Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard, Riesling Reserve Dry 2020, Seneca Lake, Finger Lakes, NY

This dry Riesling from the Finger Lakes is rich and ripe with grapefruit and mango, but still has minerality and enough clean acidity to make your mouth water. 

COUNTRY: USA

STATE: New York

APPELLATION (AVA): Seneca Lake

REGION: Finger Lakes

VINEYARD(S): Josef (60%), Magdalena (20%), and HJW (20%)

VINTAGE: 2020

GRAPES: 100% Riesling

PRACTICE: Biodynamic

SOIL: Till and Devonian

VINIFICATION: Hand-picked, hand-sorted, whole cluster press, 4 month indigenous yeast fermentation.

STYLE: Still

COLOR: Pale straw

BODY: Light to medium bodied

TASTE: Dry

PRIMARY AROMAS: Grapefruit, mango, minerality and wet stone, 

FLAVOR: Juicy and full but still tart, mineral 

FORMAT: 750 ml

ALCOHOL: 12%

SERVICE AND FOOD PAIRING SUGGESTION: Serve chilled. It would pair well with a broad range of dishes, but try it with Indian or Thai food.

ABOUT THE PRODUCER: Hermann J. Wiemer

“Founded in 1979, Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard is a pioneer of viticulture and winemaking in the Finger Lakes. The Wiemer estate spans 90-acres of prime vineyard sites on the western slopes of Seneca Lake and the wines are among the most acclaimed in the region. Estate fruit is hand-harvested and hand-sorted, and vineyard qualities are worked in small lots and then blended to create wines of balance and texture. Fermentations rely on indigenous yeasts to ensure each wine embodies the truest expression of site. Our commitment to place draws on the same forward-thinking techniques and respect for the past that has fueled our mission since Hermann’s first block of Riesling was planted over forty years ago.

“Our namesake & founder, Hermann Wiemer, hails from one of the best Riesling producing areas of the world, Bernkastel, Germany. His mother’s family had been making wine in Germany’s Mosel Valley for more than 300 years and Hermann spent the summers of his youth learning to graft by hand. His father had been in charge of the Agricultural Experiment Station in Bernkastel and was responsible for restoring vines in the Mosel region after WWII. Hermann discovered that the cool climate and gravelly soils of the Finger Lakes were similar to his family’s vineyards in the Mosel Valley. At a time when very few thought it was possible to grow vinifera varietals on Seneca Lake, Hermann believed that the unique soil types and moderating weather effects of the Finger Lakes would make it possible to produce great wines here.” (wiemer.com)

ABOUT THE VINEYARD(S): HJW, Magdalena, and Josef Vineyards

HJW Vineyard

“Our HJW Vineyard features Hermann’s original plantings on Seneca Lake of Riesling and Chardonnay from 1977 and 1978. Mature vines, combined with the site’s shallow topsoil and shale bedrock, produce lower yields, resulting in expressively vibrant flavors. Higher elevation and a greater distance from Seneca Lake contribute to a cooler growing season, resulting in leaner, more austere wines with intense flavor and excellent aging potential. In 2009, we planted two more blocks of Riesling, bringing the total acreage to 33. In 2015, we began our venture with biodynamic farming and have converted the entire property. We are awaiting Demeter certification.” (wiemer.com)

Magdalena Vineyard

“The unique traits of our Magdalena Vineyard shine through the wines sourced from this site. A beneficial air exchange with Seneca Lake moderates the temperatures, creating a warmer and more protective site in the colder months and a cooling effect throughout the summer. The airflow keeps the vineyard dry, and deep soil provides room for spreading root growth. The lime silt loam soil that the site is celebrated for is crucial to the development of flavor intensity in the grapes.” (wiemer.com)

Josef Vineyard

​​“The Josef Vineyard is located 10 miles north of our HJW property home to the longest established plantings on our estate, Riesling [planted in] 1974. These mature vines produce wines of intense flavor through lower yields and longer hang times. Josef’s ideal slope, deep soils, and proximity to the lake add further to the site’s potential ripeness.” (wiemer.com)