By Rick VanSickle

WATKINS GLEN, New York — The Finger Lakes region of New York State has matured into a dramatic and thrilling destination for wine lovers. There was a time when a trip to this watery vacation destination featured plenty of stunning scenery, important historic sites, world-class museums, charming villages and, of course, enough lakes to satisfy anyone looking for the perfect summer oasis away from the big city. About the only thing missing was a good bottle of local wine.

But now, the wineries in the Finger Lakes are the region's biggest claim to fame. They have come a long way from the wines made here in the past. On a recent trip to rediscover Finger Lakes wine I was amazed at the quality of wines and diversity of styles in this cool climate area. Finger Lakes is home to more than 100 wineries that offer up a wide variety of wines that are focused mainly on the noble grape varieties such as Riesling, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Merlot and, of course, various sweet wines such as late harvest and icewine.

I spent three days this spring getting reacquainted with the Finger Lakes wine region after last visiting the area more than a decade ago. My memory was of uninteresting sweet wines that were not appealing at all. Today, serious winemakers have moved into the area making spectacular wines. Here are my notes on a rediscovery journey to the Finger Lakes.

DAY ONE It is not an unpleasant drive from St. Catharines to the Finger Lakes. There are enough interesting turns and twists through rural New York State to keep it interesting. I had no idea what to expect and didn't actually see a vineyard until reaching the first destination of Heron Hill Winery, nestled into a hill overlooking scenic Keuka Lake. The first person I met was the owner of Heron Hill, John Ingle, who explained his philosophy of sustainable farming with respect for the wine by making it natural, fresh and healthy. Heron Hill had set up a great beginner course in Finger Lakes wines, specifically from the Keuka Lake area of the region. Our group was invited to taste through a number of the winery's wines before a needed lunch. I had no idea what to expect so started with what I knew: Finger Lakes is synonymous for its Rieslings and the Dr. Konstantin Frank winery is one of the best known wineries in the region. I dove into the first (of many) Rieslings during three days of tasting and liked what we tasted. Our next stop along our vinous journey took us to Ravines Wine Cellars, owned and operated by Lisa and Morten Hallgren, a boutique winery with a view of Keuka Lake whose owners specialize in making "dry, European styled wines." Morten was raised in the Provence region in the South of France where his family owned and operated Domaine de Castel Roubine. He worked as chief winemaker for Dr. Konstantin before he and his wife purchased a 17-acre parcel of land in 2000 on a glacier-carved hillside on the Eastern slopes of Keuka Lake. The modest but charming tasting room, with views to the lake, opened in the spring of 2003 and was decorated by Lisa in a Provencal style. Since opening, the winery has been well decorated with medals and praise from the wine press. Morten crafts laser sharp Rieslings. "Fine wine is about delicate balance and nuances," he tells us as we sip through the vast majority of his portfolio. His wine program is built on an extraordinary Riesling portfolio. "We have everything here to make world class Rieslings," he told us. The Ravines style is built around tight, mouth-watering, bone-dry Rieslings that are balanced between fresh fruit and acid. They are made for the long haul in the cellar even though they are released to the public with some bottle age. Our day (and night) didn't end at Ravines, even though our teeth were aching from the high acids and our stomachs were crying out for something good to eat. The next stop wa Red Newt Cellars, located in Hector, N.Y., on the southeast shore of Seneca Lake. It's a gorgeous setting for a winery with a spectacular view of the lake and stunning sunsets. The grapes for Red Newt wines are all sourced from trusted growers located within an 8-km radius of Hector, near the southern end of Seneca Lake. Most impressive about this tasting were the back vintages of the Rieslings, which gave us an opportunity to see just how gracefully Finger Lakes Rieslings evolve over time. The 2004s were stunning with lovely petrol and creme brulee notes to go with matured citrus fruits and tamed acidity.

Heron Hill Winery The barrels at Ravines Wine Cellars Fox Run Winery Fox Run Riesling The barrels at Ravines Wine Cellars

DAY TWO

8:30 a.m. comes quickly after a late night but it was highly anticipated as some of us got to visit the very vineyard where Ravines Wine Cellars sources grapes for its single-vineyard Riesling. Argetsinger Vineyards is about a 40-minute drive from Watkins Glen. It's a beautiful jaunt around Seneca Lake in the brilliant morning sun. We were greeted by Sam Argetsinger, a colourful character, and a down-to-earth man, who should have been born into the Iroquois nation as he recites stories about Mother Earth and her relationship with his vineyards.

Following our brisk vineyard walk, Morten Hallgren, owner/winemaker of Ravines, which buys all five acres of Riesling grown on the property and bottles it as a single-vineyard wine, showed up with a morning frittata and a bottle of Ravines Argetsinger Riesling 2007. Never has a frittata gone so beautifully with a Riesling as the sun beat down in the quiet stillness of this amazing vineyard.

With our bellies full of frittata and Riesling we headed back to the other side of Seneca Lake to Fox Run Vineyards for lunch and a full tasting of Fox Run wines.

Fox Run, founded on the site of an old Dairy Farm, first planted grapes in 1985. They thrive on glacial soils made of broken shale and sandy loam, which winemaker Peter Bell said gives the wines "a vibrant expression of terroir."

Our first tasting was a vertical of reserve Riesling from the current 2008 vintage back to 2001. The reserve, the top Riesling at Fox Run, is made from a single block of fruit at the top of the vineyard. Bell describes the 2008 style as a "truly electric" wine with plenty of acid zip and intense flavours and lengthy finish.

Next it was off to Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard, a mecca of sorts for Riesling aficionados. Quite simply put, Wiemer is synonymous with Finger Lakes Riesling and if you don't like what's made here, you might as well just turn around and try another wine region. "Everything we do here is geared toward dry Riesling," said Fred Merwarth, winemaker and vineyard manager. The winery makes 12,000 cases of wine a year with 3,600 cases of dry Riesling produced from 95% estate grown fruit on three vineyard sites that were first planted in 1973. Wines are made in very small lots with a focus on subtle differences between vineyard site blocks within vineyards and even clones within varieties. The resulting wines are magnificent.

DAY THREE

Our longest drive of the weekend came on the last day. Through winding country roads and small villages with only one coffee shop along the way, it was a pleasant enough jaunt that eventually led to Sheldrake Point, situated on a hill overlooking the beautiful western shore of Cayuga Lake. Sheldrake Point has a country feel to it with a cozy tasting room and the Simply Red lakeside bistro that was bustling with breakfast diners on a Sunday morning. We were hustled into a private tasting room for a morning buffet of artisan cheeses, smoked salmon and fresh-baked pastries. But it wasn't long before we got down the business of tasting wine.

Sheldrake Point specializes in showcasing wines that display the characteristics of the Finger Lakes microclimate from crisp Riesling and Pinot Gris to elegant Cabernet Franc and icewine. The highlight of the tasting was a retrospective of the winery's dry Riesling program. It was certainly helpful to taste how these dry Rieslings evolve over time. The most striking evolutionary note is the pronounced petrol that gains in concentration as the Rieslings age. Petrol adds a special note of complexity in Riesling that lovers of this grape appreciate.

The Finger Lakes region of New York has a good energy about it. The quality producers are pushing the envelope in terms of quality and working well with the varieties that are suited to the unique microclimate. The most exciting wines are Riesling (from dry to sweet), Gewurztraminer (when picked with balanced acid and ripe fruit), Cabernet Franc (does well vintage to vintage), and Pinot Noir (will start delivering fascinating wines if wineries reduce yields and consumers shell out for these wines that will be expensive).

Enjoy!

06/10