It’s funny how a single swirl in a glass can turn the clock back two decades. One moment you’re standing in your kitchen, uncorking a bottle with the casual confidence of someone who knows what’s inside. The next, you’re on the shores of Seneca Lake, squinting at the sunlight dancing on the water, wondering if you’ve stumbled into a postcard.
We first toured the Finger Lakes wine region nearly twenty years ago—back when GPS was a novelty and boutique wineries were more “hidden gems” than Instagram hashtags. It was love at first sight. Small, family-run estates dotted along the lake, each producing Riesling and Gewürztraminer with just enough personality to make you feel like you were meeting old friends with quirky accents.
Back then, Riesling was the sommelier’s secret handshake—a misunderstood varietal that the general public dismissed as sweet and simple. We knew better. We knew this was a hidden treasure in a hidden treasure of a region. And we indulged ourselves, happily.
2022 Hermann J. Wiemer Gewürztraminer Tasting Notes
Fast forward to now. We uncorked a 2022 Hermann J. Wiemer Gewürztraminer Dry, and from the first whiff—white summer rose, caramelized orange slices, a whisper of hay—it was déjà vu with a floral twist. Suddenly, we were back among the vineyards: Magdalena, Josef, HJW. Hand-picked grapes, whole-cluster pressed, three months of indigenous yeast fermentation. Herbicide-free, biodynamic—because Wiemer doesn’t just make wine; they compose it.
On the palate? Off-dry, refreshing acidity, a long finish that lingers like a well-timed punchline. Mango notes with a savory edge, proving once again that Gewürztraminer is the varietal that refuses to be pigeonholed. It’s floral, it’s spicy, it’s a little eccentric—like that friend who wears tweed in July and somehow makes it work.
A Brief History of a Pioneer
Founded in 1979, Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard didn’t just join the Finger Lakes wine scene—it helped create it. Hermann arrived in the 1960s, a German winemaker with a stubborn belief that the cool climate of upstate New York could rival the Mosel for Riesling. At the time, the region was dominated by native grapes, and Hermann’s insistence on planting vitis vinifera was considered audacious—borderline eccentric.
By 1973, he purchased land on Seneca Lake that had previously grown soybeans (not exactly a vinifera bellwether) and began experimenting. Three brutal winters later, his Riesling survived, proving what Hermann already knew: the Finger Lakes could be a haven for noble grapes. In 1974, he founded the HJW Vine Nursery, which still supplies vines nationwide. By the late ’70s, his first Riesling and Chardonnay blocks were thriving, and in 1980, the first vintage was born.
Over the decades, Hermann’s wines earned national acclaim, and his dry Rieslings developed a cult following. In 2007, Hermann passed the torch to Fred Merwarth and Oskar Bynke, who have since expanded the estate, embraced biodynamics, and even revived sparkling Riesling—a nod to Hermann’s mid-’80s experiments. Today, the winery stands as a benchmark for American Riesling and Gewürztraminer, proving that vision—and a little German stubbornness—can change a region forever.
This bottle reminded us why the Finger Lakes is not just a contender but a champion for German varietals. Gewürztraminer here can rival anything from the motherland, and this one? It’s a standing ovation in a glass.
So here’s the secret we’ve been keeping for twenty years: Hermann J. Wiemer is one of the best. And just in time for Thanksgiving’s and Christmas festive gatherings, this wine pairs beautifully with baking spices and savory dishes. Or, if you’re like us, pair it with nostalgia and a good story.
More tasting notes on wine by the same producer:
Hermann J Weimer Extra Brut Riesling 2016
Hermann J. Wiemer Brut Rosé 2014
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