Tag Finger Lakes

FLX: Epilogue

wpawinepirate 4 Comments
Vineyards above Keuka Lake.

Vineyards above Keuka Lake.

     My latest trip to the FLX was enjoyable, informative, surprising, relaxing and like always too short. I learned many things from the people I met and the events I observed. Here are a few things that I learned by mingling with the locals. The latest fad in the vineyards is to plant Grüner Veltliner. The east side of Seneca Lake felt cooler in summer than the west because the wind blew across the cold waters of the lake. Marti Macinski, Standing Stone’s owner/winemaker was a lawyer before she followed her dream of becoming a winemaker. Saperavi is in demand and is selling out around the lakes, even at premium prices. Wine tourism is on the rise and wineries are competing more aggressively to attract customers. I just can’t get used to mini marts with craft beer taps and growlers at the cash register.

In the FLX there are some things that never change. Some of the best Riesling in the world can be found at great prices. Scenic views of beautiful glacial lakes surrounded by vineyards that you can’t find anywhere else in this country. Welcoming and hospitable people that are happy to see you and strive to put the region’s best foot forward to visitors.

It’s not Sonoma and it’s not Napa, it’s the Finger Lakes Region of New York, a truly unique place. My suggestion to you would be not to take my word for it but to go see it for yourself.

Highlight of FLX Visit

wpawinepirate 2 Comments
Entrance to Standing Stone Vineyard & Winery

Entrance to Standing Stone Vineyards & Winery

     On every trip there is one experience that stamps its indelible mark on your memory. On this trip it was meeting Marti Macinski and the time we spent at her Standing Stone Vineyards & Winery. Upon our arrival she greeted us with a genuinely heart-felt welcome. Marti was accompanied by her personable and outgoing intern Griffin Lehman. She lead my wife and I through a tasting of all of her excellent wines. I was very impressed by how good all the wines were. If I were to use one word to describe all of the Standing Stone wines we tasted that day it would be balanced. Balance is very important to me when I taste wine because it allows me to taste all aspects of the wine without having certain overdone or underdeveloped characteristics create a biased wine. When you drink a wine made by Marti Macinski you can taste every nuance of the wine and the terroir of her vineyards.

     Her Riesling were some of the best that I tasted in the FLX and I tasted the best Riesling that I have ever tasted there on this visit. I really liked her Saperavi and it confirmed my opinion that this grape has great potential in the Eastern U.S.. She convinced us to try her Ice wine even though we were never fans of Ice wine. We are glad we did because we loved all four of her offerings : Chardonnay, Vidal, Grwürztraminer and Riesling. The entire menu of wines offered by Standing Stone Winery are well crafted and certainly worth your attention when you visit. I can highly recommend a visit to this Seneca Lake winery in Hector N.Y. for anyone attending the 2015 Wine Bloggers Conference or someone visiting the area looking for superior wine.  Standingstonewines.com  607-582-6051   9934 Rte 414  Hector, N Y 14841

View of Seneca Lake & Vineyards from Standing Stone

View of Seneca Lake & Vineyards from Standing Stone

Around and Around We Go

wpawinepirate 3 Comments
Tall bottles of Riesling At Herman J. Wiemer Vineyards

Tall bottles of Riesling At Herman J. Wiemer Vineyards

     Our drive to Finger Lakes Wine Country took us from the rolling hills of Southwestern Pennsylvania through the center of the state pass Penn State University then into the Northern Tier, home to some of the most rugged and sparsely populated mountains in the East. We crossed the New York state line south of Corning and drove north to our first destination Watkins Glen. Watkins Glen is on the southern tip of Seneca Lake, the largest of the eleven Finger Lakes. We drove up the east side of the lake through a torrential downpour on our way to Wagner’s Vineyards and it’s Ginny Lee Café for lunch while the storm passed. They have a large wine menu ranging from currently popular varieties and blends to Niagara, a regional classic. Wagner’s also has a brewery on site, a growing trend around the lakes. I always manage to find a very drinkable Chardonnay and this year was no different with me purchasing the 2012 Reserve Chardonnay. By the time we had finished lunch the rain had stopped and the skies began to brighten. Before we left the east side we stopped at another winery but found their offerings not as good as other years and we left empty-handed.

     We usually stay on Seneca Lake but this trip we stayed at the northern end of Keuka Lake in the small town of Penn Yan. You are constantly skirting the lakes because there are no bridges to mar their natural beauty so good planning is a must to save time and miles. On the way to our hotel we traveled back through Watkins Glen and drove up the west side of Seneca Lake to the world-famous Riesling producer Herman J. Wiemer Vineyards.

    I find that many wine makers are limiting or eliminating taste descriptors from their tasting notes. I agree that their overuse has led to people not forming an opinion of their own and I will be using less of them in my posts beginning now.

      The Riesling I tasted in the H.J. Wiemer tasting room was as stylishly produced as my surroundings, sophisticated and well-made with depth and balance. These Riesling could be easily matched to a myriad of food or enjoyed by themselves glass after glass. Riesling is what H.J.W. is known for and rightfully so , but the other wines they produce can be easily overlooked because the Riesling is so good. Ignoring the Sparkling, Noble Select Dessert and Reserve wines could cause you to miss out on something very special. Note: The Sparkling wines are aged on lees for up to 72 months, hand-riddled and hand-disgorged. After loading our trunk with our newly found treasures of Riesling and a Rosé Cuvée we were on to Keuka Lake.

Herman J. Wiemer Vineyards

Herman J. Wiemer Winery

 

Herman J. Wiemer Winery

Herman J. Wiemer Winery

Clearing skies over Wagner's Vineyards

Clearing skies over Wagner’s Vineyards

New York State of Mind

wpawinepirate 4 Comments

sign     The Finger Lakes Wine Region of New York (FLX) is only a 5 hour drive from my home in Southwestern Pennsylvania. Having a World-Class wine-producing region so close provides my wife and me the luxury of making a trip to the area when the mood strikes us. During our trip last week we visited old favorites Herman J. Herman Winery and Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery while adding a new favorite Standing Stone Winery. All three of these wineries produce excellent Riesling along with other notable wines. Cool-climate white wines have always been this region’s claim to fame but on this visit I was curious to see first-hand how the development of the Saperavi grape was progressing. In the following series of posts I will give you my personal take on the wine, grapevines, trends and scenic views I encountered around these glacial lakes. Come along with me and see what’s new in the FLX.

Saperavi: The Next Big Thing?

wpawinepirate 4 Comments
Saperavi Grapes Photo Courtesy Wikipedia

Saperavi Grapes Photo Courtesy Wikipedia

     The Red Wines of the East Coast have never gotten the love that their White Wine counterparts have received over the years and in most cases for good reason.  But that may change if an old Eastern European grape can live up to its promise of becoming the foundation on which the future of eastern Red Wine is built.  The wine grape that I am talking about is Saperavi.  This grape variety originated in the Georgian Republic of Russia and features a dark skin with

Chuck & Daneen Zaleski Owners Fero Vineyards & Winery

Chuck & Daneen Zaleski Owners Fero Vineyards & Winery

pink flesh.  It is a teinturier variety of grape, meaning unlike most grapes that have uncolored flesh and produce clear juice a teinturier has red-tinted flesh that makes a vibrant richly colored wine. Saperavi vines are grown throughout the area connecting Asia and Europe know as the Caucasus and in various regions of the former Soviet Republic. Sapervai has long been viewed as an ideal ingredient for cheaper blended wines but in recent decades it has been proven to be capable of producing a varietal of high quality.  The best Georgian-produced Saperavi comes from the Kakheti Region that is near its eastern border with Azerbaijan.  These Georgian-made wines are available in the U.S. but you will have to do some searching to find them. The fact that this grape is late-ripening and thrives in a cooler climate while producing generous yields without sacrificing much in quality is the reason that vintners in the Finger Lakes and Central Pennsylvania are exploring its potential within their vineyards.  I have mentioned in earlier posts the pioneering work done by the Standing Stone Vineyards and Winery with Saperavi but I have recently learned of a producing vineyard in Lewisburg, Pa.  Chuck and Daneen Zaleski owners of Fero Vineyards and Winery have produced a varietal from Saperavi grapes grown in their Central Pennsylvania vineyard and made exclusively in their Lewisburg winery.  Chuck Zaleski at Fero and Marti Macinski at Standing Stone are on the cutting edge of this exciting reinvention of an Old World stalwart.  I am excited to have the chance to follow the evolution of the Saperavi wine grape in the Eastern United States from the persceptive of the wine makers themselves. For more information about these two fine wineries visit their websites at: www.standingstonewines.com  and  www.ferovineyards.com

Tom & Marti Macinski Owners Standing Stone Winery Photo Courtsey:Examiner.com

Tom & Marti Macinski Owners Standing Stone Winery Photo Courtsey:Examiner.com

Standing Stone Vineyards Go Vertical

wpawinepirate 2 Comments
Saperavi Grapes Photo Courtesy Wikipedia

Saperavi Grapes Photo Courtesy Wikipedia

     Standing Stone Vineyards to host a vertical tasting of their popular Saperavi on Sunday November 16, 2014.  Tom & Marti Macinski become the first vintners in the nation to bottle the Saperavi grape under its newly recognized and rightful name.  The N.Y. Wine & Food Classic double gold medal-winning 2012 vintage will be part of the November 16th tasting.  This vintage is featured in the November 30th issue of Wine Spectator Magazine where it was awarded a 88 point rating.  Owner and winemaker Marti Macinski will be leading the two Saperavi vertical tasting sessions Sunday afternoon at 1:00 and again at 3:00.  This is a great opportunity for guests to learn from the leading expert on this up and coming wine grape.  Tickets are $20 and include food pairings from Dano’s. Reservations can be made by calling 607-582-6051 or by e-mail at ssny@standingstonewines.com.

Standing Stone Vineyards Releases 2012 Saperavi

wpawinepirate Leave a comment

 

Photo Courtesy: Standing Stone Winery

Photo Courtesy: Standing Stone Winery

Standing Stone Vineyards “Officially” releases 2012 Saperavi.  Standing Stone becomes the first winery in the U.S. to bottle and release the newly classified Saperavi grape under its newly recognized and rightful name.  In conjunction with the iconic Dr. Konstantin Frank Cellars, Standing Stone Winery filed a petition with the Federal Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau in late December 2013 to have the Saperavi grape recognized as an approved wine grape variety.  The Saperavi grape is a cold weather grape that originated in Georgia, Russia.  Owner and winemaker Marti Macinski has always had a fondness for this grape said “We’ve been growing Saperavi for 20 years and we’ve been using it in blends and bottling it under different names.  But now that Saperavi is again an officially recognized grape, we are thrilled to be able to put it on our label.  And I’ve got to tell you this 2012 vintage is unbelievable.  The vines have really grown to maturity and we have 20 years experience of working with the grape and understanding how to bring out its characteristic in the bottle”.  This grape has grown well in the Finger Lakes “Banana Belt” and is believed to be able to grow anywhere Riesling thrives.  Saperavi grapes produce a deep red wine with good structure and texture that is rich but not overly tannic.  This could be the grape that elevates the reds of the Finger Lakes to a level that would provide a nice complement to the world-class whites of this region.  

Wagner Vineyards 2011 Chardonnay

wpawinepirate Leave a comment

 

Wagner's 2011 Chardonnay

Wagner’s 2011 Chardonnay

     I am not a huge Chardonnay fan but I do like the style made in the Finger Lakes.  They tend to be dry but not the bone dry examples that are so popular in California.  We had a bottle of Wagner’s Vineyards 2011 Chardonnay and decided to pair it with our Easter dinner.  It paired well with the sugar-cured ham that was the centerpiece of the meal.  This dry Chardonnay has a full and solid mouth feel that allowed it to stand up to the flavors of the meal.  Since it is fermented in small oak barrels it has an aroma of vanilla and the flavors of pear and melons which can be tasted throughout its smooth finish.  Wagner’s Vineyards offers several different styles of Chardonnay that I had the opportunity to sample during my last visit to their tasting room in 2012. Each one was distinctly different in style , flavor and dryness.  This wine is a good value at $13.99 from the Wagner Vineyards website. wagnervineyards.com

Hobbs & Selbach Partner in FLX

wpawinepirate 2 Comments
Finger Lakes Riesling

Finger Lakes Riesling

World-famous vintners Paul Hobbs of California and Johannes Selbach of the Mosel valley in Germany have recently announced their partnership in the acquisition of a 65-acre property in the Finger Lakes Wine Region of New York.  The new vineyards will be on the southeastern slopes of Seneca Lake overlooking Watkins Glen and will be producing Riesling, the signature grape and wine of the region.  The first vines are not expected to be planted until next year, which means that we will have to wait patiently to compare these winemakers style and quality to that of the established FLX producers.  I envision this venture providing only positive benefits for the region by drawing curious visitors to the lakes.  Once in the area the tourists will soon discover the abundance of world-class wineries that populate the shores of the Finger Lakes.  Just like the music fan that goes to a festival to see a star headliner only to find that they like the lesser-known artists even more, I believe this will shine a bright spotlight on these talented winemakers and showcase their exceptional wines.

Martha Macinski: Winemaker, Standing Stone Winery

wpawinepirate 1 Comment
Tom and Marti Macinski Photo Courtesy: Standing Stone Vineyards

Tom and Marti Macinski Photo Courtesy: Standing Stone Vineyards

     I would like to congratulate the entire Standing Stone Winery family for being chosen to have their 2012 Riesling served at the 2014 Super Bowl Media Party.  Standing Stone Winery was also mentioned by James Molesworth in Wine Spectator Magazine this month as a Finger Lakes winery that should be sought out for their excellent Riesling.  Martha (Marti) Macinski has again provided me with a candid glimpse inside the winery from her unique perspective as both owner and winemaker.

     The winery is relatively calm this time of year but some structural work is being done in the vineyards on the posts and wires so there will be no delay when the time comes to prune and tie the vines.  Jess, the assistant winemaker, is planning the upcoming bottling runs along with monitoring the fermentation of the dessert wines.  The pressing of the frozen grapes is close to completion with only a small amount left unfinished.  Marti is excited about the 2013 vintage calling it “Truly spectacular with lovely ripe and rich flavors, near perfect fruit chemistry to make the winemaking work go smoothly.”  Her only problem was figuring out where to put this very abundant crop.  Assessment of the vines will be made next week when they will prune as needed to balance out any damage caused by the severe weather.  She isn’t expecting to find much of an issue because when the temperature dropped below zero the wind blew hard off the unfrozen lake circulating the “warm” air around the vineyards buffering them from the extreme cold. 

     I would like to thank Marti for taking the time and effort to keep me informed of the activities at Standing Stone Winery.  When you are in the Finger Lakes Region plan a stop at Standing Stone to taste their superb wines and say “Hello” to Marti.  www.standingstonewines.com