So I was at the Finger Lakes Wines Festival 2018...as a vendor, pouring and selling wine in the sweltering heat. And as usual, once the final horn blares at 5pm on Sunday evening I, like all the other vendors, let out a cheer, and began dismantling our booth, and scurrying like busy little rats trying to get out of the crowded campground, exhausted, dehydrated, and flush with new found cash (most of it gone through Square).
As we were packing up in a decidedly Walking Dead zombie kind-of-way, I was accosted by a man packing the van next to our truck. He looked oddly familiar to me. I wasn't sure, somnambulistic as I was. But his voice woke me out of my slumber. It was none other than Peter Weis of Weis Vineyards. Peter is an incredibly talented wine maker who's had his doors open little more than a year, but his impact has been huge! He's making fabulous wines, which have instantly put him and his winery at the forefront of the conversation about quality wine in the Finger Lakes and New York State. Peter is out going and a terribly nice guy!
Peter suggested I should try some of his wines before we left for the weekend. He had a few open bottles, so why not? So we sat on the bumper of his van, and started drinking his wines, one after the other. At first it was a little odd, but after one magical sip of his first wine, I could not have been more happy.
The first thing I tried in the back of the van was the Weis Vineyard Gewurztraminer 2017. A big floral nose, a big dose of green apple and tropical fruits, and a spritzy ending of lemon zest and grapefruit. Excellent! Wow!
The Weis Vineyards Dry Rose 2017 was strawberry and kiwi and tropical notes, with a flourish of key lime at the end. Refreshing and wonderful!
The Weis Vineyards Unoaked Chardonnay 2017 was a lovely wine with tropical notes, lots of green apple and young pear with notes of citrus on the end. Very, very drinkable. I really liked this wine...a lot!
Easily one of my favorites was Weis Vineyards Perle 2017. According to wikipedia, "Perle is a white German wine grape planted primarily in Franconia. The grape is a crossing of Gewürztraminer and Müller-Thurgau. As a varietal, Perle produces highly aromatic wines." Peter's wine followed suit and was true to form. Highly aromatic, with a lovely, floral nose, this was an exceptional white wine. I loved this!
I love Peter's white wines, but I wasn't sure what to expect from his reds. This Weis Vineyards Cabernet Franc 2016 was a big, dark red, with dark plum, dark cherry, dark raspberry eye opener with lots going on and a big dry finish. Instantly one of the best Cab Francs in the region. A lovely, lovely dry red.
I was instantly leery of the Weis Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon. This was a big, powerful red, with lovely dark cherry and cassis. I was afraid it would be under-ripe, considering the region, but in fact it was an impressive dark red wine, with a lot of character and layers. An impressive entry and imminently drinkable!!!
Peter Weis's wine continue to impress and I really am looking forward to following him over the next few years. His first two vintages show immense promise, and if he holds true to form, he will be a force to be reckoned with in the next three to five years. I look forward to drinking in nicer places with him...but I doubt we can have more fun. LOL.
In the meantime...buy the wine! It's terrific!