Visit to Kemmeter Winery with Johannes Reinhardt

Penn Yan, NY
Tasted Thursday, July 18, 2024 by Pellinge with 69 views

Introduction

First time visiting this tiny and very special winery, and it was a memorable experience. These are truly handmade wines, and the tasting is an interactive dialogue with the man who made them. Like no other in the Finger Lakes. The wines were very, very good.

Flight 1 (5 Notes)

  • 2023 Kemmeter Wines Gewürztraminer SanSan Kemmeter Estate Vineyard 91 Points

    USA, New York, Finger Lakes

    Tasted at the winery during a lovely, conversational and engaging visit with Johannes. Presented as a mystery wine, I did guess Gewurztraminer but this is a more elegant expression than is commonly found. Only 12.9%abv I believe. It smells of roses, but fairly restrained. There is some sense of sweetness and viscosity, in fact moreso than in the Rieslings with comparable or greater RS levels (this is I think 14g/L). This is because of the naturally lower acidity of this variety - but there is a refreshing tartness here nevertheless. A little bitterness on the finish, also varietally typical in my experience, adds complexity. I can't recall ever having a better US Gewurztraminer, in fact among the best I've had from anywhere (Alsace, Pfalz, Alto Adige).

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  • 2019 Kemmeter Wines Riesling The Spontaneous One Kemmeter Estate Vineyard 93 Points

    USA, New York, Finger Lakes, Seneca Lake

    Tasted at the winery. We discussed my observation that I didn't often get petrol notes in Finger Lakes rieslings, and Johannes suggested it took time for it to emerge (and of course almost everything I had tasted on this trip was current vintage). He then presented this wine without showing the label until after we tasted. And there was the petrol! Just a hint of it, like a little spice addition. Exceptional depth of stone fruit and mineral flavors, framed by ripe acidity and nicely amplified by sweetness. Quite a sensory kaleidoscope. I perceived the sweetness to be what they call feinherb in Germany, or perhaps a kabinett from the old days (most of today's kabinetten are yesterday's spaetlesen). Alas, not available for purchase.

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  • 2023 Kemmeter Wines Sonero Rosé of Pinot Noir 90 Points

    USA, New York, Finger Lakes, Seneca Lake

    Miles ahead of most rose, this has plenty of refreshing acidity. It really tastes like pinot, which I can't recall being true in the handful of pinot roses I've had before (although I haven't had, say, a Marsannay or Sancerre rose).

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  • 2023 Kemmeter Wines Riesling One Note Kemmeter Estate Vineyard planted 2014 91 Points

    USA, New York, Finger Lakes, Seneca Lake

    Tasted at the winery along with the Three Note from 2016 vines. The Notes signify level of sweetness, so this was the drier one. Also different clones: 198 and 239 - a single acre in total. Nearly bone dry (2g/L RS, and it's 11.6% abv), which brought the non-fruit characteristics to the fore. Slatey minerality and firm, but not tart acidity. I have a hunch this will unfurl with some years of age. Indeed I just looked it up and he recommends best from 2027. This was my wife's favorite.
    Tasting with Johannes was a great, interactive experience. It's now rare for the owner & winemaker to be the one pouring. And rather than simply proclaiming about the wines, he asks questions of the guests. Presenting each wine without telling us what they are until later removes any bias in our impressions. Unique in the Finger Lakes, or anywhere else in the US as far as I can tell.

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  • 2023 Kemmeter Wines Riesling Three Note Kemmeter Estate Vineyard planted 2016 92 Points

    USA, New York, Finger Lakes, Seneca Lake

    Tasted at the winery, after the One Note from 2014 vines. These vines are clones 90 and 110, 1 acre of each. The Notes on the label indicate the sweetness level, so this was sweeter. 11.2% abv, and I recall 23 g/L RS. So in the feinherb / halbtrocken range. For me, a little sugar in Riesling does the same as a pinch of salt in food - it lifts all the flavors, not just the sweetness, so more peach and pineapple, and the acidity felt more tart and citric than steely. This was my favorite while my wife preferred the drier one. So we bought both.

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