Winemaker Notes
The 2019 Dry Riesling is Hermann J. Wiemer's signature wine. Sourced from each of the three distinct vineyard sites, it epitomizes Riesling’s dynamic range. Layers of citrus, stone, and tropical fruit are underpinned by taut acidities and a clean mineral finish.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Well-concentrated aromas of apple and peach meld with crushed stone and yellow blossoms on the nose. There’s a real sense of energy and lift to the deft palate, where juicy shots of tangerine and pome fruit are lifted by vibrant acidity. The fruit lingers on the finish but with substantial lift.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2019 Dry Riesling comes in with seven grams of residual sugar and 12% alcohol. This is a blend of vineyards: 20% HJW vineyard, 25% Magdalena vineyard, 35% Josef vineyard and 20% Kasper vineyard. In the Finger Lakes, a mere seven grams of sugar can be diced, sliced and swallowed up–and that's what happened here. Dry and a little steely, this shows off its purity and freshness most of all. It lacks anything resembling the charm of the 2019 Semi-Dry Riesling this report, and it is certainly far more backward. Indeed, it is likely to be better this time next year or even later in 2021. In the meanwhile, it shows off laser-like focus and a bright finish.
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.