Three Rieslings from the Finger Lakes, which I was sent in order to taste for the first Riesling Hour event organized to celebrate Riesling from New York State.
Is it really that late? It was 8pm, the Riesling Hour had theoretically ended and I still hadn't tasted the last of my three Rieslings, which the Finger Lakes Wine Alliance had sent my way in order to taste them for America's great acid hour on Twitter. Assessing the wines, describing them and keeping up with other people's comments shrunk the hour like a botrytized grape from which I was supposed to extract the essence of three Rieslings.
3 vintages, 2 lakes, 1 theme. The latter being the refreshing character of all wines. Pronounced but balanced acidity I found in all three wines of this cool climate wine region. The two single vineyard wines also had a touch of residual sugar and showed nice depth and length. The Atwater 2010 Riesling Dry was favored by my wife and our friend M. for its liveliness and straight-forward appeal. Much more floral and elegantly perfumed was Heron Hill's 2008 Ingle Vineyard Riesling, which was a bit closed right after opening but opened up after fifteen minutes in the glass. A marvelous Riesling with steely muscle was Red Newt Cellars' 2009 Sawmill Creek Vineyard Riesling. This Riesling definitely was the most mineral of the three and would benefit from a couple more years in bottle. The coming years will hopefully see more single vineyard bottlings from the Finger Lakes as the region's varied macro- and microclimates offer the opportunity to demonstrate the region's potential.
Atwater Estate Vineyards
2010 Riesling Dry
Seneca Lake
"Very lively Riesling, fruit-forward, linear, with a spicy touch." More...
Red Newt Cellars
2009 Sawmill Creek Vineyards Riesling
Seneca Lake
"Very sharp acidity, very dry at first, then very mellow. Very very." More...
Heron Hill Winery
2008 Ingle Vineyard Riesling
Canandaigua Lake
"Beautiful aroma of florals/hay vs. stones/smoke. Somber fruit notes with pleasant florals and perfume." More...
Your Riesling Hour Post
Submitted by Ted Marks (not verified) on 26 May 2011.
Thanks for your support of Finger Lakes Rieslings. We are excited. Ted
Ted, it was my pleasure.
Submitted by DerKellermeister on 27 May 2011.
Ted, it was my pleasure.
Riesling Hour!
Submitted by David Whiting (not verified) on 26 May 2011.
Uwe, I'm excited that you'll be part of Riesling Hour this evening. We'll definitely be tasting the 2009 Red Newt - Sawmill Creek Vineyards Riesling with you here at Red Newt. "See" you in a few!
Dave.
Sawmill Creek Vineyards
Submitted by DerKellermeister on 27 May 2011.
David, it was exciting to taste your Sawmill Creek Vineyards Riesling for the very first time. I hope that there will be more single vineyard wines from the Finger Lakes.
More single vineyard Riesling on the way.
Submitted by David Whiting (not verified) on 29 May 2011.
I have always been thrilled and amazed at the expression and sense of place that Riesling has in the Finger Lakes. Vineyard lots are always kept separate through much of vinification, but 2009 is the first year that I carried through some of these special lots into their own label. I plan to continue...you'll be seeing more single vineyard Riesling from Red Newt in 2010! Cheers!
Riesling Hour
Submitted by Christian G.E. Schiller (not verified) on 26 May 2011.
I will join the party in Washington DC http://schiller-wine.blogspot.com/2011/05/celebrating-rieslings-of-finge...