Hermann J Wiemer, the producer who symbolised the rise to prominence of New York State Riesling, has sold his estate to his winemaker.

The Mosel-born Wiemer, 65, turned the property on Seneca Lake in the Finger Lakes district over to 29 year-old Frederick T Merwarth.

Merwarth will manage the business on a day-to-day basis, with Wiemer taking an advisory role.

Wiemer helped establish a standard of quality for New York state Riesling by applying the experience brought from his Mosel wine-producing family.

‘They made fun of me for planting Riesling,’ said Wiemer, who started his winery in 1979.

Merwarth, who began making wine in 2002 and is a Master of Wine student, said he intended to preserve the property’s name and, at least at the outset, its established wines.

Written by Howard G Goldberg in New York

Explore More
Howard G Goldberg
Howard G Goldberg
Decanter Magazine, Food & Wine Writer

Howard G Goldberg is a wine writer and critic based in New York City. He made his name writing about wine for The New York Times, where he worked for 34 years. He has written various books on food and wine, including Prime: The Complete Prime Rib Book and All About Wine Cellars. He compiled The New York Times Book of Wine – a collection of the publication’s best wine articles.