Eminence Road 'Botrytis' Riesling Finger Lakes 2023

We've gushed a lot about Andrew and Jennifer from Eminence Road Farm Winery over the years because they keep producing wines of quality and intrigue that don't burn the wallet. Not only that, but their wines lend credence to the overall rising quality of New York State wines. Based in a converted cow barn in the mountain valley of Long Eddy, NY, on the western edge of the Catskills, Eminence Road is, in a way, a Finger Lakes winery. All of their wines are made from sustainably grown Finger Lakes grapes, fermented with native yeast, and bottled by hand, unfined and unfiltered with the only addition being a minimal amount of sulfur for stability. This riesling is made with fruit grown on the east-facing, gentle slopes of Sheldrake Point Vineyard on Cayuga Lake. Uniquely, 25% of the riesling grapes in this bottling were affected with botrytis (sometimes known as “noble rot” - a type of fungus related to penicillin and Stilton blue cheese, that shrivels wine grapes, resulting in added concentration, mouthfeel, and depth of flavor). Grapes were crushed, destemmed, and macerated for 24 hours before pressing, then the settled juice was moved to stainless steel to undergo fermentation, including full malolactic fermentation. After resting for three months, the wine was racked off its lees and bottled without fining or filtration. Dry and densely concentrated, this offers succulent notes of peach blossom, spiced apricot, ripe lime, hay, and shale over a deep, textured finish. This will drink beautifully over the course of several days - if you can resist finishing it all in one sitting! Sustainably grown, vegan.