Posts Tagged“riesling”

Dr. Konstantin Frank Vinifera Wine Cellars 2012 Dry Riesling

This was the second wine I tasted during last week’s virtual tasting of 2012 Finger Lakes rieslings, and it was a welcome step up. Dr. Konstantin Frank Vinifera Wine Cellars 2012 Dry Riesling ($15) offers intense aromas of grapefruit and lime are accented by notes of citrus blossom, wet river rock, smoky gun flint and just a touch of botrytis. The palate is more peachy, but still shows bright citrus fruit — mostly grapefruit — and a minerally vein that runs from start to finish. Crunchy acidity provides great focus and verve. The medium-long finish is dry, but not harshly so.…

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Three Brothers Wineries and Estates 2012 Zero Degree Riesling

Last week I was able to take part in a virtual (via Twitter) tasting that featured a handful of 2012 Finger Lakes rieslings — including this one. All wines we re-tasted the following day as well. Three Brothers Wineries and Estates 2012 Zero Degree Riesling ($14) offers understated aromas of mixed citrus zest, under-ripe peach and citrus blossoms. Dry with light citrus and floral flavors, the palate is a bit sharp and sour — lacking fruit and concentration to balance the acidity. The finish is short, but bitter in a citrus pith way. Unfortunately, this is one of those ‘lemon water’…

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A Dream Realized: Kemmeter Wines Opens on Seneca Lake

The west side of Seneca Lake is home to a regular rush of winery traffic, no small part of which is limos, or buses, or limo buses if you prefer. They can be loud and pleasant, or loud and unpleasant, but there is near-constant motion. And then there is the newest and the smallest tasting room on Seneca Lake, and it feels like a church. A chapel, rather — a place to reflect and to pause and to think and maybe even to listen. This is, at long last, the home of Kemmeter Wines, and the new home for winemaker…

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Bellwether Wine Cellars 2012 A&D Vineyard Wild Ferment Riesling

As I mentioned last week, Bellwether Wine Cellars is open for business, having opened its doors with a pinot noir and three rieslings available for tasting and purchase. The first thing you’ll notice about Bellwether Wine Cellars 2012 A&D Vineyard Wild Ferment Riesling ($27) is that it’s bottled under a crown cap — not something you see very often. It’s not just because Bellwether Hard Ciders has that equipment around, though. Along with being fermented with ambient yeasts (a topic of some debate of late), this wine was bottled with far less SO2 (only 50 ppm) than is typical in the Finger…

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Bellwether Wine Cellars 2012 Sawmill Creek Vineyard Riesling

Bellwether Wine Cellars opened its doors today, offering tastes of its 2011 Sawmill Creek Vineyard Pinot Noir and three distinct rieslings. I got to taste all three — two dry, one semi-dry; one fermented with ambient yesasts, two not — and will write about all of them over the next few days. But today, we focus on the Bellwether Wine Cellars 2012 Sawmill Creek Vineyard Riesling ($22), which is likely to be the crowd-pleaser of the riesling lineup. Peach and green apple aromas are joined by a squirt of lime, honey and a bit of apple blossom on a pleasant,…

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This Ain’t Bordeaux: In the Finger Lakes, Riesling Rules, But You Won’t Find a Clear “Vintage of the Decade”

The industrial wine machine loves an exalted vintage. For consumers, it’s a chance to create a kind of trophy bottle or trophy case. For wineries, it can be a chance to raise prices (though this rarely happens in the Finger Lakes). But in upstate New York, there simply isn’t a consensus about the best vintage for riesling of the past decade. And it’s fascinating to read the comments of the region’s top winemakers. Because there are some deep divides. The New York Cork Report surveyed a wide range of Finger Lakes winemakers and winery owners to get their take on…

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Red Newt Cellars 2011 Sawmill Creek Vineyards Riesling

Though not quite as good as the stellar 2009 bottling, Red Newt Cellars 2011 Sawmill Creek Vineyards Riesling ($21) was still a standout in a recent tasting. Opening with floral aromas, the nose quickly turns peachy, honeyed and with a squirt of lime juice and just-cut Gala apple. Bursting with grapefruit, peach and lime flavors, the medium-bodied palate shows nice balance between richness and freshness thanks to juicy, citrusy acidity. That acidity stretches out the finish, which shows more lime and grapefruit flavors. Producer: Red Newt Cellars AVA: Finger Lakes ABV: 11.1% RS: 1.3% TA: 7.9 g/L pH: 3.0 Price: $21* (3.5 out of 5…

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Boundary Breaks Vineyard 2011 No. 198 Reserve Riesling

If you like balanced, low-alcohol riesling affected by botrytis — also known as noble rot — Boundary Breaks Vineyard 2011 No. 198 Reserve Riesling ($30) is a fine example. I do like those types of wines, by the way. Nuanced and highly aromatic, the nose offers layers of honey, herbs, candied orange peel, citrus blossoms, ripe peach and golden raspberries. Sweet but balanced, the palate isn’t quite as complex as the nose showing peach, apricot chutney, citrus zest and just a hint of wet stone minerality. The finish lingers nicely and shows decent focus. A touch more verve would elevate…

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Red Tail Ridge Vineyards 2011 “RTR Vineyard” Semi-Dry Riesling

  With aromas of gun flint, pear and green melon, the Red Tail Ridge 2011 “RTR Vineyard” Semi-Dry Riesling is a wine that will appeal to casual sippers and riesling-lovers alike. Juicy with good-not-great acidity, the palate delivers a forward fruitiness that combines melon, citrus and pineapple. The finish lingers a bit, is nearly dry and shows a sprinkling of talc. Producer: Red Tail Ridge Winery AVA: Finger Lakes ABV: 12% TA: 7.4g/L pH: 2.97 Residual Sugar: 15.7 g/L Production: 630 cases Price: $16*| Buy now from Empire State Cellars   (3 out of 5, Very good/Recommended)    

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Standing Stone Vineyards 2011 Riesling

Darker in the glass than expected (two bottles were opened) there are signs of oxidation here. The nose shows cider-y apple notes with some bruised peach and dried pineapple. The palate is cider-y too with a yeast note and a squirt of grapefruit. Not flabby, but lacks focus and has a short, somewhat bitter, oxidized finish. Producer: Standing Stone Vineyards AVA: Finger Lakes ABV: 11.4% Price: $14*     (Not Recommended to Average)

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