A few months ago I visited the Finger Lake wine region and was invited to visit Valkyrie Crafted Libations, founded in 2015 by Stephen Jeremias. The name had come to him during a performance of Richard Wagner’s Opera “Die Walküre” at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City. In one scene the mythical Valkyrie offer the Sacred Mead to hero. They are pleased to reintroduce their newly renovated tasting lodge. What if someone made exceptional fortified wine? And other dessert wines? In April, I got to visit with Stephen and taste some of these elixirs in the new tasting room. I met him there with industry veteran Rob Lane. Rob has been the exclusive winemaker since the company’s inception.
The first wine I tasted was the Valkyrie Goldbaender Geistwein (Unoaked). This is a "‘mead inspired’ release, Geistwein represents VCL’s proprietary and hand-crafted portfolio of truly unique fortified wines. This recipe is inspired by an ancient Roman potable. This is a new style of fortified wine - a new, proprietary process. A strong wine has honey and premium brandy added to it to create a new kind of tasting experience. Valkyrie offers this wine in an unoaked and an oaked bottlings. The unoaked release offers vanilla, spice, apricot, tangerine, and lemon zest all come through. An absolutely lovely product!
Valkyrie has an estate vineyards of about two acres planted with Riesling and Saperavi. They do buy Cabernet Sauvignon from a neighboring site. Valkyrie Estate Saperavi is made from their own small, little vineyard on the hills descending into Seneca Lake. This port-styled dessert wine made from 100% Saperavi, and aged in Hungarian oak. This wine offers a perfume-y nose, with violets, lavender, and rose petals lead off a parade of red fruit - big dark cherry and black raspberry - followed by a big dose of red currant that lasts a nice long time.
The next wine was the Valkyrie Estate Riesling (NA) is a late-harvest styled dessert wine, is 100% estate fruit, grown on the same vineyard. The wine starts off with pineapple and lemon zest, followed by apricots and tangerine, and a lasting touch of zippy acidity and white peach, that lingers and lingers. This was without question my favorite wine of the tasting.
The Valkyrie Estate Riesling 2021 has a huge lemon statement, with tangerine, pineapple, and other tropical notes. Lots of fresh lemon zest. A slight, slight hint of petrol. Super perfume-y. Absolutely stunning finish. Loved it!!!
Valkyrie Dragonsblut Edeleiche Oaked (NV) is made made with a red wine blend (which predominately includes Cabernet Sauvignon) and premium locally hand-crafted brandy and aged in French oak, to create this deep dessert wine that is dark, rich, and well balanced. The wine starts off on the nose and the palate with stewed mixed berries (predominantly black raspberries), while the back offers vanilla and tannins that give it structure. Very mature, very well balanced, with a terrific acidity on the back end which keeps the fruit lively and fresh. Lots of layers, never cloying, always impressive. The Dragonsblut 2025 will be made from Saperavi, which I am very much looking forward to.
Valkyrie is working on another slew of other selections in their portfolio. But this nan-winery will be producing some absolutely astonishing boutique dessert wines that will absolutely wow you, and offer them to you in a unique, sit down setting, severed among antiques and collectibles. A truly one of a kind experience. A lot of fun. Super interesting. And very tasty. A completely new experience in opulent dessert wines!