Winemaker Notes
For many wine lovers, there are Rieslings that are “"too dry," and Rieslings that are "too sweet." The Ovid Line North Riesling is made to be "not-too-dry" and "not-too-sweet."
The Riesling grape offers plenty of acidity. A small amount of residual sugar in the finished wine can rein in the effects of acidity and round out the experience of the wine. For the Ovid Line North Riesling, they aim to stop fermentation with just enough residual sugar to please people who prefer some "roundness" in their Riesling. Additionally, a small amount of residual sugar will amplify the fruit characteristics in the wine. As with all of their Rieslings, they try to achieve maximum ripeness for the fruit that they use in this wine. That ripeness conveys tropical flavors, which, along with the acidity that is still present in the wine, yields balance and complexity. Above all, the winery keeps Riesling’s natural acidity in mind as they finish this wine with just enough residual sugar to please everyone around the dining table.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
With a floral, citrus and stone fruit perfume, the enticing nose leads to an off-dry palate that makes for wellbalanced and still-fresh sipping, particularly with a coconut curry or spicy fish tacos.
Riesling possesses a remarkable ability to reflect the character of wherever it is grown while still maintaining its identity. A regal variety of incredible purity and precision, this versatile grape can be just as enjoyable dry or sweet, young or old, still or sparkling and can age longer than nearly any other white variety. Somm Secret—Given how difficult it is to discern the level of sweetness in a Riesling from the label, here are some clues to find the dry ones. First, look for the world “trocken.” (“Halbtrocken” or “feinherb” mean off-dry.) Also a higher abv usually indicates a drier Riesling.
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.