Liquid treasure from the Niagara Escarpment
By Mark Criden
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Illustration by J.P. Thimot.
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Luckily, there’s no better time to turn to homegrown hootch to stretch your gift budget. American wine is better than ever, and you don’t even have to look to California or tramp to the Finger Lakes to grab some quality wine. Yes, Virginia, an embryonic wine region is blossoming in northern Niagara County.
Nestled between the Niagara escarpment and Lake Ontario, a host of relatively new operations is taking advantage of conditions that look promising for quality wine production, including the second-mildest winters in the state, the moderating effects of Lake Ontario, and dirt rich with glacial deposits. A few years ago, Michael Von Heckler’s Warm Lake Estate was a lonely outpost of quality, but now Niagara County’s the fastest growing wine region in New York, with twelve operating wineries and another dozen in the works.
Hard though it may be to believe, this growth was stimulated by politicians: Assemblywoman Francine DelMonte and Senator George Maziarz sponsored legislation to create a designated wine trail, which in turn encouraged cooperation among existing wineries and catalyzed the opening of more. And thanks to the efforts of Von Heckler, the region is now an official American Viticultural Area known as the Niagara Escarpment. (For a complete guide, check out niagarawinetrail.org.)
So now that all the paperwork’s in place, how, you may ask, is the wine? Well, imagine sampling Seneca Lake wine in the 1980s, or juice from Napa a century ago, or even the first vintage of Haut Brion in the 1700s. There’s potential—and even some delicious bottles—but much work needs to be done. We’re still at the stage where we’re sorting out gold from dross. For every Warm Lake Pinot, there’s a wine whose aroma screams “urinal.” For every Eveningside Riesling, there’s a bottle of spiked Triaminic.
The gold standard—and engine for the region—remains Warm Lake (www.warmlakeestate.com), which has already been profiled in Spree (January/February 2004). Von Heckler’s Pinot Noirs are very good, and decently priced at $20-$30. Some wish the estate would change its name to something less reminiscent of bacterial spoilage, but few doubt the quality in the bottle.
Marjim Manor (www.marjimmanor.com), whose advertisements tout its status as a W.O.W. (Woman-Owned Winery), is the most far-out operation on the trail, both literally (its Appleton location is closer to Orleans County than Youngstown) and figuratively. Although Margo Sue Bittner makes some grape-based beverages, her specialty is fruit wine featuring local produce. If you’re looking for a beautiful stocking-stuffer, her artisanal bottles and labels can be stunning.
Fruit wines aren’t the last word in complexity, but they can be delicious. The blueberry-based, soft, semisweet Blue Beryl is packaged in a way-cool, tall, slim bottle, a thing of beauty for $14.95. Even better, the luscious Cranberry Crescendo, with a captivating aroma of freshly mown grass and cranberries, and crisp, tart flavors, is a satisfying, refreshing, well-balanced wine that would be terrific with sweet desserts ($12.95). Also tasted: Heart of Gold Apricot Wine ($16.95). Plum Dandy ($12.95), Treasure Beyond Measure ($12.95), and Cherry Concerto ($12.95).
• Garry and Lori Hoover’s Honeymoon Trail Winery (honeymoontrailwinery.com) produces a decent Pinot Gris ($12.95), whose lovely bouquet of lychees and honeysuckle is marred only by a slightly bitter, resiny finish. Also tasted: Baco Noir ($12.95), Chardonnay ($12.95).
• Niagara Landing Wine Cellars (www.NiagaraLanding.com) is a family operation, and one of the oldest wineries on the trail, dating from 1998.
Niagara Landing produces an extensive—and mixed—portfolio, but if you pan for gold, you’ll discover their delicious NV Vidal Blanc ($12.95). Brimming with apricot, tropical, and citrus fruits, it’s a crisp, semidry, refreshing drink, perfect with cheese, fruit, salmon, or tuna. Also tasted: Rosebud Rosé ($9.95), Boxer Blush ($8.95), Misty Niagara ($7.95), Baco Noir ($11).
• I tasted only three wines from Schulze Vineyards & Winery (schulzewines.com), but that was enough to show that this is a high-class operation with real promise. All of the wines are made exclusively from estate-grown grapes. Highest marks go to the Sparkling Brut Vidal Blanc ($16), fermented in the bottle using the classic French Methode Champenoise. Redolent of peaches and grapefruit, this smooth, elegant bubbly would be a star at Sunday brunch. Bravo! The NV Vidal Blanc ($14) was also good, if a bit clipped. Also tasted: NV Cabernet Sauvignon Dry Rosé ($12).
• Last, but highest up on the quality scale, is the ambitious Eveningside Vineyards (www.eveningside.com), a seven-year-old operation run by wine enthusiast Randy Biehl. Biehl planted his first grapes in 2001 and harvested his first crop in 2003. It’s no wonder this is a first-class operation: Angelo Pavan of Cave Spring Cellars is consulting wine maker, and Cave Spring’s Kevin Latter provides vineyard guidance.
The 2006 Reserve Chardonnay ($16.95) is loaded with vanilla and apples, a complete, convincing cool-climate chardonnay. It wasn’t enough to overcome my skepticism for northeastern reds, but Eveningside’s 2004 Claret ($16.95), a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, boasted a long, plummy, and soft texture. Whether the fruit will outlast the strong tannins, though, is anybody’s guess.
But the real star at Eveningside—and of all of these wines—was their 2006 Riesling ($13.95), the greatest wine of any color I’ve tasted from Niagara County. Semidry, with notes of green apple, citrus, pear, and peach, this is one very fine wine, and one that met my highest standard: it was impossible to spit. Also tasted: 2006 Chardonnay Unoaked ($13.95).
In coming months, I hope to taste wines from the other Niagara County wineries: Freedom Run, Leonard Oakes, Chiappone Cellars, Vizcarra, and Spring Lake. In the meantime, for a beautiful afternoon’s drive, check them out yourself. I guarantee they’ll make your holidays bright.
Mark Criden (mcriden@yahoo.com) is a nonprofit agency executive and the former chair of the Buffalo branch of the International Wine & Food Society.
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