New York - Fairport (Rochester) - Casa Larga Vineyard and Winery

Casa Larga Vineyard and Winery - (August 2016) We were on our way to visit friends and stopped here on the way.

My wife chose sweets while I went with dry wines. My wife started with the 2013 muscat d’ottonel, not moscato, which was a semi‐dry. She did not care for it, but I liked the crisp finish. She then tried the Lilac Hill, a mostly Riesling blend, but similar to a Gewürztraminer or traminette. The dolci bianco, was a clean refreshing wine. When comparing the white to the red sangria, she liked the white the best, with its lime and pineapple flavors.

I started off with the semi‐dry Riesling and thought my wife would like it because it was crisp and
had sweetness on the tongue, but she didn’t. The Chard‐Riesling, a 50/50 blend, was more refreshing
that the previous winery. But the reds were better. The tasting host, because of all the discussion we
had to this point, gave me an extra tasting of the cabernet sauvignon. It was lightly oaked. The
pinot noir was medium bodied and had hints of cassis. The Tramonto, a red blend, was well balanced
and had the aroma of fresh green pepper and tart cherries. It is their number one seller and I can see why. The petite noir was more of a rose than a red.

As another treat, the tasting host gave me a taste of the Meritage, their blend of cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and merlot. The full‐bodied wine was well balanced with berry notes and a lingering oaky finish. It was definitely better than the Tramonto. My wife was treated to the wild fermented Riesling, which was at first a concern, but after being described, was a welcome treat. The subtle hints of apple and lime helped balance the acidic finish.