Browsing CategoryFinger Lakes

Empire State Cellars Wine Club: September 2012 Selections

The September shipment of the Empire State Cellars Wine Club, won’t ship for another 3 or 4 weeks, but I want to tell you about them today so, if you’re not already a member but want the wines, you’ll have time to join. If you’re not familiar with the club, you can learn more here. “Hello New York” Wines Keuka Spring Vineyards 2011 Riesling: Most 2011 Finger Lakes rieslings are marked by incredible, snappy acidity and this off-dry example shows near-perfect balance. Showing apricot, nectarine and lime flavors and hints of fig, this is a great value. Arrowhead Spring Vineyards 2009 Arrowhead Red: This…

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Sheldrake Point Vineyards 2010 Waterfall Chardonnay

Aromas of green and golden apples, lemon zest and citrus blossom are lightly blanketed by notes of toasted oak and buttery pastry. The oak influence is dialed back on the palate, but the fruit character is a bit lacking — just a bit of apple and pear tinged with a bit of vanilla. Juicy acidity keeps the mouthfeel lively and fresh. Well made and certainly not over-oaked or unbalanced — but just not distinctive. Producer: Sheldrake Point Vineyards AVA: Finger Lakes ABV: 12.7% Price: $14*

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Silver Thread Vineyard 2011 Dry Riesling

It’s impossible to over-state the impact the cooler 2011 growing season played, but I’m enjoying what new co-owner and winemaker Paul Brock is doing with the wines at Silver Thread Vineyard.  He is making fresh, clean wines that are delicious on their own but that perhaps shine brightest with food —  all at good price points. In other words, exactly the types of wines I reach for every day. With bright, fresh aromas of citrus blossom, lime, grapefruit and flinty slate,  Silver Thread Vineyard 2011 Dry Riesling ($16) showcases the winery’s apparent new direction quite well. Grapefruit flavor bursts on…

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The Bizarre Tale of Why the Government Opposes Honest Labeling — and how Fox Run’s New Wine was Born

Imagine, for a moment, that McDonald’s was no longer allowed to sell French Fries because, by using the term “Fries,” the government decided that McDonald’s was luring people to over-eat and get fat. Nevermind the fact that the potatoes are, in fact, fried. Honest labeling is simply too alluring for customers. Penalizing them for honest labeling — wouldn’t that be ridiculous? So now try to imagine how the team at Fox Run Vineyards felt when the TTB rejected their chosen name for a new wine. That wine, a fortified white wine, was going to be called “Fortified No. 3.” That…

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Bloomer Creek: The Cult Winery of the Finger Lakes Continues to Take Chances

You can only be a cult winery for so long. Eventually, the secret-handshake nature of your clients’ fandom becomes widespread, and then you’re just a regional mainstay. That was true at Heart & Hands, it was true at Damiani, and eventually it will be true at Bloomer Creek Vineyard. Not yet. There is still a sense of excitement among those who have visited Bloomer Creek in the past two years. There is a kind of illicit knowledge, an ahead-of-the-curve edge. The critical drumbeat is growing, but owners Kim Engle and Debra Birmingham have not seen an explosion in the tasting…

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Hermann J. Wiemer 2010 Semi-Dry Riesling

Juicy pears and white flowers dominate an effusive nose, accented by subtle almond note. Off-dry but balanced, the palate shows not only pear fruit, but a distinct fig quality up front that leads into a long, floral finish that shows a light slate note. A bit more acidity would bring focus and elevate the wine a bit, but the residual sugar is still balanced enough to avoid being cloying. 2,200 cases produced. Producer: Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard AVA: Finger Lakes ABV: 11% Price: $17*   (3 out of 5, Very good/Recommended)

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Arrowhead Spring Vineyards 2010 Semi-Dry Riesling

Made using Finger Lakes fruit, this Arrowhead Spring Vineyards 2010 Semi-Dry Riesling ($16) is a friendly, fruity wine with aromas off green apple, lime zest and just a touch of blanched almond. The palate is juicy, with gentle residual sugar that is balanced by solid acidity, with fruit cocktail flavors of green apple, peach and citrus. Producer: Arrowhead Spring Vineyards AVA: New York ABV: 12% Price: $16*   (2.5 out of 5, Average-to-Very Good)

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Cornell Asks the Industry to Name That Grape

Usually the way the game goes, someone gives us a hint, say Barolo, and we have to guess the name of the grape (Nebbiolo) to win the prize or score some points.  Yesterday, I received a couple of interesting emails from a list put out by Cornell Enology Extension Associate Chris Gerling that were more than mere fun and games. Chris is a sharp guy and quite a joker, yet someone who I take very seriously in matters of cold-hardy viticulture and wine geek info.  In this case, he passed on word about a bit of sport where we know what…

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Heron Hill Winery 2009 Ingle Vineyard Unoaked Chardonnay

The portfolio at Heron Hill Winery varies greatly from top to bottom — but the Ingle Vineyard wines, made with grapes grown in owner John Ingle’s vineyard, offer dependable value. The Heron Hill Winery 2009 Ingle Vineyard Unoaked Chardonnay ($20) is a balanced, expressive wine with aromas of lemongrass, grapefruit, lemon, green apple and just a hint of honeydew melon rind. Medium bodied and showing tremendous focus, the palate is citrusy with a lemongrass edge and a light floral characteristic. The acidity is almost crunchy and well-integrated, lengthening the finish, which is tinged with apples and lemon zest. Producer: Heron Hill Winery…

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Finally! A Good Reason to Open Cab Franc Ice Wine

I’m probably being a bit unfair in the title of this post. After all, some of the region’s top producers make a cabernet franc ice wine. And on occasion, it’s nicely made, drinkable. The problem is that too often, it tastes like ballpark nachos. I suppose the science types among us might be able to explain why that is. But even if it’s good, it’s hard to find a good occasion to open a bottle. How much can you drink? Let’s pretend, for a moment, that you recently purchased a bottle on a wine trip at one of the lesser…

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