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Salmon Run Pinot Noir, A NY Savior

By Natasha Senko

With much regret, I have to say that I have never been a huge fan of New York wines.  I know, I know, how can a proud New Yorker dare say something negative about her fair state, but I had always heard how bad New York state wines were and all the ones I tried were….well… (gulp, for fear of being slapped by another proud New Yorker) below average.

At that time the extent of my New York wine experience was always Long Island.  (Sorry Long Islanders but I have yet to find an LI wine that I love.)  I thought, could it be that a place that has fostered such grates as The Empire State Building and the Yankees actually have a sub par element??  Safe to say that the generalization that all New York wines are grouped in the class of suckdom is now just that: a generalization.

Thank God my nearly wounded New York pride was salvaged by Salmon Run Pinot Noir from Vinifera Wine Cellars. This wine opened my eyes to the Finger Lakes region of New York state.  Hallelujah!!  New York’s rep for less that average wine making has been saved.

Named for the landlocked fish of the beautiful Keuka Lake, Salmon Run Pinot Noir is a light to medium bodied wine with a nose of raspberry and cherry. Its bold acidity pairs well with, go figure, poached salmon, poultry, and Eggplant Parmesan.  That’s the beauty of Pinot Noirs overall; they can pose as a white but still hold their own in the red arena.

Vinfera Wine Cellars is the brainchild of Dr. Konstantin Frank.  He felt that it was poor rootstock, not the cold climate of the Finger Lakes that was to blame for the poor wine making of the region. Through is research coupled with the help a fabulous international team, Frank was able to produce European varieties of wine for the first time in the Northeastern US.

Just goes to show you that with the desire and a little persistence, great things can be accomplished.  Thanks To Dr. Frank, New York can give California a little (salmon) run for its money!!  Leave it to New Yorkers to never take no for an answer.

Give Salmon Run Pinot Noir a try for a BUDGALICIOUS $14 a bottle.  Happy Friday!!