German Lessons in the Finger Lakes

By

Naomi Thorner

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Volume 17, On the Verge •
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Herman J. Wiemer vineyards, Photo credit New York Wine & Grape Foundation

Slopes tilting toward shimmering water; a long, cool growing season; and shallow slate soil — to a connoisseur of German wines, these features immediately evoke the storied Mosel region. Yet they also describe a much younger wine-growing area: New York State’s Finger Lakes, or FLX. Long dismissed as a producer of tourist-friendly sweet wines made from non-vinifera grapes, the Finger Lakes now give life to vintages that express grape and terroir with nuance and sophistication. These include wines created by German-born winemakers, such as Johannes Reinhardt at Kemmeter Wines and Peter Weis at Weis Vineyards, as well as those who trained…

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Naomi Thorner is a Brooklyn-based writer whose work has also appeared in The Art of Eating. In addition to writing about wine, she works on development communications for nonprofits and museums.

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