#WineHour with #FLXWine from the Finger Lakes Wine Alliance

The week wraps up Finger Lakes Wine Month and to continue its marketing the Finger Lakes Wine Alliance sent our samples for a #WineHour Twitter tasting. I received wines from four outstanding wineries located off Cayuga and Seneca lakes, with all priced at very affordable levels. 

The first wine was the Knapp Vineyards & Winery Dry Rosé 2014 ($16, 11.5%), a blend of 85% Cabernet Franc and 15% Pinot Noir (sourced from neighboring Chateau LaFayette Reneau). The wine was made by slightly pressing the grapes - no saingée here - and fermenting dry - or at least to .3% R.S. The result is a very intriguing rosé where grapefruit and strawberry interplay throughout, with both evident on finish. The finish also includes some white pepper as well as refreshing acids.


The Thirsty Owl Wine Company is located alongside Cayuga Lake (as was Knapp) and we sampled their 2014 Dry Riesling ($15, 12%) . The wine is made from three clones of Riesling; 198, 239 and an unknown clone planted back in the early 1980's by previous owners Bob and Mary Plane. The wine was fermented using two different yeast strains, so along with the multiple clones creates a more complex wine. The nose starts with petrol and lemon citrus followed by green apple, and finishes with ample acids to easily balance the slight sweetness (.6% R.S.). Very nice.


The most unique wine of the evening was the Red Newt Cellars 2013 Gewurztraminer ($15, 13%). Although it carries .9% R.S., this wine tastes completely dry. At the same time it doesn't lose the standard  Gewurztraminer spiciness and actually maintains a fair amount of complexity of flavors. There's some pears and floral elements, weighty silkiness, along with a mighty spicy finish.

The final wine was a knockout, the Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars 2013 T23 Cabernet Franc ($20, 13%). The grapes were fermented and aged in stainless steel (Tank #23) with no oak treatment. Despite that process, there is plenty going on here, starting with a heavy sour cherry aroma and a cooked or dried cherry flavor. There's also a bit of tobacco and cinnamon with moderate acids. This wine could also be served slightly chilled as a rosé style offering and it apparently ages gracefully. The winery has been able to produce this wine since 2007, but it sells out quickly.  I'm getting mine this summer during the 2015 Wine Bloggers Conference. Cheers.

The #FLXWine Alliance celebrates the release of 2013 #FLXRiesling

This past Saturday was the Finger Lakes Wine Alliance celebrated the release of 2013 Finger Lakes Riesling by hosting a #FLXRiesling twitter tasting. In total fifty-five media representatives received wine from a pool of nineteen wineries. In case you are not familiar with New York's Finger Lakes, it is a cool climate region specializing in many grape varieties; but Riesling is King. The region also follows the International Riesling  Foundation (IRF) Riesling Taste Profile which is designed to make it easier for consumers to predicate the taste they can expect from a particular bottle of Riesling. Below are a few facts on Finger Lakes Reisling as well as my notes and tweets as well as the winery's theCompass Winery Brewery Distillery Locator profile. Cheers.

@DrFrankWine: If we had to describe #flxriesling in three words: "sunshine, stone, fruit"
@FulkersonWinery We prefer higher butterfat content cheeses with dry rieslings. Sharp cheddars with semi-dry
@flxhosmer The west side of Cayuga Lake tends to produce more tropical fruit flavor profiles.
@LakewoodWines we had an unusually cool summer but an unusually dry fall so far. Could be one for the ages but to early to call.

Finger Lakes Riesling Quick Facts

• 850 acres of Riesling
• 220,000 cases of Riesling
• Strong, regional aromatic whites with a focus on Riesling.
• The average producer makes 2-3 styles of Riesling wine a year.
• The Finger Lakes is home to over 200 Riesling brands

Heron Hill Winery  2013 Classic Dry Riesling ($14)
.23% R.S.; 12% alcohol

• @HeronHillWinery 2013 Classic Dry Riesling .23% R.S.; 12% alcohol; grapes from 4 lots  #FLXRiesling
• @HeronHillWinery 2013 Classic Dry Riesling spiced pear aroma, silky creaminess kiwi lychee flavor, citrus finish #FLXRiesling
• @HeronHillWinery operating for 35 years on Keuka Lake @ KLWT; winemaker Bernard Cannac from Languedoc, France #FLXRiesling

Sheldrake Point Winery 2013 Dry Riesling ($16)
0.7% R.S.; 11.4% alcohol

• @SheldrakePoint 2013 Dry Riesling - soft peach & lemon aroma leads to citrus cream, minerals, and nice acids #FLXRiesling
• @SheldrakePoint Home location on @cayugawinetrail with satellite tasting room on @senecalakewine #FLXRiesling
• @SheldrakePoint 2013 Dry Riesling 0.7% R.S. 11.4% alcohol #FLXRiesling
• @SheldrakePoint 15 years of operation; 44 acres on @cayugawinetrail #FLXRiesling

Knapp Vineyards & Winery 2013 Dry Riesling ($17)
1.1% R.S.; 12% alcohol

• I spy a #Nomacorc with the @Knappwinefan 2013 Dry Riesling #FLXRiesling
• @Knappwinefan 2013 Dry Riesling 1.1% R.S.; 12% alcohol #FLXRiesling
• @Knappwinefan 2013 Dry Riesling peaches and lemon, fruit driven, nice acids #FLXRiesling
• @Knappwinefan located in @senecalakewine with vineyard in @cayugawinetrail #FLXRiesling

Boundary Breaks Vineyard 2013 Dry Riesling #239 ($20)
0.9% R.S.; 11.6% alcohol

•  @bndrybrx seems the most Germanic of the Rieslings: elegant - cream and acids mingle nicely #FLXRiesling
• @bndrybrx 2013 Dry Riesling #239 0.9% R.S.; 11.6% alcohol; Geisenheim clone #239 #FLXRiesling
• @bndrybrx 2013 Dry Riesling made by Peter Bell of @foxrunvineyards; estate located on @senecalakewine #FLXRiesling