The Desert Wine Guy - 2020 Nova Cadamatre Finger Lakes Reserve Riesling

 

   Guys, today I am kind of excited because I just received my new set of white wine glasses from a company named Beneti (which in actuality does not exist). I bought these glasses on-line from Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08K3MQFLX?ref=ppx_pop_dt_b_product_details&th=1) the other day and they cost me $27.99 for a set of four. As soon as I saw them on-line and read the reviews, I knew these were going to be headed to my home and that the set would be my go to glasses for white wine. The glasses hold 14oz each and while not crystal, they are made of "premium clear glass". Having just removed them from the box and after inspecting them closely, they are indeed beautiful. I do have to issue a word of warning though because if you are thinking of buying them you should know that they are very thin and if you are rough with your glasses you might want to think twice. These glasses are also crystal clear and without any noticeable imperfections that I can see. The glasses give off the impression that they are expensive, fancy and ready for any occasion as well. Now the answer to your next two questions is no, I am not sponsored by either Beneti or Amazon and yes, I did pay full price (my own money) for them :) Now, what better way to check out a wine glass then to see some wine in them? With that being said, let's go ahead and do just that and start the review of todays wine.

   Today I am reviewing my very first wine from New York, and what better area to choose for that first wine then the Finger Lakes AVA. The wine I am reviewing is the 2020 Nova Cadamatre, Finger Lakes, Reserve Riesling. I bought this wine on the on line wine site named Naked Wines (https://us.nakedwines.com/) for a pricey, $17.99 as a member but would cost $34.99 if you were not. The wine comes in at 13% alcohol and is sealed with what appears to be a real cork. Before I get to the label of this wine, I want to let you know that I paid for this wine with my own money and yes, I do belong to Naked Wines.
   Let's take a look at the label on this New York Riesling. Once again my belief is reinforced that a white wine label can get away with so much more then a red wine label can. To me this label just screams "white wine". I get the feeling just from the label of summertime, the pool, the beach and definitely.....hot weather fun. What makes me think these things is the way the fonts chosen exhibit a hot weather, outdoors having fun type attitude. There is nothing fancy or really colorful about the label but then again, this is a white wine and there doesn't need to be.
   As for the bouquet now, the wine presents a bit of a Green Apple and also gives off the immediate impression of acidity & big time minerality being possibly present in the wine. If it is indeed possible to smell these two notes in a wine, this is certainly the wine to smell them in. Deep within the bouquet and ultra light there is an almost oak type note. I am talking about the super slightest bit here guys and I may indeed be wrong but nonetheless, it's pretty nice. Add in some pear and you have the bouquet.

   As I move to the palate now, the first thing I want to say is that the legs of this wine in the glass are displaying themselves amazingly, they are very simply, beautiful. After taking my first sip of the wine I'll tell you that it is certainly a dry wine but does present just enough of a beautiful bit of tropical as well as stone fruit sweetness to make that dryness actually work incredibly well. This dryness is very appreciated as it is just one of the notes which dominates the palate and therefore stands out but it is done perfectly and without being harsh. Here is what I get as I take a sip. The wine hits the palate with an immediate bit of tropical fruit sweetness but almost immediately, there comes amazing notes of acidity and minerality as well as an overall sense of dryness and crispness. Starting at the sweetness aspect of the wine, the bit of sweetness is just that, a bit but it is good enough to save the wine from being over the top in the dryness aspect. The sweetness is always maintained at this level which in my opinion is amazing. By the way, before I go on and just so your fears at put at ease, this is not a sweet Riesling nor is it anywhere near being a sweet Riesling. The wine is also not a Chateau Ste Michelle, semi sweet Riesling either so you can put that thought out of your mind.  Almost immediately the wine throws a palate twist of sorts into the mix and here is where the dominating notes come into play beginning with acidity. Acidity begins its cooperative reign almost immediately and is one part of the four notes which takes full control of the wine. Minerality is the next note up here on display and it is just spectacular in how it attacks the palate while not going overboard. This minerality I believe was super instrumental in putting this wine where it is on The Desert Wine Guy rating scale. As for dryness, the wine is indeed as I said, dry, but it is dry only to the point where it needs to be and then it is more then willing to open itself up to everything else as it is not looking to bask in the limelight for too long. Crispness here is just outstanding as an overall palate feel for this Riesling. My tongue is really getting a work out here as it is just dealing with this layer of crispness which opens it up for everything else the wine throws out which is a lot.This crispness is really an overall summing up of the four notes and I had to sit back and take it all in as my palate was in Heaven with everything the wine was throwing at it. Stone fruit notes of both White Peach & White Nectarine are the slightest part of where the above mentioned bit of sweetness comes from but again, it is presented very delicately so as to not throw this wine off balance. These two fruits notes taste super fresh and as if they were picked at the height of their flavor and like they were grown in the very best of organic soils. Now let me talk about he non stone fruit notes because they certainly do create an impact in the wines overall presentation. Green Apple and pear run the sweeter side of the wine but they do not ruin the wine in any way, they are very simply two fresh tropical notes which come across also as if they were picked at the height of their peak as well.

The pear is a bit lighter then the Green Apple but they both rock and help cause a break of sorts and provide the slight bit of a softening from the first four notes. All of the notes in the wine are obviously best of friends and there is no infighting between them. It is almost as if they were pulled into a room by the winemaker and allowed to work out their differences before being allowed to jump into the wine. Next up is a lightish and non tart note of yellow lemon. Intermixed and presented as one, I am also piking up a small note of lemongrass here which is nice. Neither the lemon nor the bit of lemongrass present themselves as a Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand would, if fact no where near it so don't worry. Here I am talking about just enough of their flavors to make a slight impact on the wine but yet know what wine varietal it is in and where its place is here. This wine overall insists that an amazing cleanness is exhibited along with just enough fruit to let you taste it and most importantly, enjoy it to the max. Okay guys, that is my review, my thoughts on this wine. I loved the wine and will see you in the conclusion paragraph.
   As I close this review out I want to let you know that this is a white wine that needs to be enjoyed very cold. The wine is still enjoyable slightly warmer but it really needs coldness in order to achieve what it (and you want) really want and needs it to achieve which is being what it was created to be which is am absolutely, incredible & amazing Riesling and therefore, my rating of this wine on The Desert Wine Guy rating scale is 95 strong points. This is the best Riesling that I have ever had folks and I now know where my palate lies as far as the varietal goes. Guys, the wine is a little pricey, I will give you that but it lives up to every dollar of that $17.99 and takes liberties to go way past that price. What I am saying is that the wine is a steal and is even worth the retail price of $34.99. I challenge a wine producer to create a better Riesling then this. I am not saying there isn't any better, but I have not found it.

                                                                                                                                   The Desert Wine Guy

 

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