I’ve recently discovered a local wine shop that has some older vitage Long Island wines…something I’ve not really seen anywhere else. So, when I saw the 1993 vintage of Wolffer Estate Vineyards sparkling wine, I figured I’d give it a shot.

By reaching out to my contacts at Wolffer, I was able to get some techinical information on this wine as well.

It is 88% Chardonnay and 12% Pinot Noir and the grapes were hand picked on September 4th  (Pinot Noir) and September 25th (Chardonnay). They avoided malolactic fermentation and the wine was aged for 5 months prior to clarification
and filtration. It was bottled in February 1996 and went through its second fermentation.

After 3 years, it was hand riddled and disgorged with a dosage of 10 grams per liter. 290 cases were produced.

Eyes: This sparkline wine is a medium-deep golden yellow with fairly fine bubbles.

Nose: Expectedly, this 1993 vintage had a nice nose of toasty yeast, with honey and subtle pear notes.

Tongue: Roasted pear and apricot predominate with nice hints of honey and an interesting, smokiness. It’s well balanced with racy acidity.

Food: We sipped it with imported French brie and Port Salut. I think it was a great pairing because the bubbles and acidity cut through the richness of the cheeses.

Price: $30

Overall: I enjoyed it but was left wanting a bit more complexity. It was a little flat (tasting not in terms of bubbles) and I can’t help but wonder how well taken care of it was in the wine shop.

Lenn’s Grade: B-/C+

Nena’s Grade: B+