Earlier this evening, we participated in a virtual wine tasting on Twitter (hashtag: #winechat) featuring the Finger Lakes 2012 Vintage Riesling. We had the opportunity to sample five delicious wines:
- Swedish Hill Winery 2012 Dry Riesling @SwedishHillWine
- Standing Stone Vineyards Old West Block 2012 Riesling @SSVNY
- Red Newt Cellars Circle Riesling 2012 @FLXnewt
- Wagner Vineyards 2012 Riesling Select @WagnerVineyards
- Fulkerson Winery 2012 Riesling Iced Wine @FulkersonWinery
We’ve visited most of these wineries during past trips to the Finger Lakes region of New York over the years, and we are big fans of Red Newt Cellars, though the other wineries have fantastic Rieslings – all different. In general, this year’s vintage was crisp, floral and minerally.
Key takeaways:
- The International Riesling Foundation (IRF) has designed a “Riesling Taste Profile” to make it easier for consumers to predict the taste they can expect from a particular bottle of Riesling. You can find these on the back label of Riesling bottles.
- Rieslings can be aged for up to 30 years, as long as they are stored properly. The folks at Protocol Wine Studio have enjoyed 1983 vintage a couple years ago.
- Rieslings are versatile. You can pair them with a variety of foods.
- A common pairing is spicy food with a sweet Riesling. Think: opposites attract.
Check out what the winemakers and vineyard managers thought about the 2012 vintage during harvest back in September:
To learn more about the 2012 Vintage, visit www.rieslinglaunch.com.
Cheers!
Disclosure: We received a sample pack from Finger Lakes Wine Alliance (@FLXWine). The opinions expressed are my own and I received no further compensation.
