Lieb Cellars Reserve Pinot Blanc 2014
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Lieb Cellars is a 54-acre certified sustainable farm winery located on the North Fork of Long Island, NY, approximately 500 feet from the Long Island Sound. Established in 1992, Lieb has earned a reputation as one of the top wineries in NY state and has a unique position as the largest single estate grower of Pinot Blanc in the US at roughly 15 acres. We are focused on sustainable farming and minimal intervention winemaking -- crafting bright, fruit driven wines that are reflective of our cool maritime climate and unique terroir. Lieb wines are all made with estate grown fruit only, hand-harvested and produced in limited quantities.
Lieb Cellars is also the "parent label" for Bridge Lane Wines, where we focus on quality wines in alternative packaging. Bridge Lane wines are offered in 4 container options - 750ml bottles, 375ml cans, 3L box and 19.5L kegs.
Approachable, aromatic and pleasantly plush on the palate, Pinot Blanc is a white grape variety most associated with the Alsace region of France. Although its heritage is Burgundian, today it is rarely found there and instead thrives throughout central Europe, namely Germany and Austria, where it is known as Weissburgunder and Alto Adige where it is called Pinot Bianco. Interestingly, Pinot Blanc was born out of a mutation of the pink-skinned Pinot Gris. Somm Secret—Chardonnay fans looking to try something new would benefit from giving Pinot Blanc a try.
Increasingly garnering widespread and well-deserved attention, New York ranks third in wine production in the United States (after California and Washington). Divided into six AVAs—the Finger Lakes, Lake Erie, Hudson River, Long Island, Champlain Valley of New York and the Niagara Escarpment, which crosses over into Michigan as well as Ontario, Canada—the state experiences varied climates, but in general summers are warm and humid while winters are very cold and can carry the risk of frost well into the growing season.
The Finger Lakes region has long been responsible for some of the country’s finest Riesling, and is gaining traction with elegant, light-bodied Pinot Noir and Cabernet Franc. Experimentation with cold-hardy European varieties is common, and recent years have seen the successful planting of grapes like Grüner Veltliner and Saperavi (from the Eastern European country of Georgia). Long Island, on the other hand, has a more maritime climate influenced by the Atlantic Ocean, and shares some viticultural characteristics with Bordeaux. Accordingly, the best wines here are made from Merlot and Cabernet Franc. The Niagara Escarpment is responsible for excellent ice wines, usually made from the hybrid variety, Vidal.