Due to the weather on our recent trip to the Finger Lakes, this winery ended up being our last stop.  I was told to visit because they have a “skin-contact Riesling to die for”.  We had already visited three wineries that morning and fatigue was starting to set in so when I saw that they had a blind tasting option, I was all in!

I may be rusty on my blind tastings but I did manage 3/5, not bad for an old man!  I missed the Pinot Blanc and confused the Lemberger for the region’s similar Cabernet Franc.

We ordered a delicious cheese tray and I paired it with the aforementioned Riesling- it was interesting. Seems like Orange wines are the rage these days so I might as well get on board. It was a very relaxing afternoon. We drove to our lakeside hotel and enjoyed a delicious dinner before heading home in the morning. I highly recommend a trip to the region if it’s within driving distance. The weather is great in the summer but the crowds are probably fearsome. Salut….

What a gem!  We were steered to this modern, new tasting room by a fellow wino who loves Dinosaurs- which is featured on their sparkling wine label.  The place was empty due to the weather and time of year so we were in for a treat, a personalized tasting by the GM.

We started with the aforementioned sparkler, made in the traditional method but with a twist- Solera aging. I was very impressed with this salmon colored wine- 93 points with “a stunning mousse, balanced with subtle brioche”. So delicious was this wine that I bought a bottle on-sight and then ordered a case after I got home.

The 2022 Pinot Noir Rosé Pétillant Naturel was off dry, delicious and juicy with bright red fruit and a decadent mousse, 13 G/L RS.  I gave it 91 points and should have picked up more than the sole bottle I purchased.

The newest bottle we tasted was the 2022 Dry Riesling- delicious and balanced got it 93 points. The 2016 Farmer’s Muse Dry Riesling was beautiful. Petrol notes with pear and spice- 91 points.

From the reds- the stunning 2020 Pinot Noir came from an excellent vintage and it showed. A beautifully balanced wine with litheness. I gave it 95 points, just short of the 96 it got from JS. The 2022 Dorfelder came in with 91 points- in its youth the tannins are showing great structure alongside delicious sour cherry and earthy notes. The Cabernet Franc from the not-so-great 2021 vintage did well at 91 points. Nothing special noted but I did pick up a bottle or two so I must have liked it!

We finished with an amazing 2020 Teroldego. “Young with smoky dark raspberry, great tannic structure, juicy acidity and long lived”. I gave it 94 points and regret not picking us a few bottles to cellar.  We had an excellent visit and look forward to returning once the weather is better to enjoy a bottle and take in the beautiful surroundings.  Well worth the drive.  Salut….

Nestled close to two other wineries that we would visit on day two of our Finger Lakes tasting journey is this little gem that overlooks the water.  It was early on a snowy and foggy day so there was no traffic and no other visitors- perfect!

They offer tastings by flight- I chose the Dry one.  It started out with a very crisp and fresh 2021 Chardonnay that was delicious and worthy of 91 points.  The Silvan Riesling  from the same vintage was awesome.  I wrote ‘delicious with some lees and slightly oaked, unique and different’.  The Red included in my flight was the yummy 2021 Lemberger aka Blaufrankisch.  This grape is popular in Eastern parts of Europe and thrives in this region.  I bought several bottles and will review one separately.  I gave it 88 points, enjoying its spicy profile.  As a courtesy, I was given a taste of the unoaked Lemberger, same vintage.  I thought it was just okay and kinda flat- 86 points.  The finale for me was a 90/91 point Dry Riesling that was crisp with hints of petrol- my style alright!  Overall a very charming tasting with great views had it not been for the dense fog and snow!  I bet it’s busy as hell in the summer time.  Salut….

On day two of our Finger Lakes winery tours we left our hotel in Geneva and drove all of 5 minutes to the Ravines tasting room.  They had just opened and were probably not expecting much traffic on such a cold and snowy day.

We thoroughly enjoyed the 2020 Dry Riesling which was showing off notes of petrol at such a young age. It was delicious and holds much potential, 92 points from me. The ever better 2020 Dry Riesling from the Argetsinger Vineyard was dry with great minerality, less petrol, very balanced and showing some phenolics on the back end- 93 points.  A 2022 Sauvignon Blanc impressed with great acidity, was fresh, balanced, crisp and worthy of 90 points.  The 2021 Gewürztraminer was a more delicate affair from a weaker vintage.  89 points for this wine that showed a transitional flavor profile from the nose to the palate.  It was very interesting and delicious.   Then again, I love this grape.

The thin 2021 Cabernet Franc is a victim of terrible weather that year. It managed 86 points. The 2019 Maximilien was integrated with nice structure. Juicy and spicy, this blend of 69% Cab Sav, 31% Merlot got 89 points from me. Drink now or till 2027.

The finale was what I came here for- sparkling wines that my friend raved about. The 2018 Sparkling Riesling was golden colored with lovely honeyed notes. It went down a treat and got 91 points from me. The last wine of our tasting was the 2017 Sparkling Brut. Made in the traditional method it was a ringer for Veuve. Delicious, crisp, loaded with all you look for in that style. Brioche, pear, lemon, creamy mouse and great acidity. I could go on but you get my drift. We really enjoyed having the tasting room all to ourselves, albeit at 10 am! Worth a visit either as your first stop of the day or at the end of your day where you can settle down to a nice cheese board and some fun bubblies before heading back to town. Salut….

The last stop on day 1 of our Finger Lakes tour was on the west side of Cayuga Lake, just north of its sister property Six Eighty Cellars .  A little more rustic than the modern tasting room we had just left- this winery offered up a more traditional approach to winemaking and was geared to the masses.  I tasted six wines and we indulged in a light cheese board.  The 2021 Blaufrankisch was an easy-drinking and delicious bottle with cherries galore alongside white pepper.  The Cabernet Franc, also from 2021 was decent but the weakness of the vintage showed.  Excessive rain and little sunshine produced thin wines with less structure for the long haul- It was pleasant enough.  The two Rieslings I tasted were pretty good, 89 points for the Dry and 91 for the Riemer Block which showed off minerality and tropical fruit.  The 2020 Pinot Noir showcased what this property can achieve.  It scored 90 points and was delicious with cherry, spice, cedar and a lovely mouthfeel.  The ripeness of the vintage showed itself on the backend with what I felt was a ‘sweet’ finish.  Last, but not least was the 202 Marnie Ann- a Bordeaux style wine that really rocked- 91 points.  We enjoyed our time here but the day was starting to drag and the weather was not great.  The views would have been spectacular save the cloud cover.  I bet this place rocks in the summer, they have cabins!  Salut….

When I was planning our visit to the Finger Lakes I consulted my fellow winos for recommendations.  I planned the trip to start in Ithaca on Monday morning heading North West for our first visit and then a meandering northwards to Geneva, stopping at three wineries this side of Seneca Lake and capping it off at Ravines, which is just west of the town.  Once we got started, our timing was thrown off by an exuberant host at one winery showcasing all they had to offer followed by advice from another host that we should add Six Eighty to our agenda as it was on our path.  I’m glad we took the advice- this is a unique experience and a beautiful tasting room with amazing views, albeit on our visit it was snowing with fog!

Located on the western shore of Cayuga lake this relatively new winery is doing some interesting things with its vinification methods.  From their literature- “Ancient-style clay, stone and terracotta vessels” are but a few of the adventurous methods being used to make delicious wines.  I tried 12 of their offerings starting with three versions of Chardonnay from the 2021 vintage.  The Sandstone garnered 88 points whilst the Clayver and Terracotta got 89, with a comment that the Terracotta was ‘interesting’. 10% was skin fermented, 10% was from dried grapes.

Pet Nat is a style of sparkling wine that was accidentally invented many moons ago and is seeing a resurgence.  It stands for Pétillant Naturel.  Google it for more info.  I tasted a red and white of this style with the 2021 Gruner Veltliner gaining 88 points.  I found it interesting.  The Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé had a funky nose with a fruity palate and got 89 points from me, I found it ‘fun’!

Off-dry Riesling is a delicious wine as was proven with the 2022 Concrete Diamond that got 91 points.  The Pinot Noirs showcased the potential of this winery but also highlighted the weakness of the 2021 vintage.  The Concrete Diamond ’21 was thin and only mustered 88 points while the Sandstone was a bit medicinal and only scraped 89 points.  Going back to 2018, the Pinot is a blend of Noir and Meunier done in a more traditional oak aging- 91 points.  The 2020 (an exceptional year) was also aged in oak, a mix of old/new/small/large and produced an ageworthy and delicious wine that got 92 points.

Moving on to some avant garde wines were the 2022 Pinot Noir/Gewürztraminer co-ferment, aged in the Concrete Diamond.  This is a neat concept- red and white grapes, one light and fruity while the other is very aromatic.  I enjoyed this hybrid and gave it 87 points.  My favorite of all was the 2021 Carbonic Cabernet Franc.  Think fruit-forward with no tannic grip making for an easy drinking and fruity wine.  90 points.  It’s probably the smartest thing anyone could do with the grapes from such a mediocre vintage.

Overall I had a great tasting and really think this winery has a bright future, albeit their methods may not appeal to the masses.  For wine geeks this place is your #1 stop.  Salut….

Moxie and I did a tour through the Finger Lakes of New York recently, this was our first of eight wineries in two days.  We thoroughly enjoyed our time here with our very knowledgeable and witty host.  A brief overview of my scores reveals most in the 88-90 range but the showstopper for me was the 2014 Riesling Caywood East Dry.  Simply stunning and loaded with freshness yet petrol was abundant- just what I was looking for.  I gave it 93 points and picked up a few bottles.  I also grabbed some Magnums of a more recent vintage to lay down, after all this wine was meant to develop and when it does…..  I noted that the Meritage was deelish with low tannins, light color and a medium (-) body.  Overall, a great tasting experience and glad we had the place to ourselves.  Salut….

Sorry about the horrible pictures, the lighting was intense and I could not get a decent angle.