A lovely way to round out the tasting - dessert wine that concentrates and projects all of the underlying flavors and aroma to the fore and magnifies them. Honey, hay, prairie grass, and pineapple aromas. Very sweet, tastes like cobbler and sweet syrup. — 4 years ago
Huet and Vega Sicilia are two storied producers with quality side projects in Tokaij. Vega Sicilia makes one that is supremely rich with laser acid and oak sturdy, expertly integrated. Sour notes of ripe lemons, the kind about to go black and turn to rock. And spiced ginger and popcorn kernels and vanilla spice. WOW. — 5 years ago
Super bubbly. Great for drinking during the Biden administration. — 4 years ago
Finger. Lakes. Saperavi.
If this ain’t American winemaking in the 21st century we don’t know what is! 🇺🇸🍷🇬🇪🍇
At least, that’s what we were thinking before reading up on Standing Stone and founders Marti & Tom Macinski. They actually first planted this fascinating Georgian grape here in ***1994*** (just 3 years after Georgia left the USSR, for those keeping score at home) intended for blending.
Increasingly impressed by the quality of the grapes, they offered their first varietal Saperavi in 2010 - as “The Dark Red”, since the grape name was as yet unrecognized by the federal government. Once it was, they became the first American winery to release a wine labeled Saperavi.
Fine tuned to the cold, high mountains of Kakheti in eastern Georgia, it makes sense why it would thrive in the Finger Lakes! The name Saperavi literally means “ink”, a sensible name for a grape with pitch-dark skin AND flesh! 🖤
Marti and Tom sold the winery and retired in 2017. But their enduring legacy may just be budding. We’ve heard of Saperavi planting projects underway in New York, Virginia, and Oregon.
Saperavi’s runaway affinity for the Finger Lakes may have been a bit of a happy accident, but the Macinskis deserve every bit of credit for thinking outside the box, putting it in motion, and bringing it to fruition! 🙌🙌🙌 — 5 years ago
At 23 years of age, this wine sings with a voice of tropical notes, yet never strays too far into the realm of cloyingly annoying thanks to high notes of tongue lashing acidity. Absolutely gorgeous. Lengthier than the administration of tRump and finishing with so much more grace. — 4 years ago
A beautiful blend of Cab Franc and Malbec with dash of Syrah. On the nose it was a interplay between red and black fruits, violet, and hint of barnyard. Entry was smooth, fresh, and elegant, building up an intense mid palate with spice, pepper, chocolate and a long meaty finish. I really like what Marcelo Pelleriti, of 100-point Chateau La Violette and 99-point Chateau Le Guy fame, is doing with all these projects with various artist in Argentina. — 5 years ago
Brittany Stewart
Great celebration of new administration. Did not like as much as other dom vintages — 3 years ago