WTN: Hart Cellars 2005 Dry Steuben (Bruce Giles vineyard, NY)

This Steuben rosé is a dry labrusca wine made by none other than our very own Howie Hart.

Pale salmon-rose colour. Intensely fruity/flowery nose - strawberries and roses with secondary candied-spice aromas from the grapes. Crisp, balanced acidity with a healthy grip and a clean, dry texture. Lighter in colour than the previous Steuben that Howie gave me, but no less intense in aroma. Very slight candied musk on the finish - not nearly as much as either Concord or Niagara.

All in all, Steuben makes a wine that to me often seems very similar to Catawba.

Howie, I have to say that after trying your regular off-dry Steuben rosé and this dry one, I honestly feel the dry version to be a superior wine: its acidity is completely unfettered and its structure comes through as firm and bright. I really like this one much better than the other.

Sounds very nice. I think it was the previous one you refer to that Howie gave me. I look forward to tasting this one at NiagaraCool. I'll be bringing my '05 Steuben too.

Speaking of Steuben, Niagara Landing is just about to release a dry Steuben. Domenic Caresseti is in charge there now. The winery is located only about 12 miles from the NiagaraCool picnic place and will be open that afternoon. I plan to stop by if there's time and would be glad to pick up Steuben or anything else for anyone interested.

Glad you enjoyed it Paul. I just checked the cellar and I have 5 bottles of Steuben left, 2 dry, 2 off dry and 1 sweet. I'll probably serve an off-dry and the sweet tomorrow at the "Welcome Home from Iraq" picnic I'm throwing for my son, along with a few others. In addition, before NiagaraCOOL I intend to get together with the student in my winemaking class that made the dry Catawba and trade for a few bottles. Maybe I'll even invite her.

Speaking of Steuben, Niagara Landing is just about to release a dry Steuben. Domenic Caresseti is in charge there now.

Dan, that is mind-blowingly awesome. First we see Jeff Murphy making a dry Concord, then we hear of John Zuccarino's dry Catawba, and now Domenic Caresseti is about to release a dry Steuben. I feel as though all the years of preaching and pleading are finally amounting to something!