Chateau Lafayette Reneau

Seneca Lake (Central South - Hector)
5081 Route 414
Hector, NY 14841

800-469-9463
clrwine.com
info@clrwine.com

Hours: 10-6 M-Sat, 11-6 Sun
Fee: $5, Tours: No, Reservations: Not required

After hearing positive notes about their red wines before the trip, I had high hopes that this high-traffic winery would pull through with a winner or two. Overall, the reds lacked body or flavor. The whites were similarly styled and leaned more to the semi-dry level of sweetness.

The extensive tasting menu covered 17 wines. For the first winery of the day, it is quite an undertaking. Visited on a busy Saturday, so our host wasn't able to provide much information. Thankfully there was a tasting sheet with detailed notes.









Selections from tasting menu (purchases in bold):
Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 - $19.99. Tart, don't like.
Pinot Noir 2006 - $19.99. Very floral with a sweet fruit nose. Dry style without a lot of flavor. Did not like.
Cabernet Franc - $18.99. Tart, smoky and light. 2/5
Merlot 2003 - $14.99. Jammy nose. Savory, soup smell finish - strange. Better than the previous wine. 2.5/5
Cuvee Rouge - $9.49. Couldn't get past the strong body odor aroma. Sweet. 1.5/5
Roaring Red - $9.99. Blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Baco & 10% Pinot Noir. Nice wine for summer. Pleasing flavors with good finish with lingering sweetness. Tannins and touch of sweet. 2.5/5
Chardonnay (Barrel Fermented) 2006 - $14.99. Pear aroma, juicy flavors. Silky texture. Not flavored strongly - watery.
Chardonnay (Proprietor's Reserve) 2008 - $19.99. Ripe flavor and aromas. Pear and apple dominate. Flat finish.
Dry Riesling 2008 - $14.99. Not dry. An okay wine but too pedestrian and flat. Peach, melon and some citrus.
Seyval-Chardonnay - $14.99. White flower and tree fruit aromas. Smooth but finish falls flat. Not complex. 3/5
Pinot Noir Blanc 2007 - $9.49. Not that bad! Watermelon and strawberry. Targeted at White Zinfandel drinkers.
Northern White - $9.99. Floral aroma, lush texture. Acidity balances out the sweetness and is not offensive.
Emperor's Blush - $9.99. Did not care for this wine. Blend of vinifera and hybrid grapes. Watermelon and strawberry.
Riesling Semi-dry 2008 - $14.99. A nice style Riesling, but sweeter than I prefer. Tree fruit aromas with similar flavors.
Meadow Mist - $7.49. Passed on this wine. The wines at the bottom of the list were sweeter than I prefer. This wine was a blend of Native American and French-American hybrids designed to create a fruity rose.
Niagara Mist $7.49. Passed on this wine. Niagara grape and all of its grape flavors are present.
Late Harvest Riesling 2008 - $14.99. Very perfumed nose. Not as rich or syrupy as the other late harvest or ice wines.

Other wines not on the tasting menu:
Cabernet Sauvignon Owner's Reserve 2005 - $59.99