Posts Tagged“chardonnay”

Benmarl Winery 2009 Slate Hill White

You don’t see many blends of chardonnay, riesling and traminette, but that’s what Benmarl Winery puts together to create it’s Benmarl Winery 2009 Slate Hill White ($17). The riesling (30%) and traminette (5%) aren’t overt, but no-doubt contribute subtle complexity and acidity. Pear, apple and pineapple fruit aromas dominate the note with subtle lemon and lemon zest notes. That pineapple character steps forward on the medium-bodied, well-balance palate, with pear and sweet lemon notes in the background. Simple and overtly fruity, it has a round mid-palate that is kept fresh with acidity, leading into a medium-length finish. At $17, I want a…

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Macari Vineyards 2009 Chardonnay

I seem to have built up a backlog of chardonnays that need to make their way to the NYCR tasting table. So, over the next couple of weeks, you can expect it to be a focus of reviews — along with some roses, some newly released summer whites and some other wines, of course. We’ll start the chardonnay parade with this Macari Vineyards 2009 Estate Chardonnay ($19) fermented in stainless steel, but showing some interesting lees characteristics on a nose dominated by juicy pear, pineapple and green tea. The nutty, slightly yeasty lees quality is  bit more pronounced on the dry, snappy,…

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Sherwood House Vineyards 2009 Chardonnay

Sherwood House Vineyards has built its reputation largely on the back of its Old World-styled, barrel-fermented chardonnay. Some call it Burgundian, but I don’t think there is any chardonnay in the world that truly tastes like good Burgundy — and besides, why not carve out and try to describe your own region’s style? That’s another post for another time, though. The Sherwood House Vineyards 2009 Chardonnay ($30) isn’t quite as delicious as the stellar 2008, but it’s still a fine example of what oak-influenced chardonnay can be here on the North Fork. The nose shows scents of vanilla-roasted pears, buttery…

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Peconic Bay Winery 2009 “La Barrique” Chardonnay

Yes, another North Fork chardonnay. A barrel-fermented one at that — thus the name “La Barrique.” But wait. It’s not what you think. This is the rare barrel-affected chardonnay that I willingly went back to after my tasting was finished. I had two glasses, in fact. It almost makes me hate winemaker Greg Gove for proving my boredom over local chardonnay wrong. Aromas of pineapple, Golden Delicious apple, vanilla, and lemon verbena are accented by just a hint of butter. Overly toasty or raw oak just isn’t part of the equation. Mouth-filling but very well balanced, the palate shows similar…

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Bedell Cellars 2010 Chardonnay

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor I appreciate the direction that winemaker Rich Olsen-Harbich is taking the white wine program at Bedell Cellars. I’ve now tasted a handful of his 2010 wines — his first vintage at Bedell — and a few things are clear. First, there is a distinct focus on expressing the vintage over a house style. Second, there is a much more judicious use of new oak. This Bedell Cellars 2010 Chardonnay ($20) illustrates both points well. In some previous vintages, there’s been a sameness to the regular chardonnay bottling and the reserve. That sameness was oak —…

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Channing Daughters Winery 2009 Scuttlehole Chardonnay

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor Channing Daughters Winery‘s winemaker, Christopher Tracy, makes several chardonnay-based wines in a wide range of styles. For my money, his all-steel Scuttlehole Chardonnay is consistently the best and is the wine against which I judge other New York wines of its type. Channing Daughters 2009 Scuttlehole Chardonnay ($17) is proof that stainless steel chardonnay needn’t be one-dimensional and somewhat neutral. The fruit for this wine was all hand harvested and whole-cluster pressed — the norm at Channing Daughters, but not as common with most other steel-feremented chardonnays. Maybe that’s the key difference, particularly the whole-cluster…

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Wolffer Estate Vineyards 2008 “Perle” Chardonnay

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor It is my personal opinion that there is way too much chardonnay planted on Long Island. I know all the reasons why its there — easy to grow, customer demand, etc. — but chardonnay is never going to be why people visit the region or demand Long Island wines on a restaurant list. I’ve said it before and I’ll keep saying it. I will also highlight Long Island chardonnay wines that are delicious, which they can be. Especially when the right clones are grown in the right place and the wine is made by the…

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Raphael 2009 Naturale White

By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief When Raphael winemaker Rich Olsen-Harbich released his first Naturale — a 2008 white blend (read the NYCR review) made without the addition of sugar or acid, without filtration or fining, and using naturally occurring yeasts and only the slightest bit of SO2 during bottling, I was intrigued. I look for deliciousness in wine, rather than a particular style of winemaking. Natural, biodynamic, organic, sustainable — they all matter on some level, but not if the wine isn't delicious. That 2008 received a 4-start rating and was a finalist in the NYCR Wines of the Year. Raphael…

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Macari Vineyards 2009 “Early Wine” Chardonnay

By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief As covered during our harvest updates, 2009 wasn't an easy growing season for local wineries. The season started slowly and didn't really catch up until a long, warm finish that stretched well into November. Just how 'behind' was the season early on compared to 2008? Well, chardonnay that went into this wine was harvested on September 24 — more than two weeks later than it was in 2008 when it came in on September 9. But, it appears to have been worth the wait. This is my favorite edition of "early wine" in years. Austrian Helmut…

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Lenz Winery 2007 Old Vines Chardonnay

By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief Barrel-fermented chardonnay isn't my favorite style. That's well documented. But, that doesn't mean I can't appreciate one that is well-made. This Lenz Winery 2007 Old Vines Chardonnay ($25) is one that I appreciate. In fact, I went back to this a few times after my tasting was complete and enjoyed it quite a bit. Of course, it's not completely barrel fermented either. Winemaker Eric Fry employs "limited barrel fermentation" and while this wine is aged in oak, Fry tends to "use older barrels that allow the wine to achieve greater complexity and flavor concentration but leave…

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