Winemaker rewarded for fascination with Riesling

Winemaker Thomas Laszlo has struck gold with his Riesling.

JEFF RICHARDS/Star-Gazette Winemaker Thomas Laszlo's 2002 Heron Hill Riesling earned a gold medal at the recent Finger Lakes International Wine Competition

Heron Hill Winery's 2002 semi-dry Riesling earned the only gold medal for Riesling wines in the Finger Lakes International Wine Competition, held March 29 and 30.

Last summer, Thomas came to Heron Hill in Hammondsport after several years of making wine in Canada and Europe.

"Riesling drives my passion," Thomas says. He knew that the climate and soil in the Finger Lakes area could produce world-class Riesling wines.

With his first vintage, Thomas continues a tradition of producing award-winning Riesling wines at Heron Hill. But he has more challenges to meet as a winemaker than simply following his passion for making Riesling.

"Every winemaker has to work with chardonnay. Chardonnay teaches you about winemaking," Thomas says.

He describes the process of creating chardonnay as more complicated in the winery, while making Riesling is more complicated in the vineyard.

Once Riesling grapes reach the desired maturity, sugar level and acid balance, it can be a more straightforward process to make Riesling.

Chardonnay, on the other hand, has several variables that can cause its production to be a more involved process.

Will the chardonnay be fermented and aged in oak barrels? If so, for how long?

What kind of oak barrel will be used? French, American, Hungarian or Russian are just a few from which to choose. Each wood can impart a distinct character to the wine.

Then there is the stirring of the lees, particles of grapes and dead yeast cells that fall to the bottom of the wine barrel during fermentation.

As the dead yeast cells break down, they add a creamy, buttery character to the wine. The frequency of stirring the lees affects the flavor and may be altered during the winemaking process.

After all those choices have been made, there is still the very important task of deciding how barrels of wine, with unique flavors, should be blended to make the best chardonnay.

Some may be bottled in small lots as special reserve wines. Others may find their way into less expensive blends at the winery.

I was able to taste several samples of red and white wines in various barrels at Heron Hill.

The buttery taste with a lemon finish was most pronounced in the chardonnay being aged in Hungarian oak. The chardonnay in the French oak was rougher and more astringent. It will be interesting to see how these wines come together when blended.

The Ingle Vineyards 2002 Pinot Noir had lots of fruit and vanilla flavors. It also had an earthy nose with some light cherry taste. The Finger Lakes 2002 Pinot Noir had a heavier oak taste and smoky nose. It should be ready to drink when released this fall.

Although the focus at Heron Hill is on wines made from vinifera grapes, the winery also works with what the winery operators feel are some of the best hybrid grapes.

The winery will be releasing their baco noir reserve in 1.5 liter bottles later this year.

It has a blackberry, jammy taste. It is a full-bodied wine, aged in oak.

A "fruit bomb" is how Thomas describes another hybrid dessert wine, the 2002 Late Harvest Vidal. It has a powerful nose, loaded with tropical fruit scents of mango and banana. It also provides hints of pear.

A second dessert wine brings us back to Thomas and his passion for Riesling. The grapes for the 2002 Late Harvest Riesling were picked at two different times. More than half of the crop was harvested in October, already blessed with botrytis, a "noble" rot that adds distinctive flavor to wine.

The rest of the late harvest Riesling crop was picked at the end of November.

The wine smells and tastes of honey and apricot. The sweet wine also has a citrus taste with hints of apple, and a refreshingly clean finish.

When it is released, it will be a wonderful wine to help celebrate a special occasion.

Jeff Richards' wine column appears each Thursday on the Twin Tiers Life Food page. For comments or questions, call him at 607/271-8279 or 800/836-8970, ext. 279, or e-mail thewineguy