Quick Review: Dr Konstantin Frank Lemberger 2009

US, New York, Finger Lakes, Dr. Konstantin Frank, Lemberger, 2009
+ // Spicy // Cherry, Chocolate // Cherry, Red apple, Pepper, Leather // Medium bodied

Quick Review: Dr Konstantin Frank Pinot Noir Dry Rose 2011

US, New York, Finger Lakes, Dr. Konstantin Frank, Pinot Noir Dry Rose, 2011
+ // Earthy // Cherry // Dark cherry, mineral // Light

2012 Quick Reviews - White Wine Readers' Favorites

In 2012, Champagne was still the favorite, but Riesling was popular reading, among the Quick Reviews for white wine. Here are the most viewed quick reviews on white wine for the year:

5. Viridian Pinot Gris
4. Dr Konstantin Frank Semi-Dry Riesling
3. Brotherhood Winery Riesling
2. Dr Konstantin Frank Wine Pairing Dinner
1. Perrier-Jouet Champagne

Quick Reviews: Finger Lakes Round-Up--3 White Wines

Again, we couldn't sample everything in the Finger Lakes, but from our visit to 6 wineries, our favorite 3 whites were:

US, New York, Finger Lakes, Dr. Konstantin Frank, Rkatsiteli, 2010
++ // Fruity-Crisp // Herbs, Banana, Vanilla // Lime, lemon // Medium bodied
There is a crispness here that balances the herbs and minerals.

US, New York, Finger Lakes, Lamoreaux Landing, Chardonnay, 2008
++ // Smooth-Crisp finish // Butter, white pepper // Green apple, lime // Light bodied

US, New York, Finger Lakes, Fox Run Vineyards, Dry Riesling, 2011
++ / Crisp // Citrus // Peach, lemon, touch of smoke // Light bodied

Summer in the Finger Lakes

It's that time of year again, when we get out of NYC to escape the heat. So we packed out bags and headed for our favorite summer destination: New York's Finger Lakes. We found ourselves a hotel room in Geneva, on the shore of Seneca Lake, and spent a couple of days driving through the hills, enjoying the views and tasting the wines.

We only had a few days, so we carefully selected the wineries to visit. Too many close together, and the tastings could blur into one. Too haphazard in our approach, and we could spend far more time driving between the lakes than sampling this year's wine. But we managed to do well, picking a handful of excellent wineries to visit. And as an added bonus, we were able to make appointments with some fine winemakers to sit down and chat with them, and try some of their extra special wines.  

View from our hotel room

Our first visit was at Anthony Road Wine Company, where we met owners Ann and John Martini, and their winemaker, Johannes Reinhardt. Johannes took the time to show us around the production facility, which was very interesting compared to the few others we have seen. The larger, more modern facilities may not retain the old-world charm of an older cellar, but modern technology can only enhance the winemaker's skills. Johannes showed us their "cold cellar;" a refrigerated room that allows him to better control the wine's temperature during barrel fermentation to create more balanced Rieslings with lower alcohol content. 

Before we started our tasting, Ann and John took a few minutes to sit with us on the porch off the tasting room, overlooking the lake. They shared with us some of their joys and concerns about running a winery business. Like any sort of farming, it's a hard life, but they seemed content with what they have built, and proud of the benefit theirs and other wineries have brought to the Finger Lakes community.

After all of that, all of us--Ann, John, Johannes, and us--took part in a tasting, sampling their everyday wines alongside the special wines that add depth to their portfolio. Johannes pointed out that, in addition to the dry Rieslings that the Region has become known for, the Finger Lakes can create some wonderfully balanced Semi-Dry Rieslings that offer richer, fruitier flavors and a smoothness that plays with that acidity. And, as a special treat, he shared some of his dessert wines, the Berry Selection and Trockenbeerenauslese (or, "TBA") Rieslings, made it the traditional German style. This wine is made from handpicked grapes and is lovingly handcrafted--and all the rich, sweet unctuousness that can be expected of wines created with this level of care came through. The range offered in the Anthony Road tasting was excellent, and set the tone for our entire visit. It highlighted the level of balance that a deft hand can bring to Finger Lakes wine. It was only 11:30 in the morning as we walked out of the tasting room--but we felt like we had spent a whole day with this wonderful team.
 

Martini Reinhardt Selection

Given our recent discovery of his wines, we knew we had to visit Tom Higgins at Heart & Hands Winery. The tasting room is closed weekdays except by appointment, so this gave us ample opportunity to ask questions and learn about Tom, his wife Susan, and their craft. Tom explained how he trained in France, California, and New York, and how he wanted to work with the Pinot Noir grape in the Finger Lakes, and in the Burgundy style (all red Burgundy wine is Pinot Noir). It helps to know that Pinot Noir is considered a "difficult" grape to grow let alone produce into good wine, so many winemakers don't even try. Also consider that Finger Lakes wineries have a hard time convincing media and consumers that they can produce a decent red wine besides Cabernet Franc and Lemberger, two cold-climate grapes. 

Tom showed us his vineyard, where he lavishes his Pinot Noir vines with the extra care required to produce the highest-quality wines. Then, he shared with us his wine portfolio: two Rieslings crafted with skill, three Pinot Noirs made in the French style--one called "Polarity" that received no skins during fermentation and was therefore as white as any white wine--and, an amazing sparkling Blanc de Noir. He also showed us some very technical information about land composition, which proved that while tasting wine is an ongoing learning journey, there is vastly even more to learn about growing grapes that is far beyond us. We did learn a bit more about growing the perfect grape and transforming it into the perfect wine.

Pinot Noir Grapes at Heart and Hands

Our next step was a big contrast. Scott Osborn from Fox Run Vineyards showed us around his farm, explaining all the practical concerns of one who has been farming in the region for decades. He pointed out the drought damage already starting to show in the vines, and discussed the amount of labor that would go into hand watering the vines if it didn't rain soon. From there, we visited his enormous production facility, and he touched on a topic near and dear to our hearts: his support of all things local. He talked about how he commissioned the first stainless steel tanks from a local welding company, and after showing them how to build a higher quality tank, they have become the largest supplier of tanks on the East Coast. He talked about the challenges of competing with South American wines on price, while still providing his employees with a living wage and health benefits. And he talked about the relationship with the local community, and how supportive the public is to local wines, even when local restaurants and wine shops don't embrace them. It wasn't all practical though; he did spend a lot of time with us in the tasting room. He shared his Geology Series of Rieslings--wines crafted from specific vineyard plots to begin to fully understand the terroir of their property. He shared his Lembergers, Cabernet Francs, and the range of blended wines they create with the two. And, we closed with his dessert wines. The "Hedonia" was a special treat; a floral and funky wine made in the style of Port from the Traminette grape, a hybrid grape found throughout the Finger Lakes. An interesting visit for us as we learned both about the excellent wines crafted at Fox Run, as well as about the reality of the business concerns Finger Lakes winemakers face.

Bottling room at Fox Run Vineyards

Our next day started at Heron Hill. We'd visited their Seneca Lake tasting room in past, but this was our first time to their vineyard on Keuka Lake. We spoke with winemaker Bernard Cennac about the trials and tribulations of working in a cold climate, and tasted a range of their wines, incuding their Ingle Vineyard Series. Ingle Vineyard is operated and maintained by the owners of Heron Hill, and is the only Vinifera vineyard on Canandaigua Lake. The Ingle Vineyard Cabernet Franc is a "field blend": when the rows in the vineyard were first planted, there were a few vines of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignion mixed in with the Cabernet Franc. There is balance in their Rieslings, like at other wineries, that almost suggests those highly acidic white wines are a thing of the past--almost. While we tasted, we chatted a bit about the support for Finger Lakes wines in NYC restaurants, and how there is still a very limited few who have any real offering of New York wines on their wine list. This year's releases will feature updated and refreshed labeling that might help propel Heron Hill to the next level.

View from Heron Hill tasting room

Since we were in the neighborhood and we had time between appointments, we dropped by Dr. Konstantin Frank. We had just missed their 50th Anniversary celebration, and the official release of the 2011 vintages, but we looked forward to enjoying their wines on a quiet weekday. Given our newfound enjoyment of the more balanced Semi-Dry Rieslings, we gave the 2011 a try. Ironically, it was similar in profile to the 2010 Dry Riesling which was an excellent vintage, with ripe peach flavors against natural acidity. The Rose of Pinot Noir which was right in our wheelhouse: light bodied and earthy minerality at the same time. And our favorite of this quick tasting was the new release of Rkatsiteli (2010). This is a rarer white wine; this vintage is both crisp and smooth, herby with hints of banana and vanilla. 

Our last stop was a special treat. Lamoreaux Landing is Wine & Spirits Winery of the Year (2010), and after spending some time with co-owner Josh Wig and trying their wines, it is easy to see why. Focused on freshness, they pride themselves on being able to get their grapes from the vine to storage in two hours, in an attempt to reduce the natural oxidation of fresh picked fruit. This means despite they fact that they have 110 acres of vines, each small block is handled independently, and tracked during the barrel aging process, allowing them to better understand the different terriors of the vineyards, and blend as needed to achieve the perfect wines. We tasted through their different wine "programs." The Riesling program again showed us how different plots of land can effect subtle differences in the flavors, like a skilled jazz performer improvising slightly different tunes around the same main theme. The 2007 "76 West," a red Bordeaux blend, knocked our socks off. And most surprising was the Chardonnay program. In the past, we have written off Finger Lakes Chardonnay, but this trip showed us that like Pinot Noir, it can produce great wines if the winemaker embraces the cool climate and doesn't attempt to create a California style wine. Most interesting was their dedication to showing that the Finger Lakes can produce age worthy wines as well; Lamoreaux Landing sets aside cases of each vintage of their best wines to age in their cellar. Every year, they release wines from their cellar until they reach their peak, giving everyone, including those of us who lack our own wine cellars the chance to see what it means to age a wine.                                                

A wine barrel at Lamoureux Landing

In fact, many of the winemakers expressed to us that their wines could benefit from aging. Tom Higgin's told us his Reserve Pinot Noir would be best in 2018, and Johannes Reinhardt and others are confident in the age-ability of their Rieslings. This goes against current teaching that Finger Lakes wines are best within a year of release. Every time we visit the Finger Lakes, we're impressed. They seem to be in the midst of a major transformation: from sickly sweet wines in the 1980s to really acidic Rieslings in past years, the new phase is all about finding balance and suggests the Finger Lakes is maturing as a wine growing and wine consuming region.

Quick Review: Dr Konstantin Frank Semi-dry Riesling

US, New York, Finger Lakes, Dr. Konstantin Frank, Semi-dry Riesling, 2010
+ // Sweet // Floral // Honey, caramel // Light

An interesting contrast to dry Riesling, at a subtle layer there were similar flavors to Dr Frank's dry Riesling (which you would expect from their being the same grape), but the major notes were so substantially different. This can be attributed to the terrior, or ground, the grapes where grown in, as well as the elements, vintage year, and production methods. A lot of various components come together to create the taste of a wine.

Quick Review: Dr Konstantin Frank Cabernet Franc

US, New York, Finger Lakes, Dr. Konstantin Frank, Cabernet Franc, 2009
+ // Earthy // Berry, Green pepper // Green pepper // Medium

 

Quick Review... Dr. Konstantin Pinot Noir

US, New York, Finger Lakes, Dr. Konstantin Frank, Pinot Noir, 2008
+ // Spicy(with hints of fruit) // Leather, jam // Leather, Berry, Plum // Medium
Aged in French Oak, this wine reinforces the spice notes of the Pinot Noir over the usual fruitiness of the New World style.

Quick Review... Dr. Konstantin Frank Meritage

US, New York, Finger Lakes, Dr. Konstantin Frank, Meritage, Salmon Run, 2008
+ // Fruity // Raspberry Jam // Leather, Raspberry // Medium

Best of 2011... Most Surprising Wines

This week, we are recapping some of our favorite things from the year...


We tried a lot of different wine this year, and there were some that really surprised us.

The most surprising glass of red wine had to be the Shinn Estates Claret at Henry Public. Little did we know that Long Island is so suited to French style wines.

Beyond our normal Rieslings, we found some interesting wines in the Finger Lakes, including some wonderful sparkling Riesling from Dr Frank, made in the Champagne style.

One of our earliest reviews was a striking rosé from Domaine Spiropoulos that taught us that not all rose is boxed Zinfandel.

QUICK REVIEW: Dr. Konstantin Frank Wine Pairing Dinner

NY, Finger Lakes, Dr Konstantin Frank, Dry Riesling 2010
++ // Crisp // Apple // Slate, Lemon, Apple // Light
Paired with a Fish course, the wine was a little light for the smoked sable, but went well with salmon.

NY, Finger Lakes, Dr Konstantin Frank, Rkatsiteli 2009
+ // Funky, Crisp // Berry // Apple, Floral, Spice // Medium
An Asparagus Gratin with Greyre, Grana and Asiago cheese would normally be a difficult pairing, but the sweet fruit notes, along with the hint of strange, earthy flavors elevated the wine, and made for an excellent pairing, and probably the best course of the evening.

NY, Finger Lakes, Dr Konstantin Frank, Pinot Noir Old Vine 2008
++ // Spicy // Leather, Dark Fruit // Chocolate, Dark Cherry // Medium
The powerful, dark notes of this wine balanced well with the hearty filet mignion, and there was a hint of funkiness to the wine that held up well the the accompanying truffled whipped potatoes.

NY, Finger Lakes, Dr Konstantin Frank, Semi-Dry Riesling 2010+
+ // Sweet // Peach, Slate // Ripe Peach, Peach Skins // Medium
Some savory, earthy notes in the dessert course, a Pear Cobbler, with Savory Cranberries and Spiced Pumpkin Custard were counterbalanced by the sweet fruit notes with hints of minerality of this wine, without becoming cloyingly sweet.

Dinner with Dr. Frank

We particularly enjoy the social experience of wine. Some of our best memories involve sharing an evening over a glass of wine with friends, whether it is through the wine club at Public or a wine festival in Virginia. So, as we made plans to host my family on a recent weekend and learned of a wine pairing dinner in recognition of the work of Fred Frank of Dr Konstantin Frank Wine Cellars, we couldn't have been more excited. Those who follow this blog know we have a sweet spot for Finger Lakes wine, and those of Dr. Frank in particular. This seemed the perfect opportunity to enjoy our favorite wines while introducing my family to one of our favorite aspects of NYC.

Wine on Thanksgiving

This Thanksgiving, Nate and I will be sharing a bottle of white wine with our turkey and fixins. We'll decide between the Cayuga White from Wilhelmus Estate Winery or the 2010 Dry Riesling from Dr. Konstantin Frank when dinner is ready.

How did we come up with these two, you ask?  Well, both the Cayuga grape and the Dry Riesling are acidic. Acidic wines (also described as "tart" and "crisp") work well with fatty foods. And, fixins are traditionally fatty. The acid serves to rinse away that fattiness. Ironically, the one thing the white wine probably won't go well with is the white meat from the turkey (Tina's preference), but it should go very well with the dark meat (Nate's). No matter, it all ends up in the same place, anyway.

So, today, think acidic if you are planning on a white wine. Think very light if you are going with a red.

And, Happy Thanksgiving, all!

How to: Pair Wine with Buffalo Wings

Most of the time, when people talk of pairing wine, they’re speaking of high cuisine. Sometimes we just want comfort food. How do you pair wine with something greasy? In the past, we've experimented with picnic food, but I decided I wanted to try wine with homemade Buffalo Wings. Most of us will think "buffalo wings go with beer!" But, could I prove tradition wrong?



 

Using an old recipe, based on the original from The Anchor Bar in Buffalo (home of modern day Buffalo Wings), I made myself some hot wings, with steamed garlic veggies and Gorgonzola cheese dipping sauce. To give some breadth to the experiment, I went with two wines: the 2010 Dry Riesling from Ravine Vineyard and the 2010 Lemberger from Dr. Frank. Both wines brought something to the table (pun intended). Both were very forward, with strong flavors that weren't lost in the rich tomato and spice of the buffalo sauce, nor the strong minerality and funk of the dipping sauce. The Riesling, though dry, seemed sweet and fruity against the heat of the tomato sauce. On the other hand, the spice present in the Lemberger served to increase the heat in the wings. The mineral notes in both matched the funk of the Gorgonzola cheese and steamed broccoli quite well.

I was pleased that both wines worked well, but I’ve finally learned that you need to pair strong-flavored wines with strong-flavored foods. A light, crisp white or mellow red would get lost amid the powerful, rich flavors and thickness of the sauces that make buffalo wings. I can now order wine with confidence at the bar to go along with this favorite snack food of mine.

Cheese Sauce:
4 T butter
1 c. Greek yogurt
1/4 lb Gorgonzola Cheese
2 T fresh chives, chopped

In a small sauce pan, melt the butter over low heat. Added the remaining ingredients and cover, stirring occasionally, cooking until the cheese has melted.

Buffalo Wings:1 dozen Chicken Wings
1 can (23 oz) Crushed Tomatoes
8 T Butter
¼ c. Lemon Juice
Hot Sauce to taste
Vegetable Oil

In a heavy sauce pan, melt the butter, then add the Tomatoes, Lemon Juice, and Hot Sauce, simmering over low heat until thick, approximately 1 to 2 hours.

In a deep pot or fryer, pour several inches of oil. Heat to boiling point (the oil will not actually boil), then add chicken wings a couple at a time, until golden brown. Drain on plate covered with paper towel. Once the wings are all cooked, place them in a large bowl, and cover them with the sauce, until evenly coated.

Best of the Finger Lakes (Day 1)

Today, instead of our usual "quick review," we wanted to share the top five wines sampled on day 1 of our August 2011 trip to the Finger Lakes. Wines that received a ++ rating were included. 

US, New York, Finger Lakes, Wilhelmus Estate, Razzle NV 

++ // Fruity // Raspberry // Ripened raspberry, minerality // Medium

Reminiscent of Sauternes, will make an excellent sipping wine. The heavier notes balance the sweetness - it's not as sickly sweet as you'd expect for a dessert wine.

Wilhelmus Estate "Razzle"

US, New York, Finger Lakes, Dr. Konstantin Frank, Riesling, Chateau Frank Celebre NV
++ // Sweet // Citrus, leather // sweet green apple, pineapple // Full
A surprising find, a sparkling Riesling made in the champagne style.

Chateau Frank's "Celebre"

US, New York, Finger Lakes, Dr. Konstantin Frank, Muscat Ottonel, 2010
++ // Sweet // floral, honey, vanilla // honey(start), mineral(finish) // light
A complex wine, with nearly equal notes of crispness and spice.

Dr. Frank's 2010 Muscat Ottonel

US, New York, Finger Lakes, Dr. Konstantin Frank, Dry Riesling, 2010
++ // Crisp // Apple, vanilla, mineral // Lemon, Green Apple // Medium
As was expected, this is an amazing a vintage. The long growing season mellowed the usual citrus crispness of the Riesling grape, with hints of sweet fruit.

Dr. Frank's 2010 Dry Riesling

US, New York, Finger Lakes, Hunt Country Vineyards, Vidal Blanc, Ice Wine, 2007
++ // Fruity // Honey // Fresh apricot, Peach pie // Full
A speciality of the region, made in the true ice wine style. 26% residual sugar. Paired with a Cherry Apricot White Chocolate, it almost entirely overpowered the dessert.

Hunt Country Vidal Blanc Ice Wine

Check back Thursday to see the Best of the Finger Lakes, Day 2.

We *Heart* the Finger Lakes

Nearly two years ago, we got married among the falling leaves of Lake Seneca in the Finger Lakes region of New York. The area has become a hot spot for us: we've spent numerous trips there, enjoying time away from the hustle and bustle of NYC. It's a great place to get away, take the time to enjoy the slow drive between wineries and the views from the hills overlooking the lakes,

the historic towns,

and farms. 

We love the small wineries of the region, small producers close to the land. While the wineries don't have the age and history of the Californian producers, there are opportunities for these small wineries to really focus on their craftsmanship and highlight some very different styles of wine. And of course, since the region is lesser known, the costs of everything from the wines, to the accommodations, to the tastings themselves are a great value, especially compared to Napa and Sonoma Counties. We look forward to something new every trip we take up there.

This trip, we let the wind take us where it may to help us select the wineries. We had just a couple of days in the area, so we looked over the map of the Finger Lakes wine trail and tried to pick a range of places. We had to visit Belhurst, to relive our wedding day, and, given the expectations of the 2010 Rieslings, we knew we had to visit Dr. Konstantin Frank's, but otherwise we just picked a path, and selected places to visit as we travelled. In all we visited nine wineries:

• Dr. Frank’s Vinefera Wine Cellar {http://www.drfrankwines.com/}
• Wilhelmus Estate Winery {http://www.wilhelmusestate.com/}
• Hunt Country Vineyard {http://www.huntwines.com/}
• Belhurst Winery {http://www.belhurst.com/winery-at-belhurst.html}
• Silver Springs Winery {http://www.silverspringswinery.com/}
• Red Newt Cellars {http://rednewt.com/ww2/}
• Leidenfrost Vineyard {http://www.leidenfrostwine.com/}
• Thirsty Owl Wine Company {http://www.thirstyowl.com/}
• Swedish Hill Winery {http://www.swedishhill.com/}

This entire week we're writing about our recent trip to the Finger Lakes. Check back for more!

Nate has a story published on Snooth!

We interrupt your regular-scheduled programming to share with you this article written by Nate that has been published on Snooth.com - the world's foremost wine website.

http://www.snooth.com/articles/a-frank-epiphany/

It's part of a contest and winners are based on readers' "liking" or "tweeting" or "sharing" the articles - whoever gets commented or shared the most wins!

Enjoy! And let us know what you think.