FLX Winery: Shaw Vineyard

Seneca Lake is the biggest lake of all Finger Lakes. As expected, there are lots of wineries on its wine trail map. Unfortunately, Shaw vineyard was not one of them (you need to pay to be on the wine trail map and my experience is only half are on).  To be said, you would need to do some research to find this missing gem. 

Unlike most of the FLX wineries, Shaw deviated itself from traditional grapes, like Riesling and Cabernet franc, instead, it tried to make the Bordeaux varieties possible.

I got a chance to talk to the winery owner, Steve Shaw, who planted his first vinifera vineyard in 1981, and establish Shaw Vineyard in 1999.

Steve emphasized that his goal is to make a serious, dry, artisanal wine. The ambition is testified by its newly released flagship red wines.

The 2012 Merlot is fantastic: very fresh and fruit-forward even after 10 years aging. Neutral oak aging. Whole clusters. The skin remained on grapes during the maceration which caused the slow and gentle skin extraction, avoiding unnecessary bitterness.  It really gives the right bank, notably St Emilion’s vibe. 

The Bordeaux blend (Keuka Hill Reserve) 2013 is more sweet spice driven, also delicately crafted, you can tell the efforts and time that the winemakers put in. I cannot wait to blind-taste my friends and see their reactions!

这次去FLX的感觉是越来越多的酒庄学习Napa酒庄的模式， 关注于用户体验和风景，酒倒是一般般。

 Shaw就是例外。话说刚进taste room的感官非常不好， 箱子随意的放在角落， 没有单独的tasting area，只有小小的站立式tasting 吧台。然后服务的大叔立马说先付钱再tasting （挺合算的$10/5种)

但是在周六的6个tasting中，shaw绝对是葡萄酒品质最好的。因为是第一家我们造访的酒庄，造成了之后的几个酒庄的红葡萄酒都不是很满意。 而且酒庄的owner Steve Shaw 那天也在， 我们谈了很多有关酿造的问题及手指湖葡萄酒业发展的见解。 今年是他在手指湖的第46个收获季，在最近30年他把目光放向了波尔多品种。相比于大家都酿造的cab franc. 他更关注于梅洛和波尔多混酿，并且采用多年木桶陈酿。和他的聊天中感觉他更像一个实验家，在fingerlake试验各种配比和非常规品种。

如果大家有机会去的话一定要试一试2012年的梅洛和2013年的波尔多混酿，产量很少，今年才装瓶， 非常的不手指湖！ 真的很难想象手指湖这种五月都有可能下雪的地方可以酿造出非常成熟和复杂的梅洛和赤霞珠！

 价格在30-45$左右，如果考虑时间成本真的是良心了！