Dan's Papers - March 21, 2008 - Over The Barrel... with Lenn Thompson

On the North Fork, Riesling lovers have great options for wine. There is Paumanok Vineyards, Peconic Bay Winery, Jamesport Vineyards and a few others. But I don't know anyone who thinks Riesling is the grape that shines the brightest locally.

For consistently delicious Riesling, we're better off looking west, but not too far. Much like merlot is considered Long Island's top grape, the classic Riesling grape rules the Finger Lakes region, leading to what many consider the best Riesling in the United States.

What makes the Finger Lakes region so special for this particular grape? Well, all things being considered, classic vinifera grapes shouldn't even grow well there. Cold, harsh winters are an almost-yearly reality and "winter kill" vine damage is always a concern. Luckily, for those of us who enjoy the fresh, aromatic wines made in the region - and those growing and making them - those same lakes that give the region its name make classic wine production possible. These extremely deep, narrow lakes gather and hold a significant amount of heat in the warm summer season to extend the grape-growing season into the fall, just enough to ripen grapes as well as protect vineyards against potentially catastrophic early frosts.

Recently, James Molesworth, on WineSpectator.com rated several Finger Lakes Riesling well in the high 80s - with Anthony Road Winery's 2006 Semi-Dry Riesling garnering an 89 score. Several wines were awarded 88-point scores, including Atwater Estate Vineyards 2006 Riesling, Chateau Lafayette Reneau 2006 Johannisberg Riesling, Fox Run Vineyard's 2006 Riesling Reserve, Red Newt Cellars 2006 Reserve Riesling, Anthony Road Winery's 2006 Dry Riesling and Atwater Estate Vineyards 2006 Dry Riesling. Several wines also received scores between 85 and 87.

Some of the region's best-known producers, wineries like Dr. Konstantin Frank Vinifera Wine Cellars and Hermann J. Weimer Vineyard, aren't included, but my guess is that they didn't submit wines for review.

It's interesting that with so many wines so close, none of the wines tasted received a 90 score or higher. That's probably because Wine Specator doesn't truly taste wines blindly - tasters are told the name of the grape they're tasting and the region the wines come from. What would happen if you put one of that 89-point Riesling from Anthony Road into a German Riesling bottle? I think you might see a different score.

Riesling isn't the only grape that excels in the Finger Lakes though. I've tasted some terrific Gewurztraminer and a couple Sauvignon Blancs and Pinot Gris wines that impressed me.

Historically, most of the red wines have been a bit thin and under ripe, (there's a reason that several upstate wineries buy Long Island fruit and juice to make their reds) but the same climate changes that have led to some of the hottest seasons on record here on Long Island - 2005 and 2007 - have enabled Finger Lakes vintners to produce some good reds - particularly from the Cabernet Franc grape.

I just hope that they don't stop focusing on Riesling - theirs are some of my favorite wines, period.