Winemaker Notes
Critical Acclaim
All VintagesThe 2017 Pinot Gris (there is also 5% Riesling) comes in with five grams of sugar, 7.8 of total acidity and 12.7% alcohol. It was sourced from the winery's Nutt Road Vineyard. The addition of Riesling is not an accident of harvesting—Peter Becraft said that in certain years they will "blend in small percentages of Riesling to add structure and help accentuate the bright fruit." Beautifully textured, this reminds me more of Pinot Grigio than Alsace Pinot Gris—it is lively and fresh with a fine finish but not big depth, at least not like some in Alsace. It's hard to believe just 5% Riesling added that freshness, but it may have helped a bit. The finish is lovely, lingering and showing surprising amounts of silk for texture. There is a slight reductive hint that mostly blows off.
As the most historic wine-producing region in New York state, winemaking in the Finger Lakes area dates back to the 1820s and today as a region, accounts for 90% of the state’s total wine production.
Its narrow and deep lakes created by the movement of Ice Age glaciers create an environment similar to the classic Riesling-loving regions of Europe, namely Germany and Austria. The Finger Lakes retain summer heat that incidentally warms up cold winter air, making it fall down from the lakes’ steep slopes. When spring comes, the lakes, already cooled by cold winter weather, stave off vine budding until the danger of frost has subsided. The main lakes of the zone, that is those big enough to moderate the climate in this way, are the focal points of prime vineyard areas. They include Canandaigua, Keuka, Seneca and Cayuga.
While Riesling has fueled most of the region’s success, today Pinot Noir and Cabernet Franc enjoy some attention.
This “white” variety is actually born out of a mutation of Pinot Noir and shows a unique rosy, purplish hue upon full ripeness. The grape boasts two versions of its name and two generally distinct styles: the crisp, Italian Pinot Grigio and the softer French Pinot Gris. Somm Secret—Given the color of its berries and aromatic potential, Pinot Grigio is commonly used to make "orange wines." An orange wine is a white wine made with fermentation on its skins (similar to red wine making), leading to n orange hued wine with ephemeral aromas and extra complexity.
