Today's review is going to be a lot like its subject — easy going. Vidal blanc, a French hybrid grape, is a grape that doesn't get enough respect (a problem many hybrids face) but it does particularly well in the cool climate of the Finger Lakes where it's winter hardiness makes it a somewhat safer choice than vinifera varieties. And, with flavors that are a bit riesling like, it fits right in with the aromatic whites that make the region so exciting. And this is one of the best Vidals I've had, and certainly the best in recent memory. Pale…
Posts Written OnJanuary 13, 2009
Quick Q&A with Fred Merwarth, Winemaker, Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard
One of the very first Finger Lakes wines that I remember tasting was a riesling from Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard (I can't remember the vintage). I was still fairly new to wine, but enjoyed German rieslings even then, and I remember being surprised at how lively and delicious the Wiemer was. Unfortunately, Wiemer wines aren't widely available to me down here on Long Island, so I don't drink them as often as I'd like, but they are definitely worth seeking out. For today's Q&A, we pose our questions to Fred Merwarth, long-time winemaker at Wiemer. What (and where) was the…
Winter Cold Snap Has Finger Lakes and Hudson Valley Vintners Nervous
This week's weather forecast for upstate New York has many in the Finger Lakes and Hudson Valley wine industries nervous. If the forecast is accurate, temperatures will be dipping down below zero (as low as -10 F) which could be devastating for vineyards. If the mercury does dip below zero, it will be the coldest weather the region has had in five years. And five years ago, several vineyards had to deal with winter kill, including John Zuccarino of Silver Springs Winery who told me in an email that "This could be a replay of when I lost 10,000…