Finger Lakes Winery Earns Top 100

November 21, 2018 by evebushman Leave a Comment

DUNDEE, N.Y., RNewswire – In November 2018, the Missick family will mark its seventh anniversary of ownership of Villa Bellangelo, and there is much to celebrate.

In an impressive run, Bellangelo earned a spot as a producer of one of Wine & Spirits Magazine’s Top 100 Wines in the World for 2018, and has had a series of wines in Wine & Spirits Magazine’s “Best Of,” category. Bellangelo’s Top 100 honor was its 2015 Berry Select Riesling (with a score of 94). Noted wine writer Jamie Goode, author of Wine Science, recently commented on this wine’s “amazing harmony and depth.” Other “Best Of” notations in 2018 belong to its 2015 Gibson Vineyard Riesling (91), 2015 Reserve Chardonnay (91), and a listing as one of America’s Best Sparkling Wines with a nod in the Best Buy category for its Sparkling Cuvée.

Riesling at Villa Bellangelo, photo from their website.

When the Missick family moved from California to the Finger Lakes, it focused immediately on crafting authentic, delicious expressions of wines grown on the west side of Seneca Lake. With a “sense of place,” the varietal focus revolved around Riesling, Chardonnay, and Cabernet Franc. “The beauty of Riesling, is that it has an ability to express its terroir in a way few varietals can,” according to winemaker, Christopher Missick; adding “and in the Finger Lakes, we can tease out those expressions in a way no other region in the United States can. This is a cool climate that has a growing season of extended beautiful warmth, and I feel we are exploring what is viable on the frontier of American viticulture.”

Bellangelo currently offers a dozen different Rieslings in its tasting rooms. “Riesling is the winemaker’s dream varietal: there are a hundred permutations on what is possible when we stand in the vineyard in late August,” Chris Missick stated. Missick added that he is particularly proud to see the Finger Lakes continually represented as one of the world’s great wine regions by wine periodicals such as Wine Enthusiast, Wine Spectator, Food & Wine, The International Wine Review, and online reviewers such as James Suckling, Vinous and others.

Having established a great reputation for Rieslings, Bellangelo is particularly proud of its recognition for work in sparkling wines and Chardonnay. Bellangelo began producing sparkling wine in 2014, including its Brut and Sparkling Merlot Rosé. This fall will see the release of its sparkling Gewurztraminer.

Bellangelo is a family owned winery with an historical past dating to 1866 and located on the West side of Seneca Lake in New York’s Finger Lakes AVA. The Missick family operates an additional tasting room in Geneva, NY, and produces the brand Can Do, a line of ready to drink delicious canned wines that includes Moscato, Rosé, Riesling and Chardonnay. The brands are currently represented by Wright Beverage Distributing, MHW Distribution, and BevStrat. Bellangelo’s winemaker, Chris Missick, is proud to be the only full-time winemaker in the world that is also admitted to practice law before the Supreme Court of the United States.

Finger Lakes Named Top Wine Region by USA Today

September 29, 2018 by evebushman Leave a Comment

GENEVA, N.Y.– The Finger Lakes Wine Alliance (FLWA) is proud to announce that the Finger Lakes wine region has been named the “Best Wine Region” by voters in the USA Today 10 Best Readers’ Choice 2018 Contest. Regions were selected by a panel of wine industry experts with the Finger Lakes topping a list of 20 regions including the Willamette Valley, Santa Barbara County, and Walla, Walla Valley.

“We were thrilled to be nominated and would like to thank everyone who voted for the Finger Lakes region in the contest” stated Tracey Dello Stritto, Executive Director of the Finger Lakes Wine Alliance. “To top this list of excellent wine regions is an honor. We would also like to recognize the local wineries, restaurants and hotels who received nominations in many other categories. These nominations show the depth of our region. Our committed growers, talented winemakers and passionate hospitality personnel have shared their excitement for the region for decades so receiving the ‘best wine region’ accolade is very rewarding.”

With its glacier-sculpted landscapes, ideal microclimates and gifted winegrowers, the Finger Lakes region is home to over 130 wineries that produce exceptional cool-climate wines and world class Rieslings.

About Finger Lakes Wine Alliance

Founded in 2004, Finger Lakes Wine Alliance is a not-for-profit corporation whose mission is to increase the visibility and reputation of the Finger Lakes region, its wines and wineries. The alliance is comprised of 38 members and 15 affiliated businesses and vendors, and it is guided by a board of directors comprised of principals representing all four wine trails and non-wine trail wineries of the Finger Lakes. With its glacier-sculpted landscapes, ideal microclimates and gifted winegrowers, the Finger Lakes region is home to over 100 wineries that produce exceptional cool-climate wines and world-class Rieslings. For more information, visit www.fingerlakeswinealliance.com, call 315.791.2359 or connect on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

Why Not Have…Drinking Goals for 2018? And No, it’s not too late to set them!

January 26, 2018 by evebushman Leave a Comment

I’m not a person that makes new year resolutions often. It’s such a joke to set some very far-off sounding goal only to not even achieve it – as that’s become the norm. You can try and fool the system by setting goals that are simple to attain like…planning ahead for the next year’s resolutions you won’t be achieving! Egads, we’ve really become slackers.

So, in between not making resolutions at all or making resolutions that are too easy to achieve I challenge you to set some drinking resolutions. And feel free to be as lax as you want in reaching them – as it won’t matter to anyone whether you do or not! LOL.

These are my Drinking Goals for 2018, none of which requires over-imbibing but if you do please Uber:

Go to a tequila and/or Mezcal tasting as neither are in my comfort zone.

Go to more wine tastings of areas I’m unfamiliar with: Portugal (and not for the Port alone), Republic of Georgia, Finger Lakes…where else? Check out this CNN article on some lesser known wine areas.

Take advantage of more courses, maybe even a new certification, offered via my NASA (North American Sommelier Association) membership.

Frequent our local wine bars (Valencia Wine Company, Wine 661, Lee’s Wine Bistro, Newhall Press Room), winery tasting rooms (Pulchella, Double Trouble) and restaurants with fine wine lists (Le Chene, Newhall Refinery, Larsen’s, Greg’s List at Salt Creek Grille) more often.

Make it to the Japanese Food and Restaurant Expo put on by Mutual Trading again to further my education on Soju, Sake, beer and Japanese wine…all while sampling some delectable foods.

Continue to work with the WiSH Education Foundation to bring a new event to Old Town Newhall. Look for Wine Under the Stars early May where we will have wines culled from the latest winemakers making wine at the SCV Custom Crush Services paired with dishes from several different local restaurants. We will be the first to host an event on the rooftop of our new Laemmle theater.

Continue to work with our WiSH committee to bring in new spirit vendors to Cocktails on the Roof. This year marks our fourth year! (Save the date 9/7!) Last year our new vendor was Pomp and Whimsy Gin Liqueur and they said it was the best event they had ever poured at! (If you rep a spirit vendor and want your product seen in the first and only premier cocktail event Santa Clarita Valley email me: eve@evewine101.com)

Continue looking for the Spirits One Level now offered globally from WSET (Wine and Spirits Education Trust) since my Level Two in both isn’t transferable to take a Level 2 or 3 in Spirits alone. Haven’t found one offered remotely near me yet!

Get back to Denver to visit Stranahan’s again, see if I can get a taste of their annually made limited edition bourbon whiskey.

Get back to Park City to go to High West Distillery again as some of their spirits aren’t sold in here in California.

Continue my education on peated single malt whisky by attending LA Scotch Club’s annual Peatin’ Meetin’ again.

Take more classes at the Nth Show aka Universal Whisky Experience in Vegas early April…even though my husband may ditch me just to taste.

Make it to at least one meeting, aka tasting, of the no-longer-new LA Chapter of Women Who Whisky Club!

I hope to receive a comment or an email (eve@evewine101.com) with what your drinking resolutions are, I had so much fun making up mine!

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video, authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits. You can also seek her marketing advice via Eve@EveBushmanConsulting.com

Finger Lakes Wine Alliance Adds New Initiatives and Expanded Market Outreach

January 30, 2017 by evebushman Leave a Comment

GENEVA, N.Y. – Capping a year that advanced awareness of the region’s prominence through robust, newsworthy activity within New York State, Finger Lakes Wine Alliance is carrying the momentum into 2017 by adding targeted initiatives and presence in new markets as it continues to raise the profile of what has become a world-renowned AVA.

The annual Riesling Camp, scheduled for April, is expected to double in size, attracting 16-20 wine professionals next year. This three-day invitation-only workshop is designed to identify, educate and orient Finger Lakes brand ambassadors in key markets, particularly New York City.

The organization’s Riesling Rally, slated for mid-summer, will gather together member wineries that have committed to participating in Riesling Month activities planned for September. Riesling Rally introduces the annual September program with a tasting event hosted at a member winery. The event encourages the region’s wine retailers and restaurateurs to make connections with winery representatives for the purpose of scheduling tastings in and around the region throughout Riesling Month. The 2016 event was held at Three Brothers Winery and Estates.

In September, participating Riesling Month member wineries will gather to host a series of Riesling Launch tastings of recent vintages for wine retailers, restaurateurs, sommeliers, distributors and press. Typically staged in a variety of New York City venues, Riesling Launch will be expanded in 2017 to include three upstate markets. The 2016 events, which brought together 13 participating wineries, included a Grand Tasting in Manhattan, smaller events in Manhattan and Brooklyn, and an educational seminar that took place at the Brooklyn Wine Exchange.

And for the first time next year, the Alliance will seek to increase its corps of sommelier ambassadors not only through its expanded Riesling Camp but also by arranging panel tastings in key markets in and outside of New York State, according to Tracey Dello Stritto, Executive Director, Finger Lakes Wine Alliance.

“We are looking at sommelier panel tastings in cities including Philadelphia, Boston and Washington, D.C. as well as select in-state locations,” she said. “And we are also considering hosting winemaker dinners in a number of markets to help broaden awareness of the Finger Lakes region and our member wineries,” Dello Stritto added.

New Officer Slate

The momentum of the Alliance’s busy coming year will be stewarded by its officers and board of directors. In January, the Alliance will introduce a new Executive Committee led by Liz Stamp (Lakewood Vineyards) as Chair, Bruce Murray (Boundary Breaks Vineyard) as Co-Chair, and Eric Frarey (Heron Hill Winery) as Secretary. Gene Pierce (Glenora Wine Cellars) will retain his incumbent position as Treasurer. Dello Stritto came on board as Executive Director in August 2016.

About Finger Lakes Wine Alliance

Founded in 2004, Finger Lakes Wine Alliance is a not-for-profit corporation whose mission is to increase the visibility and reputation of the Finger Lakes region, its wines and wineries. The alliance is comprised of 29 members and 15 affiliated businesses and vendors, and it is guided by a board of directors that includes winery owners and principles from the Finger Lakes AVA. With its glacier-sculpted landscapes, ideal microclimates and gifted winegrowers, the Finger Lakes region is home to over 130 wineries that produce exceptional cool-climate wines and world-class Rieslings. For more information, visit www.fingerlakeswinealliance.com, call 315.791.2359 or connect on Facebook or Twitter.