Ria’s Wines was established in 2022 by Ria D’Aversa and Mike Penn and is located on the banks of Seneca Lake. Mike’s winemaking experience includes stints in France, Italy, New Zealand and most recently, California. Ria is also a professor at Cornell University’s School of Viticulture. Ria’s estate vineyard vineyard is planted to vines that are up to forty years old with varieties like Riesling, Cabernet Franc, Lemberger, Chardonnay, Cayuga and Baco Noir. They are committed to regenerative farming, and the wines are thoughtfully made, low interventionist, hands off winemaking, including small dose sulfites, etc. They are an excellent addition to the Finger Lakes wine making scene.
I can say that with impunity/ I spent a week tasting in the Finger Lakes and these were among my favorite Rieslings period! I fell in love on the first sip!
Ria's Wine Viva Riesling 2023 is 100% Riesling from Viva Vineyard, approximately 500 feet from the edge of Seneca Lake. The grapes come from their coldest Riesling site which keeps yields down, but helps them struggle to attain flavor. This also leads to high acidity. The resulting wine aging was aged on the lees for 9 months. The resulting wine is slightly off-dry, but with so much acidity that it is well in balance. The nose on this wine was perfume-y, with lovely floral notes, as well as the promised ginger and earl grey tea. I also got green melon, honeydew, green apple, and lots of lime and a hint of lemon. An exceptional Riesling of high quality. I absolutely adored it.
Ria's Wines Grace Riesling 2024 is a 100% estate grown Riesling made on Seneca Lake. The nose on this wine exploded with white peach and tangerine, and notes of lavender, with bright key lime, and a wonderful grapefruit pop at the end. Big, zesty bomb of a Riesling. One of my favorite Rieslings of 2026! Spectacular.
Congrats to both!