BUYINGGUIDE NOVEMBER2017

THIS MONTH

2 NEW YORK 21 WASHINGTON 31 CALIFORNIA 56 CHILE 62 64 BURGUNDY 81 PROVENCE 82 PAYS D’OC 84 PIEDMONT 91 CENTRAL ITALY 93 104 SPIRITS 106

New York pét-nat in a riddling rack.

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yet firmly structured to improve at least another decade. —A.I. abv: 12.7% Price: $29

Keuka Spring 2016 Semi-Sweet NEW YORK 90 (). While bountiful in ripe, Small production, big results plush nectarine, peach and melon, this medium- sweet Riesling off sets its sunny side with dazzling acidity. Light on its feet yet deeply penetrating, it’s hether the Finger Lakes, Long Island, as well as the plump nectar of an Indian an effortless people pleaser offering balance and Hudson Valley or beyond, the best summer. You can taste the complexity gained satisfaction. —A.I. in New York are still made by from patient lees aging in Nathan Kendall’s abv: 9.9% Price: $17 small, typically family-owned winer- or the nuanced texture of Pinot Wies with limited technological shortcuts and in Noir made without correction via fining agents. Glenora 2016 Select Riesling (Finger Lakes). Juicy, sweet honeydew and green miniscule volume. As this month’s batch of reviews show, 89 plum flavors are cut by shards of piercing lime and To put production figures wines from New York offer lemon in this ripe, light-footed Riesling. Medium- into perspective, rising stars Often priced a dizzying array of diversity. sweet in style, it’s a keenly balanced single- in the Finger Lakes like Nathan Classics like Riesling and Mer- bottling that should improve well through 2021. Kendall make less than 4,000 under $20 at entry lot are featured alongside fine —A.I. abv: 9.5% Price: $25 cases a year. The regional heavy- level, these wines sparkling wines and rarities weight, Hermann J. Wiemer, represent a breed like and Grüner Velt- Hermann J. Wiemer 2015 Josef Vineyard Ries- produces about 17,000 cases of painstakingly liner. Often priced under $20 89 ling (Finger Lakes). Compared to Wiemer’s annually. Yet even combined, at entry level, these wines rep- more fruity, floral bottlings this vintage, the Josef these efforts are hardly a drop made, small- resent a breed of painstakingly Vineyard is decidedly savory, showing pronounced notes of earth and herb. Semisweet in style, the pal- in the bucket when compared to production made, small-production pours ate offers concentrated doses of fresh white pear large-scale American producers pours that offer that provide remarkable value. and tangerine as well. The finish lingers on dusty who make upward of 10 million remakable value. Call it cliché, but we value mineral tones. —A.I. cases a year. wine because it offers some- abv: 9.3% Price: $39 While great wines can be thing unique: a time capsule Hosmer 2016 Riesling (Cayuga Lake). Bold made many ways, there’s distinct value in wines expressive of a singular or vintage. You 89 strokes of yellow peach and tangerine get made carefully in small quantities, directly can taste the struggle and the glory. It con- a jolt of electric acidity in this squeaky-clean, off- reflecting the terroir, vintage and philosophies nects you to the hearts of the people and places dry Riesling. Fresh and fruity, it’s a mouthwatering of their makers. Winemaker Fred Merwath’s that crafted it, and only further