Ravines Wine Cellars

I have a confession to make. When I first tasted Ravines' Dry Riesling 2006 early last year for a comparative tasting of Finger Lakes Rieslings I paid no heed to the quiet but deep lake in front of me. Reading my tasting note from February 2008 again I see that at least I do mention the crisp acidity and strong minerality. I made the classic mistake of not listening to the voice that is softspoken but which has the most interesting story to tell.

Ravines Wines Cellars' Riesling is different from the fruitier and often floral style one expects from the Finger Lakes. It is necessary to recalibrate one's palate in order to fully appreciate the wines of winemaker Morten Hallgren, particularly if one is used to sweeter Riesling from Germany or to more full-bodied Riesling from Alsace. Is it more Austrian then? Perhaps. But maybe it is simply pointless to try and compare Ravines' Rieslings to those from other regions. They should be appreciated on their own terms.

To Read this story in it's entirety, please go HERE.

By Lenn Thompson, Founder and Editor-in-Chief

No matter how opened minded you are, you have expectations when you walk into a tasting room. Whether about the wines, the staff, the crowd, or the overall experience, you have expectations. You just do.

In any wine region, it's the wineries that consistently exceed those expectations that separate themselves from the rest of the pack.Those are the standouts that get, and deserve, the attention.

Ravines Wine Cellars, on the eastern side of Keuka Lake in the Finger Lakes wine region, is one such winery.

Three years ago, I had only just heard about Ravines Wine Cellars, a small producer co-owned by Lisa and Morten Hallgren. I tasted a few wines not long after and though "Hey, this is a winery worth watching."

To read the article on New York Cork Report, Go HERE.