Anthony Road wines inspire an elegant evening

Winemaker Johannes Rheinhardt is a man on a mission.

Since 2000, he has strived to make the best possible wines at Anthony Road Wine Company in Penn Yan.

To showcase the fruits of his labor, Anthony Road owners John and Ann Martini presented a winemaker's dinner on June 21, featuring the winery's Martini-Rheinhardt selection of wines.

The wines were served during a four-course dinner in the Anthony Road's wine-tasting room, converted into a gracious banquet facility for 40 guests.

I asked Johannes how this event compared with the winery's annual outdoor Federweisser Celebration. Inspired by his own German heritage, that event is based on federweisser, a sweet, partially fermented white grape beverage popular in Germany. Samples were offered as it bubbled away, fermenting in a cask. The celebration also featured German potato salad, sausage and dancing to polka music.

"Federweisser was a fun event; this is a serious event," Johannes replied. Saturday's dinner was elevated to a more formal atmosphere to present the best wines produced at Anthony Road.

Throughout the evening, we listened to classical music performed by the Genesee String Quartet. It provided a soothing backdrop during the meal, as we discussed how the food and wines complemented each other.

The 2001 Dry Riesling exhibited a perfect balance between good fruit flavor and acid balance. It was interesting to taste how the wine flavor seemed to change as each portion of the first course was sampled. The large, seared scallop tasted sweet as I sampled the crisp wine with the tender morsel. The smoky flavor of the shrimp and mussels brought out the fruitiness of the wine.

As we continued to the next course, Johannes commented on how these wines were a product of a team effort at Anthony Road.

"We all need freedom to be creative," Johannes said. "A lot of credit goes to the vineyard manager," he added, acknowledging John's son Peter Martini.

Without the best fruit possible, it would be much more difficult to make great wine.

I looked forward to sampling the 2001 Chardonnay with the second course, warm duck slices served on a bed of greens. The wine had a wonderful buttery nose that led to a creamy mellow taste.

One of the things I liked about this wine was that the fruit taste was evident at the finish. Although it has oak and butter tastes, the wine seems to be in perfect balance, one aspect not overpowering the other. It was delicious.

The next course was actually two dishes in one. Potatoes and teardrop tomatoes accompanied seasoned tenderloin and lobster medallions.

The 2000 Cabernet Franc was served with this course. For this vintage, Peter and Johannes hand-sorted each cluster of grapes before sending them to the press. The fruity wine had some cherry and earthy tastes. Unfortunately, it is no longer available for sale to the public -- the supply for the dinner came from the winery's library.

We concluded the evening with a selection of fresh fruits, pastries and chocolate sauce served with the 2000 Vignoles Trockenbeeren wine. Intense apricot and citrus flavors were evident in this luscious dessert wine.

Throughout the evening, guests made bids in a silent auction, vying for packages provided by 20 area businesses, including several wineries of the Seneca Lake Wine Trail. As we were preparing to leave, John thanked the winners for their support. The $1,500 raised at the dinner will benefit Yates-Ontario Hospice.

Jeff Richards' wine column appears each Thursday on the Twin Tiers Life Food Page. For comments or questions, he can be reached at 607/271-8279 or 800/836-8970, ext. 279, or e-mail: thewineguy