When I think about the Finger Lakes Wine region in upstate New York, I immediately think of Riesling. But I really don’t know anything else about this region. Since this month is Finger Lakes Wine month, I decided it was a good time to check out the region.
When I look up Finger Lakes Wine on Google, I find hundreds of listings, including these:
- Official Travel and Tourism Information for Finger Lakes Wine Country
- Taste wine, beer and distilled spirits in Finger Lakes Wine Country
- Wine Touring Tips – Finger Lakes Wine Country
- Finger Lakes Wine Alliance – Discover New York’s Premier Wine Region
- Finger Lakes AVA – Wikipedia
- 5 best Finger Lakes wineries for great wines and outstanding tasting …
Getting Started with Wine Folly
Wow. Where to get started. I decided to check out Wine Folly, one of my favorite wine blogs. Madeline Puckette, the writer for Wine Folly, wrote “The Finger Lakes are one of the fastest up-and-coming wine regions on the East Coast. And honestly, it’s also where you’ll want to be if you’re in New York in August (imagine millions of NYC air conditioners humming and dripping on your head). The people we met who’d left the city for #FLX were some of the most well-rounded folks you’ll ever meet–shockingly cultured and yet delightfully unpretentious.” Okay, that’s a welcoming start. Thanks, Madeline.
Moving to Wikipedia
Now onto an overview from Wikipedia, who says that the Finger Lakes AVA encompasses eleven glacial lakes and includes 11,000 acres. It is the largest wine-producing region in the state of New York. The Finger Lakes AVA wine region is often compared to the German wine regions along the Rhine river. Not surprisingly, Riesling grows very well in both regions.
Checking out the Website for the Finger Lakes Wine Country
According to the Finger Lakes Wine Country website, the region “specializes in aromatic white varieties like Riesling and Gewurztraminer. The region is also finding exciting success with cool-climate reds like Cabernet Franc and Pinot Noir. The terroir of the Finger Lakes is special because of the microclimate created by the lakes – extreme cold weather in the winter is avoided and warm, breezy days during the summer help ripen the grapes.”
If you’re thinking about taking a trip to the region, the website explains that the summer and fall seasons are the most popular. They urge people to check out the region in the winter or spring, saying that your wine tasting experience is likely to be more personal and comfortable and you are likely to speak with the owners and winemakers themselves in the tasting room.
Tasting the Wines
I have to admit that I haven’t yet gotten to try one of the Finger Lakes Rieslings. I’m on a mission to do this. So I’m expecting to get my first taste before the end of the month dedicated to these wines.
For now, I thought I would share two Riesling reviews written by Epicurious.
2010 Sheldrake Point Winery Riesling ($25): “The fruit-forward [wine] ($25) has a terrific nose of honeysuckle and presents a peachy character on the palate that doesn’t exactly mimic that of Old World Rieslings; rather, the Sheldrake Point is a fruity concoction all its own.”
2010 Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards Homestead Reserve Riesling ($18): “Has the rubbery, gasolinelike notes that some of us worship in German Rieslings. The taste segues elegantly to reveal floral and fruity aromas like peach melba and pineapple upside-down cake, all while retaining plenty of acid balance.”
If you’ve tried Finger Lakes Rieslings or anything else, please share your tasting notes here. Cheers!
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