WTN: 2003 Covey Run Washington State Lemberger

2003 Covey Run Washington State Lemberger, 13.0% a.b.v., $2.99: Covey Run is owned by Centerra Wine Company (f.k.a. Canandaigua Wine) which, in turn, is owned by Constellation Wine. (I hope I got that right.) Covey Run has a nice website, but this particular wine did not figure on it as far as I could tell. There was a 2003 Yakima Valley Lemberger, but I imagine that is a horse of a different color.

This particular Lemberger was a dark garnet with a watery clear meniscus. On the nose, vanilla. In the mouth, not much, although the finish was oddly bitter. There was nothing to betray which particular grape variety went into making this wine. To be fair, it didn't taste offensive, just nondescript. It would be the perfect house red for Jose's Rolling Taqueria. At that price more is not to be expected.

To be fair, it didn't taste offensive, just nondescript.

That pretty well describes all of their product line.

The syrah is more than $3 worth.

Is there such thing as a GOOD WA Lemberger? I'm mighty biased to Austrian and Hungarian Lemberger, my only domestic examples being Hogue and Shooting Star, both of which were garbage. BUT, I'm willing to try again.


Prost!
Bill

Is there such thing as a GOOD WA Lemberger?

I've never had one, but I believe a few are made in the Finger Lakes and Niagara Peninsula.

Is there such thing as a GOOD WA Lemberger? I'm mighty biased to Austrian and Hungarian Lemberger, my only domestic examples being Hogue and Shooting Star, both of which were garbage. BUT, I'm willing to try again. Prost! Bill

Ya' never know. It was the first one I ever had. An also-ran in one region might turn out to be a star in another ... just not this time. Perhaps the smaller Yakima Valley appellation is better? I got a buddy down here in Lodi who does Lemberger. At least it has some character although it doesn't taste like the Lembergers I've tried in Würrtemberg.

Howie is correct, a very few Lembergers (though they are never called this) are made in Ontario, but they are always labelled Blaufränkisch and always blended. Magnotta made one such blend some time back, using Gamay and Zweigelt as blending partners, I believe. The wine was okay. I haven't yet tasted a pure Niagara-grown Blaufränkisch, though the Zweigelts tend to be pretty good. Pretty good, but not as good in my opinion as the Austrian and Hungarian ones. It might just be that a learning curve has yet to be overcome.

Fox Run in the Finger Lakes produces a quite good Lemberger--20% Cabernet Franc makes all the difference.

I attended a Lemberger seminar last winter--Austria, Finger Lakes and Washington. Fox Run stood out (peppery, medium-bodied, with good backbone). Other Finger Lakes competed with the Austrian ones.
The Washington ones were lame, thin--the joys of indiscriminate irrigation.

Kiona makes the best Lemberger in WA IMHO. They tend to be light and soft, with berry and plum flavors, and occasionally a peppery streak. They go tit for tat with Fox Run.

Kiona makes the best Lemberger in WA IMHO. They tend to be light and soft, with berry and plum flavors, and occasionally a peppery streak. They go tit for tat with Fox Run.

I'll admit to limited experience with Lemberger right up front. Nevertheless, I tasted the 2003 Kiona Lemberger ($12) about six months ago. My tasting notes indicate it was well balanced with nice fruit on a long finish; altogether a really nice wine.

-- Clark