13 November 2010 Anthony Road Wine Company – A Seneca Lake Jewel

Anthony Road Wine Company – A Seneca Lake Jewel

November 13, 2010 By

Anthony Road Wine Sign

On a recent visit to the Finger Lakes wine region of New York, I had the pleasure of visiting Anthony Road Wine Company at the recommendation of Lenn Thompson of the New York Cork Report.  My initial reaction to seeing the beautiful structure the tasting room resides in was – wow, what wines might be waiting for me in such a facility?

Anthony Road Winery was opened in 1990 by Ann and John Martini in a farm shed on their property.  It has since prospered into an award-winning Finger Lakes winery.  Johannes Reinhardt is the winemaker and comes from a German winemaking family involved in the business since 1438.

Here are the wines sampled during our visit:

  • 2009 Semi-Sweet Riesling: Offers cantaloupe and lime aromas with slightly sweet notes and a crisp finish. $14.99.
  • 2007 Chardonnay – No Oak: Light, straight-forward wine with creamy finish. Not a buttery Chard for certain. $12.99
  • 2008 Cabernet Franc / Lemberger: Perhaps the best example of Lemberger I’ve seen in the Finger Lakes – medium-bodied, cherry on the palate with a dry finish. $17.99.
  • 2009 Pinot Noir: Fermented and aged in French oak, this wine offers red fruit, but in the form of ripe strawberries versus the typical cherry found in many Pinots.  There are hints of cocoa there that make this wine slightly earthy. $19.98.
  • Tony’s Red: Was boasted as the ‘pizza red’ and it was – light and fruity wine to be enjoyed with casual fares on any week night. $8.99.
  • 2007 Sweet Dream: Using Vignoles grapes (French-American hybrid), Anthony Road Wine Company is able to create a dessert wine that’s balanced with a nice level of acidity to cut through the honey and ripe peach flavors and long finish. 8.6% residual sugar. $15.99 (375ml).

You can find Anthony Road Winery products online at the winery’s web store, at nearby liquor stores and at the winery located at:

1020 Anthony Road

Penn Yan, NY, 14527

Social media fans can ‘like’ Anthony Road Wine Company’s Facebook page.

Filed Under: Culinary Travel Tales, Dessert Wine, Red Wine, White Wine Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,
4 November 2010 Hermann J Wiemer – The Fame and Attitude are Warranted

Hermann J Wiemer – The Fame and Attitude are Warranted

November 4, 2010 By

Most fans of Finger Lakes wines and Mosel-style Rieslings have heard of Hermann J. Wiemer, and the fame, awards and accolades are well-deserved.

The winery’s history is rich with Hermann J. Wiemer’s mother coming from a family of Mosel winemakers dating back 300 years and a father who was a skilled nurseryman.  Hermann J. Wiemer is regarded as one of the pioneers of viticulture and winemaking in the Finger Lakes.

During a recent visit to the winery, I encountered an attitude I had not experienced at any other Finger Lakes wineries that was reminiscent of some French vineyards.  The attitude was pure – ‘you’re privileged to be tasting our wines in this space today’.  Do I think the attitude is warranted?  Mostly, yes for the following three reasons:

Wiemer Building

First, the ‘barn’ housing the winery is fabulous.  The winery was designed in 1982 by an award-winning team of Cornell architects. Enclosed within the shell of the 70-year-old scissor-trussed barn is the wine shop, the tasting room and the production facilities.

Second, our tasting was conducted by Michael, a catering company owner from Manhattan who makes weekend trips to Hermann J. Wiemer to share his passion and wine expertise with winery guests.  Loved him.

Third, most of the wines are simply great.  Our tasting included the following wines:

  • 2008 Dry Riesling: What Wiemer’s known for – crisp, light lime floral bouquet with a minerals-laden long finish. Around $17.50.
  • 2008 Semi-Dry Riesling:  Rich, peachy bouquet and an almost orangey flavor. Unctuous finish that lingers. Think – spicy Thai food. Around $17.
  • 2009 Gewürztraminer: Ripe pear with nice spicy finish. Around $22.
  • 2008 Frost Cuvee: A blend of Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Cuvee of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc, this is an easy-going wine that’d be perfect sipped on a warm summer day at an outdoor party. Not complicated, with peach aroma and a dry finish. Around $12.
  • 2009 Late Harvest Riesling: This Spätlese-style wine is full bodied, rich with a 5.9% residual sugar. Mouthful of honey and ripe green apple.  Around $23.
  • 2007 Cabernet Franc: This wine sees new and old French oak barrels and is bursting with bright fruit and offers soft tannins. Around $25.

Hermann J. Wiemer wines are relatively easy to find at local wine stores, at least compared to some other Finger Lakes wine brands.  You can also purchase wines online at http://wiemer.com/shop/ and at the winery’s story located at:

3962 Route 14

Dundee, NY 14837

Click HERE for driving directions

Telephone: 607 243 7971

Make a point to visit this winery when touring the Finger Lakes wine region.

Filed Under: Culinary Travel Tales, Dessert Wine, Red Wine, White Wine Tagged With: , , , ,
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