Finger Lakes Wine Tribune - Reviews & Tasting Notes

Red Newt Cellars Saw Mill Creek Reisling

2011-12-06T16:15:00.001-08:00

2009 vintage has buttered quince upfront and plenty of acid and minerals - perfect for a warm evening on the porch after working hard in the garden. The mineral content lingers a bit too long on the palate, but that encourages another sip as the fruit is ripe and contains a bit of residual sugar. I'm thinking fish and chips with subtle use of Tabasco would be an excellent choice of food. The

Eremita Chardonnay

2011-11-08T14:37:00.000-08:00

Eremita is the newest installment of winery on Seneca Lake. The 2010 Chardonnay is "un-oaked" with passion fruit on the nose and plenty of minerality and acidity. Think Gewurztraminer meets Viognier. You'll need to pair this with an assertive cheese, like a New York State sharp cheddar or a brined chicken or turkey. GOOD - 85 Advertisement EAT MORE CHOCOLATE

Kings Garden Pinot Noir

2011-10-24T19:19:00.000-07:00

2009 is currently offered and it is bursting with berry flavors on the nose. Ripe fruit is the predominant characteristic, but assertive points of oak keep the berries in check and the winemaker appears to be patient with this grape and its fussiness. VERY VERY GOOD

Kings Garden Vineyard Chardonnay

2011-10-24T18:46:00.000-07:00

I did a vertical tasting between the 2003, 2005, and 2008 vintages of this wine. The 2003 was the favorite and is sold out, but with more time the 2005 could become the ultimate champion of this wine tasting. It should age well for the next few years. The 2005 is rich, with a butterscotch finish, and the 2008 is very similar to the 2005 but more acidic. Minerality is more prevalent with the

Hector Wine Company Chardonnay

2011-01-09T11:28:00.000-08:00

This 2009 chardonnay is light, refreshing, but has more complexity than most chardonnays of the Finger Lakes, or even of California that I can recall. On the nose there is a distinct, but subtle smokiness, and this carries through the palate. This profile also carries with it the same type of smokiness you would find in a smoked gouda. When I first opened the bottle, the acidity was too

Hector Wine Company Sauvignon Blanc

2011-01-01T14:09:00.000-08:00

This 2009 inaugural vintage Sauvignon Blanc is a solid white player in the region. No one will argue that Riesling is the forefront varietal here in the Finger Lakes wine region, but with some coaxing, I see much potential in the Sauvignon Blanc. This particular wine is the first vintage from this brand new winery, but the grapes come from a veteran vineyard just across the street. This wine

Finger Lakes Pinot Noir Wine Tastings

2010-05-26T14:46:00.000-07:00

As I look back over my previous tasting notes and reviews, it seems like I'm in a rut, but I'm not. I just have been stumbling upon some very good Pinot Noir wines made right here in the Finger Lakes. These Pinots have all been in the lighter Burgundian style, and I'm starting to think that the Pinot may have found a foothold here in the Finger Lakes, much like Riesling has. Enjoy!

Bloomer Creek Pinot Noir

2010-05-18T14:05:00.000-07:00

Please reference the previous post to this, Trends Meet Finger Lakes Wines, on this 2006 vintage Pinot Noir. And continuing the tasting notes on this wine, I find intense bouquet of cherry syrup and some pepper. The ripe fruit on the tongue, while there, is not overwhelming as it might seem from the bouquet. To clarify, there seems to be no residual sugar content, and the winemaker created a

Trends meet Finger Lakes Wines

2010-05-03T04:53:00.000-07:00

While finger lakes wine makers often admit themselves that they do not set trends in wine making, it seems as though there are a few wine makers that have been producing the lighter french style reds, some would say the more traditional Burgundian style that was taken over by the big, jammy, dark colored, ink staining brethren during the past decade. Noted experts in wine say that the ink

Atwater Estate Vineyards Cuvee Brut

2009-12-07T17:43:00.000-08:00

2004 was a delightful year for this sparkling gem. Produced in the traditional method of riddling, and all the other aspects of traditional champagne production, this sparkling wine is as versatile as traditional, and could fool most with its expert blend of Chardonnay and Cayuga, as an authentic Champagne. VERY GOOD

Lamoreaux Landing Pinot Noir

2009-11-17T16:07:00.000-08:00

I was pleasantly surprised by this 2007 vintage Pinot Noir. Very light, in both color and body, but also truly magnificent in its versatility and its ability to embrace the cooler climate of the Finger Lakes. Definitely of French styling, this wine offers delicate fruit forward tastes - blackberry and cherry - and will work well with a range of hard cheeses - primarily asiago. The wine maker

Standing Stone Pinot Noir

2009-11-10T15:56:00.000-08:00

This 2007 vintage estate produced and bottled Pinot Noir is quite enjoyable, balanced and contains hints of chocolate on the nose along with notes of leather accompanied by assertive ripe cherries throughout. The winemaker says hints of truffles, tobacco and leather. This wine went very well with fresh wild cod encrusted with coriander, cinammon and a hint of paprika along with garlic infused

Finger Lakes Wine Reviews

2009-11-10T15:52:00.000-08:00

Back in the saddle again. After a long hiatus, it is time to start posting again. Frankly, I had not been inspired to review any wine I had been consuming. I found some personal favorites that I enjoyed for a while, and did not find much to write about that I already hadn't reviewed. There is never one culprit, but let's just say I got stuck in a rut...Hope you continue to enjoy.

Shalestone Vineyards Synergy

2008-09-06T17:19:00.000-07:00

This 2005 vintage blend of Cab Sauv, Merlot and Syrah is full of ripe fruit, black pepper, a subtle hint of molasses, and pleasantly velvet like on the palate. This is very much like a high quality Zin - very well balanced, but not a usually occurring example of what most Finger Lakes red wines have to offer. This wine could very well stand up to some California kings - Turley of old, Shafer,

Sheldrake Point Fleur de Pinot

2008-05-21T16:04:00.000-07:00

This 2006 Finger Lakes Pinot Noir from various clones starts out as an easy quaffer, but develops into something intriguing. The first few tastes were light and fruity, mostly cherry, balanced by tannins from old French Oak. However, after about twenty or thirty minutes sitting in the glass, it takes on a much more complex character. It hints of sweet earth and lilac on the nose right through

Ravines Sauvignon Blanc 2007

2008-05-04T04:49:00.000-07:00

Ravines, located on the East side of Keuka Lake (the one shaped like a Y), is nestled on a hill, and upon reviewing this Sauvignon Blanc, I discovered that this 100% Finger Lakes wine may be another perfect varietal for the Finger Lakes region's wine makers to have a go with producing. Generally, Sauv Blanc is under appreciated in both taste and consumption, but it will do very well in the

Glenora Blanc de Blancs New York Sparkling Wine

2008-04-25T18:09:00.000-07:00

This NV champagne style wine has a touch of sweetness with a hint of ripe McIntosh apple and also a hint of passion fruit. My first impression was that this would be a great sparkling wine to take the place of a prosecco for bellinis. I thoroughly enjoyed it until the finish, which is a bit heavy and sits around a little too long on the palate. It is very well balanced until the finish, with a

Wagner Winery Horizontal Tasting

2008-02-06T04:57:00.000-08:00

Okay. I must admit that I have become a bit cynical about the quality of Finger Lakes red wines. I believe better wine can be produced, but the winemakers are failing to produce it on a consistent basis. Now to carry on my thesis, I took 2 Wagner Vineyards wines, both Cabernet Franc and both vintage 2005. One of them was a special release with fruit forwardness, bits of oak and vanilla. Very

Hunt Country Vineyards Meritage

2007-11-19T20:57:00.000-08:00

This 2004 vintage Finger Lakes Wine was a solid player with the grass fed beef. It was a bit riper than most other Finger Lakes Meritage wines, and that brought out some more of the strength of this popular Bordeaux style wine. Fruit of cherries and small oak, with a hint of sugar. GOOD

Swedish Hill Cabernet Franc

2007-11-16T14:05:00.000-08:00

This 2004 Cabernet Franc is what I would consider the cream of the crop. This wine displays quintessential of Cab Franc, but elevates it with concentrated fruit, soft notes of oak, with a bit darker color than most Cab Francs of the Finger Lakes. If I didn't know better, I would have guessed this was an '02 or '03. Some may find a hint of butter and nuts, but it always ends with a delightful

Cayuga Ridge Chancellor Reserve

2007-09-21T16:50:00.000-07:00

While the label is lacking, it is actually a 2006 vintage that was 6 months in American Oak. I was lucky enough to get a sneak preview of this 100% Chancellor vintage. It hints of butter and cocoa, and is creamy and silky with a straight forward finish. Alongside their standard Chancellor of the same crop, but without any finishing in Oak a comparison brings a full appreciation for the

Standing Stone Vineyards Reserve Chardonnay

2007-08-18T08:11:00.001-07:00

This 2005 vintage Finger Lakes Chardonnay which retails in the $17-20 range, is overpriced by about 3 bucks, has a soft nose with a bit of butter and hints of hazelnut and pignoles (pine nuts)matched with a layer of Oak. The creaminess coats the entire palate giving way to ripe fruit with enough acid and tannins to deliver a strong but not overbearing finish. GOOD

Bet The Farm Franc Blanche

2007-08-12T16:16:00.000-07:00

This 2006 vintage 100% pinot noir is without the skins so it is a white wine. At first review, I was wondering if I would post this wine, but upon a day open in the bottle and at room temperature, this wine really began to open up. After re-frigeration, I took another glass of this slightly pinkish white wine, and began to notice subtle hints of floral notes, along with minerals. This turned

Lucas Cabernet Franc Limited Reserve Finger Lakes

2007-08-06T16:13:00.000-07:00

Back to the wine reviews and tasting notes, this 2005 Cab franc is ripe and it's full potential is like the sun just about to burst through some heavy storm clouds. The tannins suck the moisture out of my mouth and throat, and the heat from the nose is impossible to get past. I'm going to let some stay open for a few days and see how it goes, but I'm guessing this will age nicely - 4-5 years.

Time for other wines

2007-06-28T08:20:00.000-07:00

I'm taking a couple weeks off from Finger Lakes wines. I find it necessary to keep a broad and general knowledge of what the rest of the world has to offer in order to properly review Finger Lakes wines. See you soon. Remember to subscribe to many of the ping services so you know when the next review is posted. Subscribe to this page! It's free.