Winemaker Notes
Expressive, mineral driven and immensely bright in this vintage with citrus, floral and flinty components. From old vines on steeply sloping limestone soil, the wine is quite accessible in its youth, but with tremendous aging potential. Elegant, pure and savory notes on the long finish.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Pristine, racy aromas of lime sherbet and green apple mark the nose of the 2022 Dry Riesling Argetsinger Vineyard, another fine effort from Ravines and owner-winemaker Morten Hallgren. It's a streamlined, medium-bodied Riesling that's unadorned by excess sugar (like all the dry Rieslings at Ravines, it carries three to four grams per liter of residual sugar). The zesty finish lingers in an impressively clean, refreshing fashion.
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Wine Spectator
Yuzu, quince, Meyer lemon and green almond notes give this range and distinction as the racy acidity courses along, carrying everything through the focused 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.