WTN: 2011 Hart Wine Cellar Lemberger

Made by our own Howie Hart. Disclaimer: I'm a friend and fellow home winemaker, but my praise for this wine stands by itself. Juicy, racy, black berries, a little spice, smoky, good acidity and mellow tannins. We had it with a prosciutto and tomatoes pizza Nancy makes and it went very well. Compares well with Finger Lakes Lembergers our AWS has tasted. If you can talk Howie out of a bottle you should treat yourself and do so.

Howie: are they Niagara or Finger Lakes grown Lemberger?

I've tasted only Riesling made by Howie, and I was quite impressed.

[James Roscoe]

I believe all of Howie's juice is from the Niagara region. His Lemerger is among the best I have tasted. The only ones I can recall liking better are from Austria. Why Howie has not gone pro is beyond me. Now I am going to have to go buy an Austrian since I can't get to Howie any time soon to beg a bottle off him!

James is right. The grapes were from Don Demaison who owns Long Cliff Vineyard in the Niagara Escarpment AVA (US).

Glad you enjoyed it, Dan. I still haven't bottled the 2012. According to Don, it can be difficult to grow. He lost his entire crop of 2010 to black rot after missing his spray schedule by 3 days.

Howie, I thought we had a lock on Lemberger here in Washington State. When are you coming out to see us again (and bring your Lemberger)? We missed you at a magnificent paella dinner Joann hosted at her house two weeks ago.

Oh, my! I still dream about Jo Ann's paella! My son's wife was transferred to Hawaii over 3 years ago, however, she is now in the process of transferring to Bismark, ND for the next 3 years. So, I will probably make a trip west at least that far. As long as I go that far, I figure I might as well see Yellowstone, and who knows, I may make it out there again. Then again, Niagara Falls is a nice place to visit.