By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief
This week's Q&A is our first from someone in the western New York wine region. Today, we chat with grape grower Wendy Dunst.
From 1999 to 2001, she and her husband Rick converted a Concord vineyard to a three acre wine grape vineyard in the heart of the Lake Erie region in Sheridan, NY.
Operating under the name Piranha Vineyards, Wendy and Rick grow pinot gris, shiraz, cabernet sauvignon and carménère. They are also
accidental growers of pinot noir due to a mix-up in the nursery, growing just enough to fill a single barrel.
Wendy has been known to “work for
wine” in the tasting room at the winery located conveniently across the
street from her house, Liberty Vineyards & Winery, which also buys much of the Piranha fruit.
When she's not pursuing all things wine related, Wendy works as an admissions officer and recruiter for SUNY Fredonia Graduate
Studies.
And now, our standard set of questions:
What (and where) was the first bottle of wine you remember drinking?
My folks were wine drinkers, so
there was always something interesting to try around the house. Even as a
teenager, I loved dry red wines. I couldn’t tell you exactly which wine
I drank first, but I know it was a Sangiovese. There was also plenty of Blue
Nun around, but I didn’t touch THAT stuff!
What event/bottle/etc made you decide that you wanted to be in the
wine industry?
Fox Run Vineyards 2000 Pinot Noir. I was just learning
about the New York wine industry and thought that, if pinot noir THAT good could be
made in New York state, I wanted to be part of it. Sadly, I haven’t yet had
another Finger Lakes pinot noir that has entranced me as much as that 2000
vintage.
Which of the current wines made from your fruit is your favorite and
why?
Hard to pick a favorite as I change my mind from
time to time. It’s a toss-up between the Liberty Vineyards 2008 Syrah and their 2008 Pinot
Noir.
What has surprised you most about being a member of the western NY
wine community?
The amount of knowledge one must have to simply grow the grapes, much less
the skill involved in making them into wonderful wines. I’m constantly
learning new things — and that makes me happy. I truly cherish the
connections with like-minded people, and especially traveling with people more
knowledgeable than I.
Other than wines made from your fruit, what wine/beer/liquor most
often fills your glass?
I love Finger Lakes wines, and have been enjoying
Wiemer’s and Red Newt's rosé and Ventosa's Tocai Friulini when
I can get them. I’m a big fan of wines that accurately represent the
grape in the glass. Channing Daughters wines always seem to fit this
requirement and I especially enjoy their pinot grigio and Mosaico wines. I’ve
enjoyed Conundrum in the past, but recent vintages have been less tasty than
earlier vintages. Vineland (in Ontario) is another favorite. Their whites are
very clean and well made. I love red wine, too, but drink mostly stuff made
from our grapes. Oh, and I adore great zinfandel but can barely ever find one to
get passionate about.
Is there a 'classic' wine or wine and food pairing that you just
can't make yourself enjoy?
I rarely drink Chardonnay with seafood, simply because I’m not a fan
of most Chardonnay. Other than that, I find most traditional pairings to work
well. I mostly love discovering new pairings, especially combinations you don’t
think will play nicely together. It’s always a treat to discover something
new.
Wine enjoyment is about more than just the wine
itself. Describe the combination of wine, locations, food, company, etc. that
would make (or has made) for the ultimate wine-drinking experience.
The ultimate wine-drinking experience is very laid back for
me. It involves adventurous friends, a variety of wine and food,
eating outside — preferably near water — and plenty of time to taste and share. I
love harvest dinners or other parties where all the participants are interested
in sharing their wine experiences and I love blind tastings. I love traveling
to other regions and tasting with local experts.