Interest?

[Van The Man]

>>I do not have the depth of tasting experience with NE wines to make serious comments - I can only say that I have been unimpressed with the ones that I have tried. I'm sure that some of the better ones never leave the region.<<

Bucko -

Remember that Standing Stone Gewurz I sent you some years back? It was a '95 if I recal correctly. I remember you saying that wine soulc stand with any domestic Gewurz....and you did indeed say it was still off as compared to a German or Alsace counterpart, but not by much.

Last summer, we put Melanie Wong through the test and lined up some Alsace Grand Cru Gewurz, some Finger Lakes Gewurz and some Long Island Gewurz. The concensus at the table that evening was that the Standing Stone wine was the best right out of the bottle but with 3 hours of air and then the next day, the Bott-Geyl Grand Cru was well above it. But the Bott-Geyl is also a $35 bottle and the Standing Stone was a $10 bottle.

I guess the major point I'd make is that there are indeed some wonderful Rieslings and Gewurztraminers. And there's more and more than ever. Standing Stone, Hermann J. Wiemer, Lamoreaux Landing, Chateau Reneau, Glenora, Prejean, MacGregor, Fox Run, Dr. Frank, Wagner, Treleaven, Hazlitt (occassionally) and others are doing a nice job with Riesling, Gewurz, Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc.

I really disagree with foodie that there's any consistent and good Pinot Noir there. I've tried just about all of 'em and the stuff falls well short of anything that resembles good varietal quality. In great vintages like '95, there were some decent ones but again, not real good. It's just too, too humid for that grape in this part of the country for that varietal. It's subjected too easily to bunch rot and fungus. It does marginally better in Long Island.

As for Cabernet Franc, I really think there are some bright spots for the varietal, especially on the east side of Seneca. I still say it's too cold on the west side for any red vinifera.....who wants to deal with accumulated stress syndrome and killer freeze EVERY year?

But don't write off anything from the Finger Lakes. There are some WONDERFUL wines being made there and with time, they will get better. :-)