Wagner, Fathom 107, 2013, Seneca Lake, New York

Tasting Note: Lemon-gold in color, this riesling-gewürztraminer blend has an aromatic nose of ripe white grapes, green apple, lychee and overripe pear.

The aromas on the nose carry through and multiply in flavor intensity on the palate. Lemon citrus zest sits on the top layer of taste followed by a bouquet of green fruit and apple blossom.

The high acid blend wipes your palate clean and delivers tartness to the back portion of your tongue.

This wine is 65% riesling and 35% gewürztraminer and the riesling character stands in the foreground of the taste. You don’t find many blends of this sort – in the Old World or New World.

Riesling and gewürztraminer are notoriously bottled as 100% single varietals. Tasting them together as a blend is a rare experiment worth trying. I am glad I had an opportunity to sample it and will sample again.

While the two grapes work together, they are not yet in balance in the current mix ratio.

Each varietal adds to the mix, but the blend does not present at yet as a coherent flavor whole and feels a bit like an assembly of individual parts that have yet to fully merge.

Perhaps more time in the bottle will lead to greater union.

This blend can be perfected, and Wagner Vineyards will likely be the one to perfect it with time. Follow their journey, and tell me what you think of the development of this unique Finger Lakes blend.

Bottle Note: Wagner Vineyards is situated on the eastern shore of Seneca Lake directly next to the deepest point in all of the Finger Lakes. At 640 feet or 107 fathoms deep, Seneca Lake’s huge volume of water provides our vineyards with year round temperature moderation. The lake’s effect results in cool nights late into the growing season, preserving our grape’s natural acidity and leading to well balanced wines. Our opportune location consistently produces outstanding vintages of riesling and gewürztraminer, the two signature white varieties that comprise this special blend.