Finger Lakes Riesling 2007 vintage tasting notes
The 2007 growing season in the Finger Lakes was marked by a hot and dry summer and some winemakers had to acidify the must. Unfortunately, not always with success. Overall, however, the 2007 wines presented in the tastings were impressive, with Riesling showing a distinct mineral character and less tropical fruit aromas. The box below gives a brief overview of the 2007 growing season in the Finger Lakes. For more detailed information about grape harvests in New York's wine regions I recommend Tim Martinson's very informative Veraison to Harvest newsletter.
And the wines? The 2007 vintage is clearly more consumer-friendly than the more acidic 2006. Whereas the cooler temperatures in 2006 meant wines with pronounced acidity levels that gave those Rieslings with a mineral structure a fine cut, the '07 wines are fruitier, slightly fuller in body and often show playful floral aromas. But it was the often distinct mineral character in the Rieslings that I found most encouraging. Ravines Wine Cellars already released a beautifully vineyard-driven Riesling in 2006 with a sharp and very linear minerality that was further enhanced by the high acidity. 2007 is more floral but still has a distinct mineral focus. Dr. Konstantin Frank Vinifera Wine again made wonderfully balanced Rieslings, both dry and semi-dry which have great aging potential and should not be ignored by any serious Riesling lover. Sheldrake Point made a fantastic icewine that is already a joy to drink but will benefit from at least ten years of further aging in bottle. Tasting notes follow at the end of this article, but I should mention that I also tasted some very good other aromatic white wines and a few impressive red wines.
2007 vintage report
Hot temperatures in summer and still very warm days in October (80°F / 27°C) caused drought stress throughout the Finger Lakes vineyards in 2007. The lack of soil moisture was especially hard on younger vines with low rooting depth, whereas older vines with a well and deeply established root system seemed to handle the dry periods better. Overall harvest volume was lower compared to the previous year. The drought meant fewer clusters on the vines with smaller berries. Acidity was low and some producers had to acidify in order to balance the fruit and alcohol levels. Ample rainfall at the beginning of September followed by another spell of warm and dry weeks with lots of sunshine meant that the fruit could be kept on the vines in a healthy, almost rot-free state for longer than usual. 2007 was an excellent vintage for red wines in the Finger Lakes and a very good year for whites. In general, the 2007 Rieslings show concentrated ripe fruit with a distinct mineral backbone. Growers who picked before the acidity levels dropped too low still got the natural acidity needed for a balanced wine of complex character.
2007 vintage tasting notes
Anthony Road M-RS Riesling 2007
Price: $22
MR-S stands for Martini-Reinhardt Selection, a series of limited edition wines (named after John Martini, the owner and Johannes Reinhardt, the winemaker. Pale lemon color. Youthful nose with grape and pear aromas. Off-dry. Medium acidity, alcohol and body. Medium intensity of apricot, white pepper, honey and spices. Light, yet aromatic, with fresh fruit and a spicy vibrancy. Drink now through 2018.
Anthony Road Dry Riesling 2007
Alc: 12%.
Price: $15
Pale lemon color with a green tint. Ripe apple aromas, slightly perfumed and a solid minerality on the nose. The grapes were pressed as whole clusters in order to avoid extracting too much phenolic character into the wine. The result is a very linear Riesling with a superb mineral focus.
Anthony Road Semi-Dry Riesling 2007
Alc: 12%.
Price: $15
100 cases made
Medium(-) intensity of dense minerality and citrus fruit. Sweet, spicy Riesling with refreshing acidity and balanced medium alcohol. Medium intensity of very ripe pear fruit flavors.
Atwater Dry Riesling 2007
Alc: 12%.
Price: $18
480 cases made
Pale lemon color. Clean, youthful citrus and pear aromas. Slightly off-dry, with medium(-) acidity. Medium(-) alcohol and body. Creamy mouthfeel with a medium intensity of pear fruit. From 20-year old vines.
Atwater Semi-Dry Riesling 2007
Alc: 12%.
Price: $17
500 cases made
Medium(-) intensity of stone fruit and bees wax aromas. Refreshing acidity with a medium intensity of peach and tropical fruit and hints of minerality. Pleasant Riesling from 20-year old vines.
Fox Run Riesling Dry 2007
Alc: 12.1%.
Price: $16
711 cases produced
Youthful nose with a medium intensity of peach, pear, citrus fruit and minerality. Dry on the palate. Medium(+) acidity. Medium intensity of grapefruit and smoke flavors. Medium(-) length. Nice fruit/minerality duet.
Fox Run Riesling 2007
Alc: 11.8%.
Youthful nose with a medium(-) intensity of citrus fruit and bees wax aromas. Off-dry on the palate with a medium intensity of citrus and apricot fruit. Pleasant, but rather simple, lacking in depth that goes beyond the dominant ripe fruit character.
Dr. Konstantin Frank Dry Riesling 2007
Alc: 12%.
Price: $18
500 cases made.
This Riesling stood out because of its flowery lightness and earthy complexity. The fruit for this wine came from what are probably the Finger Lakes' oldest Riesling vines, planted by wine pioneer Dr. Konstantin Frank in the 1950s. This Riesling had a pale lemon color and a youthful nose with a pronounced intensity of perfumed, sweet fruit (peach, apple and strawberry). Slightly off-dry on the palate (fermentation was deliberately stopped after 6 weeks to retain a hint of residual sugar) with a beautiful flowery flavor spectrum and more earthy/smoky notes towards the finish. Alluring, complex Riesling. Medium(+) length. Drink 2008 - 2023.
Dr. Konstantin Frank Semi-Dry Riesling 2007
Alc: 11.5%.
Price: $15
Beautiful nose of honey, minerality, smoke and white peach. Sweet on the palate with medium(+) acidity, giving this complex Riesling a very refreshing touch. Pronounced intensity of honey, spices and very ripe peaches. Beautifully balanced. Medium(+) length. Drink now through 2020.
Fulkerson Winery Dry Riesling Reserve 2007
Alc: %.
Price: $16.50
Pale lemon color with a greenish tint. Youthful nose with medium intensity of grapefruit and smoke. Dry on the palate and due to its fairly low alcohol this Reserve Riesling has a pleasantly light body. Medium(-) intensity of floral citrus fruit and minerality. Medium(-) length. THe refreshing acidity make this Riesling a good choice as a companion to fish and white meat dishes or as an aperitif to enjoy the floral aromas.
Glenora Wine Cellars Dry Riesling 2007
This was the "Vintner's Select" Riesling, meaning it was made from a single vineyard from vines more than 30 years old. The aroma was fruit driven, with candied pear and some grassy notes. It was off-dry on the palate with pear, peach and floral flavors. Easy-drinking, but elegant and well balanced. It is ready to drink now but I would recommend cellaring it for at least 2-3 years to let it unfold it's fruit a bit more and shed its amylic character.
Heron Hill Ingle Vineyard Riesling 2005
Alc: 12%.
Price: $12
Sustainable / Organic?
This is a single vineyard Riesling, from the Ingle vineyard (named after winery owner John Ingle) at the west side of Canandaigua Lake. The wine's nose was still youthful with ripe peach and and mineral, yet slight notes of petrol were already showing. It was off-dry on the palate with medium acidity and medium(+) alcohol, giving the wine and overall medium body. Flavors of peach, cream and minerality. Medium(+) length. A refreshing Riesling with a complex aromas and perfectly balanced acidity and residual sugar.
Heron Hill Late Harvest Riesling 2004
Alc: 9%.
Grapes were hand-harvested, half of them were botrytised. Developed nose with a pronounced intensity of petrol and ripe peach. Sweet on the palate with a medium(+) acidity. Low alcohol and light body. Medium intensity of apricot jam, spices and raisins. A refreshing Auslese-style Riesling with an elegant balance of acidity and residual sugar and a medium(+) length.
Hunt Country Vineyards Semi-Dry Riesling 2007
Alc: 12%
Price: $14
732 cases made.
The nose is youthful with a medium(-) intensity of citrus fruit. Off-dry on the palate, with the sweetness tasting slightly candied. Medium intensity of ripe apricot fruit. Medium length.
Lakewood Vineyards Riesling 2007
Alc: 11%
Price: $13
800 cases made.
Pale lemon color. Youthful nose with a medium intensity of citrus and earthy aromas: smoky minerality and grapefruit, with a soft layer of ripe pear. The 2007 Riesling is off-dry on the palate, the natural sweetness balanced by refreshing acidity. The alcohol is pleasantly low, just the right amount to support the fruit without masking it. Pear and white pepper dominate the palate, which has a medium length with a spicy finish.
Lamoreaux Landing Semi-Dry Riesling 2007
Alc: 11.3%
Price: $13
Youthful nose with very light floral aromas and pleasant grapey notes of Muscat. Off-dry on the palate with an elegant balance of acidity and residual sugar. Medium length. Soft-spoken, but articulate and definitely quite elegant.
Lamoreaux Landing Dry Riesling 2007
Alc: 12.1%
Price: $13
Faint intensity of grapefruit and grassy aromas. Dry on the palate, with medium acidity. Light floral flavor profile with hints of grapefruit. Closed up both on nose and palate at this stage. Need to try this Riesling again and see if it opened up after a couple of years.
Ravines Wine Cellars Dry Riesling 2007
Alc: 12.5%
Pale lemon color with a green tint. Youthful nose with a medium intensity of minerality, pear aromas. Delicate hints of smoke and hay. Medium acidity. Medium(-) alcohol. Light to medium body. Beautiful floral and spicy flavors with pink grapefruit and bosc pear. Medium(+) length.
Ravines Wine Cellars Dry Riesling 2006
Alc: 12%
Price: $17
The grapes were hand-harvested and the wine aged on its lees to retain fruit freshness. It is still very youthful on the nose, lightly floral with white peach fruit and a distinct mineral aroma. Dry on the palate with crisp acidity, medium body and medium(-) alcohol. This Riesling is a whisperer: light peach and white pepper flavors. Lovely spicy nuances and wonderfully balanced.
Sheldrake Point Dry Riesling 2007
Pale lemon color with a greenish tint. Youthful nose of citrus fruit and earthy aromas. Slightly off-dry with a nice balance of residual sugar and acidity. Pleasant, round mouthfeel. Medium intensity of citrus and minerality flavors.
Sheldrake Point Riesling Icewine 2007
Alc: 11.8%
Price: $65
157 cases made
Winemaker Bob Madill produces his icewines in the traditional way, meaning the grapes were netted for protection and harvested when the berries were naturally frozen at about 14°F (-10°C). The wine has a medium straw color and a developed nose of honey, ripe apricot, nuts, orange peel and pineapple. Sweet on the palate, with high acidity balancing the residual sugar. Low alcohol and light body. Pronounced flavor intensity of brooding spices, honey, raisins and refreshing orange peel notes. Long length.
Sheldrake Point Dry Riesling Reserve 2003
Alc: 12.2%
The grapes come from the Sheldrake vineyards on the west shore of Cayuga Lake. Reserve Rieslings are only produced in exceptional years. Malolactic fermentation was encouraged and the wine was left on its lees for four months. The aroma was full or ripe apricot and honey, with hints of petrol. It was dry on the palate, with medium(+) acidity. The body had medium weight and a round mouthfeel. Flavors of honey, spices, and hazelnuts. Long length. Still very young tasting, fruit and acidity are well-balanced. Drink now through 2013.
Standing Stone Riesling 2007
Alc: 11.8%
Price: $14
450 cases made.
Made from a vineyard planted by Charles Fournier in 1972. The wine has a nice medium lemon color. Tropical fruit aromas with an interesting bitter grapefruit overtone. Off-dry. Ripe citrus fruit dominates the palate with more bitter grapefruit flavors. Medium(+) body. Cold fermented in stainless steel.
Swedish Hill Dry Riesling 2007
Alc: 12.6%
Pale lemon color with a greenish tint. Tropical fruit and grapefruit aromas. Dry, with medium acidity, alcohol and body. Medium intensity of grapefruit flavors on the palate.
Treleaven Dry Riesling 2007
Alc: 10.9%
Price: $15
1,320 cases made
Youthful. Very linear, mineral and earthy aromas along with crisp citrus fruit. Dry, medium acidity, medium alcohol and body. Medium intensity of citrus fruit and minerality. Medium length. .
Wagner Dry Riesling 2007
Alc: 11.5%
Price: $13
Pale lemon color with a greenish tint. Bright apple and pear fruit on the nose with a subtle layer of minerality. Dry on the palate with medium(-) alcohol. Nice, soft mouthfeel along with citrus and minerality, all well balanced.
