A few comments on your New York Wine Country review in the May 31st Spectator:

1. You found more Long Island wines scoring in the 80s on your trip than I did in my last 3 trips. Congratulations.

2. I agree completely with your assessment of Geneva-on-the-Lake and its Lancellotti dining room. We stayed there 9 months ago and found it a great base for exploring the region.

3. No article on the wineries of The Finger Lakes is complete without the inclusion of Hermann J. Wiemer. I believe he produces the very best Riesling in the state. His 2004 Dry Riesling is the best NY state dry wine I've ever had. I consider his wineries and the Frank winery to be the two best in the state, a head above all the others, with Lamoreaux Landing getting honorable mention.

4. Under "Recommended New Releases," you list the 2003 Frank Dry Riesling. The new release, I believe, is the 2004, which I tasted with Willy 9 months ago. I liked it more than you seemed to have liked the 2003. Willy's non-vintage Cremant Celebre made from Riesling grapes was very good and deserved inclusion on your recommended list. I brought bottles of it to two offlines and it was very well received.

5. Did you try any red wines at the Frank winery? Their 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon was surprisingly good.

6. I didn't see any sweet wines listed. Did you try any? The best we tasted was Hermann J. Wiemer's 2003 Riesling Ice Wine.

7. We scored the 2004 Atwater Riesling 6 points lower than you.

8. The 2004 Red Newt Riesling you tried- was it the semi-dry?

9. Unless the Standing Stone 2003 Chardonnay Reserve changed drastically, I don't understand the discrepancy. We scored it 8 points lower than you.

10. We agree completely on the Standing Stone 2004 Riesling.

11. We enjoyed our visit at Lamoreaux Landing. You list their 2004 Riesling. Was it the Reserve. If so, we were close on that one. If not, we weren't. It's a beautiful place with a helpful staff and one very knowledgeable gentleman who was able to answer all our questions. They make an outstanding Riesling Ice Wine.

12. We didn't taste the 2004 Sheldrake Point Dry Riesling that you tasted, but we found the 2003 Reserve disappointing.

Board-O:

Thanks for your close look at our New York State story, and your thoughtful response. Just FYI, though, while associate editor Mitch Frank researched and wrote the story, the wine reviews were by James Molesworth and me, in blind tastings in our New York office. The wineries were invited to submit, and the reviews we published were what we received.

Thomas Matthews
Executive editor

Thanks for your response, Thomas. Was Hermann J. Wiemer asked to submit wines? Also, were any sweet wines tasted?