R • O • V Reviews
2015 Cabernet Franc Rosé »
By Nicholas Baldwin ~ Wine Writer & Wine Professional
The color is brilliant, rich, deep pink and softens around the edges of your glass. It has aromas of tart raspberries, cherries, fresh thyme, and fresh picked flowers. What makes this wine special is the perfect balanced acidity that leaves you hanging on every sip waiting for your next sip. Once you open a bottle, do not be surprised to find the bottle empty quickly. So, this is another fantastic showing in a small lineup of wines from Randolph O’Neill Vineyards. It will be very exciting to taste through future vintages. If you can get your hands on anything from this vineyard, do it.
By Douglas Hillstrom ~ Finger Lakes Wine
The Randolph O’Neill Dry Rosé (Finger Lakes, NY) 2015 $18 [Good+] is a dark-colored rosé with strawberry aromas, solid flavor and good balance. It is solid rather than vivacious, so it is best consumed with snacks or a meal.
Dark blueish pink in color, with orange highlights, the color is captivating. Solid aromas of strawberry, candied orange peel, mint, pepper and dusty stones are attractive. The wine’s minty qualities are particularly interesting. Medium bodied, dry, velvety, with peppery acidity, the O’Neill is well balanced. Solid flavors of strawberry, orange-y citrus, pepper, dusty stones and a bitter note are serious rather than playful but have good concentration. The finish is tangy and slightly bitter, with a distinct peppery burn and average-to-good length.
2014 Dry Riesling »
By Nicholas Baldwin ~ Wine Writer & Wine Professional
It is a rich wine with a subtle kiss of sweetness on the tip of your tongue and a long dry finish with aromas of Meyer lemon, tangerine, vanilla, kiwi and flint. The acid is bright and refreshing. It is one of the best Rieslings I have tasted all year.
By Douglas Hillstrom ~ Finger Lakes Wine
The Randolph O’Neill Dry Riesling (Finger Lakes, NY) $23 [Good+] is a bit of an outlier in the world of dry Finger Lakes Riesling, with its honeyed aromas and earthy accents. It is definitely not in the zippy lemon/lime school of Riesling. Low-key, gentle, and not especially intense, the O'Neill does have very good balance, which is a plus. It is best as a sipper or with lighter foods.
Bright medium lemon in color, the low-key aromas show notes of apple, honey, earth and a just a bit of citrus. Light bodied, off-dry to medium dry, the O’Neill is satiny soft. Good lemony acidity and a touch of spritz keep the wine in balance. Notably earthy, the delicate low-key flavors of yellow apple, lemon, honey and earth have modest intensity and complexity. The finish is earthy, with a little lemon tang and average length.
2014 Cabernet Franc »
By Alan Herrmann ~ Wine Made Easy
Just a few weeks ago I had my first sip of Randolph O’Neill wines. I was very impressed with the four wines I tasted, but there were two that held my attention the most. The 2014 Cabernet Franc was delicious. In fact I was stunned that such a recent vintage could taste so complex and not finish with the annoying green pepper notes that often exist in the finish of young Cabernet Francs. This wine had all the earmarks of an outstanding Cab Franc with gorgeous dark berry and currant flavors, black pepper and spice notes.
2014 Riesling »
By Lenn Thompson ~ New York Cork Club (October 2015 Selections)
Randolph O’Neill Vineyard 2014 Riesling — You might recognize the name Randolph O’Neill Vineyard — Silver Thread has produced a single-vineyard riesling from its fruit before — but in 2014 owner/vineyard manager/winemaker Kelley O’Neill decided to keep the fruit and make a couple rieslings. Explosively aromatic and expressive, there is a subtle sweetness here but it’s impeccably balanced. This is a vineyard and producer to watch for sure.