After enjoying a tasting and lunch at Knapp Winery, we drove 10 minutes south along Cayuga Lake, surrounded by scenic views, to Sheldrake Point. The tasting room and vineyards are located a stone’s throw away from the shoreline of the lake between two deep ravines. Sheldrake is also accessible by boat and has a private boat dock on their shoreline for parking. The property is absolutely breathtaking and the perfect spot to enjoy an afternoon.

Due to Covid-19 precautions, Sheldrake is only offering tastings and glasses of wine outside on the patio. Luckily, the day we visited it was sunny and 70°F. We have really lucked out with the weather during our recent trips to wineries on the Finger Lakes. At Sheldrake Point a reservation is needed for a tasting and you must select the wine flights you want before visiting. They offer a Riesling, cool climate red and vineyard classic. We had six people in our group, so I ordered two of each option. After we were seated at our table, the flights were brought out to us and were accompanied by flight cards with details about each wine. There was plenty of information available for a self-guided tasting and tasting room staff would occasionally stop by asking if we had any questions.

One of the members of our group asked if the Chardonnay was oaked in a barrel or with wooden chips - which was an excellent question! The employee told us that the Chardonnay is aged with oak sticks from an oak tree that fell on the property in 2009. Wines that are made with oak sticks or chips are usually not my favorite because I prefer barrel aging, but this one is an exception. The oak sticks add to the ‘sense of place’ which is one of the most important and treasured qualities of a well made wine.

I had the Riesling flight and was blown away by the quality of each wine that I tasted. I found it so interesting that the same grape varietal can taste so different depending on the processes used to make the wine, but maybe that’s because I’m a Chemical Engineer! Here is a short summary of each wine. The ones I brought home (*) will receive an in-depth review when I open them in the future.

2018 Acid Head Riesling Beta Series *

Acid! The name definitely represents this dry, light bodied, wine. I smelled all the classic indicators of cool climate Riesling including granny smith apples and lemon citrus. The characteristic that sets this Riesling apart is the crisp, enlivening, high acid. The tart, lemon curd flavors lasted on my tongue for an extended amount of time. The Beta Series is a line of limited quantity wines that are unique creations from the Sheldrake Winemaking team. Many of the wines resulting from this creative outlet are exclusive and may not be made again!

2018 Dry Riesling *

This wine is one of Sheldrake’s stars. It won Double Gold at the 2020 Finger Lakes International Wine Competition meaning that the panel of judges unanimously agreed that it was worthy of a gold medal. Lavender, fruity citrus and lime fill your nose and follow through on the palate. This Riesling was also dry and had high acid, but it was not as abrasive as the Acid Head. The body was light and angular leading to a crisp, medium length finish.

2016 Reserve Dry Riesling

Compared to the previous two Rieslings, this one had faint notes of Petrol gas. Now, I know what you must be thinking, how can a wine that smells like gasoline taste any good? In older Rieslings, Petrol aromas are naturally occurring in a compound called TDN (1,1,6-trimethyl-1,2-dihydronaphthalene). Some people like it and others don’t, but it is a complimentary characteristic trait in Riesling. This wine also had a creamier texture and tropical fruit flavors which made it taste semi-dry, although it technically isn’t. The high acid and medium body carried the flavors through to the medium finish.

2017 Riesling

This dry Riesling also had faint notes of petrol, but was predominantly floral with notes of peaches and stone fruit. The texture was somewhat oily, but still light and it had a medium (+) body and medium (+) finish.

2019 Beta Series Riesling Bubbles

One of my favorite wines to taste in the Finger Lakes are sparkling Rieslings. This one had notes of orange, lemon zest and yeast. The carbonation burst on my tongue delivering crisp, citrus and limestone mineral flavors. This one was a hit with the group!

I also had a couple sips of the 2019 Dry Rosé * and 2018 Cabernet Franc *. They were excellent as well, so we brought a couple bottles home! The Cabernet Franc was so good that we ended up having it with our charcuterie board the day after we visited Cayuga Lake. I did not take notes while I was enjoying it, but don’t worry, we brought 2 bottles home so that I can share the experience with you!

The owner of Sheldrake Point Winery, Chuck, stopped by our table with a map of the vineyard and talked to us about the new geothermal energy system in their recent addition. Ground source heat pumps are a temperature control method that takes advantage of the Earth’s natural, consistent temperature of ~ 55°F deep in the ground. In the summer, it acts as an air conditioner and in the winter it helps with heating to keep the wine production area temperature at ~ 65°F. This system is environmentally friendly and efficient - bravo Sheldrake! Chuck also mentioned that 2018 was a bad year for growing grapes in the vineyard because it was a rainy growing season. Excessive amounts of rain affect the ratio of skin to flesh (inside of the grape) which can cause the flavors in the wine to taste diluted. However, Sheldrake’s winemaker must be magical because the 2018 Dry Riesling was fantastic!

After our group was finished tasting, we ordered the bottles we wanted to take home and took a walk around the vineyards. Then we went down to the dock and shoreline of the property and took in the gorgeous views of the lake! It is so nice that Sheldrake is accessible by boat and is perfect for winery hopping on the water.

Thank you to the wonderful staff for the welcoming experience and to Chuck for talking to us about Sheldrake Point. It is without a doubt, Sheldrake is one of the best wineries on Cayuga Lake and in the Finger Lakes overall. If you are in the area, make sure to stop by; you won’t be disappointed.