Our Wines
Vinifera Varietals - wines made from grape varieties of European origin - here are some of the varieties we grow and produce
Riesling: in our experience the grape thrives in the cool climate of the Finger Lakes and it is a versatile grape which can be made into several styles of wine from dry to dessert. We typically produce a Dry, Semi Dry and Semi Sweet Riesling, but then again this depends on the fruit at harvest and how much we have.
Chardonnay: you won't find Big Oak in our regular Chardonnay because we ferment and age the wine in stainless steel. This style of Chardonnay is light and grassy, with a clean crisp finish. There can be a little bit a creaminess in this wine due to aging on the lees.
Pinot Gris: a.k.a. Pinot Grigio, is a delightful wine. Dry, crisp with a nice citrus finish to it. Depending on the season and the amount of skin contact allowed, the wine will have a slight, pale blush because the skin of the Pinot Gris grape has a grayish hue to it.
Gewurztraminer: A slightly more aromatic wine, with more tropical fruit characters, the Gewurz, as it is often referred to, will usually be semi dry to dry in style.
Cabernet Franc and Lemberger: both cool climate grape varieties which have unique characteristics as individual wines, but by blending the two together, Johannes is able to produce a wine with greater balance and more depth.
Pinot Noir: we will produce a Pinot Noir if Mother Nature cooperates. This is one of the more "sensitive" of our grape varities, and with seasonal inconsistencies in the Finger Lakes, you never know.
A couple of years ago we began creating a Rose of Cabernet Franc. This wine is made of selected Cabernet Franc grapes, allowed skin contact for a portion of the fermentation, but not for the complete fermentation as is the case with our other red wines (thus it is "pink" in color - but not sweet)
Vinifera/Hybrid Blends -
Our Devonian Series, named after the geoligic period that left many fossilized remains in the Finger Lakes, was created to offer drier style blends that are light in style and light in the price tag. Devonian White will typically be a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Riesling and Cayuga White, all fermented and aged in stainless steel. All of these wines are fermented and aged separately and then blended for a "bench trial" and tasted blind. Based on these blind tastings, the mouth and nose are the judge of which amount of each of the wines will be used to make the Devonian. The Devonian Red is made in a similar fashion but using red wines such as Cabernet Franc, Lemberger, Pinot Noir and Rougeon. Some of these component varieties are aged in oak and some are not, so there is a mild oak character to this red wine.
Hybrid Varieties - wines made from grape varieties that are crosses between vinifera varieties and native American grape varieties.
Vignoles: one of the original varieties planted by the Martinis, is finished in a Semi Dry and dessert style. This grape typically has wonderful and rich apricot, peach, pineapple characteristics. The higher acid, naturally occurring in this wine, helps to balance the intense fruitiness of the wine.
Tony's Red, White and Blush: these are lighter style semi-sweet table wines made with grapes such as Rougeon and Cayuga White.
Remember, the best wine is the one that YOU like best!
