Posts Tagged“merlot”

One Woman Wines 2008 Merlot

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor Because of the diminutive size of its tasting room and location at the far eastern end of the unofficial Route 48 wine trail, One Woman Wines is still under the radar for many visitors to North Fork wine country. The one woman behind One Woman Wines is Claudia Purita, who grew up on her family's farm in Calabria, Italy, where she learned farming and viticulture. After moving to Long Island as an adult and working in the restaurant industry, she decided it was time to "return to her roots" in 2004 planting much of the…

Shinn Estate Vineyards 2007 “Rebellion” Merlot

By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief As a category "natural" wines are hot in the wine world, but they aren't necessarily easily defined. Ask ten people what "natural" means and you'll get at least five answers. One common thread, however, is a reliance on naturally occurring, 'wild' yeasts for fermentation rather than inoculating the must with a strain of the winemaker's choosing. A handful of Long Island producers are experimenting with native yeast fermentations, including Raphael, Channing Daughters, Onabay Vineyards and the makers of this wine, Shinn Estate Vineyards. Shinn Estate Vineyards 2007 "Rebellion" Estate Merlot ($25) is 100% estate-grown merlot that…

Roanoke Vineyards 2008 Barrel Tasting: Hard-Fought Mature Fruit Lead to Pretty, Elegant Wines

Members of the Roanoke Vineyards wine club tasting 2008 reds in the Wolffer Estate cellar. By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief Friday night, on a cold, windy East End night, I joined 20 or so members of Roanoke Vineyards' wine club at Wolffer Estate Vineyards (where Roanoke's wines are made) to taste Roanoke Vineyards' 2008 reds from barrel. It was part wine club event, part futures tasting — the winery's first — and offered an excellent opportunity to taste these wines for the first time. Plus, it's always a pleasure to taste and talk with winemaker Roman Roth and Roanoke Vineyards co-owner,…

Wolffer Estate 2005 Christian’s Cuvee Merlot

By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief $100 for a merlot…from Long Island? Yes. Wolffer Estate Vineyards' Premier Cru (the former name for this wine) is perhaps known as much, or more, for it's price tag than it's quality. But, the wine sells — in part because of the wineries Hamptons locale, but also because it happens to be very good. And unlike some of Long Island's other high-priced "reserve" wines it is only made when winemaker Roman Roth thinks the fruit coming into the winery warrants it. I can respect that. 2005 was one of those years, even though what was a…

Roanoke Vineyards 2005 Merlot

By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief Rich Pisacano, co-owner of Roanoke Vineyards, is a cabernet sauvignon guy, and he and consulting winemaker Roman Roth make some of Long Island's most consistently good cabernet-based wines — no small feat in a cool climate region. But as good as those cabernets can be, this is still Long Island, where merlot still rules. Not surprisingly, the Roanoke Vineyards merlots can be standouts as well. Even in its youth, this Roanoke Vineyards 2005 Merlot ($45/sold out) shows depth and complexity on a nose where black plum, blackberry and blueberry fruit aromas mingle with those of licorice,…

Long Island Merlot Alliance 2006 Merliance

By Lenn Thompson, Editor in Chief Regional Wine Week continues today with a review of the Long Island Merlot Alliance's latest release, Merliance 2006 ($35).  Formed in 2005, the Long Island Merlot Alliance (LIMA) strives to develop quality standards in the production of classically-styled Long Island merlot and to establish Long Island as the leading region for merlot in the New World.  After an initial press splash, the group has been somewhat understated, choosing to focus on vineyard research and conducting tastings to identify the qualities that help define "typical" Long Island merlot. In March, founding members Raphael, Pellegrini Vineyards, Sherwood…

Windham Vineyards 2005/2006 Three Red Kings

By Lenn Thompson, Founder and Editor-in-Chief When most New Yorkers hear "Windham" they think about the popular ski slopes there. But James Bateman, owner, vineyard manager and winemaker at Windham Vineyards, is growing grapes and making wine there instead.  Of course, with those ski slopes, its no surprise that Bateman, an Englishman, presides over the highest elevation vineyards in the east — at 2000 and 2200 feet above sea level.  I've tasted and reviewed two wines made with estate-grown grapes, his St. Pepin and Frontenac Gris. Both showed potential and were interesting explorations for me because I'd never tasted those hybrids before.…

Mattebella Vineyards 2008 Rose

By Lenn Thompson, Founder and Editor-in-Chief Today's tasting note is going to be a quick one about a new release from Mattebella Vineyards, a producer you'll be reading about more here on LENNDEVOURS soon. This Mattebella Vineyards 2008 Rose ($15) is primarily merlot (92%) with a small percentage of cabernet franc (8%), and it tastes like many Long Island roses tastes — mostly of strawberries. The nose is dominatedly almost completely by grocery store strawberry aromas with a touch of red apple skin in the background. Medium-bodied and dry, this isn't a wimpy rose. Again, strawberries dominate with a light…

Bedell Cellars 2008 First Crush Red

By Lenn Thompson, Founder and Editor-in-Chief Too often we get caught up in the idea that every wine has to be mind-blowingly complex, nuanced and age worthy. Sometimes it's good to take a step back and drink a wine that is just plain delicious to drink with your dinner — now, not with any aging the cellar. Bedell Cellars 2008 First Crush Red ($18) is one such wine. You won't find too many 2008 reds released already, but this one doesn't see a splinter of oak in its creation, and it's probably at its best right now. Is this a…

Long Island Merlot Better Than Bordeaux?

By Lenn Thompson, Founder and Editor-in-Chief (Note: A version of this column will appear in the 7/23 issue of Dan's Papers) I don’t typically pay much attention to the awards, scores and medals bestowed upon Long Island wines by a seemingly un-ending list of publications, festivals and fairs. Most of these competitions are flawed and I just don't think that the results can be seen as authoritative. Over the past 5 years that I've been writing about New York wines, I’ve seen too many great wines “win” bronze medals while obviously inferior wines get gold. I still think, and I…