Palate Press Wine of the Week: 2008 Billsboro Riesling

This wine marks the first time that winemaker Vinny Aliperti has decided to arrest fermentation instead of back-sweetening, and the results are outstanding. By picking slightly earlier than his colleagues, he allowed the grapes to maintain a crackling natural acidity. By arresting the fermentation at 2.5% RS, he achieved a balance for the acid. The end result is a wine almost ostentatious in its flavors with a spine of acid that sends lightning bolts through the mouth. The classic Seneca Lake fennel is right there, along with lime peel, honey, and the rain-on-rocks character that comes in this region. This is a big step up for a producer on the rise, and it won the title of New York Cork Report White Wine of the Year, 2009.