Posts Tagged“Review”

Whole Foods Market-Harpoon Brewery “Saison Liaison”

You can’t mess with Saison. Seriously, don’t even try. You meet a frothy glass of it in an alley, promptly throw down your wallet, bow your head, take a few cautious steps backward, and run. And, just recently, a new player has stepped out of the alley and onto the scene.  Harpoon Brewery has teamed up with Jeff Wallace, the NYC Whole Foods Beer Buyer (and an avid homebrewer), on a new collaboration called “Saison Liaison,” which will only be available at Whole Foods Markets in NYC that carry growlers. Saisons are my favorite beer style, made even cooler by the fact that they nearly disappeared from the world,…

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Brooklyn Sorachi Ace

A beer-loving friend recently asked me to recommend a book on beer and food pairing. I pointed her in the direction of Brooklyn Brewery brewmaster Garrett Oliver’s classic The Brewmaster’s Table, the definitive tome on beer and food pairing. Oliver is an Old World brewer with a conviction that beer belongs at the table and, just like wine, is as important a part of a meal as the food. I can think of no beer better suited to deliver this message than his farmhouse ale, Sorachi Ace. Sorachi offers the spice (lots of hot pepper and a twinge of thai…

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Arrowhead Spring Vineyards 2009 “Arrowhead Red” Meritage

Many complain that there just aren’t enough New York reds under $20 that are worth of daily drinking.  If you’re one of these malcontents, this wine —  Arrowhead Spring Vineyards 2009 “Arrowhead Red” Meritage ($16) is for you. A blend of 61% cabernet franc, 29% cabernet sauvignon, 8% merlot and 2% malbec, this $16 red simply over-delivers. In fact, it would over-deliver at several dollars more too. On the nose, ripe red cherry aromas are layered with notes of dusty chocolate, tobacco, bay leaf and hints of crumbled sage. A bit fruitier — red cherries and blackberries — on the medium-bodied…

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Shinn Estate Vineyards 2011 “First Fruit” Sauvignon Blanc

You can learn a lot about a region’s vintages simply by tasting its unoaked whites wines — especially wines from producers that you trust and that aren’t big into in-winery manipulations or additions. Shinn Estate Vineyards 2011 “First Fruit” Sauvignon Blanc ($23) tells the story of a cool, wet and grey season most famously marked by the passing of Hurricane Irene right over Long Island. Herby and somewhat vegetal on the nose — think bell pepper — the nose also shows pear and pear skin, hints of grapefruit and hay aromas. Grapefruit flavors peek through a garden of herbs and green vegetation,…

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Benmarl Winery 2010 Slate Hill Red

Benmarl Winery 2010 Slate Hill Red ($19), a blend of merlot, cabernet franc, petite verdot and malbec source primarily from Long Island, shows aromas of plums, cherries, dried herbs and raw oak on a slightly underripe nose. Soft and approachable, the palate is low on tannins but has just enough acidity to provide some structure. It’s plummy with dried herbs and leaves on the finish.  Simple and solid, but unremarkable. Producer: Benmarl Winery AVA: New York ABV: 13% Price: $19*   (2 out of 5, Average)

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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. Personally I don’t like to compare any local wines to those from any other individual region, but many mention Burgundy when it comes to Sherwood’s chardonnay. The Sherwood House Vineyards 2009 Chardonnay ($30) isn’t quite as delicious as the stellar 2008, but it’s still a fine example. The nose shows scents of vanilla-roasted pears, buttery pastry crust and just a bit of raw oak. Medium bodied with balanced acidity, the palate tastes of caramelized pears and butterscotch with notes of fresh-cut pear and flowers on the finish. Producer: Sherwood…

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Hermann J. Wiemer 2010 Semi-Dry Riesling

Juicy pears and white flowers dominate an effusive nose, accented by subtle almond note. Off-dry but balanced, the palate shows not only pear fruit, but a distinct fig quality up front that leads into a long, floral finish that shows a light slate note. A bit more acidity would bring focus and elevate the wine a bit, but the residual sugar is still balanced enough to avoid being cloying. 2,200 cases produced. Producer: Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard AVA: Finger Lakes ABV: 11% Price: $17*   (3 out of 5, Very good/Recommended)

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Arrowhead Spring Vineyards 2010 Semi-Dry Riesling

Made using Finger Lakes fruit, this Arrowhead Spring Vineyards 2010 Semi-Dry Riesling ($16) is a friendly, fruity wine with aromas off green apple, lime zest and just a touch of blanched almond. The palate is juicy, with gentle residual sugar that is balanced by solid acidity, with fruit cocktail flavors of green apple, peach and citrus. Producer: Arrowhead Spring Vineyards AVA: New York ABV: 12% Price: $16*   (2.5 out of 5, Average-to-Very Good)

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Palmer Vineyards 2011 Albarino

Chardonnay. Merlot. Chardonnay. Merlot. Sauvignon Blanc. Chardonnay. Cabernet Franc. Merlot. Chardonnay. Cabernet Sauvignon. During the course of tasting any and all Long Island wines I can get my hands on — it seems like that is all I taste. Very little variety. A lot of the same. Those are important grapes for the region — no doubt — but who doesn’t like something a little different every now and again. That’s one reason I appreciate what people like Miguel Martin of Palmer Vineyards are doing with new-to-the-region grapes like albarino. It’s hard to envision a time when Long Island is…

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Wolffer Estate Vineyards “White Mischief” Chardonnay

Wolffer Estate Vineyards winemaker Roman Roth makes some of my favorite oak-influenced chardonnay. Yes, I do have favorites in the category, I just don’t reach for them often. His best chardonnay, “Perle” is one of the top made on Long Island, and I guess you could call Wolffer Estate Vineyards 2010 “White Mischief” Chardonnay ($35) its sister wine — but made with ambient yeasts. Fermented 70% in stainless steel and 30% new French oak, the nose overflows with tropical pineapple, peach, and pear fruit aromas and notes of lilac and lavendar and only the faintest evidence of vanilla oak. Mouth-filling and…

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