Finger Lakes Rieslings

World-Class Rieslings from

North America’s Premier Cool-Climate Wine Region

For the American Culinary FederationRavenwood Country Club

September 17, 2012

Lorraine Hems, MS, Rochester Institute of Technology

Certifications CS, CWE, CSS, CWJ

Finger Lakes Wine Alliance

In our 11th year…..

40+ wineries working together to promote the visibility of the Finger Lakes as North America’s premier cool-climate winegrowing region.

Breathtaking Vineyard & Lake Views

Seneca LakeVineyards Planted on Sloping Lakeshores

DEEP Lakes

10,000 Years In the Making• South of Lake Ontario & Lake Erie to west

• Atlantic Ocean to east

• Carved by glaciers

• 11 long, narrow, roughly parallel lakes, oriented north-south

• Among the deepest lakes in North America 450 to 600 ft. deep

• Main winegrowing lakes - Keuka, Seneca, Cayuga

.

The Winegrowing Puzzle• Climate – moderated continental related to

proximity to water bodies

• Weather – limitation of extremes of cold and heat with risk of rain during ripening season

• Soils – glaciated, complex and somewhat vigorous

• Vineyards – north to south rows at various distances and elevations from lakes

• Varieties – native, hybrid, vinifera

Finger Lakes TopographyVarying Slopes and Aspects

Lake Effect: The Cool Difference

• Lake Ontario to the north• Lake depth provides a beneficial “lake

effect” to the vineyards that flank their shores.

• Warmer minimum temperatures in winter• Cooler maximum temperature in summer• Variation in ripening – elevation, distance

from water

Soils - the Real Dirt

• Glacial activity has produced complex soil patterns.• Gravelly & low organic sites to loamy & fertile.• North 50% to 60% of Seneca and Cayuga Lakes

include limestone base with pHs closer to 7 and south lower.

• Due to ancient glacial activity & flooding, the Finger Lakes Region features includes shale.

• Significance = diversity in fruit characteristics

Vineyards

• Run north to south & vines face east and west• Moderately to moderate+ vigor due to soils

and water availability• Critical

– manage canopy– sun exposure– balanced to ripen fruit– ensure airflow to reduce disease pressure

• Trellis – VSP, Scott Henry, Geneva Double Curtain

What It All Means

• Regional complexity and variability• Producer and vintage specific regional

expression• The Finger Lakes Region is ideally suited

to the production of world-class and truly distinctive wines

• Especially Rieslings & aromatic white wines

• Reflective of winegrowing circumstances

History• 17th century with Dutch and Huguenot

plantings in the Hudson Valley

• 1862 first bonded winery in the US - Pleasant Valley Wine Company in Hammondsport

• Dr. Frank promoted Vitis vinifera in New York – hired by Charles Fournier (French Champagne maker; Clicquot) and president of Gold Seal

• 1962 Vinifera Wine Cellars founded (Dr. Frank)

• New York Farm Winery Law passed in 1976

The Numbers Add Up106+Finger Lakes wineries

1/3rd+ of NY wineries9300 acres of grapes65% is white grapes

20% Vinifera (most acreage is Riesling)1900 acres ~ 5800 tons ~ 350,000 cases

NY grape, grape juice & wine industry$3.76 billion economic benefits in 2008

Riesling: King of Finger Lakes Whites

• ~ 700 acres• + 26% since

2006• ~ 2100 tons• ~ 140,000 cases• ~ 7% of US

Riesling market

• Stylistic Diversity• Dry, Lean, taut• Off-Dry, lush,

with balanced acidity

• Sweet, dessert-style (Ice Wine & Late-Harvest)

Finger Lakes Are In Good Company

• Classic Riesling Regions - Alsace, Germany, Austria, Australia

• United States - Finger Lakes, Washington, Oregon, Michigan

** Finger Lakes**Fresh, energetic, vibrant,

balancedquality, value, local

Mosel River, Germany

Colmar, France

What the Experts Say

“From dry to sweet versions, the Finger Lakes is slowly but steadily cementing its reputation as this country’s best source for Riesling.”----James Molesworth, Senior Editor, Wine Spectator

“Some of the best wines of New York’s Finger Lakes region are steely Rieslings.”----Jancis Robinson, MW, How To Taste

What the Experts Say“The Rieslings from our region have been

outstanding in quality for many years and now that Riesling in

general is gaining in popularity we are thrilled.”

---- Kevin Zraly, FingerLakesTravelJournal.com, April 2008

“Americans are turned on to Riesling and the Finger Lakes has what Riesling loves: life at the cool margins and layers and layers of slate. There’s no better place to find crisp, refreshing, mineral-tinged Riesling in the States.” ----Joshua Greene, Publisher and Editor, Wine & Spirits Magazine

What the Average Consumer Says

“I’m confused.”

Are all Rieslings sweet? How can I tell by looking at the label?

IRF Scale• Created by the International Riesling Foundation in

late 2008. The scale now appears on back labels of more than 30,000,000 bottles of Riesling in the U.S. market. By simply looking at the back label, consumers can tell whether that wine is Dry, Medium Dry, Medium Sweet, or Sweet.

• Examines relationship between acid and sugar, and pH

• http://drinkriesling.com/wp-content/themes/irf/images/tasting-profile-standards.pdf

• Voluntary

The International Riesling Foundation’s Riesling Taste Profile

www.drinkriesling.com

Tonight’s Dinner Wines

• Swedish Hill Winery Riesling Cuvee 2011

• Ravines Wine Cellars Dry Riesling 2011

• Standing Stone Vineyards Riesling 2011

• Fulkerson Winery William Vigne Juicy Sweet Riesling 2011

Swedish Hill Winery Riesling Cuvee 2011

• Peterson family farm in Romulus near Cayuga Lake

• 1969 – planted grapes to sell to other wineries

• 1985 – started making their own wine and produced 1200 cases

• Now making 60,000 cases annually• Goose Watch and Penguin Bay Wineries

also

Ravines Wine Cellars Dry Riesling 2011

• East side of Keuka Lake and new tasting room on west side of Seneca Lake

• Morton Hallgren, owner and winemaker, is from Provence, France

• 2003 – opened tasting room• Wine made to go with food

Standing Stone Vineyards Riesling 2011

• East side of Seneca Lake in Hector• Tom and Marti Macinski• 1993 – started making their own

wine and produced 800 cases• Now making 8,000 cases annually

Fulkerson William Vigne Juicy Sweet Riesling 2011

• West side of Seneca Lake in Dundee• Fulkerson family started farm in 1805• 1830s – first vines planted, but expanded in 1970s• Owner and winemaker, Sayre Fulkerson, is 6th

generation• William Vigne (Vin-Ya) was the first generation of

Fulkerson’s in New Amsterdam in about 1619 • 20+ wines produced and more than 33 varieties

of fresh juices sold to home winemakers

Thank you