Glenora Rieslings recently got some great accolades including Best US Riesling $20 and under for its 2007 Riesling, and another Gold medal for its 2006 Riesling, at the Beverage Testing Institute’s 2008 World Value Wine Challenge. In addition, the 2007 received a 92 rating and tied with a Spatlese from Germany’s Mosel region for the second highest rating in a class of more than 180 wines. On the other side of the globe, Prejean 2007 Riesling took a rare Gold medal in the Canberra (Australia) Riesling Challenge, joined by Bronze medals from other New York wineries, which accounted for 7 of the top 11 wines from the U.S. 

The wineries of Finger Lakes Wine Country continue to receive excellent reviews by some of the world’s top wine critics. Recently David Schildknecht of the Wine Advocate, published by Robert Parker, one of the world’s most influential wine critics, rated two Finger Lakes wines from the 2007 vintage. The 2007 vintage was one of the best in recent history for the Finger Lakes. The warm, dry season created excellent growing conditions for many varietals including Riesling and Cabernet Franc.
Lamoreaux Landing 2007 Finger Lakes Cabernet Franc T 23 score: 88 / $18
Anthony Road 2007 Finger Lakes Riesling Semi Dry score: 86 / $15

With this year’s harvest already underway, the 2008 holds promise as being as another excellent year for white varietals, especially Riesling, the region’s flagship grape. Grape growers and winemakers report similar conditions in 2008 to 2007 but with more rain.

Fox Run Vineyards has been named one of the top 100 wineries in the world by Wine & Spirits magazine. Wine & Spirits editor and publisher Joshua Greene noted that the magazine staff tastes over 9,000 wines a year, with the top 100 wineries selected on the basis of a range of wines that score at the top of their categories. For years, Fox Run has been widely recognized as one of the top quality producers in the Finger Lakes and New York overall, with the hallmark of quality across a broad range of wines.

Wine Spectator also recently gave some high marks to Finger Lakes Rieslings of the excellent 2007 vintage, with 19 wines receiving scores which essentially translate into very good to good ratings. Topping the list with 88’s was Anthony Road 2007 Dry, Semi-Dry, and Semi-Sweet, and Atwater Estate Dry. Wines rated at 87 points included Belhurst Semi-Dry and Lakewood Riesling with 86 points awarded to Fox Run Riesling, and Hazlitt Homestead Reserve.

Back home, at the New York State Fair Commercial Wine Competition (only New York wines) the wineries of Seneca Lake won several medals. Double Golds included Anthony Road 2007 Dry Riesling, Lamoreaux Landing 2005 Merlot, Penguin Bay Percussion, Pindar 2007 Johannisberg Riesling, and Torrey Ridge Scarlet Red.

At the 2008 Indy International wine competition many New York wineries were awarded (a total of 229 medals), including Double Golds to Torrey Ridge for their Niagara and Traminette. Gold medals were also awarded to Lakewood for their 2007 Catawba, Torrey Ridge for their Diamond, Cayuga and Scarlet Red, Fulkerson's Red Zeppelin, White Springs' 2005 Riesling, Anthony Road's 2006 Cabernet Franc Rosé, Glenora's Alpine White, and last but by no means least Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards for their Bramble Berry.

At the 2008 LA International Wine & Spirits Competition, Penguin Bay's 2007 Dry Gewurztraminer took Best of Show White Wine among more than 900 entries from around the world, with several other top medals being awarded to various Finger Lakes wineries. Fox Run's 2006 Gewurtztraminer also got a nice plug by being named white wine of the month by Wine & Spirits magazine, further advancing the Finger Lakes’ reputation for high-quality aromatic whites. And last, but by no means least, in the Big E Gold Wine Competition, New York wineries took a total of 46 medals including a Double Gold for Torrey Ridge's Summer Delight and Gold Medals going out to Glenora for their 2007 Semi-Dry Riesling and Torrey Ridge for their Torrey Ridge Concord.

Anthony Road Wine Company- Riesling Finger Lakes Semi-Dry 2006 Score: 89 | $14
Atwater Estate Vineyards- Riesling Finger Lakes 2006 Score: 88 | $17
Chateau LaFayette Reneau Johannisberg Riesling Finger Lakes 2006 Score: 88 | $15
Fox Run Vineyards- Riesling Seneca Lake Reserve 2006 Score: 88 | $30
Red Newt Cellars- Riesling Finger Lakes Reserve 2006 Score: 88 | $24
White Springs Winery- Riesling Finger Lakes Red Label 2006 Score: 87 | $13

Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards was awarded Gold Medal for the newly-released 2007 vintage of its signature Homestead Reserve Riesling. The award was bestowed in the Johannesburg Riesling/Dry White Riesling category at the Pacific Rim International Wine Competition.

Wine Spectator's May 15 edition included reviews of over 50 New York wines, with scores ranging from 80 to 89. Nearly 40 Finger Lakes Rieslings were rated, led by Anthony Road (89 and 88 ratings for Semi-Dry and Dry), Atwater Estate (88 and 88), Chateau LaFayette Reneau (88) and Fox Run (88).

Several Seneca Lake wineries scored in San Bernardino, CA recently at the Pacific Rim International Wine Competition run by the inimitable Don Galleano. Topping the New York winners’ list was Chateau LaFayette Reneau 2005 Barrel Fermented Chardonnay which won Double Gold and Best of Class in the under $15 price category (in California!), with that winery’s 2006 Johannisberg Riesling also earning a Gold. Other Gold medals went to Belhurst 2006 Dry Riesling and 2006 Cayuga, Glenora 2001 Blanc de Blanc, Hazlitt 2007 Homestead Reserve Riesling, Prejean 2006 Cabernet Franc, and Wagner 2006 Semi-Dry Riesling.