Finger Lakes - Best of the Whites

Best Whites
1. Anthony Road
2. Atwater












Best Riesling
1. Ravines 2007 Dry
2. Wiemer 2007 Dry
3. Lamoreaux Landing 2008 Dry
4. Atwater 2008 Dry

Best Gewurztraminer
1. Anthony Road 2008
(Lamoreaux Landing 2007, Penguin Bay 2007)

Best Chardonnay
Ravines












Best Pinot Gris/Grigio
Anthony Road Pinot Gris 2007

Best Sauvignon Blanc
Ravines 2008













Best Sparkling
1. Swedish Hill (Penguin Bay) - "Blanc de Blanc"
2. Weimer - "Blanc de Noir 2003"

Best Dessert/Sweet
1. Anthony Road - "Sweet Dream"
(Standing Stone - "Vidal Ice" or "Chardonnay Ice", Wiemer - "Late Harvest Riesling 2008", Wagner - "Vidal Ice")

Best White: Other
Lamoreaux Landing - "Estate White"

Anthony Road

Seneca Lake (West - Penn Yan)
1020 Anthony Road
Penn Yan, NY 14527

800-559-2182
anthonyroadwine.com
info@anthonyroadwine.com

Hours: 10am-5pm Mon-Sat, 12-5 Sun
Tasting Fee: $1, Reservations: not required, but recommended during peak hours/season









At the time of our visit in October 2009, Anthony Road had been producing wines for 20 years. It is still family-owned and operated with on-site control over the many aspects of winery operations (winemaking, bottling, labeling, storage). The final product is a roster of excellent wines in a full range of styles priced at a great value. The winery was only second in number of bottles purchased (just behind Ravines). To say we were pleased with the accuracy of the Wine Spectator recommendations is not enough. You really ought to visit yourself.

The tasting room is in an impressive building of with hints of Classical (Greek/Roman architecture with a soaring ceiling, airy atmosphere, and lots of marble and fresco-styled decorative painting. Our host was alert, able to answer specific questions abou the winery and wines as well as guiding our selections.

Anthony Road definitely deserves a return visit, possibly paired with a picnic under the deep porch overlooking the vineyards.









Selections from tasting menu (purchases in bold):
Dry Riesling 2008 - $U. "Apple & lemon peel with hints of lime." 0.7% RS.
Pinot Gris 2007 - $12.99. Rose florals with crisp citrus flavors followed with a hint of toasted walnut. Really nice. 0.6% RS.
Gewurztraminer 2008 - $15.99. Balanced and beautiful. Lots of florals with easily detected ginger; tangerine and lychee in supporting roles. Nice weight with a long finish. 1.1% RS
Rose of Cab Franc 2008 - $U. Crisp; lighter and less personality than the most recent Rose (Peju in Napa Valley) we tasted, but still good. A great summer appetizer wine. 0.4% RS
Devonian Red - $9.99. Possibly the best value wine of the whole trip. An easy-drinking red blend with distinctive green pepper spice flavors.
Sweet Dream 2007 - $15.99. Simply delicious. This dessert wine is made with 75% raisined Vignoles grapes (via botrytis) at harvest. Decadent with just the right amount of acidity and weight. 8.6% RS












Other wines from the tasting menu:
Devonian White
Chardonnay 2007
Dry Riesling 2008
Cab Franc/Lemberger 2007
Tony's White
Tony's Blush
Tony's Red
Semi-Sweet Riesling 2008
Vignoles 2008

Standing Stone

Seneca Lake (Central South - Hector)
9934 Route 414
Hector, NY 14841

607-582-6051
standingstonewines.com
ssvny@standingstonewines.com

The tasting room at Standing Stone is unassuming and relaxed. Our host was knowledgeable, friendly and made excellent recommendations on wines to sample. We were pleasantly surprised by the dry, European-styled whites and reds on the tasting menu. I heard the gewurztraminer was the wine to try, but it was the reds that impressed us. These reds were complex, medium-bodied, full of character and the finish was strong. A far cry from some of the day's previous reds. We did a side by side of the '05 and '06 Pinnacle, which is a great way to discover the nuances of each vintage and find your favorite.

After such a strong representation from the dry wines, I didn't need or expect the dessert wines to shine. However, their Vidal Ice and Chardonnay Ice wines were very good.









This winery is located next to the deepest part of Seneca Lake (about 650 ft). The deep waters help to cool the vineyards in the summer and radiate heat back in winter.

Hours: 10-5:30 M-Sat, 11-5:30 Sun
Fee: $3, Tours: Yes, advance notice required, Reservations: Not required

Selections from tasting menu (purchases in bold):
Merlot 2007 - $20. The first vintage they produced in four years after the vines were hit by bad weather. Minty and herbal. This was a fun wine.
Cabernet Franc 2006 - $20. A good example of this varietal in the region. Balanced.
Pinnacle 2005 - $22. A plusher wine from a stronger vintage.
Pinnacle 2006 - $19. Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc & Merlot. Had more sharp acidity than '05.
Vidal Ice Wine - $24. Honeyed pineapple and tropical fruit with walnut finish. Liked wine but had trouble spending this much on a dessert wine.
Chardonnay Ice Wine - $24. Sauternes-like richness and honeyed fruit. Unexpected flavors wowwed. Nuttier flavors than the Vidal. Next time we'll pick up a bottle of this ice wine, simply for its uniqueness.









Other wines on the tasting menu:
Gewurztraminer 2007 - $16
Dry Riesling 2008 - $14 (tasted both whites but couldn't remember details without a tasting sheet)
Pinot Noir 2006 - $20
Smokehouse Blend - $20

Port

Mainly served as a dessert wine, port is a fortified wine from Portugal. The flavors, aromas and production method vary by style and include white, ruby and tawny port. Each port producer has a defined style, known as the house blend, so you may try several types of ruby or tawny port before you find a favorite.

Tawny port - barrel-aged, wine picks up the nuances of the oak barrels imparting nutty flavors and aromas. Tawnies can be served before or after a meal.
Ruby port - bottle-aged and does not generally improve with aging. This is a young, fruity wine perfect for after dinner pairings with dark chocolate and berries.
White port - very similar to a ruby port except white grapes are used. Great as an apertif.

Fine by itself as an after-dinner drink, port also cooperates with food. These wines pair well with mild, hard cheese like Manchego or a tangy, salty blue cheese (a perfect pairing to the sweetness of a ruby or white port).

White Port


Niepoort Dry White Port
$18
Lighter body, rich golden color. Sweeter than other white port (Rozes) while aroma isn't as strong. Sampled recently at Domaine Hudson. 3.5/5


Rozes white reserve port
$20
Soft aromas with walnut note. Sweeter nose than Niepoort. Caramel gold color. Rich, full flavor - decadent. Walnut flavors with long finish. Moderate sweetness. My favorite of the two white ports. 4/5

Tawny, Ruby & Late-Bottled Port


Graham's 10 year Tawny Port
$30
Beautiful orange-brown color. A little hot. Nutty & vanilla flavors on a light body. Pairs wonderfully with Manchego cheese and hazelnut dark chocolate. Ideal for an after-dinner drink, especially after a large meal because it is not as heavy or sweet as a ruby or white port. 4/5


Fonseca Porto Late Bottled Vintage 2001 Unfiltered
$22-30
This ruby port is very refined. A nice change from our everyday, $12 bottle ruby port which is much sweeter. Rich and smooth. 3.5/5


Fonseca Porto Bin 27
$18-23
Powerful nose of brambly, rich & concentrated fruits. Raspberry burst finish on the palate. A little hot but a very nice wine. Complex. 4/5




Dow's Late Bottled Vintage Porto 2003
$20
Striking nose. Much sweeter than Fonseca Bin 27. Softer, more delicate nose. Smooth finish, not too hot. My favorite of the three ruby ports. 4.5/5