Doing something a little different--a video of our tasting at Finger Lakes winery Ryan William Vineyard. Perched on a southeast hill overlooking Seneca Lake, the atmosphere reminds me of a couple of Paso Robles (California) tasting rooms.

Producing approximately 3,000 cases annually, their 10 varietals are 100 percent estate grown and responsibly farmed: Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer, Sauvignon Blanc, Gruner Veltliner, Pinot Blanc, Riesling, Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir, Merlot, and Syrah.

**Note: regarding the question in the video about French vs. American oak barrels, I knew that the flavor profiles were different for each, but I wasn’t sure what the flavors were. First, both are made from various species of white oak. In a nutshell, (no pun intended,) French oak contributes a more savory profile—reminiscent of wood, nuts, coffee/cocoa, pepper. American oak is sweeter and more vegetal with more notes of lighter flavors—vanilla, coconut, dill, brown sugar. Other factors also affect the wine: size of the barrel (smaller equals more flavors,) type of white oak and its terrior, and toast, or amount of char on the barrels.

These are the tasting notes for the “Red Flight:”

2016 Pinot Noir: smooth, ruby color, medium body, cherries, red berries, some spice to the finish, fruit forward—not as earthy as the classic Burgundy I expected, but nice, off dry.
2016 Merlot: sweeter, more fruit—plums, more spice, licorice on the finish, and richer than the Pinot Noir; liked this very much.
2018 Cabernet Franc: some initial earthier elements—tobacco or leather?, rich plum to cherry, more layers/complexity for sitting and sipping, finishes with light wood notes. *My fave, bought two bottles.
NV Barn Red: blend of Cab Franc and Merlot that is a better than average everyday wine, fruity, crowd-pleaser red that would be great with burgers and Italian sausages on the grill.
Gruner Veltliner: no tasting notes on this. They gave us complimentary tastes of the GV, but I’ve never been a fan of the varietal anyway, and I’d just tasted four reds, so I’m sure my palate wasn’t optimum. I didn’t think I could be fair.

Friendly people, excellent cheddar chive biscuits, and quality crafted wine. Looking forward to returning for a Friday lunch.