Finger Lakes Sparkling Wine: Looking for Room at the Dance

By Evan Dawson, Finger Lakes Editor

In the flickering glint of the strobe lights, amidst the pulsing beat and bodies, it was impossible to see the edges of the room. No matter. The party was in the middle, and it centered around Riesling. He was always the magnet, the draw, the energy. Tonight, like most nights, he had brought a few friends. The girls would wink and nod at his entourage, but ultimately they were fighting for the mysterious man who was known for being simultaneously acerbic and sweet. He always gets the girl.

That's pretty much the story of Finger Lakes wine these days, and for good reason: riesling deserves attention when it can be made in a unique and world-class fashion. But if that party were to slow down for just a moment, and the lights were to come back on, you'd see two lonely souls sitting in the corner. That would be rose, outstanding but often ignored in the Finger Lakes, and its similarly hard-to-sell cousin, sparkling wine.

"Every year you have the opportunity to make amazing sparkling wine in the Finger Lakes," said Hosmer Winery's winemaker Aaron Roisen. He told me that there is something that sets the Finger Lakes apart from other American wine-growing regions when it comes to sparkling wine: timing.

"There comes a point during the growing season when the grapes will hit about 19.5 brix [he's talking about sugar] and 9.5 grams per liter of acid," Roisen said. "I can't tell you how valuable that balance is. It's perfect for sparkling wine, and when the grapes come in at that point, it's almost effortless to balance the fruit with the acid."

Yes, Roisen explained, other growing regions get to 19.5 brix and beyond -- just like the Finger Lakes. But he went on to say that the acids are often out of whack compared to the sugar in those regions. In upstate New York the sugars and acids arrive together in a package uniquely suited for bubbles.

"Of course, most producers allow the grapes to ripen further because they make primarily still wine," Roisen said. "But you almost always have that option, and more winemakers are taking advantage of it."

He's right about that.

Willy Frank of Dr. Konstantin Frank Vinifera Wine Cellars famously touted the Finger Lakes as a world-class sparkling wine region that could equal Champagne. Hyperbole? Sure, but two decades later the region has gone from a handful of sparkling wine producers to several dozen. Some producers use non-traditional sparkling wine grapes; Atwater uses some Gewurztraminer, McGregor has used riesling, Hosmer uses Cayuga White. But most now use the traditional Champagne grapes.

Roisen is eager to see how Hosmer's first-ever Brut Rose turns out, made from Pinot Noir. "That won't be released until 2012," he said.

And there's another issue for Finger Lakes sparkling wine producers: How long to hold onto it? "Ideally I'd like to give it three years in the bottle for the main sparkling vine varieties," Roisen said, but he noted that for many wineries, release date can come down to financial issues. "We're comfortable with our schedule, but I know other producers have to make difficult decisions." 

 True to Roisen's description, many Finger Lakes sparklers have no trouble showing a bracing, stony character. In some cases it can be severe. More, however, are adding a layer of yeasty richness. Roisen points to the 1997 Lamoreuax Landing Brut as his favorite to date. "That wine knocked it out of the park," he said. "Lamoreaux is a consistent producer of excellent sparkling wine. They know what they're doing."

Now the challenge is to convince consumers that there is good value for these limited production wines. Some wine writers will get their first taste tonight during a NYCR-hosted TasteLive event on Twitter organized by Finger Lakes Wine Country. Saturday, more than three dozen sparklers will be open for tasting at the Watkins Glen Harbor Hotel in an event called "Bubbly!"

These efforts are important because sparkling wine remains, like dry rose, a tough sell. But as the lights turn down low once more, and the music picks back up, you might notice the shy cousins in the corner of the room. They're standing up now, finally looking for attention. They want to dance. 

Comments

[Dan Updike]

I have a bottle of 2001 Lamoreaux Landing Brut in the cellar waiting for the right moment. I tasted it last July at the winery. It was still so fresh, and dare I say, young.

I've been able to taste many others this past year; Wiemer, Dr. Frank, Glenora, etc. There's some impressive stuff out there. Being a native of the Finger Lakes, a fan of the wines and in retail, even I didn't know there were that many sparklers available.

Wish I could make that event Saturday! Bring on the Brut roses!!!

[Shannon Casey]

Love what you guys are doing. Keep it up!

[Rowland]

I think you hit the nail on the head here Even. And I think it applies to all NY. We will be seeing a steady increase in sparkling wines, ice wines, brandies (mainly apple), and hard ciders. There are only a few very special places in NY can we make first class vinifera wines; right on the lakes in the FL, right on the escarpment in Niagara/Erie, right on the Hudson, and the far tip of LI. However the rest of the state is still suited to hybrids as well as first class apple production. The way I see it, there is no sense in trying to make the land act like Burgundy or Bordeaux or Alsace when it wants to be Champagne, Cognac, or Normandy.

And as a side note I think we will be seeing a lot more sparkling made from Seyval and/or Vidal.

[Jradsmith]

My current favorite is Red Tail Ridge's Blanc de Noir 2006. They only made 2 barrels of this maiden vintage and its only available at the winery. Incredibly well balanced with just a touch of creaminess on the finish.

[Evan Dawson]

Dan - LL is a serious sparkling producer. Last night a friend brought their 2006; very young and bright and on a tremendous track.

Shannon - Thanks!

Rowland - Interesting to see the wide range of possible sparkling varieties. Why those in particular?

Jrad - Great call. Red Tail is toward the top of the list of quality for me.