Date:
September 26, 2002
Periodical: Star-Gazette
Wine
and the Finger Lakes
A
taste of Germany (no trip to Europe required)
The
Wine Guy
Jeff Richards’ wine column
A
little bit of Germany came to the Finger Lakes
over the weekend. Anthony Road Wine Co. in
Penn Yan hosted its second Federweisser Celebration
on Saturday.
Federweisser
is a cloudy beverage that’s not quite
wine. It’s grape juice still in fermentation.
On
Saturday, crushed Seyval Blanc grapes and juice
were being fermented in an oak barrel, complete
with a bubbler for escaping gas and a spigot
to serve participants throughout the afternoon.
The wine-in-the-making beverage tasted yeasty
and reminded me of still-changing apple cider.
The
alcohol content will increase as the fermentation
process continues and the cloudy liquid turns
from amber to almost white, hence "feder"
(feather) "weisser (whiter).
There
was a lot more to the Federweisser Celebration
than the drink after which it is named. German-style
food – bratwurst, potato salad and onion
pie – was available all afternoon. Fritz’s
Polka Band, from Verona, NY, provided music
for listening pleasure – and dancing for
those who decided to kick up their heels at
the event.
Joe
and Mary Ferrence of Corning ran into Anthony
Road pourer Liz Castner on Friday evening at
the Crystal City Jazz Festival on Corning’s
Market Street and decided to attend the Federweisser
event.
Not
only do they enjoy listening to music, they
found a place on the sidewalk and danced too.
When
I asked Anthony Road co-owner Ann Martini if
I would be able to talk to the winemaker, Johannes
Reinhardt, while I was there, she said she
certainly hoped so, since this event was his
idea.
Johannes joined the winery in August of 2000,
after a winemaking internship at Dr. Frank’s
winery in 1999.
From
the moment I stepped on the floor mat at the
entrance to the winery processing area, I knew
I was meeting someone who does not leave things
to chance. The mat had a sticky surface to
trap unwanted debris and keep it from tracking
through the winery.
Johannes
said he is looking for a long-term winemaking
relationship. At 35, he has worked at several
places fixing things up, helping out, but always
moving on.
As
winemaker at Anthony Road, he has the opportunity
to make a long-term statement with the wines
he produces.
"There
is more to this than just business, it’s
the way people live," Johannes said. "Everyday,
I try to do my best."
As
for the Federweisser Celebration, which was
initiated last year, Johannes said that if
you do it once, do it right. If customers come
the first year and aren’t happy, they
will stay home the second year.
Passion
can make the difference between a good winery
and a very good winery, according to Johannes.
He is now working on his third vintage at Anthony
Road and is producing some very special wines.
Tank
samples from the "!" line of his 2001 Chardonnay
and Riesling are superb. The creamy, buttery
notes on the chardonnay are an excellent complement
to the full fruit taste.
We
also had the opportunity to taste the 2001
regular Cabernet Franc. It is full of fruit
with hints of cherry and raspberry. It is oaked,
but not overpoweringly so.
All three are worth the wait. I am looking forward to revisiting Anthony Road and spending time with Johannes, another bit of Germany in the Finger Lakes.
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