By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief
Photos courtesy of Lieb Family Cellars

A quick harvest update from Lieb Family Cellars marketing director, Melissa Schwartz:

"We brought in 3 tons of merlot on Tuessday, November 3 around 3:30 p.m. The fruit came in at 21.5 brix. We had previously harvested 10 tons for white merlot and rosé on October 5 at 20 brix.

In total we harvested 13 tons of merlot, down from 30 tons last year. Although, after the white merlot harvest we did drop fruit to try and help quality."

I'm sure that Lieb Cellars isn't the only winery to bring in a lot less fruit this year, because of all the fruit-set problems early in the season.

Rich Pisacano, co-owner of Roanoke Vineyards, is a cabernet sauvignon guy, and he and consulting winemaker Roman Roth make some of Long Island's most consistently good cabernet-based wines -- no small feat in a cool climate region.

But as good as those cabernets can be, this is still Long Island, where merlot still rules. Not surprisingly, the Roanoke Vineyards merlots can be standouts as well.

Even in its youth, this Roanoke Vineyards 2005 Merlot ($45/sold out) shows depth and complexity on a nose where black plum, blackberry and blueberry fruit aromas mingle with those of licorice, dark chocolate and spearmint.

On the fuller side of medium-bodied the palate is led by brooding dark fruit at its core with spice, cocoa powder, hints of vanilla and an elegant, classic minty note layered beneath.

The tannins are big, but not angular, providing structure to a Long Island merlot that is clearly built for the long haul. That minty-herbal note lingers on a finish with great length as well.

This merlot perfectly displays the quality of the 2005 vintage without trying to be a West Coast wine. It may very well be the quintessential warm-year Long Island merlot.

Unfortunately, it is sold out, but Pisacano often re-releases small lots of library wines down the road, so keep an eye out for this one. 

Producer: Roanoke Vineyards
AVA: North Fork of Long island
ABV: 13.2%
Oak: 18 months, 37% new French
Cases Produced: 175
Price: $45*
Rating:  (4 out of 5 | Delicious, Distinctive )

(Ratings Guide)

By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief

Sunday morning, I was joined by several New York Cork Report readers, other bloggers and their families to pick cabernet franc grapes at Raphael as a part of the 'Sonis Cellars 2009 harvest (read more about my ongoing 'Sonis Cellars project). 

It was a truly perfect, sunny, mild day for picking and I think the group had a great time. I shot video throughout the day and put together this clip that I hope captures the fun of the day -- especially the fun that my son, Jackson, had helping out. You'll no doubt notice a cluster of grapes in his left hand pretty much throughout the day. Nena had to pry it from his hands at before they got home for his nap.

Clearly, he is at home in a vineyard.

Oh, and for those who are curious, the grapes were around 21 brix or so and had really nice, only gently herbal green flavors. No bell pepper cab franc here folks.

As I, and no doubt you, have come to expect, we're drinking a wide array of beverages from a diverse group of locales. Some were better than others of course.

From Lenn Thompson: Shinn Estate Vineyards 2008 Haven

The folks from Shinn Estate Vineyards are good at proving me wrong. Okay, that's probably an overstatement, but they sure are good at keeping me honest about making generalizations. I shouldn't make them at all.

I thought that some wineries went overboard in 2005, trying to make wines that aren't true to the region and its signature style. Shinn's 2005 show restraint and elegance -- balancing ripeness and food-friendliness. I've said here on the site and in print that 2006 wasn't a great year for cabernet franc. But theirs is spicy and balanced and delicious. 

And then there were some negative comments I made about barrel-fermented sauvignon blanc. At the time, co-owner David Page told me "Just wait to you taste our version, Haven." Every owner probably thinks that his or her version is better than others, of course, so I didn't think much of it.

Then I tasted it.

Named for the type of soil found in their vineyard, this wine's combination of barrel fermentation, a significant portion of Semillon and extended skin contact gives this unique wine a nutty, faintly sherry-like quality along with flavors of dried apricot, peach and melon -- all with citrusy acidity and a saline minerality.

It was particularly satisfying enjoyed during a lunch of cured meats and cheeses with great friends after a morning picking cabernet franc on Sunday.

Note to self: don't make generalizations.

From Tom Mansell: Spoetzl Brewery Shiner Bock and New Gralus Brewing Company Spotted Cow

This weekend I attended the wedding of two college friends (about my 12th wedding in the past couple years). One was from Wisconsin and one from Texas, so they both brought their respective hometown brews for the enjoyment of their guests.

Shiner Bock I've had before (a lot actually... you can find $1 drafts pretty much every night in Austin and I spent a beer-soaked week there in college). It's malty and clean drinking with fresh acidity. It reminds me of my own hometown brew, Yuengling Lager, but I'll admit it's much better than Yuengling from the bottle.  Unfortunately, while it's available almost nationwide, it's practically impossible to obtain in New York (outside of Manhattan), but it's good enough to seek out if you're out of state.

Spotted Cow was much talked about and much hyped by some other Wisconsinites I know (Has everybody from WI had this beer?). In fact, it's only available in Wisconsin, so it was smuggled to the reception in the trunk of the limo. Obviously it was something special and I was eager to give it a shot. 

Well, it's fantastic. It's cloudy with a creamy mouthfeel (cask-conditioned with yeast in the bottle) with vanilla and nice fruity esters. Finishes smooth and clean. Very enjoyable, even as one of.. er... many drinks enjoyed at a wedding.

From Evan Dawson: Poet's Leap 2008 Riesling, Columbia Valley, Washington

I should first say that most of the West Coast riesling I've tasted in the past year has been fat. And that's an unfair generalization, because no doubt there is plenty of balance to find.

And here we are. This wine is perhaps the first or second West Coast riesling that brings a Finger Lakes-kind of nose, and there's certainly a racy edge that I like. But it finishes with a bizarre kind of metallic streak, like licking a crowbar. Until the finish, I was really enjoying this wine.

Not sure why the finish is that way (any help, Mr. Mansell?) but this wine is otherwise a nice, balanced effort that signals very good things for Washington riesling.

From Bryan Calandrelli: Luis Felipe Edwards 2007 Carmenere, Chile

Chilly autumn temperatures usually force me to step out of my cool-climate red wine zone. When this happens I usually avoid California stuff and go to the inexpensive South American reds from Argentina and Chile, and when I'm shopping for a red under $10, I have a soft spot for Carmenere.

This bottle of Luis Felipe Edwards Reserva Carmenere 2007 is the result of my little boy crying before his father could make it to the badass wine store he was aiming for. Looking to avoid a total meltdown, I stopped into to a place called Wine World, which likes to use only the largest distributors.

I found this wine to have a typical sweet and spicy nose on this one, with plum, blackcurrant and some annoying over ripe raisin and prune notes. Its soft and sweet tannins provided for a plush mouth-feel and friendly finish. This was in no way special or memorable unless you count my memory of being frustrated at the flavor of prune juice.

Ive had better Carmenere at a fraction of the $11 price tag this one cost including the Calina Reserva, Casillero del Diablo, Santa Rita 120 and a number of others.

Wines like this really make me want to figure out what makes a Reserva in South America anyway. They sure don't have standards like Chianti or Rioja from what I can tell.

 
From Julia Burke: Brewster's Brewing Co. - Mata Hari ESB

I picked up Mata Hari while browsing the British section of my local beer market, seeking the understated elegance of a well-made British ESB. Poured into a pint glass, it shows a one-finger head, spotty lacing that vanishes quickly, and hazy desert brown color with a tint of orange.

The nose is quite yeasty with lots of orange peel and a bit of almond. British hops, especially Fuggles, carry throughout from nose to mid-palate. Mouthfeel is well-carbonated but creamy with soft layers of hops and a light, thin finish that disappears all too quickly.

Mata Hari is subtle and pleasing, but once you reach the finish it becomes more like a cookie-baking grandma in an apron than its armed-and-dangerous bombshell namesake. When you name a beer after an exotic dancer-turned-WWI-spy, it should probably be a little sexier than this, even for a British ale. I love the delicate, soft-like-your-mom's-couch British hops - I just want to enjoy them a little longer! I'm not one to bash UK ESBs for being slightly aloof. However, a more complex finish would make this one a bit more memorable. Not my favorite example of the style.

As you learned in Jason Feulner's recent post, Standing Stone Vineyards stands today where Gold Seal Wine Company and two Frenchmen, Guy DeVaux and Charles Fournier, first experimented with vinifera varieties on Seneca Lake. As Jason said, the winery has built a reputation in a few categories. I know them best from tasting several of their dessert wines over the years, many of which are tremendous values.

This is the first pinot noir I've tasted, and there is a lot to like here.

The heat of the 2007 is on full display here, the nose is ripe and fruity with red cherry and raspberry fruit aromas with leaf tobacco, leather and a faint note of acetone that blew off after a few minutes.

The palate is similarly ripe with cherry leading the way, backed by leather, cherry cola, earthy spice and a tart cranberry note.

The tannins are ripe and slightly velvety and the acidity is still fresh bordering on firm. The spicy finish is medium in length and tart with cranberries.

Producer: Standing Stone Vineyards
AVA: Finger Lakes
ABV: 12.3%
TA: .65 g/L
pH: 3.2
Cases Produced: 175
Price: $25*
Rating:  (3 out of 5 | Recommended)  

(Ratings Guide)

By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief

Some quick-hit reviews from the New York Cork Report Tasting Table over the last week or two.

Dr. Konstantin Frank 2007 Pinot Noir ($20): Toasty vanilla, cherry, plum and dried leaf earthiness a nice, aromatic nose. Medium body, black cherry and plum, oak, leather, vanilla and spice. Low acid and low tannin. Soft, earthy on medium finish. Rating:  (2.5 out of 5 | Average-to-Very Good)

Macari Vineyards 2005 Estate Merlot ($19): Leaf tobacco, red cherry and mulberry, with nice herbal component and a surprising amount of black pepper on the nose. Medium-light bodied and well balanced. A little juicy on the mid-palate, but a nice core of red cherry with tobacco, minty-thyme herbs and spicy oak. Medium intensity tannings that are well incorporated.  (3 out of 5 | Recommended)  

Pellegrini Vineyards 2004 Merlot ($20): Black raspberry, dried thyme and oregano, earthy tobacco and vanilla on the nose. Medium body with lighter tannins. Black raspberry and blueberry fruit on the palate with spice, herbs and vanilla-oak. Abrupt finish. Rating:  (2.5 out of 5 | Average-to-Very Good)

Roanoke Vineyards 2008 Chardonnay ($18): 82% stainless steel. Nose is vaguely sauv blanc-ish with lemony citrus, fresh herbs, delicate honey and a touch of vanilla oak. Medium bodied and citrusy up front with passionfruit, honey, vanilla and toasty oak. Firm acid. Lemony-vanilla short finish. Rating:  (2.5 out of 5 | Average-to-Very Good)

Stoney Lonesome 2007 Pinot Noir ($17): Simple cherry-strawberry preserves and vanilla on the nose. Light body. Juicy and straight forward red fruit. Sour cherry with vanilla and a little smokiness. Good-to-high acid and low tannins. Rating: Rating: (2 out of 5 | Average)

White Springs Vineyards 2007 Pinot Noir ($18): Surprisingly light nose with only extremely faint cranberry-cinnamon compote aromas. A little leafy not in a good way. Very light style, high-toned cranberry, red apple and high, shrill acidity. A little stemmy, again in a bad way. Rating: (1.5 out of 5 | Not Recommended-to-Average)

By Julia Burke, Niagara Escarpment Correspondent

Riesling (in some form) shows up on nearly every wine list on the Niagara Wine Trail – after all, it is New York’s signature white grape. But for Spring Lake Winery, located just east of Lockport, riesling isn’t just a standby white grape. It’s the only variety planted on their eight acres.

 The Varallo family, owners of Spring Lake, have been making wine for three generations, but it was only a few years ago that they decided to try their hands at growing grapes.

After researching the land and consulting with Finger Lakes and Ontario winemakers, they decided that their soil – a sandy, well-drained loam left by what was once a sand quarry – was best suited to riesling, so that’s what they planted, along with a few experimental rows of pinot noir.

“It’s been quite a learning curve,” chuckles Dominic Varallo, who became winemaker and vineyard manager with no formal training and had to have a crash course in everything from trellis systems to tasting room service.

Of course, a single wine would make for a mighty short tasting, so Spring Lake supplements their riesling offerings with wine made at the winery from California grapes, mostly from Sonoma and Alexander Valley: merlot, cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay, and gewurztraminer. The Spring Lake brand name is used for the purchased fruit while “Varallo Vineyards” is reserved for estate wines – a smart way to separate the two and make sure the estate stuff gets special attention.

The California wines are all well-made and tasty; the merlot was earthy with a nice tannic grip and meaty spice, and the gewurz offered the most lusciously fruity nose I’ve ever experienced with this variety, oozing with tropical fruit and well-balanced at 2.5% RS.

Naturally, I was most excited about the 2008 Riesling and Late Harvest Riesling. The 2008, their first estate release, was flawed with signs of oxidation and a withered-spinach quality in the nose. Dominic foresees much improvement this year. “We had a lower yield this year, bigger clusters, a cleaner crop,” he says. I got to taste some juice from their 2009 harvest – October 16 this year – and was pleased to find good acidity and nice aromatics. Varallo does an arrested fermentation on his riesling, cooling it with a chiller. He plans to make a semi-dry Riesling this year using this method.

I asked Varallo what was it was going to take to make this area equal to Ontario in renown. He replied, “This!” and set his 2008 Late Harvest Riesling on the counter with pride. “We need to take advantage of this climate – we can’t be California. We can do this kind of thing here.”

Now I was interested – this one had a subtle nose of apricot and nectarine, with a nice finish of stewed orange peel and cranberry. Varallo tells me they harvested at 29 Brix and were able to make 398 cases of this Late Harvest. They sell it for $35 in the tasting room.

What’s the future of riesling in the Niagara region? There’s significant variation between the Niagara Escarpment itself, the northern region along Lake Ontario, and the sandy soil of the east, and I can’t wait to compare a riesling from each specific area in a blind tasting and see what differences are apparent.

Varallo’s pinot noir, incidentally, will be made into a rose – he hasn’t been thrilled with the results he’s seen and wants to focus solely on riesling. The only other grapes he would consider planting, he says, are gewurztraminer and cabernet franc.

Spring Lake Winery at Varallo Vineyards is definitely a winery to watch as their vines mature and they improve their winemaking practices – and cheers to them for making the decision to focus on a single varietal and take on the daunting task of perfecting it. I’m really looking forward to tasting what Dominic Varallo and his family have to offer in the next few years.

Shmaltz Brewing Company is one of the more interesting breweries in the country. The Jewish-themed company is based in California, but the beer is brewed in Saratoga, New York, so it's technically a New York beer.

The brewery produces two lines of beer, the He'Brew line and the Coney Island Craft Lager line. The He'Brew line consists of Jewish-themed beers such as Messiah Bold and Genesis Ale, while the Coney Island Lager line consists of strong lagers whose names and labels feature members of the world famous Coney Island Freakshow. 

The He'Brew line also features the Jewbelation series, which consists of a new beer released each year in celebration of the brewery's anniversary. The line started with Jewbelation Eight and has now moved to Jewbelation Thirteen.

Of course, when your beers are Jewish themed, you don't name your 13th birthday beer Thirteen, but instead it should be named Jewbelation Bar Mitzvah. Shmaltz encouraged fans to mail in picture of themselves at their own Bar Mitzvahs to be featured on the label.  

Jewbelation Bar Mitzvah poured a very dark brown-blackish color with a finger width tan head. The nose is deep and complex, sweet with aromas of dark fruit, chocolate, licorice, coffee and tons of dark malt. Alcohol is slightly noticeable.

The body is fairly complex, smooth and thick, sweet and tons of chocolate up front. There is a huge roasted malt backbone and the alcohol is lightly noticeable again in the middle of the body. The finish is harsh, overly bitter and the alcohol runs wild.

Overall, this is an interesting beer. It is phenominal up front and bad on the finish.  It has amazing potential but it needs to age for awhile, at least a year. 

Shmaltz is pushing the limits with this beer and I cannot wait to taste it after it matures a bit. I almost did not rate it, but it is available to drink now. I highly recommend buying this beer and letting it sit for 12-18 months. 

This beer will is too young to pair with food yet, but in the future it would need a strong chocolate dessert or steak.  The true pairing for Bar Mitzvah is not food though, but rather a rich cigar. This beer is strong and the roasted malts would compliment tobacco nicely.   

Producer: Shmaltz Brewing Company
ABV: 13%
Price: $5.99 (22 oz. Bottle)
Rating:  (2 out of 5 | Average)

Don't let Vinny Aliperti, co-owner and winemaker at Billsboro Winery, fool you with his humble, laid back personality. He makes serious wines, both at Billsboro and at his 'day job' as winemaker at Atwater Estate Vineyards.

Maybe its that laid-back personality that somehow keeps him and his wines just under the radar, but his are wines worth drinking and keeping an eye on.

Of the half dozen 2007 Finger Lakes pinot noirs that I tasted recently, none showed a balance of fruit, oak, tannin and acid the that his Billsboro Winery 2007 Pinot Noir ($22) did.

This light ruby red pinot has aromas of craberry and bing cherry fruit with delicate earthiness and a faint note of Werther's Original candy.

Lithe, lively and supple all at once, the palate showcases straightforward, ripe red berry fruit flavors from the hot 2007 vintage with a little tart cherry and earthy herb in the mix.

Like I mentioned already, the balance is impressive, with food-ready acidity and medium tannins shaping all that red fruit and then stepping back just a little on the medium finish, where an earthy spice component peeks through. 

I don't have a lot of experience aging Finger Lakes pinot, but I'd think short-term cellaring would be rewarded with this wine.

Producer: Billsboro Winery
AVA: Finger Lakes
ABV: 12.5%
Price: $22*
Rating:  (3 out of 5 | Recommended)  

(Ratings Guide)

By Jason Feulner, Finger Lakes Correspondent

Standing in Red Tail Ridge Winery's new facility recently, it occurred to me: The entire geothermal machine area looks like something out of a Star Wars movie. Can it get any cooler (or hotter) than that?

I stopped by Red Tail Ridge on Seneca Lake the other day with the primary goal of getting a harvest report. I was also excited about the winery's new production facility, which I assumed would have some interesting features.

The facility and its winemaking innovations blew my mind.

While I knew that owners Mike Schnelle and Nancy Irelan had built an environmentally conscious facility that is eligible for LEED certification, I had no idea that the building houses a thermal system that is incorporated into various elements of winemaking. By tapping into natural geothermal energy, the new production facility not only maintains a constant, energy-efficient temperature in general, but it also regulates the temperature of the tanks during fermentation.

 Unlike most wineries in the Finger Lakes, the tank temperatures are not measured and reported manually, but through a computer screen, utilizing software specially designed for Red Tail Ridge.

"I can control the tank temperatures remotely," winemaker Nancy Irelan (at right) tells me. "When all the bugs are worked out, I could in theory monitor the temperatures from my kitchen table at home."

And while Nancy is hardly passive enough to rely heavily on remote control, the sheer efficiency of the system speaks to her dedication to environmentalism and sustainability. To be patient enough to commission a design for such a thermal contorl system is no easy or inexpensive task, which is indicated by the complex mechanics visible in the control-room area on the second floor of the facility. The geothermal system uses a mixture of extreme heat and extreme cold to regulate temperature on a constant basis.

With only a few Finger Lakes vintages in her portfolio thus far, the critics are already appreciating her efforts. My tasting of her 2009 riesling lots in tank revealed some tremendous early quality with complex fruit and pronounced minerality.

As for the 2009 harvest in general, Nancy is very pleased, although the cool and wet vintage was a "new challenge" for someone who cut her winemaking teeth in California. Despite the challenges of the growing season, especially the intensive vineyard management needed to keep ahead of potential problems, Nancy feels that most of the grapes are in great shape. "The pinot noir was really beautiful fruit this year with nice, even ripeness."

Energy efficient or not, one could point out that the production facility at Red Tail Ridge is more extensive than it needs to be for its planned output, yet the environmental features are so comprehensive that it seems almost certain that the long-term efficiencies will be significant and noteworthy. Furthermore, Nancy is the first to admit that such a facility is not a prerequisite for making good wine: these innovations are simply a reflection of her and her husband's dedication to environmental innovation.

In only a few short years Red Tail Ridge has become a Finger Lakes winery to watch. With a an adjoining tasting room slated for future construction as well as Nancy's propensity to experiment with different clones and varietals, the future looks even more interesting.

By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief

"It’s barely ripe. It’ll be awesome rose, or mid-line quality red. We went with rose."

That's why, according to Peconic Bay Winery's general manager Jim Silver, the 2009 edition of their second-label Nautique Esprit de Rose will be 60% cabernet franc. He added "The cabernet franc was beautiful and clean, but not ripe enough for red wines."

Yesterday, they sorted 16 tons of cabernet franc (just under 4 tons per acre)  that came in at 20 brix from a neighboring vineyard.

They also purchased some rose-bound cabernet sauvignon that came in earlier at 19.8 brix with yields around 2.25 tons per acre. Peconic Bay Winery doesn't put any purchased fruit into their main line, but will and does for the Nautique line, made up of a rose, a red and a white.

The rose will be rounded out by estate-grown cabernet sauvignon.

Jim told me that they are "upset to lose the potential red wines from the 2009 harvest" but added that "When you taste the killer rose we’re going to make, the summer of 2010 will be all the more joyful."

The merlot and cabernet franc managed by long-time vineyard manager, Charlie Hargrave, in the winery's estate vineyards still show great promise, according to Silver, and will come in at well under 2 tons per acre, the result of fruit set problems that hit many Long Island growers this year.

"Our cabernet franc will probably ripen better and be made into a small amount of red," Silver told me in an email.

It might be years like 2009 that further cement merlot as the region's focal point. It ripens the most consistenly and it will dominate Peconic Bay's 2009 releases. Why?

"That’s how the year shook out," said Silver "It was a challenge for sure, but merlot is a trooper!"

The harvest season in Niagara has just about come to a close, and I’ve spent the last two days harvesting, crushing, and pressing grapes that hung into November. I’m exhausted and I can tell there is a sense of relief in the air that the wineries in our area don’t have to constantly fuss over weather forecasts anymore.

In my conversations this year with local growers, I’ve been able to pick up a few signs that they would rather not be matter of fact when discussing their crop. I’ve gotten used to a wink or grin when they discuss brix levels. I’ve even come to appreciate sarcasm as a response to vintage questions. One winemaker’s response of “best vintage yet” still sums up the tone of the season for me.

A sense of humor is required when you rely on Mother Nature.

By Evan Dawson, Finger Lakes Editor

Photo montage by Morgan Dawson Photography

Are Finger Lakes wine producers insecure about alcohol?

It's a strange question, I realize. But it's one that came to mind when my wife and I were out to dinner recently. We ordered a bottle of Joh. Jos. Prum 2007 Riesling Kabinett from Germany's Mosel. The wine was beautiful -- and it was only 9% alcohol by volume (ABV). Not long ago we enjoyed a Fritz Haag from Mosel that came in at 7% ABV. 

So I wondered: Why don't we see Finger Lakes rieslings at lower alcohol levels like their German counterparts?

Most Finger Lakes riesling checks in from 11% to 13% alcohol. There is certainly nothing inherently wrong with that. But I was curious to know if there is a marketing perception that American wine buyers recoil from wines under, say, 10% alcohol.

First, it helps to understand why Mosel riesling generally brings lower alcohol. For the answer, I turned to a German -- winemaker Johannes Reinhardt of Anthony Road Wine Company. Johannes points out the following:

1. Germans can not, by law, add bags of sugar in the winemaking process (at least not for the better rieslings). They live with the natural sugar of the grapes. This can result in less overall sugar to work with, thus less alcohol that can be created.
2. Germans tend not to take acid out, even if the acidity is severe. So to counteract the extreme acids, they leave more sugar, choosing to ferment less to alcohol.

So far so good. But you might be saying, "American winemakers add bags of sugar?"

Sometimes, yes. They can do it to increase the alcohol of a wine. They can also ferment all of the natural sugar into alcohol and then "back-sweeten" to increase the sugar content in the finished wine. Not everyone does this, but it happens, and winemaker Chris Stamp of Lakewood Vineyards on Seneca Lake thinks some winemakers add sugar simply to make sure there's a higher ABV.

"Why throw sugar in just to get alcohol up?" Stamp recently asked as he evaluated the 2009 riesling at Lakewood, which came in between 18 and 20 brix (lower than usual). "We don't need bags of Domino's Sugar to make a quality riesling."

Stamp is not trying to sound flippant or edgy; he's one of the most soft-spoken and courteous winemakers you'll meet. But he's also one of the few who will offer a Finger Lakes riesling with an ABV that looks a lot more like Mosel. This year, he expects the Lakewood Riesling to finish around 9% ABV while the Lakewood Dry Riesling will end up around 10.5% ABV. In cooler growing years Stamp believes the more natural result is a lower-alcohol riesling. 

"Instead of trying to mold the wine into something it's not meant to be, we take a different approach," he explained. "Different years call for different styles of wine. 2007 demanded higher alcohol wines because the grapes came in with so much sugar. Of course, it's easy to decide what kind of riesling you're going to make before the grapes come in. But sometimes if you've already decided, you have to force things. Maybe I'm getting older, but I prefer a more natural approach."

Up the road at Hermann J. Wiemer, winemaker Fred Merwarth agrees. "I think there probably is a perception in this region that the alcohol needs to be at a certain level, but that's wrong," Merwarth said during a recent break in harvesting riesling. "We have a late harvest wine that finishes around 9% alcohol in most years, and I don't think we've ever had a customer question it."

But Fox Run winemaker Peter Bell offers a note of caution. "These German rieslings can really taste good with a few years of bottle age. But most Finger Lakes rieslings are drunk very young." He goes on to say that a low-alcohol riesling without much bottle age can taste "startlingly non-vinous." 

And over on Cayuga Lake, Sheldrake Point general manager Bob Madill notes that Germans might be using "wild fermentations or weaker yeasts. If you harvest a 19 brix grape, and assume (a lower conversion of alcohol than in the Finger Lakes), then the riesling if fermented to a residual sugar of 2.5% would have an alcohol level of about 8.25 to 8.5%. Riper and more likely to be balanced. So, depending on the season, harvest and fermentation objectives, it might be possible to produce a ripe and balanced Finger Lakes riesling at lower levels of alcohol."

Got all that?

The good news is that more producers seem to be having thoughtful conversations about how to handle the wildly varying harvests in the Finger Lakes. Can consumers tell the difference between a riesling with only natural sugars and a riesling sweetened with Domino's sugar? That might be better answered by our Science Editor here at the New York Cork Report. 

But purists will gravitate toward more natural wines, like those from Lakewood and Wiemer.

At Anthony Road, Reinhardt is experimenting with a half dozen trials with the intention of creating a lower alcohol riesling this year. He stresses that lower alcohol rieslings should come from "the best fruit from well established vineyard sites."

And what does it all mean? Just that a wine region that already produces some world-class rieslings is having the kinds of conversations that will inevitably lead to better understanding of what the area offers. 2009 will produce naturally lower alcohols. There is no right percentage for alcohol -- ABV is not as easy as ABC or even 12.3.  

By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief

I wrote back in May about Shinn Estate Vineyards and its desires to erect a wind turbine in its vineyard to harness East End winds for power.

That saga is on-going and filled with follow-up meetings and hearings. Owners David Page and Barbara Shinn remain hopeful that their turbine project will be underway soon -- but they won't be the first North Fork winery using wind power.

Osprey’s Dominion Vineyard today celebrated the ground breaking of their own Wind Power turbine. The producer commissioned Eastern Energy Systems, Inc. to install a 20k wind turbine at their North Fork winery in the Town of Southold. This will be the Long Island Power Authority's (LIPA) first Farm Service turbine, undertaken through the Backyard Wind Initiative created this year.

The turbine is expected to produce an estimated 42,802 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity per year for an annual energy savings of $7,918. The projected total cost of the project is $144,000. A LIPA rebate of $69,401 is anticipated, significantly off-setting the expense for the system. Osprey Dominion Vineyard may further reduce the cost of the system via a Federal tax incentive and by selling the excess electric energy produced back to LIPA.

ODV doesn't get a lot of publicity for it's "green" endeavors, but Osprey’s Dominion was the first winery on Long Island to power their maintenance equipment with biodiesel fuels, starting in 1999.

Osprey’s Dominion will host a ribbon-cutting event in the spring where they plan to release their first bottle of a limited edition “FLIGHT” wine, their first wine made with wind power.

My assignment this month from Lenn was to create a dish to pair with the Heart & Hands Wine Company 2007 Barrel Reserve Pinot Noir. 

This is a beautiful Finger Lakes pinot with overtones of currant and cranberry and by the way is my favorite pinot noir in the Finger Lakes! So, I decided to pair it with one of my favorite dishes.....duck breast.

This is a simple but elegant relish that works well with pan seared duck breast (also be great on that Thanksgiving turkey too) with undertones of clove and orange. 

In fact, if  you're in the area I have put this duck dish paired with the wine on my November Chef's table -- so come on in and enjoy them both!

Ingredients:

2 cups onion, diced
1 1/2tbsp garlic, minced
4 cups cranberries
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 1/2 tsp orange zest
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup red wine
1/2 cup sugar
salt and pepper, to taste
2 tbsp olive oil

Method: 

In a saucepan, add olive oil, onion and garlic. Saute for about 10 minutes until onions begin to soften. 

Add remainder of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and allow to simmer until the liquid has been reduced and most of the cranberries have "popped", about half hour. 

On a pan seared duck breast (I suggest medium rare) add one tablespoon of the warm cranberry clove relish to the top of it's golden brown skin

Pour yourself a glass of the Heart and Hands 07 Reserve Pinot Noir and enjoy!

There is little doubt that riesling rules the Finger Lakes roost, but what grape will be the one on which the region's red grape reputation will be built? The jury is still out I think. Some say cabernet franc. Other content that Blaufrankisch is the grape. Many blend the two in what might be a signature red blend. Maybe it'll even be a hybrid, though the potential is probably limited there.

Then you have a small, dedicated group of growers and winemakers who think that pinot noir shows the most potential -- but only in the best years and/or when grown in the right locations to the right yields.

2007 was one of those "best year" so I recently tasted six different Finger Lakes pinot noirs side-by-side, including this Heron Hill Winery 2007 Reserve Pinot Noir ($28). The results were mixed, as you'll see over the course of the next week or so in these pages, and based just on these wines, it's impossible to define a Finger Lakes style of pinot.

The Heron Hill was one of slightly darker wines, a medium-light cranberry red with a slightly bluish tinge.

The nose is big with crushed red raspberries, black cherry skin, vanilla bean and smoky oak.

Ripe is the first descriptor I'd use for the palate, the second would be oaky. Ripe, somewhat juicy raspberries and cherries play off of cinnamon-clove spice, smoke and vanilla.

The fullest bodied of the 6 wines, the tannins are well-incorporated and bring just a little grip to a plush mouthfeel. The finish is long and cherry filled.

If you like your pinot noir toasty, this one will be right up your alley. It's a little to oaky for my tastes, but that's a stylistic preference.

Producer: Heron Hill Winery
AVA: Finger Lakes
ABV: 13.5%
RS: .3 g/L
TA: 5.8 g/L
Price: $28*
Cases Produced: 450
Rating:  (3 out of 5 | Recommended)  

(Ratings Guide)

Why is David Whiting smiling?

More importantly, why is he smiling while holding what appears to be a pitchfork?

We might never know the answer to the second question, but he's happy to explain the first. Harvest has wrapped up at Red Newt -- at least, the final grapes came in to Red Newt Wine Cellars one week ago. Crush has finished, and Whiting is already working with assistant winemaker Brandon Seager to assess the 2009 vintage.

It will take time, but Whiting is fired up to talk about the aromatic whites.

"So far, things look good," he said. "I feel that riesling, gewurz, and pinot gris are outstanding." 

If he's right, it's good news for a producer that has recently focused on a range of whites - from low-priced everyday wines to high-end single-vineyard gewurztraminers. Red Newt has also bottled single-vineyard red wines. Whiting is optimistic but more hesitant to pass judgement on 2009 reds.

"The reds are looking good at this point," he said. "Very mature, but with ample acid and low pH."

Then, seemingly speaking for dozens of Finger Lakes winemakers, he continued: "We'll have to wait for an assessment on these."

There have been rumors about this event swirling for weeks, but as of today it's official -- Sip, Savor & Shop, a showcase for New York wine and food, will take place on Sunday, December 6 from 2 to 6 p.m.

More than 35 wineries from across New York State will be joined by farmers and food producers, as well as several local restaurants, to present a taste of New York and celebrate the holiday season. Over 100 wines from Long Island, the Hudson Valley, the Finger Lakes, and other regions, will be available for tasting -- and most uniquely be available for sale as well.

My guess is that more wineries will sign on leading up to the event, but wineries that have already comitted included Anthony Road Winery, Chateau Frank and Dr. Frank Vinifera Wine Cellars, Chateau LaFayette Reneau, Damiani Wine Cellars, Heron Hill Winery, Keuka Lake Vineyards, Shaw Vineyard, Standing Stone Vineyards, Wagner Vineyards, and White Springs Winery from the Finger  Lakes, Bedell Cellars, Bouké Wines, Brooklyn Oenology, Castello di Borghese, Duck Walk Vineyards, Laurel Lake Vineyard, Lieb Family Cellars, Long Island Meadery, Macari Vineyard & Winery, Martha Clara Vineyards, Medolla Vineyards, Onabay Vineyards, One Woman Wines & Vineyards, Palmer Vineyards, Raphael Vineyard, Scarola Vineyards, Sherwood House Vineyards, Sparkling Pointe, and Wolffer Estate Vineyards & Winery from Long Island, and Benmarl and Brotherwhood Winery from the Hudson Valley.

Tickets are $45 and include wine and food sampling, as well as a souvenir wine glass. They can be purchased from the City Winery website.

The New York Cork Report will be involved in this event somehow as well. I'm hoping to have something more to announce in the next week or so.

From Evan Dawson: Epicuro 2007 Aglianico Beneventano (Italy)

A lot of people are going to drink this wine because you can find it at Trader Joe's for about $5. And a lot of people are going to say, "Wow, Aglianico really sucks."

That's the danger in trying a new varietal if it comes from a large or bulk producer. Certainly some wines made by larger producers are outstanding. But it's easy to try one bottle and say, "Yeah, I've had Zweigelt. Didn't love it." (That has been me before). 

I have deeply enjoyed the aglianico I've had preceding this bottle, and I'll keep exploring it. I just shudder to think of the consumer who tries one bottle of Finger Lakes riesling or Long Island merlot from one of the producers that is not as tireless in seeking quality. One bottle can color a person's entire view of a region. It's entirely unfair, and it's even more off-base if that region has a unique sense of place that contributes to the wines.

If you're wondering, this wine smells like acrid citrus Lik-M-Aid candy. It tastes like a rusted bayonet dipped in blackberry jam. Buy it as a gift for someone you intensely dislike.

From Tom Mansell: Dogfish Head Punkin Ale

From Lenn Thompson: Pollak Vineyards 2007 Cabernet Franc Reserve (Virginia)

From Jason Feulner: Dr. Konstantin Frank 2008 Semi-Dry Riesling (Finger Lakes)

As I taste more and more 2008 rieslings the more impressed I become with the vintage. This semi-dry version from Dr. Frank's is wonderful wine with the beautiful minerality and fruit bound with zippy acidity. The tropical fruit and melon flavors are reminiscient of past Dr. Frank rieslings, which I have almost begun to suspect share something of a distinct fruit profile. It's not better or worse than other wines, but its simply hits my palate with an "Aha, a Dr. Frank!" type of impression. The honey notes, of course, are found in other wines from the region and are a welcome backdrop for this accomplished riesling. 

From Julia Burke: Maipe 2008 Bonarda, Mendoza, Argentina

One of the more interesting beer styles that American craft brewers have experimented with is the Dunkelweizen. Dunkelweizens are brewed as darker versions of wheat beers (Dunkel means "dark") and usually brown and cloudy from the yeast. They are brewed with complex malts and a light sweetness with low levels of bitterness. The common wheat and banana flavors are also present in this style.

Brown's Brewing Company in Troy, NY has just started to bottle their Dunkel and I decided that this week was a great time to review it.

Brown's Dunkelweizen poured a dark brown color with a thumb width, light tan head, The nose was is deep, with a ton of malt, bananas, cloves, sweetness and some notes of alcohol.

The body is smooth and rich, with a sweetness up front and a big malt backbone. There are chocolate notes in the middle and the alcohol is noticeable. The malts dry out on the finish and leave a faint lingering dryness. There is no real hop presence.

Overall, this is a good Dunkel. I thought it was a little rich for the style, but the chocolate was a nice touch. The flavors really start to come out as the beer warmed but I thought it could have been a little more balanced.

This beer just begs to be paired with a tasty dessert. Give me a slightly bitter chocolate fudge to pair with this beer and you will find one happy beer drinker.

Producer: Brown's Brewing Company
ABV: 6%
Price: $4.00 (22 oz. Bottle)
Rating:    (3.5 out of 5 | Very good-to-Delicious)