WineLovers Discussion Group

Bob Ross wrote:
One of the more outspoken winemakers here, Canadian-Hungarian Thomas Laszlo of Heron Hill... declares that all Finger Lakes vines that are not Riesling should simply be pulled out and replaced by The Noble One...

An interesting sentiment, given the range of wines made by Heron Hill. By the way, cynic that I am, my suspicion is that the architecture at Heron Hill played no small role in the choice of this winery for the show. TV depends on visuals...

Nevertheless, Finger Lakes wines are as inexpensive as one would expect of such a humble region, with Fox Run’s price tag of $30 for their dry Riesling... being seen as greedy by locals. Heron Hill still charges only around $18 for their admirable dry Riesling from the difficult 2004 vintage.

Let's compare apples to apples. Fox Run's Dry Riesling isn't much more expensive than Heron Hill's Ingle Vineyard version, which Jancis refers to; the 2005 Fox Run was $19 at the winery, the 2006 was $20 (note that the basic Heron Hill Rieslings are cheaper). The $30 wine mentioned above is the 2005 Tierce, a joint venture of Fox Run, Anthony Road, and Red Newt. Heron Hill's special Rieslings are roughly as expensive: the 2002 25th anniversary from a vew years back (a very dry (< 3 gr. rs) Riesling like the Tierce) was $25; Heron Hill's 2005 Riesling Reserve is $30.

[Just had a thought: Fox Run also made a Reserve Riesling in 2005; this might also be the $30 wine referred to in the original article. However, my point about pricing still applies.]

Steve Guattery wrote:

Bob Ross wrote:
One of the more outspoken winemakers here, Canadian-Hungarian Thomas Laszlo of Heron Hill... declares that all Finger Lakes vines that are not Riesling should simply be pulled out and replaced by The Noble One...

An interesting sentiment, given the range of wines made by Heron Hill. By the way, cynic that I am, my suspicion is that the architecture at Heron Hill played no small role in the choice of this winery for the show. TV depends on visuals...

Nevertheless, Finger Lakes wines are as inexpensive as one would expect of such a humble region, with Fox Run’s price tag of $30 for their dry Riesling... being seen as greedy by locals. Heron Hill still charges only around $18 for their admirable dry Riesling from the difficult 2004 vintage.

Let's compare apples to apples. Fox Run's Dry Riesling isn't much more expensive than Heron Hill's Ingle Vineyard version, which Jancis refers to; the 2005 Fox Run was $19 at the winery, the 2006 was $20 (note that the basic Heron Hill Rieslings are cheaper). The $30 wine mentioned above is the 2005 Tierce, a joint venture of Fox Run, Anthony Road, and Red Newt. Heron Hill's special Rieslings are roughly as expensive: the 2002 25th anniversary from a vew years back (a very dry (< 3 gr. rs) Riesling like the Tierce) was $25; Heron Hill's 2005 Riesling Reserve is $30.

Good pick up, Steve, on that Tierce wine. Maybe that shows why it's important to get the information correct, and you can't do that by talking to the interested parties only...

Re, HH architecture: which do you suppose was more compelling, the faux Moors look, the Greek worship look, or the modern-day silo in the center?

Thomas,

I must have edited my post almost simultaneously to your posting of this. Fox run also made a 2005 Riesling Reserve, which might have been $30, but that just reinforces my point about comparing apples to apples.

Thomas wrote:Re, HH architecture: which do you suppose was more compelling, the faux Moors look, the Greek worship look, or the modern-day silo in the center?

Oh, it has to be the combination of the the three. Talk about gestalt!