Lemberger and Lillybug

Last night we opened our 1 bottle of Hermann J. Wiemer Lemberger 2010, from the second vintage I worked there. As soon as I opened it I was sent back to the sorting, the tasting (these grapes were delicious!) and the punching down. I haven't had many Lembergers (the grape has its origins in Germany and also goes by the name Blaufrankisch) so I don't have a good reference point for this varietal, but the Wiemer version was extremely interesting and complex. Leather, earthy, brambly, herbal and spicy are the words I used to describe it. The medium body and good acidity made it delicious with both steak and barbecued chicken. I have to say this was my favorite Wiemer red to date. I should have gotten more than 1 bottle because I think it might be sold out :(

Separately, it's good to be back in action since this little bug came into our lives 6 months ago. Her outfit reminds me of the ladybugs we used to fling off the sorting table at Wiemer (ladybugs taste terrible - you do not want them in your wine). But we're keeping her.

Thanksgiving Wine Recommendations

As we approach the holidays, all this Pinot Noir has primed my palate for turkey and all the fixings. Pinot Noir is a natural choice for red wine at the Thanksgiving table, and in particular I would recommend these wines that I tried recently in wine class at SF Wine Center:

• Labyrinth Yarra Valley Viggers Vineyard Pinot Noir 2004 – Australia ($20)
• Seresin Marlborough Pinot Noir “Leah” 2009 – New Zealand ($40)
• JK Carriere Shea Vineyard 2005 – Willamette Valley, Oregon ($60)

As for white wines, ever since I worked at Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard in the Finger Lakes region of New York, I've given Riesling and Gewurztraminer prominent seats at the table. I am not alone; recently both Food & Wine and Bon Appetit magazines featured Hermann J. Wiemer in their Thanksgiving issues. The bright fruit flavors and wonderful acidity of these wines compliment traditional Thanksgiving dishes as well as vegetarian fare.  So naturally I highly recommend drinking American this holiday with one of Wiemer's many Rieslings or other white wines, including the newly released Gruner Veltliner, which I haven't tried yet but I fondly remember installing the posts in the vineyard that produced that wine. All of these wines are around $20 or under and available in many states around the country:

• Hermann J. Wiemer Dry Riesling 2013
• Hermann J. Wiemer Gruner Veltliner 2013
• Hermann J. Wiemer Gewurztraminer 2013

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy New Year!

Hermann J. Wiemer

Blanc de Noir 2003

Finger Lakes, New York

40 under 40

Congrats to Fred and Oskar for being named by Wine Enthusiast Magazine as 2 of 40 "rising young stars who are changing the way the world drinks!"

Here's what Wine Enthusiast had to say about these two:

Fred Merwarth, 35

Oskar Bynke, 37

 

Finger Lakes pioneer Hermann J. Wiemer revolutionized fine winemaking in the region. Since 2007, the infusion of Wiemer’s long-time winemaking assistant, Fred Merwarth, and friend, Oskar Bynke, as co-owners, has elevated not just the winery, but Finger Lakes wines as a category. Merwarth and Bynke met over a decade ago while students at Cornell University. Ironically, while Merwarth studied business and Bynke studied agronomy, it’s Merwarth who is known for his thoughtful winemaking and Bynke for his business savvy and strident ambassadorship.

I couldn't be more proud! Check out the link for behind the scenes footage and the rest of the young rising stars:

http://www.winemag.com/Wine-Enthusiast-Magazine/May-2013/40-Under-40-Americas-Tastemakers/

Happy Thanksgiving!

Wiemer wines are still dominating my Thanksgiving table...

Riesling Dry 2008 (Magnum), Gewurztraminer Dry 2008, Riesling Semi-Dry 2008

Evolution of a Brand

When my former employers took over Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard in 2007 from the namesake himself they made some subtle changes. First, they began hand sorting all the fruit that came into the winery. While extremely labor-intensive, this elevated the quality level and made the juice more "clean" - free of leaves, bugs, and other imposters that can find their way into the grape clusters. Secondly, Hermann had been experimenting with his different Riesling plots, making a Reserve Riesling from 100% one or the other in different years. In 2007, Fred, the current winemaker, decided to make 2 single vineyard Rieslings from those plots, which they called HJW Vineyard (the original site that Hermann planted in the '70s) and Magdalena Vineyard (land Hermann acquired and planted in the late '90s, now bearing his mother's name). The Reserve Riesling became something else - a small bottling of the best blend in the winery, from the various pickings and vineyard plots that were vinified separately.

Last weekend I did a comparison of the 2003 Riesling Reserve, Hermann's experiment with 100% fruit from the Magdalena vineyard site, and the 2009 Magdalena Vineyard Riesling, which comes from the same place. I worked on the 2009 during my time at the winery. Both had Wiemer's signature acidity, but of course the 2003 was more subtle due to the aging and the fact that 2009 was a wet year that resulted in extremely high acidity in the grapes. (All the 2009's have a crisp acidity that is just great for a variety of foods or several years in the cellar. Sadly, many are sold out, but you can contact the winery to see what is left in the library.) The 2003 was elegant and creamy while the 2009 was vibrant and zesty, but both had the tropical and stone fruit characteristics of fruit from this vineyard site.

A note on the packaging differences of these wines: 2003 is in the classic emerald green bottle typical of many German Rieslings. 2009 is in a taller olive bottle, which is now the status quo for the Reserve bottlings at Wiemer. It's a nod to the more high-end German Rieslings. Also notice the type font was changed and the overall layout and proportion of the label details were improved.

The one constant is, of course, the source of the fruit and the fact that Hermann chose the best sites in the Finger Lakes to make award-winning American Riesling in a tradition that continues today.

At Ma Peche, the Mother of all Pairings

On a recent business trip to NYC (I now visit NYC and stay in hotels, very different from being a resident there) I had dinner at Ma Peche, part of the Momofuku restaurant empire. Intending to just have 1 glass of wine, we ended up doing a light 3-course meal with a different wine for each course. My choices were semi random, not being at all familiar with the restaurant and cuisine, but they all ended up working out perfectly. It was really fun to try a new place and sample the wine list this way. Here are the pairings we did:

First Course
Summer rolls - pork/shrimp/tofu, lettuce, daikon, peanut
Scallop - coffee, brown butter, lime
Wine: Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon blend, Jean Medeville et fils, Bordeaux, France

Second Course
Beef tartare - soy, scallion, mint
Lamb corn dog - mustard, lamb's lettuce, pickle
Wine: Syrah, Chateau Maris 'Natural Selection,' Minervois La Liviniere, Languedoc, France

Third Course
Cheese plate of Moses Sleeper (Jasper Hill, VT), Prairie Breeze (Milton Creamery, IA), Caveman Blue (Rogue Creamery, OR)
Wines*: Touriga National Blend Ruby Port, Quinta de Honor, Portugal
Tinta Negra Mole, Henriques & Henriques, 'Rainwater,' Madeira, Portugal
*Between these two, the pairings differed depending on the cheese, but overall we enjoyed the Madeira more.

I think only wine geeks really care about food and wine pairing, but I find it pretty exciting to find that perfect combination without trying too hard. Case in point, I guess :)

Gewurz and Go-Wiemer

A couple of weeks ago we went back up to the Finger Lakes to visit our friends at Wiemer Vineyard. As guests, we were given the royal treatment and put up on the 3rd floor of the winery barn, which doubles as Maressa's jewelry studio and a guest room. It was amazing to sleep in the winery, enveloped in that combination of smells that I love so much - wine, fermentation, wood. It was also really strange to wake up to Fred giving instructions to the German interns for the day's events. I felt like I was late for work and should be down there getting my assignment. Same time as last year, they are in the middle of bottling. It has been an amazing year so far at Wiemer, and many of the 2009 wines are already sold out. As happy I am for their success and for all those who are drinking those wines, this made me sad to hear since I was so involved in that vintage and it is almost gone now. But the 2010's hold a lot of promise too, and I got to try the Gewurztraminer, which was just released. The Gewurz was the hardest sort of the 2010 vintage because of the pesky grape berry moth that invaded the vineyards and pecked away at the grapes. We spent hours upon hours sorting these pink grapes, making sure none of the bad ones made it into the press.

The result: 2010 Gewurz is beautifully scented, concentrated and full on the palate, and downright delicious. Our hard work paid off!

We took a stroll through the vineyards and saw all the work that had been done over the spring. The tree lines were moved back to help control pests entering the vineyard, and unused land is being prepared for new plantings.

On the Magdalena Vineyard, the warmest Wiemer site, veraison has begun. This is when the color of the grapes starts to change from green to red or green to golden (for whites). It's an exciting time because it means the grapes are heading toward maturity and will soon be harvested. The bunches look really cool at this stage - this is Pinot Noir:

It is hard to believe harvest is coming and I won't be at Wiemer. But I know the able team is prepared for all the fruits of their labor. Thanks again to Team Wiemer for a great visit. Happy Harvest!

Old World vs. New World

This week's class at San Francisco Wine Center was a comparison of Old World (Europe) and New World (everywhere else) wines, and I donated a sample of Hermann J. Wiemer Dry Riesling 2009 to the cause! The 2009 Dry Riesling was recently released, and I am very proud of this wine because I helped make it during my time working at Wiemer. I sorted the grapes, monitored the fermentation, racked the wine, contributed my sensory opinion in putting together the final blend from our 3 Riesling vineyard sites, filtered, bottled and labeled it. Last night, we pinned it against a German Kabinett Riesling from the Rheingau and I thought the Wiemer showed fantastically. I was excited to share this wine with the other employees at the SFWC and the students in the class.

The rest of the comparisons were interesting and intriguing:

Elegant white Burgundy led the way for creamy California Chardonnay:
Olivier Leflaive Puligny Montrachet Les Folatières 1er Cru 2009 (Cote de Beaune, Burgundy) vs. Deovlet Soloman Hills Vineyard Santa Maria Valley Chardonnay 2009 (Santa Barbara, CA)

Delicate Pinots from Burgundy and Oregon stumped many:
Erath Estate Selection Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2008 (Oregon) vs. Domaine Jacques Prieur Beaune Champs-Pimont 1er Cru 2008 (Cote de Beaune, Burgundy)

Popular Argentine Malbec found its roots in Cahors, France:
Château du Cèdre Cahors 2007 (Cahors, Southwest France) vs. Norton Malbec Reserva 2007 (Mendoza, Argentina)

Cabernet-dominated Margaux confused the California Cab drinker:
Blason D’Issan Margaux 2007 (Bordeaux, France) vs. Meteor Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 (Napa Valley, CA)

A Fond Finger Lakes Farewell

After working 2 harvests with Hermann J. Wiemer and getting involved in all aspects of winemaking, I am taking this great experience to California in search of new skills to add on. My Finger Lakes family bid me a memorable goodbye with a fantastic wine tasting of 16 wines from around the world. The theme, as usual, was to try to stump everyone. Points were given for accurate guessing of varietal(s), origin, vintage and price. I won first place, but I think it was rigged.

The lineup was extremely varied, and without really planning it we ended up with an interesting comparison of wines from around the world.

 Riesling from Germany and Ohio:

 Gewurztraminer from Hungary and Chile:

Pinot Noir from Germany, France, and Oregon:

 Red blends from Bordeaux, South Africa, and Languedoc:

My favorite was the Chassagne Montrachet from Burgundy, France. I was excited by the 2005 Prieure-Lichine from Bordeaux because my FLX family got me a bottle for my birthday last year, and after trying theirs that night and the day after (1 day of aeration helped a lot - it is still very tight) I am looking forward to aging mine another 10 years.

Thanks to everyone for the wines, the lessons, the fun, the experience.

Be sure to follow my adventures in California, as soon as I figure out what they will be!

Act 2 of the Final Act, if that exists

Last week we dosed and disgorged our 2006 Cuvee Brut, the bulk of our sparkling wine output for this winter. This is the 3rd disgorging of 2006 Cuvee Brut, with additional time of the lees than the previous 2 disgorgings. The additional time gave it some really nice toastiness and complexity - this bubbly is a beauty. It was a larger bottling than the Blanc de Noir from a few weeks ago - 1700 bottles versus 300. So it was a long day! The bottles are now all corked and caged and ready to go. Go Team Wiemer!

The final act: dosage and disgorge

Last weekend we disgorged the Wiemer Blanc de Noir 2006 (Pinot Noir dominated with some Chardonnay). It was so exciting! After riddling and keeping the bottles really cold, it was time for the final act. We had prepared the dosage the night before (this is the wine and sugar mixture that determines the final sweetness of the sparkling wine, added as the liqueur d'expédition), using some still Chardonnay and an addition of sugar. We tasted 3 different possibilities with varying quantities of sugar before deciding on the final dosage - this was fun. It was amazing to taste how the dosage changed/improved the wine and the differences between the quantities. In the end we went for the monkey in the middle, which was rich and refreshing. Less sugar and the wine felt acidic/awkward, more sugar made it too soft and killed the finish.

The Doser.

With the dosage ready to go, we set up the equipment and ourselves - everyone had an important task. Someone to disgorge (uncap the bottles so the yeast plug is expelled), someone to add the liqueur d'expédition, someone to put each bottle through the corker, someone to get each bottle caged with wire, and someone to clean the bottles. I was on the wire cage machine (I don't know what it is really called). The corker puts the cork in about halfway, and then the wire cage machine clamps the wire cage (placed by me) over the cork and the rim of the bottle, smushing the cork down a bit so it has that classic mushroom appearance. This creates a really tight seal on the bottle - keeping the wine and bubbles in. I liked being on the wire cage machine.

Our sparkling wine equipment is traditional, meaning hand-operated, but it works. You have to deeply appreciate this glorious drink once you see and experience all the steps that go into it, when done by hand without fancy modern machines. For all the blood, sweat and tears we should probably charge a lot more per bottle - but it will likely go for around $30. What a bargain!

Light my fire

Monday morning temperatures in the FLX were projected to be below 0 degrees Fahrenheit, and we were concerned about the vines at Wiemer Vineyard. There is a risk that with such extreme cold the vines may shut down. A plan was devised to light controlled fires throughout our 3 vineyard sites, surrounding the vines with warm pockets of air that would hopefully move through the vineyards with the winds. Over the weekend, piles of wood pallets were arranged strategically around the perimeter of the vineyards, keeping the direction of the winds in mind. Early Monday morning we gathered to light the fires. Temperatures along the west side of Seneca lake were ranging from -2 to -8. The coldest temperatures were expected between 6 and 7am. At 4:30am we began lighting the fires using small fire starters and a bit of newspaper and then dousing the piles with diesel fuel to really get them going. As we worked around the vineyard, you could feel the heat.

We finished lighting the fires by 6am. The coldest temperatures were actually at about 7:30am that morning. Hopefully, our efforts raised the average temperature of the vineyards by a degree or two, enough to reach that unknown threshold by which vines can sustain extreme cold. We won't know until the spring when the plants begin to bud and flower.

Photos taken by our in-house photographer.

Riddle me this

Winter at Wiemer winery is a time for catching up on records, monitoring fermentations, and riddling sparkling wine. We pulled out the riddling racks 2 weeks ago and set up to riddle the 3rd disgorging of our 2006 Cuvee Brut, a dry sparkling wine comprised of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. We are experimenting a little with this sparkling wine to see how varying amounts of time on the lees affect the flavors. Aging on the lees tends to impart classic Champagne flavors to a sparkling wine, like brioche and biscuit. The current release of 2006 Cuvee Brut was disgorged in 2009, and it has some really lively, toasty flavors. The process of riddling includes a partial turn of every bottle each day for 3 weeks, with the intent being to force the yeast sediment (the lees) from the second fermentation into the neck of the bottle so it can be removed during disgorgement.

With each turn the line of sediment gradually cleans the inside of the bottle, resulting in a clear wine. After the riddling cycle has been completed, the bottles will be stored completely upside down until it is time for disgorgement. During disgorgement, we'll take the bottles outside in the dead of winter when it is good and cold so that the sediment in the necks freezes. Then we'll open the bottles, the yeast plug will shoot out, and we'll top off, cork, seal, and label the bottles. This should happen sometime in January or February. In the meantime, I'll keep turning.

Top 100 Wine

Wine Spectator has announced its Top 100 most exciting wines of the year, and Hermann J. Wiemer's Dry Riesling Reserve 2008 made the list! 2008 was an exceptional vintage for the Finger Lakes and for us. Our wines have been scored the highest in our history by the major trade publications. We are very proud of this recognition and the wine - we just wish we had more of it! A limited quantity still remains; I'm glad I bought a half-case before we even knew about the award.

Second Harvest

When I hear Second Harvest I think of the Wiemer Nursery, which we harvest in early to mid November after all the grapes have been pressed to tanks and the reds are fermenting in bins. But for wine, some consider the harvesting of botritysed fruit or fruit left on the vine for another reason to be the second harvest. Seneca Lake's Bloomer Creek vineyard, located on the 'other' side of the lake (the east side) makes a dry second harvest wine from botrytised Riesling. Where we would make dessert wine from this fruit, they let it ferment dry instead of stopping the fermentation and leaving the high residual sugar that makes some of the best dessert wines. I tried this wine at Stella's, a bar and restaurant in Cornell's collegetown. It smells typical of a late harvest wine, with apricot, honey, and some botrytis spice. But then on the palate it is dry, with rich flavors that are not quite in balance with the crisp acidity and high alcohol for a Riesling. Interesting - but I think this fruit is better suited to the dessert wines so cherished in Germany, Sauternes, and at Hermann J. Wiemer.

Wiemer vs. old and new - a wine dinner

This week some friends of Wiemer winery hosted a dinner for us featuring our wine. It was meant to be a comparison of old world versus new world for 3 varieties that we make: Riesling, Cabernet Franc, and Pinot Noir. We started with a tank sample of our HJW Single Vineyard Riesling, in the early stages of fermentation. Wine at this stage is called Federweiser in German. It is sweet and effervescent and very exciting at this stage.  With the traditional German onion tart, it was a delightful way to begin the evening.

The food was all delicious, and the pairings were excellent. Now for the wines...

The first course presented our 2005 Riesling next to one from Alsace, France (old world) and one from Oregon (new world).  Hands down, I enjoyed our Riesling the most, with its vibrant acidity and impeccable balance - a great compliment to the smoked rainbow trout. The Alsatian Riesling fell a bit flat, and the Oregon Riesling was a bit too rubbery for me.

The Cabernet Franc comparison was great, with our Reserve standing up quite well to the classic home of Cabernet Franc - Chinon, France. The California Cab Franc was very fruit forward but lacked the complexity of the other two. I'd say we tied with France in this comparison.

The last course was interesting and the results surprised me. Having taken a trip to Oregon a few years ago to explore their Pinot Noir, I had high hopes for the Benton Lane. However, I was taken with the German Spatburgunder (their name for Pinot Noir) from Baden. This was my favorite wine of the evening. Earthy, luxurious, balanced - it was a pleasure to drink. I believe this is the style we are going for with our Pinot Noir, and our 2008 is showing great promise. The Benton Lane tasted over extracted and thin, which was disappointing.

I've always known that I prefer old world wines - they tend to be refined, balanced, comfortable. This exercise reinforced the fact that we are going for this style at Hermann J. Wiemer, and I think we are heading in the right direction.

Thanks again to Ross and Heide for hosting such a delicious and educational dinner!

Machine harvesting do's and don't's

DO follow behind and pick up what gets missed - the machine is not perfect and every little grape helps

DON'T follow too close behind or you'll miss the fall foliage and the fresh air in the vineyard

DON'T let the picked grapes sit too long after harvesting - their close contact with the leaves and stems can impart an unwanted 'steminess' to the juice

DO sort quickly, removing as many leaves and stems as possible, as well as any other M.O.G. (Material Other than Grapes)

DO run the grapes through the Crusher/De-stemmer to further eliminate M.O.G.

Finally, DON'T machine harvest unless you are under time pressure! Hand-picking is usually best.

Harvest mascots

Since I've been working at a winery I am now very much at home with nature. Snake in the vineyard - big deal. Bugs and worms on the sorting table - no problem. Recently there have been some cute animals wandering into the winery.

First day of harvest - this guy jumped in:

The frog eventually hopped out when he saw how busy we were bringing in the first juice of the harvest.

And the other day, this pretty lady flew in:

Sarah, our intern from Germany, caught this Hummingbird and set it free.

Gewurz me

Last week we harvested the first block of Gewurztraminer from our Josef vineyard up in Dresden, NY.  For the first picking of Gewurztraminer we focus on capturing crisp, natural acidity in the grapes. Usually 2 weeks later we will harvest the rest, giving it time to develop more rich, ripe flavors and higher natural sugar content.

The Magdalena block will hang another week or so before we harvest it:

Gewurz grapes are my favorite wine grapes to eat, so I don't mind the fact that the sorting takes a long time. I eat my way through it. Sometimes you just have to sample the grapes to make sure the bunch is good enough to go into the press. If it's underripe, we reject it. Good grapes in, good wine out.