Aboard the SS Acidhound: the Summer of Riesling Concert 2011

By David Flaherty

At 8 pm, amidst the sweltering steam bath of NYC, the Half Moon set sail on the East River. Aboard were 27 cases of German Riesling, 2 kegs of Gotham Project Riesling, about 40 tons of ice, 3 local bands, 1 German wine queen and 225 thirsty acidhounds. The Summer of Riesling sold-out boat cruise was underway.

Stepping aboard, the guests were greeted with a glass of Gotham Project Riesling from upstate NY in the Finger Lakes.  From here on out, it was all German Riesling as the month of July has been devoted to the motherland.

While the musical stylings of The Nouvellas, Baby Brother and Grand Rapids played at the rear of the top level, the party-goers crammed the front of the ship a la Leonardo DiCaprio on the Titanic.

The NYC skyline proved the main draw and mouths sat limp and stunned as the sun began its descent through the sky. Reds, oranges and, eventually, purples danced over the buildings like watercolors on an artists palate. If only Bob Ross could have been there to set up his easel...

But the highlight? The Statue of Liberty. After sunset, the Half Moon dropped anchor in front of her majesty's sandaled feet and we just drifted. The sounds of rock music surrounded the boat like a glowing halo while my colleagues from Hearth and Terroir and I feverishly poured Riesling below deck at three separate bars. It was a fantastic frickin night.

And one that only could be held in New York City...

Here is what was poured:

Trocken, von Buhl Deidesheimer Herrgottsacker, 2009, Pfalz
Trocken, Schloss Schonborn Estate, 2009, Rheingau
Trocken, Keller, 2010, Rheinhessen
Trocken, Donnhoff, 2010, Nahe
Feinherb, Zilliken Saarburger, 2009, Saar
Kabinett, Merkelbach Urziger Wurzgarten, 2010, Mosel
Kabinett, Hexamer Meddersheimer Rheingrafenberg, 2009, Nahe
Kabinett, Schloss Johannisberg, 2009, Rheingau
Spatlese, von Hovel Oberemmeler Hutte, 2004; Mosel

For more pics, check out this great sideshow from Metromix

Comments

[R, Olsen-Harbich]

Statue of Liberty, New York Harbor, New York City, local music..what's missing? As New York can confidently boast of having the preeminent terroir in the U.S. for Riesling, its too bad the organizers of this event chose to highlight Germany instead of the wonderful NY wines made in their own backyard.

[Trent Preszler]

Good point Rich. It looks like they did serve one New York-grown Riesling on the cruise: the "Gotham Project" Finger Lakes wine which was co-founded by former Long Island wine entrepreneur Bruce Schneider. And not coincidentally, Bruce is also Director of the Wines of Germany office in New York City, so the whole promotion is probably being paid for by the German government, hence the focus on German wines.

[David Flaherty]

Rich, thanks for commenting and, yes, anyone who claims that upstate New York doesn't have incredible Terroir for Riesling needs to be bound and gagged and airlifted to the vineyards of the Finger Lakes for full indoctrination. Trent is indeed correct, this particular event was sponsored by the Wines of Germany as part of the 31 Days of Riesling. BUT this is only one cog in a bigger campaign: the Summer of Riesling, which this year went nationwide with the generous help of the International Riesling Foundation (a passionate group of wineries across the globe devoted to the majesty of this one grape). At our wine bar, Terroir, we are featuring an ever-revolving list of Rieslings which will always include NY wines as we feel they are world-class.

One of my duties as the "NYC Correspondent" for the NYCR is to keep my finger on the pulse of the wine, beer and spirits scene happening in NYC, itself. Be it a focused gathering of Malbec producers who have come to check out the NY scene or a Natural Wine Festival in Central Park (I should organize such an event), you may find it here on the NYCR.

Rest assured that we pound the streets daily, banging the drum for NY state wines, but are also interested to track how the greater wine world at large interacts with and shares its splendors with our fair city and our proud state. Over and out. Long live NY Riesling!