Sekt

          The sekt is all about potential, the future, what could be.  Sparkling wine is not where most people's heads run to when they think riesling, and it's not what most people think when they think of the Finger Lakes, but I think that is overlooking a great possibility.  Riesling has all the hallmarks of a sparkling grape, high acid and flavor at low alcohols, and the Finger Lakes with its moderate climate and late harvests has the conditions to produce the right types of grapes.  But sparkling wine is a huge undertaking, an investment of time and effort, that requires a whole separate branch of winemaking to produce, and punishes mistakes mercilessly.  It is easy to be safe with sparkling.

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           But I think the Finger Lakes can make extraordinary sparkling, and have started working to bring that potential out.  By trying to bring the best to this wine in every facet. Grapes are hung on the vine as long as possible to extract every ounce of flavor.  Only the most delicate free run juice is used to produce a pure and seamless base wine.  I run the risk of microbial infection by allowing the base wine to oxidize so that it can bring forth more body. The wine sits in tirage a full three years to unfurl its character.  Sparkling demands a lot but the rewards are equally wonderful.