As you know, I’m a little behind on several LENNDEVOURS-related projects (I have about half of the WBW #36 roundup done). But I wanted to quickly post about the wines I picked for the August shipment of the New York Cork Club, which is like a mini-trip to Alsace without leaving your house.
Because I love Finger Lakes riesling so much, I find it difficult to not pick one every month. I could do so easily…there are that many great ones available. Instead, I’ve been looking for a New York-born Gewürztraminer that you’ll love. I’ve tasted a lot of them, but so many are over-the-top in their floral character, tasting more like perfume than anything else.
When I tasted Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars 2006 Gewürztraminer ($18), I knew I had found what I was looking for. The nose has faint rose petal and lychee notes, but it’s the honeydew
melon, ginger, and blood oranges that really stand out.
Medium-to-full bodied and dry, the flavors are similar with loads of
melon and ginger with just subtle rose petals in the background. At 13.9% ABV, this
is a hefty wine for the region, but it’s not heavy or disjointed. Thai food is the cliche pairing for gewurzt, but I actually think it works perfectly with this one.
Lieb Family Cellars 2005 Pinot Blanc ($19) is just the most recent release of a wine I’ve loved for several years now. And, I think this 2005 is their best yet, and I’m glad we were able to get some before they sell out. This wine artfully reflects the intense ripeness of the vintage. Pale yellow with a green tinge, this wine is much more aromatic than previous vintages with clean, focused citrus and wet stone. Mouth-filling and "big" this could be easily mistaken for an Alsatian wine. Pears, citrus and hints of tropical fruit mingle on the palate with minerals and chalk. The long, elegant finish offers a salty tingle of acidity.
I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again: this is a new benchmark in North Fork pinot blanc, and I’d put it up against any Alsatian pinot blanc in the same price range.
So that’s that for August. I just hand-selected the September wines yesterday, and I think you’re going to love them as well…and there isn’t a riesling or cabernet franc involved. Instead, we’ve got a big, age-worthy red and a fun, drink-it-now white.
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