Onabay Vineyards 2006 "Night Heron" Merlot ($25) is a blend of 86% merlot, 9% cabernet franc and 5% syrah. That syrah worried me a bit because Long Island syrah, particularly in a cooler year like 2006, doesn't often impress.. But I had no reason for concern. I like this wine quite a bit. A nicely extracted medium-dark garnet, the nose offers nice dark fruit aromas of black cherry, black berry and even a little blueberry, accented by basil, thyme and a little smokiness. That same dark fruit character, black cherry and black raspberry this time, leads on an elegant, medium-bodied…
Posts Written OnJanuary 22, 2009
Quick Q&A with Kristop Brown, Winemaker, Benmarl Winery
The Hudson River Valley is a sometimes-forgotten wine region in New York, often losing out to Long Island and the Finger Lakes for the attention of writers and much of the wine-drinking populace. But there is an emerging group of quality-focused producers in the region. One winery making some very good wines is Benmarl Winery, which boasts what may be the oldest vineyard in the United States, dating back to the 1770s. Today, we sit down with Benmarl's winemaker, Kristop Brown, to learn a bit more about him. What (and where) was the first bottle of wine you remember drinking?…
New York Sparkling, Dessert and Table Wines Receive Accolades
Several New York wines have received impressive accolades in recent weeks. So, just in case you missed it: Sparkling Pointe's 2000 Brut Seduction ($55/review coming soon) was named Best Sparkling Wine at the San Francisco Chronicle's 2009 Wine Competition. Winemaker Gilles Martin is well known for his bubbly and this is an impressive win given the CA-dominated category. Martin's 2004 Brut and two bubblies from Chateau Frank in the Finger Lakes also did well. Casa Larga's 2006 Fiori Vidal Ice Wine ($35/review coming soon) was recently chosen as the "World's Best Dessert Wine" at the 2008 International Wine & Spirits…