Posts Tagged“sheldrake point”

Sheldrake Point Vineyard Late Harvest Riesling

Sometimes I think that dessert and ice wines are the unsung heroes of Finger Lakes wine country. True, riesling table wines are the shining stars, but there are some terrific sweet wines being made in the region too — many from riesling. Sheldrake Point Vineyard’s Late Harvest Riesling ($20) is beautiful in the glass — a brilliant lemon-yellow and slightly viscous. The nose brings big fruit aromas of peach and pineapple with hints of honey and baking spice. It’s sweet on the palate (8% RS) and there isn’t quite enough acidity for my tastes. Still, it’s far from cloying and…

Oh, Snap: Cold Temps Not Low Enough for Severe Damage

By Evan Dawson, Finger Lakes Correspondent Last week, Dave Wiemann, the vineyard manager of Sheldrake Point Vineyard on Cayuga Lake, conducted a test to find out if the viciously cold temperatures had destroyed buds on his vines. He went to the coldest part of Sheldrake Point's 43 acres and cut ten canes of Riesling. He soaked the canes in water for 48 hours, then cut the buds. He was hoping to see green — a sign that the buds were still alive and well. He feared he could see the deadly black that signals a victory for the weather. The…

Sheldrake Point 2007 Pinot Gris

Sheldrake Point Vineyard, located on the western short of Cayuga Lake in New York's Finger Lakes region, makes some terrific wines. Over the years I've particularly enjoyed their rieslings and even a couple cabernet francs here and there. This wine, the Sheldrake Point 2007 Pinot Gris ($12) was underwhelming. The pinot gris (or pinot grigio) grape should do well in the Finger Lakes, and I've had some bottles that were good, if not great. This one just fell a bit flat for me. In the glass, it's a pale straw color but the nose is surprisingly neutral with only a…

Meet Mickey Mouse. Drink New York Wines.

I just got an email telling me that Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort’s Blue Zoo restaurant will soon be pouring six, count em six, New York wines. So, now you can take your kids to meet Mickey and Minnie Mouse…and then enjoy some some delectable Finger Lakes and Long Island wines with dinner. The wines chosen by Blue Zoo’s team are: Atwater Estate Cabernet Franc Heron Hill Ingle Vineyard Riesling Heron Hill Semi-Dry Riesling Sheldrake Point Riesling (my review) Raphael La Fontana Wolffer Estate Selection Chardonnay I’ve had all of these wines with the exception of Atwater’s cab…

WTN: Sheldrake Point 2005 Dry Riesling

As a resident of the great state of New York resident, I have at least somewhat ready access to a plethora of great local Rieslings. German — particularly those from the Mosel — are my absolute favorites, but the Finger Lakes region is responsible for what I consider to be the best bottles this side of the Atlantic Ocean. Truth be told, vinifera grapes shouldn’t succeed in central New York. But, the narrow, deep Finger Lakes gather and hold enough heat in the summer to stretch the growing season into the fall and stave off early frosts. As anyone who…

WTN: Sheldrake Point 2002 Cabernet Franc

Sheldrake Point — both the geographical point and the vineyard — jut prominently from the western shore of Cayuga Lake and those vineyards stretch almost the whole way to the water. The combination of deep glacial soils and the moderating effects of Cayuga Lakes deep waters provide superior conditions for growing fine quality vinifera wine grapes — a unique microclimate that they call the ‘Sheldrake Effect’. The 400-foot depths just off of their beach heat and cool more slowly than the surrounding land. The resulting hillside microclimate lengthens our growing season to 170 days, more than two weeks longer than…