Finger Lakes Valentines Wines

Mrs. Wino (Honey, I hope you don't mind being known as Mrs. Wino, but I guess it's too late to ask now) and I celebrated V-Day by pulling a couple of Finger Lakes wines from our cellar and enjoying them after we savored Mrs. Wino's perfectly cooked New York Strip steaks topped with caramelized onions. We opened a Vidal Blanc from Barrington Cellars. Barrington Cellars is a small, family-owned winery tucked up in the eastern hills overlooking Keuka Lake. We always enjoy our visits to their tasting room. The Vidal Blanc, $7.75, 6.5% Residual sugar, 11.25% alcohol, exhibited nice clean floral and mineral scents and opened up on the palate with a citrus start, sweet pear in the middle, and ended with an earthy mineralness for a very nice semi-sweet taste for Valentines Day.

The other wine we opened is one of our favorite Rieslings from one of the finest wine (and beer) making operations in the Finger Lakes, Wagner's Semi Dry Riesling. I know, I know, Dr. Frank and Hermann Wiemer are the Riesling kingpins just across Seneca Lake but Wagners Semi-Dry ($11.99, 2.5% Residual sugar) fits my palate perfectly with a touch of citrus/lime, a touch of melon sweetness, and the perfect balance of sweetness and acidity for me. Wagner Vineyards is always a favorite stop. There is so much to see and do. Wine tastings and purchases (usually by the case for me & Mrs. Wino), beer tastings and purchases from their microbrewery, unique wine items in their gift store (I got a fabulous wine barrel-style wine rack there a few years ago), great food with an amazing view from the Ginny Lee Restaurant, a very interesting winery tour, summer weekend entertainment on the deck of the unique 8-sided main building, rousing up the ornery geese in the pond, or just enjoying a glass of vino as you let your mind drift into the sparkling waters of Seneca Lake. I guess you can tell. I am a fan of Wagner's. And, as I held Mrs. Wino's hand on Valentines Day, these 2 Finger Lakes wines swept our minds off to a breezy summer day on the deck staring at the diamond water and the whispy white clouds in an azure blue sky. Ahhhh, I just can't wait for spring!