By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor Paumanok Vineyards' "regular" merlot bottling, informally known as the "white label merlot" is one of Long Island's most values — particularly from warmer, dryer years (think 2005 and 2007 recently). No, at $24, it won't satisfy those who lament the region's lack of $15 standouts, but know this: it over-delivers for that $24. The nose is ripe and complex, showing fruit aromas of black cherry, plum and cassis as well as notes of dried autumn leaves and dried thyme. Medium-bodied and at once ripe and lithe, the palate delivers fruit flavors that closely match the…
Posts Tagged“Review”
Lamoreaux Landing 2010 Dry Riesling
By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor As I patrol the Internet, seeking out information about New York wine and read what to others are saying about it, I see some pretty amazing and curious things. One of the most mind-boggling is the contention by some that Finger Lakes rieslings are over-priced. That's just silly and barely merits discussion, so I will just assume those folks must be very happy drinking a lot of Pacific Rim and Covey Run rielsings from the West Coast and move on. This wine, the Lamoreaux Landing 2010 Dry Riesling, is $13 at the winery and I've…
Heart & Hands Wine Company 2009 Reserve Riesling
By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor Tom and Susan Higgins, owners of Heart & Hands Wine Company on the eastern shore of Cayuga Lake, have worked tirelessly to build a reputation for making what may be New York's best pinot noirs. It's clear that pinot is their passion and it shows in the bottle and throughout their entire operation. But, with wines like Heart & Hands Winery 2009 Reserve Riesling ($29) Tom, who makes the wines, proves that he's not a one-trick pinot pony. This is the Finger Lakes after all, where riesling rules and it seems silly not to make…
Heron Hill Winery 2008 Blaufrankisch
By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor Though on the oakier — and pricier — end of the Finger Lakes Blaufrankisch spectrum, the Heron Hill Winery 2008 Blaufrankisch ($35) is worthy of a taste when you visit their tasting room with stunning views of Keuka Lake. Not content making a juicy, fruity, peppery wine, the folks at Heron Hill always push the envelope with this grape. At first, the nose seems like it will be dominated by chocolate and smoky oak, but those aromas don't completely obscure those of red cherry, cranberry, black pepper, clove, tarragon and mint. Hefty on the palate,…
Comtesse Therese 2006 Hungarian Oak Merlot
By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor 2006 was anything but a banner year on the North Fork. What was a mediocre growing season to begin with was worsened by two early frost events in early fall. The reds from the vintage generally — remember, there are always exceptions — reflect that as a lack of ripeness and fruit intensity. This Comtesse Therese 2006 Hungarian Oak Merlot ($21) largely lacks under-ripe or green flavors but does lack some concentration. On the nose, scents of cigar box, black pepper and brown spice are a bit too much for the understated red cherry aromas.…
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…
Tousey Winery 2010 Pinot Noir
By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor Why do I explore every corner of New York wine country? Wines like this one. Yes, I taste a lot of mediocre (or worse) wine, but discovering a hidden gem of a wine like this one is what energizes and inspires me. Tousey Winery, located in Clermont, NY in the Hudson River valley, is owned by Ben and Kimberly Peacock. Ben makes the wines but he's quick to point out that he is "merely a student." "I find the term 'winemaker' hard to wear because that would put me in the same category l as…
Southern Tier 2XIPA
By Julia Burke, Beer Editor When beer enthusiasts rate a beer, they often talk about balance. Technical correctness. Drinkability. Good integration of flavors. Nothing out of place or over-the top. When hopheads rate a beer, they want one thing. Dank, sticky, resiny, more-bitter-than-a-tongue-scraper hops. Lupulin junkies don't necessarily want a "balanced" or "sessionable" brew. When the Brits learned that they could use hops as a preservative when shipping beer to the troops in India, the India Pale Ale was born. When the San Diegoans learned that they could take that idea and crank up the hop bill and alcohol past…
Bedell Cellars 2010 Viognier
By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor I have fond memories of Bedell Cellars' viognier. Back when my wife and I were dating and exploring North Fork wine country nearly every weekend, it was a favorite in all of its melon and honeysuckle glory. Then it was gone, removed from the portfolio… because the winery introduced and began to focus on white wine blends like Taste White and Gallery. That's where all of the viognier went. It remains an important component in those blends, but starting with this wine it's back as a varietal wine — permanently. According to winemaker Rich Olsen-Harbich…
Lamoreaux Landing 2010 Yellow Dog Vineyard Riesling
By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor There are other single-vineyard riesling programs in the Finger Lakes, but Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars was among the first wineries to enact one. It's a part of their portfolio that I always find fun and educational to explore and topping at out at $20 per bottle, it's probably the most affordable site-to-site exploration available. Lamoreaux makes three labeled single-vineyard rieslings and their reserve riesling comes from another single vineyard. Lamoreaux Landing 2010 Yellow Dog Riesling ($20) comes from one of the winery's youngest vineyards, planted in 2007, and opens with aromas of grapefruit, peach and…