Winemaker Notes
An expressive and vibrant wine from the old vines and sloping limestone soils of the famous Argetsinger Vineyard on the southeastern edge of Seneca Lake.
Professional Ratings
-
Decanter
The Argetsinger cuvée is a tour de force in this vintage, with the abundant aromas of nectarine and green apple of the 'regular' dry Riesling. Yet, the limestone soil of the mild slopes in this southeast corner of Lake Seneca shines through in the verdant and saline minerality that sets this wine apart. Piercingly lovely acidity but more than enough exuberant peachy fruit shot through with floral notes to bring this exciting wine into dynamic balance and carry it to an immensely satisfying finish. Its tightly wound structure and silky finesse ensures it should age for decades. Perhaps America's preeminent Riesling. Drinking Window: 2021 - 2031.
-
James Suckling
An intensely mineral dry riesling that is only just beginning to open up. Very complex and subtle aromas that range from peaches to wild herbs. Impressive structure is packed into quite a sleek silhouette. So much wet-stone character at the long and pristine wet-stone finish.
-
Wine Spectator
Bright, with crunchy acidity that's nicely buried under lively Meyer lemon, mirabelle plum and meringue notes. Features flashes of verbena and acacia, with a long, piercing finish. This should be fun to watch develop in the cellar. Drink now through 2028. 842 cases made.
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Scents of crushed stone and brioche accent green apple and lime on the nose of the 2019 Sparkling Dry Riesling Argetsinger Vineyard, which comes from young vines (planted 2015). It's medium-bodied, with a fine bead and a pleasantly dusty, ground talc-like 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.
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.