Winemaker Notes
Enjoy with shellfish, fried foods, and anything requiring a crisp, clean compliment.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
As usual, the dry Riesling from the HJW vineyard is more closed and less effusive than its sibling from the Magdalena site, but it makes up for that with delicate aromas of spring blossoms and a hint of fresh pineapple. As lively and as pristine as a mountain stream on the palate. The power is underplayed, except at the long lemon-mineral finish. Better from 2018 and with at least a decade of ageing potential.
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Wine Enthusiast
Fresh green herbs and lime zest lend vibrance to this lighter-bodied bottling from Wiemer’s 2015 vintage. White grapefruit and citrus are piercing and spry, finishing with a delightful edge of salt and crushed-stone. Drinks beautifully now but should develop well through 2028.
Editors’ Choice
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.