
Chinese food pairs well with Dr. Konstantin Frank Rkatsiteli wine ©Priscilla Willis
A 2021 resolution for wine lovers: try new wines!! A fantastic place to start is the award-winning wines from the best wineries in the Finger Lakes region of New York. Begin expanding your palate with varietals such as Grüner Veltliner, Blaufränkisch, Rkatsiteli, and Saperavi from Dr. Konstantin Frank, the most award-winning winery in the Finger Lakes region. I did and I liked it.
Dr. Konstantin Frank Wines
I’ve long been a fan of Grüner Veltliner, Austria’s signature grape. Grüner is known for its citrus fruit flavors and aromas of lime, lemon, and grapefruit. It also possesses green, herbaceous notes often described as white pepper, minerality, and acidity that explodes in the mouth. And, it pairs famously with one of Austria’s signature dishes: Weiner Schnitzel.
Wolfgang Puck’s Weiner Schnitzel is a classic pairing for Grüner Veltliner ©Priscilla Willis
Of the four varietals listed above, I was only familiar with Grüner Veltliner, but that soon changed. As a participant in a wine share webinar hosted by the International Food Wine Travel Association (IFWTWA) and the Corning/Finger Lakes Visitors Bureau, I received three bottles of wine from Dr. Konstantin Frank.
I started my tasting experience with Dr. Konstanin Frank’s 2019 Rkatsiteli, a varietal that I was unfamiliar with and anxious to try. This vintage garnered a 90 rating from Wine Advocate:
“The 2019 Rkatsiteli, from Keuka Lake vines planted variously in 1983, 1983 and 2003, comes in with seven grams of residual sugar, 9.2 of total acidity and 12% alcohol. The acidity pretty much obliterates the sugar here, leaving a crisp and somewhat nervy wine that still has great fruit, even as it seems a little lean on opening. The tension on the finish nicely lifts the fruit and slams it home.“
You made me really curious about the Grüner Veltliner wines. Citrus fruit flavors and aromas are my favorite, so I’d love to try those wines. A tour of the wineries in the Finger Lakes region seems so perfect! I’m really sorry I missed that.