Eveningside Vineyards Riesling

This locally-made Riesling from The Niagara Escarpment AVA shows a lovely, refreshing nose of lime, rose petals and raspberries with a hint of peach. The palate dances with vibrant acidity befitting the cool 2009 vintage, with a juicy finish of pineapple and pear cut by a lovely hint of tea. At 2.1% residual sugar it is a well-balanced and delightful Riesling, sure to please dry and sweet wine lovers alike. It will pair with a wide variety of dishes but would be particularly pleasing with a spicy noodle dish; its sweetness would perfectly complement the heat of a south Asian entrée.

The world-class Rieslings of New York’s Finger Lakes region have been the focal point of local wine enjoyment for more than a generation. Our cool climate is ideally suited to the noble grape of Germany, and our neighbors to the east have won acclaim and international awards for their delicious wines. In Western New York, we have made tremendous strides in the past decade as well. Both Chautauqua and Niagara Escarpment can boast of great wines and wineries. One such winery is Eveningside Winery in Cambria, owned by West Seneca native Randy Biehl. Eveningside makes remarkable Chardonnays that we have proudly carried, but I’d like to draw your attention to their 2009 Riesling. It is a wine that will always be special to the staff at Prestige. Randy was kind enough to let our wine staff assist in the taste trials of the wine, and that experience has given us a Riesling that is ideally suited to what our customers enjoy. Offering ample citrus notes and stone fruit without being too sweet or acidic, this wine is ideally suited to a favorite meal, yet does not require food. An extremely versatile wine from New York’s new up-and-coming region.

When working your way through all of the amazing Rieslings from New York State, be sure to add Eveningside to your list of wines to try. Lively and bright, with great structure and acidity, this semi-dry Riesling is crisp and incredibly balanced. Loaded with green apple, lime, apricot and mineral notes, this wine drinks well on its own, but is terrific with raw vegan dishes, chicken and garlic, shellfish and salads.