Few would argue that the Finger Lakes wine region in central New York produces notable Rieslings and other wines unlike any other made in North America. The best have a uniqueness that makes them the most sought after in the United States or Canada. But is that uniqueness based on the Finger Lakes’ terroir? Does each lake, with different geography and weather, have its own terroir? Do many Finger Lakes winemakers truly let the grapes speak for themselves?

To find out, I interviewed Thomas Laszlo, winemaker at Heron Hill Vineyards on the western shores of Keuka Lake. Thomas has worked with fruit from a couple of different lakes and, before coming to the Finger Lakes, he toiled in other cold-climate wine regions like Hungary and Niagara.