Wednesday in the Finger Lakes

Day 4 of wine-tasting in the Finger Lakes

Today we headed to Seneca Lake, Eastern shore to begin another long day of wine-tasting. We began at Atwater, and headed North to Chateau Layfayette Reneau where we had a fun tasting, then to Red Newt where we found a geo-cache (another of our hobbies). 

Leidenfrost Tasting Room

We hadn't planned to stop at Red Newt as the prices looked a little high for us and the winery was a little off the beaten path, but since there was a geo-cache on the property, we gave it a try and were glad we did.  The really good red wines (rare in the Finger Lakes) were worth the trip, even though we only bought one bottle of Red Eft, a lower cost (but still very good) red blend.  Eft is a young newt, so they picked this name for their red blend that is meant to be enjoyed young. 

Next we headed to Leidenfrost, one of our favorite stops of the day because they are very dog-friendly.  As usual, we left the dogs in the car.  Susie, who was working the tasting room, noticed the dogs through the window and invited them into the tasting room, had treats for them, and didn't mind us letting Rohan off her lease to wander around. 

Of course Rohan headed behind the bar to look for more treats, then came and sat with us hoping for peanuts.  We think this is one of the only wineries we have visited that served peanuts instead of crackers at the tasting bar.  They worked really well.  We then sat on the deck overlooking Seneca while we enjoyed a picnic lunch.  We bought a few bottles of wine and headed on our way East to the West shore of Cayuga where we stopped at Hosmer. 
We visited Hosmer 15 years ago on one of our first trips to the Finger Lakes.  Hosmer's winery and tasting room is one of the few that has not changed in 15 years. 

This was another delightful experience and again, we bought a few bottles of wine.  Next, headed North on Cayuga, we stopped at the Thirsty Owl, then Goose Watch, Knapp, Lakeshore. 

Goose Watch is another one of our favorites from the past and we liked it even more this trip than we had before. 

The three of us at Goose Watch

At Knapp, we really enjoyed talking with Alexandera (Alex) at the tasting bar, and with one of the cellar workers about their barrels which are stacked high in a barrel room adjacent to the tasting room.  Unlike many wineries, they continue to use their barrels for about 10 years just for wine storage, long after they have lost their oakiness that adds to the complexity and character of the wine.  Most wineries only use their barrels for 3-5 years then sell them or use them for decorations.

Our final stop for the day was Lakeshore. 

This was one of our favorite wineries from many years ago because the customers relax in rocking chairs and on benches facing the tasting bar and fireplace.  This year John, the owner and winemaker, was doing the tasting and so we could ask lots of questions and learn a few new facts about wine-making.  We stayed past the 5 PM closing time talking with John, letting the dogs run a bit in the yard, and taking a few photos. 

That was nine wineries on Wednesday, not quite the 10 we expected to visit each day, but the great time and lunch on the deck at Leidenfrost, and very enjoyable tastings and visits at Goose Watch, Knapp, and Lakeshore which were well worth the extra time we spent at each of them.

Tuesday in the Finger Lakes

On Tuesday we began our day at Ravines on the Eastern side of Keuka, went to McGregor's which does their tasting sitting down, with a snack plate.  The tasting was $5 per person, which is on the high side for the Finger Lakes, but we had the tasting room to ourselves and enjoyed tasting their very unique selection of wines.  We continued up Keuka to Rooster Hill and Keuka Springs, then headed East to Seneca Lake, turned South to Prejean, Hermann Wiemer, Fulkerson's, Arcadian Estate, and Glenora. 

Our favorite on Tuesday was Hermann Wiemer's despite their higher than average prices.  We met Hermann, one of the legends and icons of vinifera wines in the Finger Lakes and has always made excellent Riesling.  We found that Hermann retired a few years ago and sold the winery to some long term staff.  We were lucky enough to talk with Fred, one of the owners and winemakers.  He said the new owners have improved the quality of the already excellent wines made by Hermann Wiemer by hand-sorting grapes, along with other improvements.  Harvest is still underway and they have been working until 3 AM to bring in, sort, and process the harvest.  Their Rieslings are excellent, probably the best we have tasted and will taste during our week in the Finger Lakes.

We also enjoyed the visit, tasting, and wine at Keuka Springs, buying several wines including a Seval we may use in class.  We asked if the barrels stacked behind the winery were actually used for aging and storing their wine, and they were not. 

Monday in the Finger Lakes

We are staying near Bath, NY, about 20 minutes from the bottom of Keuka Lake, the smallest of the three lakes known for their wineries and wine trails.  Even with five days of winery hopping, we won't be able to visit all of the wineries in the Finger Lakes, probably not even half of them so we had to make decisions about which wineries to visit, and which ones to skip.  We like to visit smaller wineries,  wineries that we have not visited before, and wineries that have a good selection of drier wines.  Almost all Finger Lakes wineries produce dry and semi dry white wines made from Riesling, Gerwertztraminer, Traminette, and Chardonnay and most also produce sweeter and semi-sweet wines made from Cayuga and Concord grapes.  Many produce white blends, creating many different flavor profiles and sweetness levels.  Most also produce vinifera red wines from Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Pinot Noir, although these reds produced in the Finger Lakes are usually lighter in color and flavor than those produced or grown from grapes in warmer climates with longer growing seasons.

The Finger Lakes are best known for Riesling.  Even Wine Spectator included a major review of the Finger Lakes and rated many Rieslings (mid-to-high 80's, with a few in the low 90's.  They reviewed a few reds, but only a few and none received better than an 89 rating.

We planned our Monday, skipping the larger, more commercial wineries like Pleasant Valley (used to be Taylor, still produces Great Western sparkling wines) and Bully Hill.  We worked our way up the Western side of Keuka, beginning with Keuka Lake winery and visiting 3 other wineries on Keuka including Stevers Hill, Hunt Country, and Yates. We then crossed over to the Western shore of Seneca and visited Anthony Road, Seneca Shores, Red Tail Ridge, Fox Run, Billsboro, White Springs and ending with Bellhurst (a major hotel, restaurant, winery and gift shop) at near Geneva that was open until 8 PM. 

We tasted an average of 6 wines per winery, with a few extras at those that were willing to go beyond their publicized limit of 5 or 6 samples, so probably tasted 65 or more wines on Monday.  Most had good to excellent Rieslings, and we found a few other very good and interesting wines.

One of our favorites on Monday, and a winery we had not visited before, was Billsboro.  We found several good enough for our Wines of the Finger Lakes class including a lightly oaked Chardonnay, a Cabernet-Syrah blend, and a semi-dry Riesling.  At White Springs we found a Gerwertztraminer and Fume Blanc that we might use, and at Red Tail Ridge we found and purchases their "sans oak" Chardonnay which had lots of flavor without any oak influence, which can sometimes overpower white wines.

We'll head out again on Tuesday and continue to sample wines and build a collection to choose from for class next Thursday.

Lisa and Dean

Sunday in the Finger Lakes

Finger Lakes Wine Trails, Wineries, and Wines

The Finger Lakes in upstate New York are glacier lakes and are so deep, they do not freeze solid during the winter.  The lakes moderate the air temperature nearby and give this wine region its unique weather, great for growing northern latitude grapes, much like the Alsace region of France and Germany.
Each lake has its own wine trail with most of the wineries belonging to the wine trails, though some have not joined the wine trails.  Maps are available that include only the wine trail members as well as non-members.  Some wineries are upscale, large facilities such as Pleasant Valley (used to be Taylor, still produces the Great Western sparkling wines) and Bully Hill.  Others are still small, family-owned wineries operating out of an old barn (some remodeled, some not).  The variety of wineries and wine-tasting experiences is part of the attraction of the Finger Lakes.

The Finger Lakes region is best known for the cool weather climate grapes Riesling and Gewurtztraminer.  Though other cool climate varieties like Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, Vidal Blanc and Seyval blanc all do well along the Finger Lakes.


Sunday in the Finger Lakes!
We left home on Sunday morning and headed North.  It's about a 4 hour drive from Pottstown to the southern end of either Cayuga Lake near Ithaca or Seneca Lake near Watkins Glen.  We managed to visit three wineries on the Seneca Lake Wine Trail before closing time on Sunday: Castel Grisch, The Professor's Place at Cascata, and Lakewood.

These were quick visits late in the afternoon.  We bought wine at two of the three and may go back to these two again later in the week if time allows.

Lakewood was worth repeating for sure.  Liz took great care of us and others at the tasting bar and there was no tasting fee!  Most wineries, including the other two we visited on Sunday, charge small tasting fees, sometimes just a dollar, other times up to $5.  Sometimes credit the fee toward a purchase.

After working through the official tasting list of the day, Liz invited us to taste anything else they had open.  We started with their sparkling, a traditional blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.  A bit expensive (maybe) at $25, but we bought it because it was soooo good.

We also enjoyed several wines at The Professor's Place.  John took good care of us, even if he told a few jokes that may have been better left untold. The Riesling and Gewertztraminer were especially good. 


More later!
Dean and Lisa

To the Finger Lakes!

To the Finger Lakes! This week we're headed to the Finger Lakes to visit 40 or more wineries and taste 250 or so wines.  While we are away, we'll update our this blog as often as we can, hopefully every day after finishing the day's "work."  We'll include information about the Finger Lakes wines, wineries, and wine region in those posts. If you want to read about our daily experiences and wine recommendations, check out our Vintage Connections Wine this blog throughout this week. When we return, we'll use 6 of our favorite Finger Lakes wines in our Wineries of the Finger Lakes class on Thursday, October 28.  You can still register by calling MCCC at 610.718.1846. Enjoy Responsibly!

Fun Fact The Finger Lakes, located in upstate New York, actually consist of 11 long narrow lakes that run north to south.  Only three of the lakes actually boast multiple wineries.  These three lakes are Keuka, Seneca, and Cayuga, though Canandaigua, Conesus and Hemlock lakes also have wineries.  Congratulations to Bob and Jacki Folwell, winners of the first quiz.  They choose a free ticket to Mom's House "Wine Tasting Celebration" on October 23. There will be another quiz someday!

Wine Tips - Blair Vineyards Lower Block Pinot Noir

Blair Vineyards

Owned and operated by Richard and Carol Blair and their five children, Blair Vineyards is a delightful mixture of modern technology and traditional wine making.  Their new facility at 99 Dietrich Valley Road, near Kutztown, is filled with some of the latest wine making equipment including a "SK Punch Down Station" which gently punches down Pinot Noir grapes to produce the the highest quality juice possible. Rich is the only winemaker in the USA that uses this advanced piece of equipment.

The beautiful building houses not only a large, beautiful tasting room, but the complete winery as well.  The crush pad is at ground level while the tank and barrel rooms are 18 feet below ground, allowing the juice to flow freely by gravity without the use of pumps.  The building is surrounded by breathing-taking views of the vineyards and countryside.  Here, Rich and his staff create delicious wines in the time-honored European, mostly Burgundian, style.  
 
Rich and Carol's daughter Missy expertly handles the tasting room.  You will often find her there with her two beautiful daughters.  Missy keeps her tasting room staff up to date not only on Blair Vineyards' wines but also about the world of wine in general, insuring each visitor with an exceptional wine tasting experience.  

Blair Vineyards Lower Block Pinot Noir 
Blair produces several different Pinot Noirs, along with several chardonnays, a Bordeaux-type blend called Wedding Cuveee, and several other excellent wines.

We chose their Bordeaux-type blend, Wedding Cuvee, for our Pennsylvania Wines class on October 14 at Montgomery County Community College in Pottstown.  We will be using Blair Vineyard's Lower Block Pinot Noir at the benefit wine dinner for Mom's House on October 23.  This excellent Pinot Noir is brilliant garnet in color with earthy aromas and flavors of black cherry. 

Wines of Pennsylvania class

Thursday, October 14, at Montgomery County Community College's Pottstown Campus.

We got so excited about these wines, we bought extra so you can still register until 4 PM the day of the class, this Thursday, October 14.  Class begins at 6:30 PM and will last until about 9 PM.

We have chosen 6 wonderful wines from 6 local wineries. There are over 100 commercial wineries in PA and these are six of the best.

Galen Glen Winery 2009 Gewutztraminer - This German style wine won a gold medal at the recent 2010 Finger Lakes International Wine competition. 

Calvaresi Winery 2009 Riesling - Typically a German wine, this delicious Pennsylvania Riesling has become the signature wine of Calvaresi Winery.  Made in the Germanic style, it is fermented slowly in stainless steel tanks.  It has a fresh tropical fruit aroma with sweet floral scents, but is not sweet on the palate.  Beautifully balanced acidity makes this a great pairing with spicy Asian food.

Manatawny Creek Winery 2007 Cabernet Franc - Aged primarily in Pennsylvania oak barrels, this richly-colored, aromatic red wine contains hints of tobacco, cherry and herbal notes. The perfect accompaniment to Filet Mignon!

Pinnacle Ridge Winery 2008 Chambourcin -  This signature Pennsylvania Wine won a silver medal at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Wine Competition, and a bronze medal at the Pennsylvania Wine Competition.  It is aged 10 months in Pennsylvania oak barrels and displays an intense fruit aroma. It is full-bodied and has dark fruit flavors with toasty oak overtones.  Great with savory foods and pasta. 

Blair Vineyards 2005 Wedding Cuvee - This rich full-bodied dry red wine is a blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.  It was aged for 20 months in oak barrels.  It has aromas of coffee, licorice and blackberries with dark fruit flavors.  It has a medium finish and is great when paired with grilled steaks.

Vynecrest Vineyards and Winery 2009 Lemberger -  This deep, dark red dry wine is Vynecrest Winery's "Flagship" wine. Originally it was grown primarily in Austria where it is also known as Blaufrankisch. It received a bronze medal at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Wine Competition.  With aromas of black cherries, it has rich bold flavors with hints of raspberries and blackberries.  Great with hearty winter foods like pot roast. 

UPCOMING EVENTS
(click on the highlighted links)
 
MCCC Classes
See page 11 of the flier.
Call 610.718.1861 to register.

Wines of PA
Thursday October 14
6:30-9 PM

Wines of the Finger Lakes
Thursday, October 28 6:30-9 PM
 

Mom's House Benefit Wine Dinner

Saturday, October 23

Five course dinner, each course paired with a different wine.  Kimberton Arts Center  6:30 PM, $75 per person or $525 for a table of 8.

Contact us to schedule an event in your home, at your business, or for your organization.  

Fun Fact

The Pinot Noir grape cluster is a tightly packed cluster looking vaguely pine cone shaped.  The grapes themselves are very dark purple.  The French, therefore, called the grape Pinot (pine) Noir (black).

Congratulations to Bob and Jacki Folwell, winners of the first quiz.  They choose a free ticket to Mom's House "Wine Tasting Celebration" on October 23.

Wine Tips - Brandywine Valley Wine Trail

We were so excited about the wines we found at six PA wineries, we bought extra.

So, you can still register for the Wines of PA class until 4 PM, Thursday October 14.
The class is 6:30 - 9:30 PM on the October 14th at MCCC in Pottstown.
Call 310.718.1861 by 4 PM  THURSDAY to register. 


Brandywine Valley Wine Trail
(click this link)

The Brandywine Valley Wine Trail consists of eight wineries, only 7 of which are open regularly.  They are Black Walnut Winery, Chadds Ford Winery, Kreutz Creek Vineyards, Paradocx Vineyard, Patone Cellars, Penns Woods Winery, Stargazer Vineyards, and Twin Brook Winery.  I would guess that nearly everyone has heard about Chadds Ford Winery, but there are other excellent wineries on the Brandywine Valley Wine Trail well worth visiting.

Patone Cellars was only open for the Brandywine Valley Wine Trail Harvest Festival which is now over.

One of our favorite stops along the trail is Kreutz Creek Vineyards. 

Located in southern Chester County outside of West Grove, PA.  Kreutz Creek Vineyards is owned and operated by Jim and Carole Kirkpatrick.  They have been making wine since 1989.  Their fairly new and very attractive tasting room is open Saturdays and Sundays 11-6.  They also have a tasting room in West Chester, PA (this tasting room is pet friendly!)which is open Tuesday through Thursday, 11 AM to 8 PM, Fridays and Saturdays, 11 AM to 9 PM.  They make a variety of wines from chardonnay, both oaked and unoaked, to a virtually unheard of Cabernet Franc Ice wine.  Stop in and try some of their excellent wines!

Another nice stop along the wine trail is the newest winery in the group, Black Walnut Winery.  
 

Black Walnut is located in a newly renovated 200 year old bank barn in Sadsburyville, PA. 

Owners Lance, Valerie, Jack and Karen began making wine in 2001.  Their lovely and inviting tasting room is open Thursdays and Fridays 2 PM till 8 PM and Saturdays and Sundays from 11 AM till 6 PM.  There is a $6 tasting fee to taste 7 wines.  They, too, have a second tasting room.  It opened just a month ago in Phoenixville, PA.  The Phoenixville tasting room is open Wednesdays and Thursdays from 4 PM until 9 PM, Fridays 4 till 10, Saturdays 11 AM till 10 PM, and Sundays 1 PM till 8 PM.   Stop in and taste some wine soon!



USA vs France Wine Tasting Report

Thanks to the 70 people who participated in the USA vs France, aka Bottle Shock Revisited Wine Tasting and Silent Auction on September 18th.  The event was themed after the movie Bottle Shock and the book Judgment of Paris, both of which portrayed the true story of the French versus USA Blind Tasting in Paris in 1976 where a USA (California) Chardonnay from Chateau Montelena outscored excellent French White Burgundies and a USA Cabernet Sauvignon from Stags Leap outscored excellent French Red Bordeaux.

We tasted 8 wines, 6 of them for the blind tasting and rating. Including income from the Silent Auction we netted over $3,500 for the AWS Educational Foundation.

Participants began the evening with a choice of aperitif, either Blanc de Blanc from Pinnacle Ridge Winery near Kutztown, PA (made from 100% Cayuga grapes with 2.5% RS) or the dry Simonnet-Febvre Cremant de Bourgogne Brut Rose from Chablis, made from Pinot Noir with a hint of Gamay.

The blind tasting was conducted using three matched pairs of USA and French wines including

1)  Sancerre 2009 by Christian Salmon versus Sauvignon Blanc 2009 by Bogle (California).

2) Red Burgundy 2006, Mercurey, Premier Crus, Champ Martin by Albert Bichot versus Pinot Noir 2007 by Sebastiani, Sonoma Coast, California.

3) Grand Vin de Bordeaux 2004, Appellation Fronsac Controllee, Chateau Les Trois Croix versus Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 by Souverain, Alexander Valley, Sonoma County, California.

Participants were guided through the blind tastings and scoring of each pair of wines using the AWS scoring sheet and criteria.  After scoring, before revealing the wines which were concealed in mylar bags and coded by colorful ribbons, participants indicated by a "show of hands" which wine they believed to by French and which wine they believed to be from the USA.  About two-thirds of the group was incorrect when guessing the origins of the Sauvignon Blanc pair, while two-thirds or more were correct when guessing which red wines were French and which were from the USA.

Also before revealing each pair of wine, participants voted for their favorite from each pair.  After all scoring and voting was complete, wines and prices were revealed. 

Results do not always total 70 participants as a few had no preference and did not vote.

Results were
Sancerre by Christian Salmon - 46 votes ($20);  Sauvignon Blanc by Bogle - 24 votes ($11)

Red Burgundy by Albert Bichot - 11 votes ($25);  Pinot Noir by Sebastiani - 58 votes ($16)

Red Bordeaux by Les Triox Croix - 30 votes ($25);  Cabernet Sauvignon by Souverain - 40 votes ($18) 

Individual scoring sheets (70 of them) were totaled and averaged to determine the overall "Best of Evening."
Those average scores were

1. Sebastiani Pinot Noir = 15.5  ("Best of Evening")
2. Salmon Sancerre = 14.9
3. Souverain Cabernet Sauvignon = 14.7
4. Les Trois Croix Bordeaux = 14.2
5. Bogle Sauvignon Blanc = 13.0
6. Albert Bichot Mercurey Burgundy = 12.4

The silent auction included over 40 items including many wine baskets and wine-related items, but also two weekly condo rentals, one in Florida and one in Vermont, and a "Get-a-Way" week-end at a cottage in the Hudson Valley near the Shawangunk Wine Trail.  All items were donated free of charge by AWS members, guests, and area businesses and organizations. Although the final bookkeeping has not been completed, it is estimated that OVER $3.500 was raised for the AWS Educational Foundation. 

UPCOMING EVENTS
(click on the highlighted links)

Berks County Wine Trail
Artisan Cheese & Wine Pairing Event Weekend!" Saturday October 9th & Sunday October 10th

Schuylkill River Festival
Saturday, October 9 
11 AM - 4 PM
Pottstown's Riverfront Park
THIS IS NOT A WINE EVENT but an event we support and sponsor each year. See you there!

MCCC Classes
Wines of PA
Thursday October 14
6:30-9 PM

Wines of the Finger Lakes
Thursday, October 28 6:30-9 PM

Mom's House Benefit Wine Dinner

Saturday, October 23

Five course dinner, each course paired with a different wine.  Kimberton Arts Center  6:30 PM, $75 per person or $525 for a table of 8.

Fun Fact

Meritage wines must blend at least two of the Bordeaux wine varieites.  No single variety can make up more than 90% of the blend. (from Professor's House).

Congratulations to Bob and Jacki Folwell, winners of the first quiz.  They choose a free ticket to Mom's House "Wine Tasting Celebration" on October 23.
There will be another quiz someday! 

Contact us to schedule an event in your home, at your business, or for your organization.