Fox Run Vineyards (8/10)
Riesling, 2002
Finger Lakes, New York
$9.99
A white wine that we both agreed on, very quickly. I had this one chilled in the fridge and pulled it out tonight to open it for a risotto. So we poured a couple of glasses to enjoy with our dinner.
This wine isn't too dry, and isn't too sweet. It isn't as sweet as the Relax Riesling, and we both liked that. Very fruity, excellent flavor. I couldn't drink too much, unfortunately, because I wanted to finish the glass I poured. This one is a keeper and we will buy it again. AND it isn't very expensive and it is local!
Johnson Estate Ives (Kevin: 3/10) (Deb: 7/10)
Red Table Wine, 2003
Westfield, New York
price unknown
I need to cure Kevin of the habit of taking price tags off the wine bottles, so we know what we spent when we get around to drinking them. All he remembers is that this one wasn't very expensive.
This one is described on the bottle as a "delightful semi-sweet wine with a brilliant garnet red color and a mellow yet very distinctive fruit character that compares very favorably to a Lambrusco."
The color, when poured, was a paler red than most of the reds Kevin drinks. On first sip I could tell that the wine didn't appeal. His first opinion -- "This won't go on the buy list."
It is, indeed, very fruity and too sweet for Kevin. It has a very mellow flavor without a lot of that "wine" bite that most have on the back of my tongue. While he doesn't like it, it appeals to me and most wines don't. I like the light taste and fruitiness.
Kevin classifies this as sweet enough to be called a dessert wine. On looking at it a bit more closely (Kev didn't read the bottle -- I did) it is designed to go with snacks or as a mulled wine. Both of us agree it would be lovely piping hot on my stove and suffused with spices. Mm.