May 9, 2015

Riverside Gold, FIVS in Brussels (cont'd), FLX in Decanter, and more from New York wine country.

Cheers!

Jim Trezise

New York Gold from Riverside

The Riverside International Wine Competition, held this week in Temecula, CA, is a production of wine journalist Dan Berger and his family, and once again found lots of Gold for New York wines--12 Best of Class honors, 12 Chairman's Awards (equivalent to a Double Gold), and 20 Gold, joined by 61 Silver and 34 Bronze medals.

Best of Class designations went to 21 Brix Champella; Black Willow Diamond; Chateau Frank 2009 Blanc de Noir and 2008 Brut; Chateau Lafayette Reneau 2014 Semi-Dry Riesling; Dr. Frank 2014 Dry Rose; Earle Estates Devil's Cut Hard Apple Cider; Fox Run 2014 Rose of Pinot Noir; Goose Watch 2012 Lemberger; Hazlitt Solera Sherry; Swedish Hill 2014 Cayuga White; and Thirsty Owl Snow Owl.

Additional Chairman's Awards went to Brooklyn Winery 2012 Finger Lakes Cabernet Franc; Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards 2013 Dry Riesling; Keuka Spring 2014 Vignoles; Liberty Vineyards 2012 Diamond; and Penguin Bay 2011 Cabernet Franc.

Additional Gold medals went to Chateau Lafayette Reneau 2012 Cabernet Franc, 2014 Dry Riesling, and 2014 Late Harvest Riesling; Dr. Frank 2013 Dry Riesling and 2013 Riesling Reserve; Earle Estates Big Jake Spiced Hard Apple Cider; Hunt Country 2013 Vidal Ice Wine; Keuka Spring 2014 Dry Riesling and 2014 Rose; Knapp 2014 Dry Riesling; Liberty Vineyards & Winery 2014 Dry Riesling and Reds, Whites & Blues Rose; Swedish Hill Blanc de Blanc; Thirsty Owl 2014 Dry Riesling and 2013 Diamond.

This year's Best White Wine went to St. James Winery (Missouri) 2014 Vignoles and the Best Small Winery was Wollersheim from Wisconsin, just the latest examples of Riverside's long history of celebrating varietals and styles produced in the east and Midwest. (Hazlitt Solera Sherry just missed being Best Dessert Wine.)

That is purely because Dan Berger has educated dozens of California judges about these wines and encouraged them to evaluate all wines based on their quality rather than origin or pedigree. (A vital part of my role judging in competitions is to explain to other, mostly Californian, judges what to expect from types or styles of wine they do not encounter.) In past years, Riverside's Best White honors have gone to a New York Diamond, a Seyval, and others not grown in California, even though 90% of the judges are Californians.

Also, a couple corrections from the earlier Pacific Rim competition: Penguin Bay's 2013 Vidal Ice Wine wasn't just Best of Class but also Best of Show Dessert Wine; and what I list as Swedish Hill "Extra Dry" should instead have been "Riesling Cuvee" (Extra Day was the category in which it was entered).

Elsewhere, Macari 2013 Sauvignon Blanc (90) was named by Wine & Spirits magazine as the year's Best Sauvignon Blanc; Dr. Frank 2014 Rose got a score of 92 and five-star rating from Beverage Dynamics; and Ports of New York Meleau Red (a fortified blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Noiret) received a 90 rating from The Tasting Panel.

Next up, this week, is the Los Angeles International Wine Competition in Pomona, so here I go again!

FIVS--The International Protector of Our Industry (Cont'd)

The recent FIVS conference in Brussels, the best ever in terms of topics, speakers, and ambiance, was another reminder of the organization's importance in protecting our industry's business climate on an international level, which then trickles down to the local level.

A couple vivid examples: The World Health Organization promotes three "Best Buys" policies to countries on how to reduce alcohol use--increase cost (excise and other taxes), decrease information (advertising bans), and restrict availability (limit outlets, ban direct shipping, etc.). Notice that their focus is on use--not misuse or abuse--and ignores the economic and other benefits of the beverage industries. Prohibition 2015.

Even more dramatic, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development has been preparing a report originally titled, "Drinking Lives Away", and filled with bad science and questionable methodology. Fortunately, the U.S National Institutes on Alcohol and Alcohol Abuse (certainly not known as a pro-alcohol agency!) strongly criticized that report on a factual and methodological basis.

FIVS's role is essentially that of a private sector watchdog on behalf of the industry worldwide, with credentials as a nongovernmental observer reflecting its international credibility and respect. In the case of the OECD report, we were very fortunate to have a FIVS member, Samir Zakhari, who spent 28 years at NIAAA and is now Senior Vice President, Office of Science, at the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS). Because of his long experience in the agency, understanding of its operation, and impeccable scientific credentials, he was able to draw attention to the bogus OECD report.

These FIVS conferences are also great opportunities to share information and perspectives. My contribution was a power point presentation, "Two Climates for Wine: A New York Example", highlighting the importance of the business climate for the growth of our industry. There is nothing we can do about the outside climate except hope for the best and react to what Nature deals us. But the business climate is shaped entirely by humans--primarily in government--so we can influence that if we are committed, credible, and proactive.

The New York wine industry industry is a great example of that.

Finger Lakes Wine Country Featured in Decanter

Decanter magazine's June edition includes a great, four-page spread by Howard G. Goldberg focused on experiencing the region's wine culture, compared with a 2011 piece which was more about general vacationing. "The Decanter travel guide to Finger Lakes, New York State" includes a regional map, lots of great photos, and specific recommendations on winery visits, lodging, dining, and other attractions.

"Goldberg's ultimate Seneca Lake wine tour" cites Atwater, Chateau Lafayette Reneau, Red Newt, Hazlitt, Standing Stone, Silver Thread, Wagner, and Lamoreaux Landing on the east side (from south to north); and on the west side (north to south) Ravines, Billsboro, Fox Run, Red Tail Ridge, Kemmeter, Anthony Road, Hermann J. Wiemer, Glenora, and Lakewood.

Other Finger Lakes wineries recommended in another sidebar, "My perfect day in the Finger Lakes", include Dr. Konstantin Frank, Heron Hill, Heart & Hands, Goose Watch, and Sheldrake Point.

"Your Finger Lakes address book" starts with lodging recommendations: Watkins Glen Harbor Hotel, The Inn at Glenora, Inns of Aurora, New Vines Bed & Breakfast, and The Inn at Gothic Eves. For fine dining: Dano's Heuriger, Suzanne Fine Regional Cuisine, Ports Caf�, Moosewood, and Ginny Lee Caf�. Other attractions include the New York Wine & Culinary Center, Lively Run Goat Dairy, Climbing Bines Craft Ale, Red Jacket Orchards, and the Corning Museum of Glass.

There is a huge amount of practical information efficiently presented, but another great attraction is the quality of Howard Goldberg's writing, and especially this description of the region:

"Some small folksy hometowns dotting the map evoke America at mid-20th century. Panoramic sites are grandstands for spacious blue skies with lazy clouds and Impressionist sunsets, a serene atmosphere, sweet air, rolling hills, tree-bordered vineyards sloping down to sparkling waters, gorges and waterfalls, quilt-patterned corn, vegetable and berry plantings, fields of flowers, apple and cherry orchards, farmhouses, red barns, silos, dairies and graving livestock. In autumn, scarlet, orange and gold foliage dazzles the camera."

Yup, that's it!