There are some tasty wines to be had in New York State, though unfortunately, they are not necessarily priced for value as many other imports from other regions in the world may be. It can be frustrating to get a perfectly lovely table red from South Africa at $8/bottle, yet a similar bottle, with grapes grown a few hours drive north in the Finger Lakes, is more than double (if not triple) the price.
We decided to buy a bunch of bottles (focusing on the Finger Lakes and North Fork, Long Island, though there are a few gems to be found in the Hudson Valley as well) and see what we could find in terms of both taste and value.
I'll also include some notes about a few of the ice wines that inspired this focused look to the local vines around us.
All wines for this tasting were purchased at Red, White, and Bubbly.
* TOP 3
Mattabella Famiglia, Chardonnay 2008 (North Fork, LI), $14.50
-> MY NOTES: Nose of peach, taste has oak-y finish, overall impression was meh.
Hermann J. Weimer, Dry Reisling 2008 (Finger Lakes - Seneca, NY), $17.00
-> MY NOTES: Nose was typical reisling strawberry yogurt, champagne color, taste was nice, crisp, tart, clean, grapefruit.
* TOP 3
Ravines, Dry Reisling, 2007 (Finger Lakes - Keuka, NY), $14.50
*ALSO, there's a great review of this wine by Der Kellmeister.
-> MY NOTES: Clean, intense, fresh, strange and intense, metal aluminum finish.
* TOP 3
Channing Daughters, Mosaico (White Table Wine) 2007 (North Fork, LI), $30.00
-> MY NOTES: They used 7 different grapes, nose of sucrets (!), taste of fruit, cherry, grapefruit, band-aids for sure, good and complicated as a wine, I really liked this one.
Shinn Estate Vineyards, Red Table Wine (North Fork, LI), $13.50
-> MY NOTES: Nose of iron, blood, and cherry, medium bodies, sweet plums, weird and intense, we felt it could hold up to a big hearty meal, tho someone said it was like "a soup with too much of every spice"
* TOP 3
Borghese, Cabernet Franc Reserve 2005 (North Fork, LI), $27.00
-> MY NOTES: Nose of leather, cherry, wood, old man smell or a woman's leather glove - "it smells of other people's money"
Wölffer Estate, Cabernet Franc 2007 (North Fork, LI), $18.00
-> MY NOTES: Nose felt a bit off, like astringent and something unplace-able (one taster thought vomit!), agressive but thin wine, metal, leaves a film in my mouth, tastes very everyday, probably a nice mid-range, but after the Borghese, this was hard to taste.
Inniskillin, Vidal Ice Wine 2007 (Niagara), $50.00
-> MY NOTES: Rich yellow and healthy legs, nose of apricot, gooseberry, melon, has a tart, tangy unripe apricot taste, not as sweet as it smells, and tastes like the syrup in canned fruit cocktail (not in an unpleasant way: canned peaches rather than fresh), good with cheese.
Inniskillin, Reisling Ice Wine 2007 (Niagara), $70.00
-> MY NOTES: Similar color and legs to the Vidal, nose is typical reisling w/ not only strawberry yogurt, but hints of that gasoline you don't often get. Taste of pineapple, tar, a bit more complex, not as fragrant and sweet, the sweet and tart are a bit more balanced, this is the city mouse to the Vidal country mouse.
* The Winner of the Ice Wines
Inniskillin, Cabernet Franc Ice Wine 2007 (Niagara), $100.00
-> MY NOTES: Nice garnet color w/ similar legs, nose of wine (yup) and berry from a candy (like blowpops), tastes of black currant (jarred or syrup, not off the bush), light quick finish, reminds one gentleman of white port: messes with your expectations, nice sipping wine over dessert w/ rich chocolate
