INSIDER'S PICK: 2019 HERMANN J WIEMER DRY RIESLING SENECA LAKE (Wine Advocate 91points) $23.99

Even though we will not be doing the public tasting portion of the Insider's Pick until further notice, we will still be offering the wine for purchase with the usual 10% discount on Thursday and Friday. The wines will still be ones we highly recommend, and the tasting notes will still be our own. We will be returning to doing just the one wine on Thursdays and Fridays until further notice. We hope you are able to come by and get some wines to enjoy.

The Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard is one of the most important wineries on the East Coast, considering that since the mid-1970s their nursery has been actively bringing in and propagating European vinifera that has benefited the entire winemaking community. The wines themselves are equally important, one of the long time standards of quality in the Finger Lakes region for both red and white varieties. Riesling is of course one of if not 'the' most prevalent grape in the region, and while most people think of it as a sweet wine (and there are plenty of delicious sweet versions to be had, we do NOT knock them at all), many of the best and most delightful versions are in the dry spectrum.This one weighs in at 7 grams of sugar per liter; some may say 'ACK!! That's going to be sweet!'. It is actually well within what the German regulations would be for their trocken wines, and as much as half the amount you would find in the majority of Californian Chardonnay. Add in to that the cool climate acidity born from the Finger Lakes region, and you have a wine that absolutely breathes dryness. Blended from fruit sourced out of their four best estate vineyards (HJW, Magdalena, Josef & Kasper), this starts off a bit stern and steely, but builds fresh white fruits on the nose with some time open, and continue on to the palate. The dryness on the palate is not austere or lean, just helps the fruit dance with the acidity into a clean mineral soaked finish. A tasty match with pork dishes, classic German sauerkraut, and the like.  

---