Winemaker Notes
This Riesling is grown in limestone and shalestone soils on the steep slopes surrounding the Finger Lakes. It is an elegant, dry style with delicate aromatics, distinct minerality and a bright acidity.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
For an entry-level wine this is a stunner! Wonderful nose of white peach, lemon blossom and jasmine. So succulent, with excellent ripeness and concentration, but nothing flashy or any hint of opulence. The best thing about the wine is the long, very silky finish. And this is properly dry.
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Wine Enthusiast
From an excellent vintage and an equally acclaimed producer, this is an opulent and appealing bottling from first sniff. Gentle lamp oil and candlewax notes weave between green apple and lemon rind. The palate is crisp and dry, with less upfront fruit but a lovely tang of citrus acidity, a stony minerality and a waxy texture to the finish. It’s a bargain for the quality.
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.