Finger Lakes Rieslings
Picture yourself strolling through a local winery taking in the rolling hills and water views. You may be thinking of Sonoma in California or Tuscany in Italy but you don’t have to go that far.If you are lucky enough to live in Central New York, within a short drive you’ll be in the Finger Lakes wine region. While Kathy, Kate, Pam, Carolyn, and Eileen haven’t spent much time exploring this wine lover’s terrain, friends Rob and Samantha Punch are experts. 
Although they downplayed their knowledge, Rob and Sam were able to offer a tasting of New York Rieslings and captivate the group with tales of their many forays into wine country. While we tasted at the Punch’s lovely home, we highly recommend driving the 90 minutes or so out to the Finger Lakes and sampling the wines right where they are made. A few of Rob and Sam’s recommendations include Boundary Breaks Winery on Seneca Lake; Living Roots Winery on Keuka Lake; and their favorite: Atwater Winery on Seneca Lake which boasts a beautiful view of almost 180 degrees.
I especially admire Sam’s adventurous approach, advising “pick a lake and go – it’s just so much fun.” They have us convinced. I predict an article straight from the source in the coming months. For now, we will share with you our at-home taste test.
At Rob’s suggestion, we tasted Riesling because New York State is praised for this particular variety. While many of us think of Riesling as a sweet dessert wine, the experts explain it differently. “Depending on where and how it’s produced, Riesling can be dry, sweet, or somewhere in between. Riesling tends to be remarkably food-friendly, not just pairing with, but elevating a wide range of foods, from hearty butter-and cream-sauced fish and light meats to aromatically spiced curries.” Brian Freedman, “Riesling – A guide to the Basics” Food and Wine, August, 2022.
The Rieslings often have a fruit-based flavor and sometimes even hints of petrol or gasoline. “Sweeter and riper styles of Riesling showcase more fruit, whereas dryer ones tend to be more savory. Across the stylistic spectrum, Riesling generally boasts stone fruit (peaches, nectarines, apricots), citrus fruit (lemon, limes), orchard fruit (apples, pears), and often a core of minerality. It’s not uncommon to find hints of spice and sometimes honeyed notes, too. Ginger and lemongrass are also common tasting notes. Interestingly, aromas of petrol or gasoline can often be discerned in high-quality Riesling, an attribute that its most ardent fans look for and typically love.” Brian Freedman, “Riesling – A guide to the Basics” Food and Wine, August, 2022. As you’ll see below some of us enjoyed the minerality and others definitely did not!
Since the Punches provided a panoply of wines, we sampled four different Rieslings. To recap our novice approach to tasting: none of us is a wine expert but we know what we like and are happy to share our unbiased opinion with you. To keep things consistent, we developed our own unique rating system: pass, glass, bottle, case; you can interpret it as 1, 2, 3, and 4 stars.
HEARTS & HANDS, ESTATE RIESLING 2022
(Finger Lakes, New York)
This crowd pleaser is Rob and Sam’s favorite which goes a long way as a recommendation. The rest of the group enjoyed it as well. Kathy mentioned the “smooth taste” and said “you could drink it all day in the summer.” Eileen, Pam, Kate, and Carolyn all noted the crisp apple flavor.
Winemaker: Aromas of tangerine zest, lychee fruit, and chalk on the nose. A burst of fresh apricots, green apples, and key limes tease the palate along with an austere chalky minerality and hint of salinity. The finish is long, dry, and refreshing.
Retail Cost: $25 per bottle
Rating: Buy A BOTTLE
TOAST WINERY, BUBBLY DRY RIESLING
(Finger Lakes, New York)
Most of the group enjoyed this bubbly Riesling. Sam and Kathy described it as “light” and “refreshing.” While Carolyn, Eileen, and Pam enjoyed the mild flavor and light bubbles. Kate was not a fan and mentioned an unpleasant aftertaste.
Winemaker: Crisp and bright with refreshing sparkling character. Great addition to your anytime drinking as well as for holidays and celebrations.
Retail Cost: $19 per bottle
Rating: Buy A BOTTLE
ANTHONY ROAD, ART SERIES RIESLING
(Finger Lakes, New York)
Tasters were divided about this bottle with the beautiful label. Rob, Sam, Carolyn, and Pam enjoyed the minerality – or “petrol” flavor and the “clean taste.” Kathy, Kate, and Eileen thought it was “okay” and mentioned an oaky flavor. Rob explained that the petrol flavor and aroma come from the soil, some people enjoy it, others do not. You’ll have to try it and decide for yourself.
Winemaker: Complex fruity aromatics with a soft hint of minerality. Citrus, white flower and stone fruit on the palate with a refreshing acidity and lengthy finish.
Retail Cost: $30 per bottle
Rating: Buy A BOTTLE
BOUNDARY BREAKS, RIESLING 239 (Finger Lakes, New York)
Everyone enjoyed our final bottle. Kathy described the wine as “exploding with a crisp flavor and a smooth ending.” Pam, Sam, and Eileen liked the “light, fruity flavor” and Carolyn and Kate found it “easy to drink.”
Winemaker: Dry Riesling with a combination of exceptional fruit flavor with crisp, bracing acidity, which supplies this wine with verve and liveliness.
Rating: Buy A BOTTLE
While we suggest you buy a bottle of each of these wines, a much better idea is to head out to the wineries for a tasting right at the source. Take it from Rob and Sam, the Finger Lakes wine trail is a treasure in our own backyard – go explore.
Cheers,
Kathy, Kate, Pam, Eileen, and Carolyn
