This month, I was in Pennsylvania for a while, and visited some Lake Erie area wineries. If you thought that the Finger Lakes and California were the only national wine regions, you have another thing coming!
In New York City, we have Long Island wines, and Virginia produces its own wines. Lakes provide a great terroire for growing grapes, so it should not surprise you that the Lake Erie region of Pennsylvania produces wine as well. In that region, I tasted varietals that were new, or something familiar with a new style, which was a great change.
Some of the highlights are below!
Lakeview Wine Cellars Seyval Blanc 2012 - this white had a grassy smell and an earthy taste. I was not crazy about it, but my friends liked it and we drank it with cheese and fruit, and it paired well with those foods. The vintners recommended making white sangria with this wine.
Lakeview Wine Cellars Dry Riesling 2012 - not sweet, this white wine is crisp, clean and dry with light citrus on the nose and notes. I bought this wine to take home.
Presque Isle Viognier NV - this white wine had a light fruit scent and the flavor was balanced between floral and sweet with a touch of tart, which was nice.
Presque Isle Falling Waters 2010 - this white wine was a sparkling white that smelled of apples and was sweet and tart to taste. I generally preferdrier sparkling wines, but one of my friends liked this wine.
Arrowhead Reflections of Lake Erie 2012 - a blend of Vidal and Chardonnay, this white wine was fruity and floral on the nose, and tasted spicy and citrusy at the same time. Assuming the Chardonnay provided the citrus, the Vidal intrigues me ... I'd like to taste more of that grape.
Arrowhead Buffalo Blush 2012 - I was a little put-off by the words "white Zinfandel style", but found this wine intriguing. I smelled flowers and funk in the wine, but tasted rosewater! Perhaps explaining the novelty, this wine was made of grapes I never tasted before - Buffalo and Steuben.
The wines were perhaps not as complex as a California wine, but there are times when we don't want that -- particularly in the summer! We all had a good time sampling the wines of Lake Erie, Pennsylvania, and we all bought some wines from these wineries; and for less money than a California wine, too!
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