In my last edition of this column, I wrote about the first half of my trip to New York state’s Finger Lakes, including wineries on Keuka Lake and Seneca Lake. This is the story of the second half of the trip, including the rest of the wineries my wife and I visited on Seneca Lake. Unfortunately, we did not make it to Cayuga Lake — this time.
The last winery we visited on the west side of Seneca Lake was Red Tail Ridge. The winery has one of best driveways in the Finger Lakes, snaking through the beautiful vineyard, uphill to the production facility, with the tasting room just beyond. Known for its dry wines, Red Tail Ridge is also one of the most environmentally conscious wineries I’ve visited. In 2011, the winery received the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) gold certification as a result of green features like geothermal cooling and heating and using recycled building materials.
The wines are fantastic as well. Oaked and unoaked chardonnays show very different expressions of the same grape. A nice dry riesling and a zippy, refreshing dry rosé were both great, but the 2013 riesling was the standout white. With 1.3 percent residual sugar, its not bone dry, but it achieves wonderful balance between acidity and a very slight hint of sweetness. I loved the crushed rocks and lime aromas on the nose and the zesty citrus on the palate.
As for the reds, Red Tail Ridge is known for producing wines using some rare varietals in addition to making a delicious pinot noir. These unique wines include: Teroldego, a red grape from northeastern Italy, which has produced a wine with black cherry flavors mixed with interesting herbal and earthy notes; Dornfelder, a thick-skinned German grape with raspberry and smoky flavors; and the Austrian grape Blaufrankisch also called Lemberger, which has a mixed berry palate combined with earth, smoke, and spice. All are delicious and worth trying.
On Sunday, we began our tastings on the eastern shore of Seneca Lake. This area is sometimes referred to as the “Banana Belt” for its longer growing season. Vineyards are closer to the lake here than in most areas, and the water is very deep, allowing the microclimate to stay warm for a bit longer than the rest of the Finger Lakes.
Our first stop was at Silver Springs. The winemaker was in the tasting room, which allowed us to hear more about his process and style. Silver Springs utilizes some grapes from the Finger Lakes and others from Long Island, which provided an interesting comparison. Grapes for some wines are dried on straw mats, an old italian wine making method. The pinot grigio was a delicious summery white, with crisp acidity but also a full-bodied mouth feel, plus delicious peach and pineapple flavors.
Damiani Wine Cellars, our next stop, had an impressive tasting room with a beautiful view of the lake, friendly staff, and plenty of wine variety. One standout was their Prosecco-style sparkling wine; with nice citrus and floral flavors, it would be a perfect easy sipper for the end of a hot day. We also really enjoyed the Vino Rosso, an everyday table wine with bright red fruit flavors that would pair perfectly with pizza. This winery isn’t just for table wines, however. Damiani is making some very interesting fine wines as well. The 2010 cabernet sauvignon, Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, and merlot were all very well made. The Cab Reserve really caught my attention with its powerfully concentrated black fruit flavors along with hints of fig and cedar.
Damiani also produces some very interesting single-vineyard wines, which is becoming one of the best parts of wine in the Finger Lakes. There are many micro-climates and soil varieties in certain pockets of the Finger Lakes, and these offerings are making a serious splash for those searching for terroir — a sense of place — in wine. Damiani’s bottles from the Sunrise Hill Vineyard, Damiani Vineyard, and Davis Vineyard all warrant attention, especially the Sunrise Hill Lemberger.
Atwater Estate Vineyards has some really outstanding dry wines; we thoroughly enjoyed everything we sampled. Atwater and Billsboro, which I wrote about in part one of this review, share the same winemaker. Two sparkling wines at Atwater, Riesling Bubble and “Pinot Noir Bubble (a rosé) were easy purchases. Both are fruit-forward, food-friendly, very refreshing, and priced right — perfect for sipping on the deck or by the pool during warm summer weather. The dry riesling was delicious, with its lime and mineral flavor profile. We really enjoyed the peach and citrus flavor combination in the pinot gris and were pleasantly surprised by the Riewürz — a unique blend of riesling and Gewürztraminer. Two red blends, Stone Bridge Red and The Big Blend, were also quite good.
Red Newt Cellars is one of the best riesling producers in the country, with no fewer than six to try: the light, refreshing, and slightly sweet “Circle” riesling, with orange and apricot notes; the mineral-driven dry riesling with crisp acidity; the semi-dry riesling boasting juicy peach and pear; and three single-vineyard rieslings — Bullhorn Creek, Tango Oaks, and Lahoma, each expressing different styles and unique terroir. Red Newt also produces single-vineyard bottlings of merlot and Gewürztraminer, which are fascinating to try.
The Bistro at Red Newt is easily one of the finest restaurants in the Finger Lakes. Like the terroir expressed in Red Newt’s single-vineyard wines, the Bistro aims to express the taste of the Finger Lakes: the food is sourced from over 30 farmers and producers in the region. If you have the chance, try the wine pairing dinners.
At Hector Wine Company, we were fortunate enough to taste with one of the winemakers. Hector is a relatively new winery, having only opened in 2010, but is already making a splash with excellent wines and a great tasting room. We tasted a pinot blanc, somewhat rare in the Finger Lakes, and enjoyed the delicate citrus and tropical flavors mixed with a tinge of minerality and pepper on the finish. The sauvignon blanc was also a standout, light and refreshing with lively lemon and apple characteristics, and hints of herbs and fresh cut grass. Conversely, the pinot gris had a slightly more cloying mouth feel, likely from the oak-barrel aging, with a nice cantaloupe/melon component, along with tropical fruit flavors.
Leidenfrost Vineyards has been growing grapes on the family farm since 1947, and the experience and knowledge the winemakers amassed over the decades is evident in the wine. The reds were particularly good here, especially the pinot noir: really nice hints of floral and red berries on the nose, with ripe black cherries dominating the palate and a long finish. The Cabernet Franc Reserve also stood out, with an interesting nutty, coffee component on the palate. Leidenfrost’s heritage blend, Rhapsody, was full-bodied and loaded with fresh, ripe black fruit flavors as well as smoky pepper on the finish.
Pulling into the parking lot at Lamoreaux Landing feels more like arriving at a winery in California, with the fantastic views and the beautiful, grandiose building in front of you. But once inside, it feels smaller and friendly, despite the high ceilings, with the cozy tasting bar and wine racks spread around. The wines were, frankly, outstanding. Like Red Newt, the tasting menu puts a distinct focus on riesling with multiple single-vineyard offerings. The dry riesling, Yellow Dog Vineyard Riesling, and Round Rock Riesling were each fantastic. While the Yellow Dog had flavors of tangerine and lemon with mouthwatering acidity, the Round Rock had a much more integrated and round feeling to it, with almost creamy apple flavors, less zest, and more elegance. All three were no-brainers at checkout.
As for reds, the Estate Red is a ridiculous bargain at $12, a perfect wine for pizza or casual drinking with both true winos and beginners. The pinot noir was elegant and smooth, with an intriguing mix of the expected cherry and slightly earthy herbal flavors, combined with an unexpected orange/tangerine character.
This was one of the best trips to the Finger Lakes I have made in awhile. Most wineries are pulling out all the stops with serious, delicious, thought-provoking, and complex wines. I feel like I bought more dry rosés and sauvignon blancs than usual, though the beginning of summer undoubtedly had something to do with that. Pinot noir and cabernet franc are fairing the best among reds, but there’s no question that riesling is king in the Finger Lakes.
If you live in the northeastern United States, do yourself a favor and make the trip. It is well worth the drive.
Swirl, sniff, sip.