Winemaker Notes
Loads of tree fruit aromas, along with guava lime zest, are found in this fragrant wine. The palate is perfectly balanced, with a soft yet zesty finish. The moderate sweetness makes this Riesling incredibly versatile. Lovers of rich, complex wines will find this wine highly cellar-worthy.
This well-balanced Riesling is a perfect match for spicy Asian dishes.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Assertive, flinty grapefruit aromas make for a compelling nose. The palate delivers a punchy, tangerine and grapefruit core of pithy, bold and lightly off-dry flavor. Drink now. Screw cap.
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Wine Enthusiast
Aromas of bright white blossoms and candied lemon peel carry the nose of this semidry Riesling. There’s a sweet-tart nature to the palate in sour lemon peels melding with softer, richer flavors of peach and apple. It ends lifted and light in lingering citrus. Best Buy
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.
Increasingly garnering widespread and well-deserved attention, New York ranks third in wine production in the United States (after California and Washington). Divided into six AVAs—the Finger Lakes, Lake Erie, Hudson River, Long Island, Champlain Valley of New York and the Niagara Escarpment, which crosses over into Michigan as well as Ontario, Canada—the state experiences varied climates, but in general summers are warm and humid while winters are very cold and can carry the risk of frost well into the growing season.
The Finger Lakes region has long been responsible for some of the country’s finest Riesling, and is gaining traction with elegant, light-bodied Pinot Noir and Cabernet Franc. Experimentation with cold-hardy European varieties is common, and recent years have seen the successful planting of grapes like Grüner Veltliner and Saperavi (from the Eastern European country of Georgia). Long Island, on the other hand, has a more maritime climate influenced by the Atlantic Ocean, and shares some viticultural characteristics with Bordeaux. Accordingly, the best wines here are made from Merlot and Cabernet Franc. The Niagara Escarpment is responsible for excellent ice wines, usually made from the hybrid variety, Vidal.