In Focus

The Finger Lakes wine scene is finally coming of age with more and more top quality producers emerging with each vintage. We have had our wild youth where prodigies such as the original Dr. Konstantin Frank, and Herman J.Wiemer spotlighted the potential of the region to make outstanding wines. As that youthful age ends, more and more wineries emerge to stand shoulder to shoulder in quality with these icons of our region, and one such winery to catch my attention recently was Keuka Lake Vineyards. The winery has several surprising bottling including a gently dry Vignoles that pairs exceptionally well with Asian cuisine, however their single vineyard Riesling are the true highlight.

Keuka Lake Vineyards bottled three single vineyard Riesling from the 2009 vintage, with the total production of all three being a mere 419 cases. What these wines lack in volume, they more than make up in quality with three distinctly different styles ranging from the nervy citrus tinged Goldman Vineyard to the racy voluminous Falling Man Vineyard. The notes below are my own after tasting each of these wines side-by-side.
- Ben Faubel

2009 “Goldman Vineyard” Dry Riesling
Pure lemon candies and salty ocean air on the nose with hints of cinnamon dusted golden apples. Breaks across the palate with sizzling acidity carrying notes of rock mineral, spring blossoms, apple slices and juicy lemon citrus. Incredibly long on the finish with seemingly timeless notes of fresh apple slices, lemon & lime citrus and a hint of mint. Racy in the style of a superb German Kabinett Riesling with superb acidity leaving me wanting another sip.

2009 “Evergreen Lek Vineyard” Dry Riesling
Apple crumble and crème brulee notes play on the nose with the promise of more with some time in the cellar. Big rocky mineral notes give way to more apple crumble and crème brulee notes and are swiftly washed away by a rush of acidity. Mouthwatering on the finish with notes of dried apple lingering pleasantly. This wine defies a sense of place with apple and mineral notes reminiscent of the finest Alsatian Rieslings, yet a brisk cutting acidity that rings more in the vein of a German or Finger Lakes while managing to sum up the best aspects of the three regions.

2009 “Falling Man Vineyard” Dry Riesling
Quince, dried pineapple, mango, freshly juiced lemons and limes on the nose immediately remind me of Willi Schaefer’s superb Mosel Spatlese Rieslings. The concentration of flavors in this Riesling is mind-bending with an opulent orchestra of tropical fruit notes balanced and carried along briskly by lemon lime citrus on a spine of mineral notes. The finish never seems to end, with mouthwatering acidity and haunting intensity. Simply one of the finest Finger Lakes Rieslings I have ever tasted, and a monument to the progress the region has made over the last decade.