June 24, 2012

             Eat Drink Local Week, Finger Lakes Rieslings shine, reopenings and anniversaries, and Wine Spectator sponsors Harvest East End.

             Cheers!          

             Jim Trezise

           It's "Eat Drink Local Week" in New York City, and we're happy to be among the sponsors of this great celebration organized by the Edible publications in the tri-State area.

            The eight-day celebration of local food and wines involves hundreds of partner restaurants in Brooklyn, Manhattan and Queens offering special prix-fixe menus featuring fresh, local ingredients.  Participating wineries, breweries, cheesemongers and other food producers are also offering discounts and special tastings.  And there are several special events during the week which offer a great taste of what New Yorkers have right in their own backyard.

             The Edible publications (Brooklyn, Manhattan, East End, Finger Lakes, and many more) have done an incredible job of raising awareness of the earth's bounty and the special people who make their living by coaxing food and wine from the soil to share with others.  For a listing of participating restaurants, visit http://www.ediblemanhattan.com/events/eat-drink-local-week.            

            Tierce Dry Riesling--the collaborative creation of three wineries--just keeps racking up accolades, most recently as one of only four Gold medal winners in the Riesling category of the International Wine & Spirits Competition (there were also two from Germany and the Chateau Ste. Michelle & Dr. Loosen Eroica from our friends in Washington).  Made by winemakers from Anthony Road, Fox Run, and Red Newt, the 2009 Tierce follows in the footsteps of the 2008, which Riesling aficianado and wine writer Dan Berger wrote "may be the best Dry Riesling ever made in America."

          Meanwhile, Wine & Spirits magazine (August) just named "Year's Best Rieslings" based on blind-tastings of 145 U.S. Rieslings, and the Finger Lakes dominated with 11 (WA-8, OR-4, CA-2, ID-1), including five "Best Buys": Sheldrake Point 2010 Finger Lakes Riesling (93, $16) and 2011 Finger Lakes Dry Riesling (90, $16); Glenora 2010 Finger Lakes Riesling (91, $16); Atwater Estate Finger Lakes Bubble Riesling (89, $16); and Standing Stone Finger Lakes Riesling Ice (91, $14).

          Other wines listed were Anthony Road 2009 Martini-Reinhardt Selection Riesling (93); Hermann J. Wiemer 2010 Finger Lakes Dry HJW Vineyard Riesling (92), 2010 Finger Lakes Magdalena Vineyard Riesling (91), and 2010 Finger Lakes Dry Riesling (91); Ravines 2011 Finger Lakes Dry Riesling (92); and Tierce 2009 Finger Lakes Dry Riesling (90).

          Because of the foresight of publisher and editor Joshua Greene and the tasting expertise of senior correspondent Patrick Comiskey, Wine & Spirits was the first of the major consumer magazines to recognize the consistent and ever-increasing quality of Finger Lakes Rieslings, as well as other New York wines. 

           At the New York State Fair Wine Competition, Wagner 2011 Riesling Ice won Best of Show honors and Belhurst Estate Winery 2011 Semi-Dry was Best White.  Other "Bests" in their respective categories were Keuka Spring Vnieyard 2010 Miller's Cove Red; Chateau Frank 2006 Blanc de Blanc; Earle Estate Meadery Apple Wine; Lucas Vineyards Cabernet Franc Rose; Beak & Skiff Apple Vodka; and Goose Watch Winery Classic Cream Sherry.  There were 10 Double Gold and 38 Gold medals, and the full results are available at http://www.nysfair.org/uploads/files/results/2012_Commercial_Wine-results.pdf.