June 8, 2013

             New York Gold from L.A., Owera Vineyards opens, Winestock NY coming up, more TripAdvisor awards, et le bon vin de New York!

             A votre sante!          

             Jim Trezise

               New York wines, and especially Finger Lakes Rieslings, made a strong showing at the huge Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition held in mid-May but with results just released this week.  In addition to awarding medals, the judging panels in this competition assign scores of 90 or above to all wine receiving Gold medals.

               Dr. Konstantin Frank Vinifera Wine Cellars topped the accolades with a Gold and Best of Class designation for both its 2012 Gewurztraminer (94) and 2012 Dry Riesling (96), plus Golds for the 2012 Riesling Reerve (95) and 2012 Semi-Dry Riesling (94).  Sister winery Chateau Frank also scored impressively with Gold medals and scores of 90 each for the Celebre, 2007 Blanc de Blancs, and 2007 Blanc de Noir.  (The Dr. Frank 2012 Dry Riesling is obviously on a roll, having previously won the International Riesling Foundation trophy at the Riverside International Wine Competition and the "Sweepstakes Award" at the U.S. National Wine Competition, dramatically disproving the contention of some that there is no consistency of awards at different competitions.)

               Other Gold medals went to Belhurst Estate Winery Semi-Dry Riesling Seneca Lake (94) and 2012 Dry Riesling (93); Chateau LaFayette Reneau 2012 Semi-Dry Riesing (94) and 2012 Dry Riesling (93); Coyote Moon River Run Rose (92) and Twisted Sister (93); Goose Watch 2011 Diamond (96), 2011 Melody (95) and Snow Goose (92); Keuka Spring 2012 Riesling Humphreys Vineyard (94), 2012 Riesling Finger Lakes (94), 2012 Semi-Sweet Riesling (93) and 2012 Gewurztrainer (90); Mazza Chautauqua Cellars Bare Bones White (91); Red Tail Ridge 2012 Riesling Estate Finger Lakes (92), 2012 Dry Riesling (92), and 2010 Blaufrankisch, Martini Family Vineyard (93); Sparkling Pointe 2007 Blanc de Blanc (90), Brut (90), and 2003 Brut Seduction (90); Thirsty Owl 2012 Vidal (93) and 2012 Snow Owl ((91); and Wagner Vineyards 2011 Semi-Dry Riesling (94).

                  New York wineres also earned 27 Silver and 17 Bronze medals for a total of 73 medals.  Next up, later this week, is the San Francisco International where New York wines have also glowed in Gold in past years.

              For many years, one of the greatest proponents of the New York wine and grape industry, and all of agriculture, has been Assemblyman Bill Magee, who chairs that chamber's Agriculure Committee.  But every time I would show him a new, updated map of wineries by county, he would say: How about Madison County?!

              This week, Chairman Magee will officially have a winery in the country he represents: Owera Vineyards, high on a hill overlooking the east side of charming Cazenovia Lake four miles north of the charming village of the same name. 

              Owera has actually been licensed, making wine and winning awards for a few years, but the actual facility will open this Friday afternoon.  Located on a 57-acre farm that includes grapes, other fruits and vegetables, the new farm winery includes a 7,200 square foot, state-of-the-art production facility, tank and barrel rooms, and tasting room.  An additional 5,200 square foot event center and amphitheater will be the site for weddings, corporate events and private parties.

               A few years ago, the first wines produced under the Owera label won several top awards at our New York Wine & Food Classic competition.  We expect that to continue, and wish them the best of success.  www.oweravineyards.com.

           The enormouly popular Winestock NY 2013 festival is slated for Saturday, June 29 from noon to 5 pm at the fun and fabulous Three Brothers Winery & Estates near Geneva.

            The fourth annual event is expected to draw over 2,000 people for wine, food, music, and crafts.  Two bands with continuous music ensure lots dancing, and there will be several new acivities as well, including a 5k run and Seneca County Farm Bureau's Ag Interactive Kiosk to test one's Ag IQ.  Dozens of New York wineries will be there selling their wines by glass and bottle, providing a perfect opportunity to stock up for the 4th of July festivities.

             Genera admission is $20, which includes the wine tasting and a collector's wine glass; and a $10 designated-driver ticket is for admission only.  For advance tickets and more information, visit www.winestockny.org.

             Brotherhood, America's Oldest Winery has been awarded a 2013 Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor for outstanding work in wine tourism, putting it in the top 10% of businesses worldwide on TripAdvisor.  The historic winery, in Washingtonville on the west side of the Hudson River, has the oldest wine cellars in the United States, excavated by hand from 1839 through the late 1880's.  Brotherhood is a popular stop along the Shawangunk Wine Trail. 

              Swedish Hill Vineyards, on the Cayuga Wine Trail, and the Seneca Lake Wine Trail also both got the TripAdvisor 2013 Certificate of Excellence this week, joining Montezuma Winery and Hidden Marsh Distillery in the Finger Lakes.  All of these wineries are to be commended for providing the type of great experience that keeps visitors coming back--and bringing others.

               C'est bon, ce vin de New York!  That was the basic message from some French newspapers in the Alsace region of France, which makes great Rieslings and Gewurztraminers, among other wines. The articles resulted from my participation as a judge in the Rieslings du Monde competition (along with Johannes Reinhardt, Bob Madill, and Nancy Irelan), followed by a public tasting where the "Uncork New York" table was a very popular attraction.  As always, visitors were surprised that there was a "New York" beyond the big city, and stunned at the quality of the wines.  We'll also be getting some more French press after Bernard Burtschy judges with us at the New York Wine & Food Classic, since he's the wine writer for Le Figaro, France's largest daily newspaper. 

                 "Go thy way, eat they bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart."

                                                                   --Ecclesiastes