Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
This great, barely off-dry riesling is a great expression of one of the best vintages of the last decades. A cornucopia of fresh stone fruit and citrus aromas is married to emerging bottle-age character. Then comes the dynamic freshness that lifts the finish in a magical way.
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Wine Enthusiast
Sumptuous and hedonistic, this perfumed single-vineyard bottling shines a spotlight on luscious grapefruit, guava and pineapple flavors. It's decadently fruity, but crisp acidity and a delicate crushed-mineral undertone keep it fresh and invigorating.
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Decanter
Magdalena is a vineyard located on the east-facing slopes of Lake Seneca that ripens fruit very well, typically producing more opulent styles of Riesling. This 2014 is honeyed and creamy with notes of mango and passion fruit on the nose. There is sweetness, but it does not overpower the wine at 8g/l of residual sugar, and the wine has the intensity, depth of flavour and citrusy acidity to carry the richness easily. Drinking Window 2020 - 2025
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Wine & Spirits
This dry riesling has plenty of depth, though freshness—lemony and bright—is its hallmark trait. The wine’s richer pear flavors follow that propulsive acidity, which pulls the fruit as if on a wire, leading to a crisp and lasting finish. (300 cases)
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Wine Spectator
Very pure, with Jonagold apple, green almond and quince flavors that stream through, carried by finely beaded acidity and backed by a long, honeysuckle-edged finish. Drink now through 2019.
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.