WTN: A Finger Lakes wine makes its way to Finland!

I don't think we've ever seen any wines from the Eastern parts of the US, so I was curious to try this since it became available in our monopoly. Some parts of the wine seemed fine; but the whole, sadly, didn't:

2008 Lamoreaux Landing Chardonnay - USA, New York, Finger Lakes, Seneca Lake (6/30/2012)
20€; 12,6% abv. A very perfumed, almost Viognier-like aroma on opening. That quickly calms down and the wine radically changes to smell like a cool climate wine with nice citrus and asparagus notes that struggle to shine from beneath the oak (2/3rds of the wine sees oak - and from the toffee aromas I guess much of that must have been new). Delightfully high acidity, lots of citrus. But once again the toffee character from the oak is something I dislike. With this type of oak: not to my taste.

That's too bad that it had to be the one to get Finland Otto. Most of the FL Chardonnays that I've had were oak free. Of course that is something that I look for.

While I like the idea that wines from the area are getting around, I'm surprised it was a Chardonnay, as Riesling is the dominant grape in the Finger Lakes.

As the oaked Finger Lakes Chardonnays go, this one is not too bad if you like that style. They make a 'Reserve' that sees even more oak, so don't go there (although it is pretty well done, too). Ten years ago there was this idea that Finger Lakes Chardonnays should try to emulate those from California, and there were lots of barrel fermented oak monsters (and not always top-flight oak, either) that many Americans associate with 'Chardonnay'. Now, as Carl has pointed out, there is a throttling back of the oak at many producers, with many making a non-oak version. These can be lovely, crisp wines, but are often priced at the low end ($10-$12/bottle), suggesting to the consumer that they are something less than the oaked version of the same producer, which is usually at least a few dollars more. It would be interesting to see a producer from the region make a sans-oak wine that was unapologetically their top Chardonnay. Oddly, Lamoreaux Landing is one of the first FL producers to make a Cabernet Franc that sees no oak (T-23) alongside the regular oak aged version.

I'll also agree that it is odd that a Riesling wasn't chosen for export, although they might have gotten a good deal on the Chardonnay!

I think that we should consider a Wine Focus in the near future where we can compare oaked and non-oaked Chardonnay. I know for a fact that the land of Oz is turning out some good whites right now, plus Chile. Sorry for the slight thread drift.
I really wish we had access to Finger Lakes up here.

I get up to the NY Finger Lakes area every couple years and have pretty much stopped tasting Chardonnay. We drink very little Chard and have become very selective on those we buy. I agree on the Rieslings being good there but find many from Michigan have caught up and try to support the ‘home grown’ wines where I can. I buy a few Cab Francs from NY but my favorite is the Rkatsiteli from Dr Konstantin Frank. Their Gruner is becoming pretty good also.

Cheers, Gary

Hi Otto -

Thank you for the note. I have not had this vintage of the Lamoreaux Landing Chardonnay, but have thought it was one of the better Finger Lakes Chardonnays in the past. That said, I can certainly understand why you did not care for it.

Howie is right - odd that a Finger Lakes wine made it all the way to Finland, and it was a Chardonnay rather than a Riesling. Most of the better Finger Lakes wines that I have had have been Rieslings, although there are some good sparklers and a few other interesting whites. I personally have not liked most of the reds, though.

[David M. Bueker]

Echoing thecomments re:Chardonnay versus Riesling. It would be nice if you could get a chance to try a Wiemer Riesling, IMO the best the region has to offer.

It would be nice if you could get a chance to try a Wiemer Riesling, IMO the best the region has to offer.

You could be dead on David, tho I think the Anthony Road gives them a run. Then, again, they are only a couple of miles apart and use much the same dirt.