When New Year’s eve rolled around, and there was a chance to put 2020 in its place and move forward with some delicious wine and food, who was I to say no to enjoying this bottle of Riesling from New York’s Finger Lakes region with some great Thai takeout?

At a delicate 10.2% abv and light residual sugar, this is a beautifully off dry example of what the Finger Lakes AVA has to offer.

Grapes were planted in the early 1800s in this region that encompasses eleven lakes resembling long fingers etched by glaciers.

The ‘lake effect’ modeled by the bodies of water mitigate the harsh continental climate, much as is done to the west in Canada’s Niagara region where award-winning Chardonnay and Pinot Noir is grown.

In the Finger Lakes, Riesling is the dominant grape – but Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Gewurztraminer are also present.  There are also wines made from less noble, but still tasty, hybrids Cayuga and Vidal.

This wine is a pale straw colour with aromas and flavours of orange oil, bergamot, apricot, lychee, and slivers of green grass.  The off dry sweetness is offset by great acidity, so there is great balance.

This was a delicious way to usher in 2021, which I hope will be a much improved year over the version that was 2020.