By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief Photos courtesy of Lieb Family Cellars A quick harvest update from Lieb Family Cellars marketing director, Melissa Schwartz: "We brought in 3 tons of merlot on Tuessday, November 3 around 3:30 p.m. The fruit came in at 21.5 brix. We had previously harvested 10 tons for white merlot and rosé on October 5 at 20 brix. In total we harvested 13 tons of merlot, down from 30 tons last year. Although, after the white merlot harvest we did drop fruit to try and help quality." I'm sure that Lieb Cellars isn't the only winery to bring…
Posts Written OnNovember 10, 2009
Roanoke Vineyards 2005 Merlot
By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief Rich Pisacano, co-owner of Roanoke Vineyards, is a cabernet sauvignon guy, and he and consulting winemaker Roman Roth make some of Long Island's most consistently good cabernet-based wines — no small feat in a cool climate region. But as good as those cabernets can be, this is still Long Island, where merlot still rules. Not surprisingly, the Roanoke Vineyards merlots can be standouts as well. Even in its youth, this Roanoke Vineyards 2005 Merlot ($45/sold out) shows depth and complexity on a nose where black plum, blackberry and blueberry fruit aromas mingle with those of licorice,…
Picking Cabernet Franc: A Family and Friends Affair
By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief Sunday morning, I was joined by several New York Cork Report readers, other bloggers and their families to pick cabernet franc grapes at Raphael as a part of the 'Sonis Cellars 2009 harvest (read more about my ongoing 'Sonis Cellars project). It was a truly perfect, sunny, mild day for picking and I think the group had a great time. I shot video throughout the day and put together this clip that I hope captures the fun of the day — especially the fun that my son, Jackson, had helping out. You'll no doubt notice a…
What We Drank (November 10, 2009)
As I, and no doubt you, have come to expect, we're drinking a wide array of beverages from a diverse group of locales. Some were better than others of course. From Lenn Thompson: Shinn Estate Vineyards 2008 Haven The folks from Shinn Estate Vineyards are good at proving me wrong. Okay, that's probably an overstatement, but they sure are good at keeping me honest about making generalizations. I shouldn't make them at all. I thought that some wineries went overboard in 2005, trying to make wines that aren't true to the region and its signature style. Shinn's 2005 show restraint…
Standing Stone Vineyards 2007 Pinot Noir
By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief As you learned in Jason Feulner's recent post, Standing Stone Vineyards stands today where Gold Seal Wine Company and two Frenchmen, Guy DeVaux and Charles Fournier, first experimented with vinifera varieties on Seneca Lake. As Jason said, the winery has built a reputation in a few categories. I know them best from tasting several of their dessert wines over the years, many of which are tremendous values. This is the first pinot noir I've tasted, and there is a lot to like here. The heat of the 2007 is on full display here, the nose is…