Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard, Cuveé Brut 2011, Seneca Lake, New York

Tasting Note: A sparkler from the New York Finger Lakes that will make you want to try more sparkling wine from this cool climate zone.

Pale-intensity lemon in color this sparkling wine has an aromatic nose of green apple, star fruit, with notes of honey dew melon and lemon zest.

On the palate the dry, medium-bodied chardonnay-based wine expresses green fruit suggested on the nose along with chalk beginning mid-palate through to a lemon-citrus-infused finish.

The wine is high in refreshing acidity.

There is yeast and some hints of midpalate complexity even while the sparkling wine is straightforward as a whole.

There is enough “there-there” in the wine, to suggest this cool-climate-fruit-producing area could have a sparkling future if it so desired.

Bottle Note: Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard combines Old World tradition with new world innovation, hand-crafting elegant, well-balanced wines. Our ecologically conscious viticulture highlights the distinct qualities of our premier vineyard sites. The luxurious complexity of this chardonnay-based sparkling wine is a direct result of the methode champenoise, including a secondary bottle fermentation and hand riddling. With three years aging on the lees, it displays an expressive, classic Champagne palate with vibrant structure. Disgorgement date: January 2015.