Posts Tagged“sheldrake point vineyards”

Sheldrake Point Vineyards 2013 Dry Riesling

Dry riesling (that is actually dry — but that’s another topic for another day) is harder to make that many people realize. Without careful, thoughtful decisions in the vineyard and in the cellar, you can be left with that I always refer to as “lemon water” — shrill, acidic wines that have a pithy, often-bitter citrus note but little else in terms of flavor or concentration. With Sheldrake Point Vineyards 2013 Dry Riesling ($16) winemaker Dave Breeden shows his deft touch. Aromas of lemon-lime, dried pineapple and just a bit of peach lead into a palate that is crackling with acidity…

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A Change of Heart About Pinot, and Another Sign that the Finger Lakes is Rallying Around This Red

Bob Madill, general manager at Sheldrake Point Vineyards,  does not necessarily agree with the way I describe his feelings on pinot, but I’ll stand by it: I think he’s had a change of heart. The question is, why? Back in 2008, Madill and I had a discussion about pinot and how it grows in the Finger Lakes. I don’t have detailed notes of that conversation, but I can clearly remember Bob’s skepticism about pinot’s future here. He’s a Burgundy lover, and someone who appreciates the subtleties and complexities of pinot noir. Could you really expect to make complex, nuanced pinot,…

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Sheldrake Point Vineyards 2009 “BLK 3” Pinot Noir

When I asked winemaker Dave Breeden to tell me about Sheldrake Point Vineyards 2009 “BLK 3” Pinot Noir ($30 at release, now sold out) — the first vintage of a new vineyard-designated pinot — he didn’t have much he could tell me. “I can’t claim any credit at all for that wine — it’s entirely a project of Bob Madill, both in the vineyard and winery,” he said in an email. Madill is of course the winery’s general manager, and he describes the BLK3 project as his “way of returning to my early days in the Ontario wine industry.” He was curious…

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5 Questions with… Antoinette Di Ciaccio, Wine Club Manager, Sheldrake Point Vineyards

For this week’s edition of “5 Questions with…” we sit down (virtually) with Antoinette Di Ciaccio, wine club manager at Sheldrake Point Vineyards and someone I’ve enjoyed tasting with on a couple different occasions. What was the first bottle of wine you remember drinking — and where did you have it and who were you with? Since you ask about my first bottle, I won’t expand too much on my early experiences with glasses of wine except to say that my parents, both born and wed in Italy before immigrating to the U.S. in the 195-s, enjoyed wine with dinner every…

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Sheldrake Point Vineyards 2011 Gewurztraminer

It can be difficult to escape riesling  maelstrom in the Finger Lakes. Riesling flies at you from every direction. It’s wonderful, but can be overwhelming too.  And, sometimes other varieties are unfairly under-promoted. That’s the second edge of the double-edged sword of ‘signature varieties.’ Chief among these sometimes-ignored grapes is gewurztraminer, which thrives in the region. Sheldrake Point Vineyards makes some terrific rieslings, but deserves perhaps more attention for consistent excellence with gewurztraminer. It seems that, no matter the growing conditions, winemaker Dave Breeden crafts deliciousness, even if the style changes year to year. Sheldrake Point Vineyards 2011 Gewurztraminer ($18) is a…

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Why Don’t Finger Lakes Wineries Offer Riesling in Magnum?

The other day I picked up a magnum of Hermann J. Wiemer 2008 Dry Riesling in magnum. It had me thinking: Magnums are so sexy. How come almost no one in the Finger Lakes offers riesling in magnum? I was going to say that no one in the Finger Lakes bottles their wine in larger formats, but of course that’s wrong. You can find Red Cat in magnum. Fox Run’s Ruby Vixen, , Arctic Fox, Chardonnay perhaps. Some of Bully Hill’s offerings, I’m sure. But why not riesling? After all, the world’s finest riesling ages gracefully for many years, and…

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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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