Posts Tagged“chardonnay”

Why Does Long Island Produce So Much Chardonnay and Merlot?

Regan Meador in his Kickstarter pitch for Southold Farm & Cellar indicated that he wants to plant some “weird grapes” on the North Fork of Long Island rather than more chardonnay and merlot. The April edition of Wine & Spirits Magazine presents the results of a survey of the most popular wines served in U.S. restaurants. The trends are that the preference for chardonnay continues to decline from 27% to 12% over the past decade, while sauvignon blanc continues to increase and is now in the 8% range, while the preference for sparkling wines at restaurants is in the same…

Lenz Winery 2009 Gold Label Chardonnay

The nose on Lenz Winery 2009 Gold Label Chardonnay ($20) is toasty-edging-on-woody with roasted apples and lemon curd fruit character. Rich and fuller bodied, the palate is far less oak influenced, showing bright, intense fruit — apples, pears and tropical fruits — with fresh, well-integrated acidity. Notes of vanilla and spice peek through on a long, crisp finish. Producer: Lenz Winery AVA: North Fork of Long Island ABV: 13% Price: $20* (3 out of 5, Very good/Recommended)  

Mattebella Vineyards 2009 Famiglia Chardonnay

Mattebella Vineyards 2009 Famiglia Chardonnay ($17) is a well-priced chardonnay that offers aromas of juicy pear, lemon-lime citrus and white flowers. Light-to-medium bodied, the palate delivers fruit flavors of pear and melon, with more citrus and a dusting of white pepper. Only a small percentage (under 20%) spent time in barrel, but that there is a touch of creaminess on the midpalate. Well-integrated, the acidity could be a bit more pronounced, but this wine is far from flabby. Producer: Mattebella Vineyards AVA: North Fork of Long Island ABV: 12.9% Price: $17*| Buy now from Empire State Cellars (3 out of 5, Very good/Recommended)

Lenz Winery 2008 White Label Chardonnay

There are very few Long Island wines at $12 worth putting in one’s mouth. With what it costs to make wine here, that price range just isn’t one that is played in often — and when it is, it’s even more rare for the wine to be good. Lenz Winery 2008 White Label Chardonnay ($12) is a nice, straightforward chardonnay with low oak footprint that will appeal to a wide range of drinkers and complement an array of foods. Yellow apple and Bartlett pear dominate the nose, but there are also subtle tropical fruit and citrus blossom notes, and a…

Fork Finds: Paumanok Vineyards Centennial Chardonnay 2012 @ Grand Central Oyster Bar, New York, NY

This weather cycle has not been particularly kind to those attempting to visit or live and work on the East End in 2013. The Blizzard Formally Known as Nemo shut down the LIE for days and less-than-aggressive snow clean up on residential streets made it a little hard to get around out here. Fear not! There’s a way for Long Island wine loving concrete jungle dwellers to get a fix of something new and different from the North Fork without leaving Manhattan. Or even Midtown. Although she doesn’t look a day over 70 and her marble staircase is as grand…

Scarola Vineyards 2010 “Cappella” Chardonnay

Apple and pear fruit aromas are slightly buttery, with gentle hints of citrus blossom beneath. Weighty and a bit hot on the finish, this chardonnay is fruity — apple, pear and pineapple — with a caramelly-toasty edge. Well balanced acidity matches the ripe, concentrated fruit, but that heat on the finish detracts. Producer: Scarola Vineyards AVA: North Fork of Long Island ABV: 13% Price: $18* (2.5 out of 5, Average-to-Very Good)

Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars 2010 Unoaked Chardonnay

This is Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars‘ first unoaked chardonnay — and this wine is a solid start to what I hope is a new wine in the on-going portfolio. The nose is dominated by aromas of golden delicious apples and pineapple with hints of citrus in the background.  Plump, fruity and showing good concentration of fruit flavor, the medium-bodied palate is simple — gobs of apple and pineapple — but balanced. Once the wine warms nearly to room temperature, a subtle nutty-leesy component emerges, bringing just a bit of complexity. Producer: Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars AVA: Finger Lakes ABV: 13.2% Price: $15*   (2.5…

Macari Vineyards 2012 “Early Wine” Chardonnay

I’m over Beaujolais nouveau — it’s mostly about the spectacle (and the marketing) and the wines often disappoint. I’d rather wait until Cru stuff is released.  But when it comes to local nouveau wines (there are a few) I always look forward to Macari Vineyards’ “Early Wine” chardonnay, even if it varies (sometimes wildly) from year to year. Inspired by the jungwein (young wine) of consulting winemaker Helmut Gangl’s homeland — they are often served in heuriger shortly after harvest — the grapes for this win were harvested on August 29 and the wine was bottled less than two months later…

Harvest 2012: Chardonnay in Niagara USA

Harvest has ramped up here in Niagara this week as the time for chardonnay had come in several local vineyards. Leonard Oakes Estate Winery had already taken Vignoles before pulling chardonnay in addition to pinot noir for sparkling wine. Freedom Run Winery’s custom crush operation had already brought in Brianna, Edelweiss and Leon Millot before they began their estate chardonnay picking on Monday. The picture at left shows the bounty of chardonnay collected at Eveningside Vineyards yesterday where the yield looked larger than normal and the quality looked to be very good. In the coming days I’ll post the film…