By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief
We continue our month-long daily look at Finger Lakes rieslings with a bottle from a winery that is generally considered one of the Finger Lakes' best, Hermann J. Wiemer.
The Hermann J. Wiemer 2008 Riesling Reserve Dry ($23) was made via long, slow fermentations of various vineyard blocks that were then blended. How long and slow? Well, at a time when a handful of Finger Lakes rieslings are hitting the market, Wiemer winemaker Fred Merwarth is still tending to his 2009s — which are still fermenting.
Aromas of Mandarin orange, green melon, kiwi, lemon balm, river rock and green tea step forward and back as the wine warms to room temperature, changing significantly over the course of the evening.
The palate is a bit more citrus driven, but still exhibits that stony-mineral vein that runs right down the center. The finish is lengthy and brings a touch of peach skin, Golden Declious apple and herbs. The acidity is elegantly integrated with the wine, but a bit more would move beyond balancing the .9%RS.
That's a small quibble though — this is a beautiful, classy wine that shows great complexity and mouthfeel from beginning to end.
Producer: Hermann J. Wiemer
ABV: 12%
RS: .9%
Case Production: 400
Price: $23*
Rating: 90