More than 25 wineries from all around the Finger Lakes will be at this weekend’s Riesling Festival. If you’re feeling overwhelmed and don’t know where to start, keep an eye out for these three wineries and their award-winning Rieslings. Sample the following and start your love affair with Finger Lakes Rieslings.
1. Heron Hill Winery
Heron Hill is a sponsor of the Riesling Festival; owner John Ingle spearheaded the effort of having a festival in Canandaigua that highlighted the Rieslings of the Finger Lakes. “(My wife and I) thought it would be a great way to brand (the area’s) flagship wines,” said Ingle. “It seemed like everybody who heard about it thought it was a great idea too.”
Referring to this weekend’s festival as “my baby,” Ingle is thrilled that the event is taking off. “It’s a real blessing for (the Finger Lakes) to be identified as the top Riesling producer in the country.”
Heron Hill overlooks Keuka Lake, and the winery produces four different Rieslings. (Check out page 11 for a photo essay taken at the winery’s scenic grounds.) Ingle recommends the following Rieslings:
• Ingle Vineyard Riesling, 2007
Made only with grapes sourced from Heron Hill’s Canandaigua Lake vineyard, this Riesling is a fruit-forward wine with mineral undertones. It just won Best of Class at the Los Angeles International Wine and Spirits Competition. Ingle suggests pairing it with seafood.
• Semi-Sweet Riesling, 2008
This Riesling is sweet, but Ingle says customers were requesting a sweeter wine. Made with grapes sourced from Seneca and Cayuga lakes, it is a balance of fruit flavors and minerality that is signature of Finger Lakes Rieslings (due to the slate and shale in the soil).
2. Dr. Frank's Winery
Dr. Frank’s winery was a pioneer in the Riesling industry here in the Finger Lakes, says owner Fred Frank. Located on Keuka Lake in Hammondsport, the wine cellar was the first to introduce Riesling to New York. Nowadays, with an international team of specialist winemakers (trained in California, Germany, France and Australia), Dr. Frank’s is receiving national attention for its Rieslings. Frank recommends the following Rieslings:
• Dr. Konstantin Frank’s Dry Riesling, 2009 Vintage
This Riesling has won awards and gold medals. The grapes are sourced from Keuka Lake vineyards, giving the Riesling a lot of flavor and minerality from the shale.
• Dr. Konstantin Frank’s Semi-Dry Riesling, 2009 Vintage
This Riesling has a fruitier flavor. The grapes are sourced from Seneca Lake vineyards, which have deeper soils, giving the Riesling fruit overtones. Frank recommends pairing this Riesling with Chinese cuisine.
