The grapes for Heron Hill's 2010 semi-sweet Riesling were sourced from several lots of vineyards from Keuka, Canandaigua and Seneca Lakes and the wine was fermented in stainless steel. It has a medium lemon color and initially a very tropical fruit aroma reminiscent of gummi bears, which is not unusual for cold-fermentation in stainless steel. After the wine had been exposed to air for a half hour it opened up, became a little herbal and revealed a sweet smell of tarragon.
On the palate the wine was definitely sweet and not only half so. The acidity is crisp and stands up to the residual sugar. It has a medium(+) intensity of very ripe pear and tropical fruit flavors. Medium length with a slightly spicy finish.
Winemaker Bernard Cannac made a Riesling that offers surprising balance and length for a wine at this price. I tend to get a bit nervous whenever I see a Riesling in a blue bottle but luckily Heron Hill's Semi-Sweet is not that blue. A very good value!