“If I can make it there, I’ll make it
anywhere. It’s up to you New York, New York!”
But
as was said in George Gershwin’s 1935 opera “Porgy & Bess”, “It ain’t
necessarily so.” While Frank Sinatra (backed
by a terrific band) made a terrific song, when it comes to wine it is definitely
not so. Recently I had an opportunity to taste some of
the estate wines of Villa Bellangelo. The wines were not only delicious, they
served to affirm the importance of terroir. Bellangelo Vineyards and Winery is located in
Dundee near Seneca Lake in the Finger Lakes Region of New York.
The
conditions for ideal grape growing in this region were actually set into motion
tens of thousands of years ago. Retreating glaciers deposited a layer of
topsoil on shale beds above the lakes. Seneca Lake is the deepest of the Finger
Lakes at 618 feet and rarely freezes. And the lakes (there are eleven) moderate
the region’s temperatures.
Move
forward several tens of thousands of years and I was enjoying wines from the
Finger Lakes here (in the Midwest) in the early 1970’s. But as California
gained prominence, retail outlets allocated more of their limited shelf space
to that state’s offerings, as well as to the expanding market here for non U.S.
wines, and New York’s wines became difficult to find and enjoy. More the pity
because these wines are affordable and exciting and truly unique.
As
Chateaubriand and Filet Mignon are similar, they are also different: Bellangelo’s Gewurztraminer is similar to
Alsace, and its Rieslings are similar to those of the Mosel region of Germany -
similar but so appreciably different. Any lover of wine who professes an
appreciation of terroir is
self-obligated to taste Villa Bellangelo and other wines of the Finger Lakes.
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| Shale From The Seneca Lake Vineyard This piece about 3"x3"x1/4" |
I’ll
be posting more detailed reviews of some of these wines in the months ahead. But
in the meantime, these wines are too “Wine Mizer worthy” to remain
unmentioned. So being the dedicated reviewer that I am, I’ve ordered additional
of these wines to taste a second time. And in the meantime, here are my first
impressions:
1) 2013 Seyval Blanc
$16. I’m starting with this wine because
I generally don’t enjoy Seyval Blanc and there always seem to be so many other
white wines to enjoy. For me, Seyval is weak in character; listless, wondering
what to make of itself. Even its color
is non-descript. But the nose of this
rendering from Villa Bellangelo immediately captivated me. Character a plenty
with notes of quince and lemon. Silky mouthfeel. Back taste brings in hints of
orange and vanilla. A white wine of balance that plays with all its flavor
hints in tandem and with a surprisingly long finish.
2)
2012
Gewurztraminer $20. Nose is faint, but pleasantly
floral. Kiwi, peach, quince, lychee. A luscious mouthfeel (more glycerin like
than the 2013). Long finish. Both this
and the 2013 share similarities with a Gewurz from Alsace yet provide a
uniqueness that give a sense of place and make these wines so fun to drink.
3) 2013
Gewurztraminer. Nose of honeyed peach that carries into the taste along with
apple that develops noticeably. Sharper acid finish.
4) 2013 Cabernet
Franc $18. Cherry colored in the glass –
like a Pinot Noir. I’m concerned the wine may be thin. Then again, I recently had a Cabernet Franc
from Argentina that was hot-climate deep purple and tasted too much like
Cabernet Sauvignon. I’m looking for the
graceful, unassuming but balanced style of a Loire style Cabernet Franc. Another reviewer visited unexpectedly and I
offered him a taste. “Delicious” he said immediately. I enjoyed a delicate nose of sour cherry and
raspberry and a taste of cherry cordial chocolates. A little alcohol-black
pepper in the throat that thankfully wasn’t present in subsequent tastes. My fault – I needed to give the wine more air
and will be tasting this again.
5) 2013 Semi-Dry
Riesling $18. The nose is Mosel: smell/taste this wine blind and you might take
it to be an Auslese. Tart green apple that softens in the taste as sweet ripe pear
develops. The tart-sweet interplay mid-palette is intriguing, but the
experience continues as an interplay develops between honeydew melon and pear.
Who said white wines can’t be complex?
6)
2013 Dry Riesling
$18. Classic, pale straw in the glass
with edges that are almost translucent. Again, looks like a Riesling from
Mosel. Nose is light, delicate and floral with orange blossoms. Heavier bodied
than a Mosel Kabinet, it offers Granny Smith apple and Meyer lemon with hints
of orange and a taste that just continues to build in this uniquely characterized
wine. Long finish.
Frank
Sinatra had a great song, was a great singer and certainly could afford to buy
great wine. But what they do in New York is unique and just can’t be done
anywhere. The sampling of wines from
Villa Bellangelo delighted me with wines that are graceful, play with the senses
and uniquely reflect a sense of
place. And you needn’t have a star’s
pocketbook to afford them. At prices shown, these wines are super values.
Cheers!
…………….
Jim
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·
Wines reviewed provided as a sample by the
winery
Villa Bellangelo
150 Poplar Point Rd
Dundee, NY 14837
607-243-8602
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