Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2014 Dry Riesling Reserve is, according to winemaker Fred Merwath, about 90% Auslese level in ripeness. It is a luscious Riesling that seems round and rich, but as with most of what Wiemer makes, there is ample attention here to age-worthiness and structure. Underneath, there is fine acidity that cuts through the dense fruit. Then, it never seems as rich again, eventually showing more and more power on the finish. This is something you can sink your teeth into–but it won't ever seem clumsy or simple. It is nowhere near peak as yet. Give it a few years in the cellar if you can. It is not meant to be drunk young. It may yet be entitled to an uptick.
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Wine Enthusiast
Seeming delicate at first, barely-there whiffs of lemon peel and green herb turn riper and sunnier on this dry, medium-bodied Riesling. The palate is quite unctuous, dripping with white peach and grapefruit nectar. A cool strike of steel extends from midpalate to finish, lending mineral elegance to this ripe, rich wine.
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Wine Spectator
Enticing, with a plump feel to the core of white ginger, heather, creamed yellow apple and quince flavors, backed by a lingering jasmine note. Stays plump through the finish, but there's enough vibrancy for balance. Drink now through 2018. 780 cases made.
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.