New York State: Red wines to try
Charles Curtis MW rates at some of the outstanding red wines from this cool climate state.
New York’s cool climate can produce outstanding red wines, but success requires choosing the right grape for the conditions that nature provides.
Scroll down to see Charles Curtis MW’s top New York State red wines
Cabernet Franc is among the most successful varietals across the state.
According to Bruce Schneider of the Gotham Project, ‘Cab Franc is definitely the red grape of New York State. This is one of the best places to produce it since it is possible to make a range of styles.’
The wines can range from Loire-inflected red-currant and mint freshness in the Finger Lakes to richer, more Bordeaux-inspired wines in the alluvial soils of the North Fork.
To stay with a Bordeaux-inspired theme, try Merlot from the North Fork as well, where the warmer climate helps ripen to the grapes to show a rich black plum fruit character.
See also: Charles’ New York State white and sparkling wines to try
It is also increasingly evident that Pinot Noir can flourish, particularly in the Finger Lakes. Although the climate here does not ripen Pinot Noir enough to impart Burgundian richness, good viticulture can produce varietally true wines with a pale, limpid color and aromas of red cherry and pomegranate fruit with a hint of violets. The shale soils also impart an almost German feel to the wine (Blauburgunder, anyone?).
The similarities with Germany (and Austria) are also evident from the Finger Lakes’ success with Blaufränkisch (which sometimes goes by the name of Lemberger here).
This grape variety, widely grown in Austria’s Burgenland region, is noted for its spicy character, and the grape’s thick skins also produce more color than Pinot Noir.
Other countries also inspire New York winemakers looking for the perfect red wine. Several have planted the Saperavi grape variety, native to the Georgian Republic. This eclectic grape variety flourishes in the cool New York climate, producing inky dark wines with abundant blackberry and cassis fruit with a pronounced spicy character and impressively refreshing acidity.
Charles Curtis MW’s top New York State red wines
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Forge Cellars, Leidenfrost Vineyard Pinot Noir, Finger Lakes, New York State, USA, 2019
Perched on the slope at 230 metres, the Leidenfrost vineyard is a magnificent site. The soil is a moderately-thick layer of loam over shale; the...
2019
Forge CellarsFinger Lakes
Silver Thread, Blackbird Red Wine, Finger Lakes, New York State, USA, 2010
The shale-rich soils of this sustainably farmed vineyard on Seneca Lake have produced a wine of beautiful purity of fruit with bright curranty aromas touched...
2010
Silver ThreadFinger Lakes
Forge Cellars, Tango Oaks Vineyard Pinot Noir, Finger Lakes, New York State, USA, 2020
The grapes for this bottling are from a vineyard on the east side of Seneca Lake at just over 200 metres elevation in thin clay...
2020
Forge CellarsFinger Lakes
Dr Konstantin Frank, Saperavi, Finger Lakes, New York State, USA, 2018
<p>The vibrantly coloured and concentrated Saperavi grape is planted in both Lake Keuka and Lake Seneca. 2018 was a particularly rainy year, and this made...
2018
Dr Konstantin FrankFinger Lakes
Forge Cellars, Willow Vineyard Cabernet Franc, Finger Lakes, New York State, USA, 2020
This wine is made with grapes from west-facing vineyards above Seneca Lake at 220 meters elevation. Forty per cent of the grapes were added as...
2020
Forge CellarsFinger Lakes
Hermann J. Wiemer, Magdalena Vineyard Cabernet Franc, Finger Lakes, New York State, USA, 2018
Fruit for this wine is grown on a marvelous sustainably-farmed site on the east-facing slopes of Seneca Lake. Despite the variable climate of the vintage,...
2018
Hermann J. WiemerFinger Lakes
Dr Konstantin Frank, Cabernet Franc, Finger Lakes, New York State, USA, 2019
<p>From old vines, some nearly 50 years of age. This wine is cool fermented and given a gentle extract to ensure a lovely, fresh curranty...
2019
Dr Konstantin FrankFinger Lakes
Red Newt Cellars, Glacier Ridge Pinot Noir, Finger Lakes, New York State, USA, 2015
Glacier Ridge is a superb site for Pinot Noir. Located on the southeast side of Lake Seneca, this vineyard has thin, loamy soils over shale...
2015
Red Newt CellarsFinger Lakes
Ravines, Maximilien, Finger Lakes, New York State, USA, 2016
This wine is produced from estate-grown grapes from both sides of Lake Seneca. The fruit is wholly destemmed and given a long, cool fermentation of...
2016
RavinesFinger Lakes
Paumanok Vineyards, Tuthills Lane Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, North Fork of Long Island, New York State, USA, 2014
The Tuthills Lane Cabernet ranks among the top examples of the variety in New York state, with its lovely ripe blackcurrant fruit aroma and no...
2014
Paumanok VineyardsNorth Fork of Long Island
Terrassen, Gamay Noir, Finger Lakes, New York State, USA, 2018
This wine was fermented using whole clusters and a semi-carbonic style using fruit from Cayuga Lake and was aged in new and used French casks....
2018
TerrassenFinger Lakes
Hickory Hollow, Cabernet Franc, Finger Lakes, New York State, USA, 2017
This Hickory Hollow Cabernet Franc is full of fruit and freshness in a Loire style. The aromas start with notes of blackcurrant and mint and...
2017
Hickory HollowFinger Lakes
Red Newt Cellars, Cabernet Franc, Finger Lakes, New York State, USA, 2019
This drinks well now, showing moderately deep colour and pronounced aromas of blackcurrant, liquorice and tea with an earthy edge. The texture is firmly tannic...
2019
Red Newt CellarsFinger Lakes
Element, Syrah, Finger Lakes, New York State, USA, 2019
The new vintage of Syrah from Elements has an opaque purple colour and a vibrantly aromatic nose of blueberry, pomegranate, and nettle, with a good...
2019
ElementFinger Lakes
Lamoreaux Landing, T23 Cabernet Franc, Finger Lakes, New York State, USA, 2018
Produced from grapes from the sustainably farmed Passmore Vineyard, this is an exuberant, silky wine with bright high-toned fruit with aromas of violets and a...
2018
Lamoreaux LandingFinger Lakes
Hosmer, Pinot Noir, Finger Lakes, New York State, USA, 2018
Hosmer is located on Lake Cayuga's lightly sloping western shores, where the Dijon-clone vines have been grown on the estate Patrician Verona Vineyard since the...
2018
HosmerFinger Lakes
Anthony Road, Red Blend, Finger Lakes, New York State, USA, 2018
This wine is a delicious blend of 53% Cabernet Franc and 47% Lemberger (known in Europe as Blaufränkisch). Blaufränkisch is grown throughout central Europe, especially...
2018
Anthony RoadFinger Lakes