Wagner Vineyards Joins the FLX NA Wine Club

Last year at this time we had zero nonalcoholic wines. The fact that I’ve now discovered two this summer is quite promising. Wagner Vineyards Estate Winery on the east side of Seneca Lake has joined the nonalcoholic wine fun. They’ve recently released a nonalcoholic Riesling called enaye.

This wine is of particular interest for me. Many years ago Wagner is actually the place that my local, craft nonalcoholic obsession began. They’ve been bottling a blush grape juice for many years and it’s been a go-to option for me. It doesn’t feel like any old grape juice because it’s locally grown grapes and locally pressed. It’s in a really nice looking grown-up looking bottle. Plus, their brewery makes their own in-house root beer, so I’ve been going here for years to enjoy both options.

The Finger Lakes Region is known in particular for Riesling wines. The climate and growing conditions here in this region are ideal for the higher acidity in Riesling grapes. The cold-hardy grape is able to survive our brutal winters, and even thrive in spite of them.

I love that Wagner Vineyards chose to dealcoholize a Riesling.

Wagner’s Nonalcoholic Wine

Enaye is German for “without”, so the name represents what the wine doesn’t have–which is alcohol. They fermented and produced a Riesling wine the same way they would any other. Then it was trucked down to Virginia and put through a rigorous dealcoholization process at Wine and Beer Supply. Then the 0.33% ABV Riesling was bottled back here in the Finger Lakes.

You can pick up a bottle in the tasting room on Seneca Lake for $23.00, or also enjoy a glass on site for $8.00. Wagner’s winery and brewery are adjoined and sit on a really great plot of land looking west over the lake. There’s plenty of good spots to sit on site and enjoy a glass!