Kelby James Russell Dry Riesling 2015
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Spirits
Wine & -
Parker
Robert
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Winemaker Notes
The 2015 Kelby James Russell Riesling was inspired by the style of one of the world's great and overlooked Riesling producing countries, Australia. Made with 100% Riesling from the rich fruit of Lahoma Vineyard on Seneca Lake, it is their twist on an age-worthy style. Bone dry and electric on the palate with notes of honey and lime on the nose, this Riesling explores how modified Australian techniques are expressed with Finger Lakes fruit.
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Wine & Spirits
Kelby Russell spent time in Australia and this is his homage to its rieslings, made bone dry with an elevage incorporating lots of solids (the latter press fractions) and long aging to mellow the result. Six years in bottle have made the wine subtle and fine; the lees has taken on a smoky note, the dried apple and peach flavors adorned by a bit of dried herbs, bread crust, and caramelized apricot set in a firm, tense structure. The whole effect is quietly exotic, a wine to ponder, perhaps with a tuna-belly conserva.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2015 Dry Riesling was sourced from the 9er block of Lahoma Vineyard on Seneca Lake. Very dry, it comes in with just one gram per liter of residual sugar and 6.6 of total acidity. It also has 13.6% alcohol, which is a big spike over last year's. This late release is the third vintage of this brand, said to be an homage to the "great, age-worthy...Rieslings of Eden Valley in Australia." This is the best yet in this brand. Solid in the mid-palate and powerful on the finish, this maintains good balance, as it is concentrated enough to soak up the power. The juicy finish is enticing and it tastes great too—it's not just a wine that revels in aggression. Finishing dry and coating the palate, it also seems poised to age well. Under screw cap, there should be no rush here. It might in fact be better next year or a couple years later, although the late release means that this drinks reasonably well now too. We'll see how it goes in time. It looks like a wine that should age 15 years or more from the vintage date. Needless to say, this is a fabulous bargain.
Other Vintages
2014-
Parker
Robert
Kelby James Russell Wines first began as a casual brainstorm at Red Newt Cellars, where owner and winemaker David Whiting suggested that a separate wine project might be an important creative outlet
for Kelby. With a diverse selection of vineyards and wine styles, the label promises to bring something new to the wine world; 'off-beat'; wines both in reference to their musical inspiration as well as their individual spirit. Kelby Russell was born and raised immediately north of New York's Finger Lakes Wine Region. After High School, Kelby attended Harvard University and received his Bachelors degree in Government with a minor in Economics. Having learned enough about both of these disciplines to realize he wanted no part in either, Kelby returned to his native Finger Lakes to pursue a wine industry career in the Finger Lakes.
As luck would have it, Kelby landed on the doorstep of Fox Run Vineyards and legendary winemaker Peter Bell the first day of harvest 2009.
While working at Fox Run, Kelby began taking annual 'vacations'; to work additional harvests in the Southern Hemisphere. Kelby cut his teach as a supervisor while learning the intricacies and non- intricacies of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc at Whitehaven Winery in Marlborough. The following year he worked at Pipers Brook Vineyards/Kreglinger Estates, a long standing Tasmanian producer of single vineyard Pinot Noirs and traditional method sparkling wines. Kelby finally reached the Australian mainland the next year as Nightshift Red Winemaker at Yalumba Winery's premium production site in the Barossa Valley; giving him experience with remarkable quality and old-vine red grapes from across Australia that he will never forget.
Kelby returned from Australia to take a permanent position at Red Newt Cellars and Bistro on Seneca Lake in Hector, New York. He now serves as Winemaker at Red Newt Cellars and treasures the opportunity to work at a 'Riesling House'; striving to make Finger Lake Rieslings a part of dinner tables from the everyday to diverse single vineyard bottlings. Red Newt's continued work with fantastic growers of Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, and Bordeaux varietals ensures that the cellar is always busy and always fun.
In a refrain common to teenagers everywhere, Kelby never expected to return home again after heading towards the big city lights of Boston. He now lives in Geneva, New York and is a proud member of the Finger Lakes community.
Riesling possesses a remarkable ability to reflect the character of wherever it is grown while still maintaining its identity. A regal variety of incredible purity and precision, this versatile grape can be just as enjoyable dry or sweet, young or old, still or sparkling and can age longer than nearly any other white variety. Somm Secret—Given how difficult it is to discern the level of sweetness in a Riesling from the label, here are some clues to find the dry ones. First, look for the world “trocken.” (“Halbtrocken” or “feinherb” mean off-dry.) Also a higher abv usually indicates a drier Riesling.
As the most historic wine-producing region in New York state, winemaking in the Finger Lakes area dates back to the 1820s and today as a region, accounts for 90% of the state’s total wine production.
Its narrow and deep lakes created by the movement of Ice Age glaciers create an environment similar to the classic Riesling-loving regions of Europe, namely Germany and Austria. The Finger Lakes retain summer heat that incidentally warms up cold winter air, making it fall down from the lakes’ steep slopes. When spring comes, the lakes, already cooled by cold winter weather, stave off vine budding until the danger of frost has subsided. The main lakes of the zone, that is those big enough to moderate the climate in this way, are the focal points of prime vineyard areas. They include Canandaigua, Keuka, Seneca and Cayuga.
While Riesling has fueled most of the region’s success, today Pinot Noir and Cabernet Franc enjoy some attention.