By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor
Red Tail Ridge Winery, perched atop a hill overlooking Seneca Lake, has garnered a lot of attention for its sustainable practices since opening the tasting room in 2007, and deservedly so. (Read our coverage of their green initiatives.)
What gets lost a bit in all of that "green" coverage is how good co-owner and winemaker Nancy Irelan's wines can be.
When I tasted a few of them during TasteCamp earlier this year, I came away impressed — especially with the pinot noir — especially given the youth of the vines.
I wanted to taste more, and when Nancy sent me some of her new and upcoming releases, I had that opportunity.
The Red Tail Ridge Winery 2008 Dry Riesling ($18) is one of top dry rieslings (.4% RS) I've tasted this summer.
It features a citrusy nose of lime and sweet grapefruit with obvious flinty slate character, and subtle floral and sweet herb notes.
Extremely focused and zesty on the palate, green apple, lime and lemon peel flavors are framed and energized by electric acidity. The finish is long with trailing slate flavors that linger along with more citrus and sweet herb.
At $18 it doesn't necessarily fall into the "bargain" sweet spot most of us think of, but it's a terrific value.
Producer: Red Tail Ridge Winery
AVA:
Finger Lakes
RS: .4%
ABV: 12%
Price: $18*
Rating: 91