I’ve never met Pellegrini Vineyards’ winemaker Russell
Hearn. But through his wines, I feel a certain welcome familiarity.
From my very first sip of his Vinter’s Pride Encore – a rich, complex
blend of red varietals – a few years ago, I’ve been a member of his fan
club, and I’ve enjoyed numerous visits to the Pellegrini tasting room
ever since.

Australian born, Hearn began his winemaking career at the age of 16 and
brought his substantial talents to the North Fork in 1991 when
Pellegrini Vineyards first opened. By combining traditional methods
with some of the East Coat’s most advanced equipment, he consistently
makes top quality wines, including chardonnay, merlot, cabernet
sauvignon and cabernet franc.

And his rosé, a blend of cabernet and petit verdot grapes, was my
favorite in a Long Island pink wine blind tasting I hosted last
February.

But Pellegrini is much more than just wine. The tasting room is one of
my favorites, with a beautiful courtyard that is the perfect place to
host a large party or wedding, and a separate vine-side patio, with
just a few tables, that is one of my favorite spots in our local wine
country on a weekend afternoon.

Let’s not forget about the wines though. Last week I tasted two of
Hearn’s current releases – a satisfying red that is welcome on my table
any time, and a full-flavored dessert wine.

The Pellegrini Vineyards 2001 Cabernet Franc ($18) is a deep, plum
color in the glass and offers raspberry, black cherry and spice in an
impressive, expressive nose. Relatively low in tannins and somewhat
juicy, the palate is ripe with raspberry accented by spicy white
pepper, faint oak notes and mint on a elegant, slightly lingering
finish. As I often say, merlot is pushed as our region’s preeminent
varietal, but I’ll take a cab franc like this one any day. Serve it
with spice-rubbed grilled porterhouse or other well-seasoned meats.

Next, I tasted Pellegrini Vineyards Finale Bin 1331 ($26), a deep
golden-hued ice wine made from frozen Gewurtztraminer and Sauvignon
Blanc grapes. Even with a small pour, this dessert wine is richly
aromatic with lychee, honey and candied orange peel aromas that burst
from the glass. The acidity cuts through the sweetness, keeping it from
being cloying, while honey, citrus and vanilla flavors fill and mingle
in the mouth. Drink it only slightly chilled and while it would
probably go well with toasted nuts and simple, less-sweet desserts, I
prefer it alone.

This summer, Pellegrini and Juan Micieli-Martinez, the production
winemaker, have also started the “Pellegrini Vineyards Wine Education
Series” with the first session: “Sensory Training, Tour and Tasting.” I
plan to attend an upcoming class to tour the facilities, speak with
Micieli-Martinez, taste the wines and maybe sharpen my nostrils and
palate a little bit.

Each class is about two hours and participants get 20 percent off wine
purchases. At $25 per person, it’s really a steal. Most wine tasting
classes cost more than double that and don’t offer the discount.
Reservations are required. Call 734-4111.

(This story appeared originally in the 8/5/05 issue of Dan’s Papers)