The 2006 vintage in the Finger Lakes is marked by very high acidity. The wines are leaner than those from 2007 and perhaps not as complex as those from the stellar 2008 vintage. But sparseness of fruit is not necessarily a bad thing if minerality can fill the gap.
Dr. Konstantin Frank's 2006 Riesling Semi-Dry has a nice pale golden color and the nose reveals aromas of development: herbs, woodruff and a hint of honey. The fruit, even if sparse, is there: pear and apple.
Although labeled semi-dry even people with a residual sugar phobia may give this wine the nod of approval. The crisp acidity balances the residual sugar (of which there wasn't that much to begin with) playfully and a mineral touch adds a peppery sensation. The alcohol is pleasantly low. The 2006 Semi-Dry Riesling has a medium length and a very nice finish during which warm spices like bay leaf and thyme dominate.
Konstantin Frank's Riesling shows that the 2006 vintage should not be written off. It's those leaner acidity-driven wines which often look great as they age.