lahoma Vineyard Riesling ($20) is a fine example of the style. The nose is complex and nearly impenetrable when the wine is…

Villa Bellangelo 2012 Dry Riesling

Tangy and driven by wet slate — rather than fresh fruit — character, Villa Bellangelo 2012 Dry Riesling ($19) is a reminder of just how difficult it is to make great dry riesling. It’s very minerally on the nose — think wet river rock and slate — with background notes of Granny Smith apple, just-ripe pear and apple blossom. Lighter bodied, the palate is so slate-y as to be almost salty, with faint lime and grapefruit zest flavors as well. The acidity is bitter-pithy rather than juicy. The mid-palate is a bit hollow, but the finish is long and appetite…