Gold and more gold for Finger Lakes wines at the Classic

The judging for this year's New York Wine & Food Classic competition was something special.

JEFF RICHARDS/Star-Gazette Finger Lakes wines fared well at the 2003 New York Wine & Food Classic, held Aug. 3 and 4 in Napa, Calif. The contest included 524 wines from across the state

Not only was it held in Napa, the heart of California wine country, but half of the judges for the competition were also from that region.

The fact that one of every eight wines entered earned either a gold or double gold award is a real testament to the high quality of wines entered in the Classic.

Even more impressive is that there were almost as many double-gold winners as gold winners. To earn the double-gold accolade, a wine had to earn a gold award from all the members of a four-judge panel.

Although the competition accepted wines from all wine-producing areas of New York -- from Long Island to Lake Erie -- it was the Finger Lakes region that really excelled. Several Finger Lakes wineries earned multiple double-gold awards for their entries.

I was able to taste some of the Finger Lakes double-gold winners during recent visits to the award-winning wineries.

The Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard's 2002 Gewurztraminer has a spicy, full, rounded nose. Wow! The taste is luscious and smooth, with supple, spicy flavors. Hermann's 2002 Reserve Riesling also earned the Governor's Cup as the best wine of the competition.

Lakewood Vineyards won double gold for their 2002 Borealis and 2001 Cabernet Franc. The Cabernet Franc is a brilliant deep red, with plum in the nose. It tastes of blackberry and cherry.

Chateau Lafayette Reneau earned double gold for its 2001 Proprietor's Reserve Chardonnay and its 2001 Barrel Fermented Chardonnay. Although less expensive, the barrel-fermented chardonnay exhibits buttery tastes, with lots of fruit and an acid backbone to carry the wine.

Red Newt Cellars was a triple double-gold medal winner with its 2001 Cabernet Franc, 2002 Gewurztraminer and 2002 Riesling. The Riesling was crisp and lean with lots of fruit, including tangerine. The acid in this wine will balance with the fruit for years to come.

Hosmer Winery won double gold for its 2001 Cabernet Franc and 2001 Cayuga White. The Cayuga has a nice balance between acid and fruit and offers a smooth, yet crisp, summer sipping wine.

Dr. Konstantin Frank's Vinifera Wine Cellars earned a double gold for its 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon. I had this wine during a blind tasting in July at the Village Tavern in Hammondsport. It is deep red, and rich in color and taste. That such a full, yet soft, red wine could come from the Finger Lakes came as a big surprise to several of the guests that night.

At sister winery Chateau Frank, a double gold was earned for the nonvintage Celebre Rose. This is a delightful semi-dry sparkling wine, a cheerful pink in color, with lots of tiny bubbles. It finishes with a clean aftertaste.

Many wineries in the Finger Lakes have a lot to cheer about for how well they showed in the Classic competition.

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