Posts Written OnJune 2013

Pellegrini Vineyards 2007 Petit Verdot

Pellegrini Vineyards 2007 Petit Verdot ($40) offers intense aromas of cassis and blueberry fruit with notes of tobacco, toasty oak, dried mint and gamy grilled meat. Full bodied, but a bit hot on the finish, the palate has a nice minty edge to its burly dark fruit profile. Chewy, with grippy tannin and fairly high acid, the finish is very dry and a bit rustic — showing significant oak character and a lingering bitterness. On day two, the fruit had faded significantly, leaving the wine less balanced. Producer: Pellegrini Vineyards AVA: North Fork of Long Island ABV: 13.5% Price: $40* (2.5 out of 5,…

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Spout Creek Farm “Margie”

Having lived in the Hudson Valley for a number of years, I always keep an eye on the events and releases from Sprout Creek Farm in Poughkeepsie, NY. I have tasted and reviewed several of their cheeses, finding some of them to be good and tasty, to others that left me wanting more. Sprout Creek is an interesting find  as it is rather unexpected to maintain a working farm, educational center, market, and full-time cheese farm, right in the middle of a historic town. Maybe it is because I lived there for so long, but finding any sort of locavore culture…

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The New York Bus Tasting at the London International Wine Fair

As a prelude to a more in-depth look at the London International Wine Fair, on behalf of Wine Equals Friends, I’d like to present The New York Bus Tasting. On Monday May 20, leading members of the UK wine trade joined Kareem Massoud of Paumanok Vineyards, Bob Madill of Sheldrake Point & Red Newt Cellars and the Wine Equals Friends team to taste through some of New York State’s best wines. Attendees included Steven Spurrier (Decanter), Stephen Brook (Decanter, World of Fine Wine), Emily O’Hare (Head Sommelier, The River Café, London), Gerard Basset OBE, (Decanter Man of the Year 2013, Best Sommelier in the…

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