The December 2015 wines for the New York Cork Club are shipping out to our members this week — so it’s time for me to tell you a bit about the picks.
Because this will be the last shipment of the year, I wanted to take a moment to thank you for being a member. It’s been a fun year of picking and shipping great and interesting wines to you. I hope you enjoy drinking them as much as I’ve enjoying selecting them every month.
This month, we’re doing something we’ve done before: pairing one of New York’s best-known producers with an up-and-comer that you probably haven’t even heard of.
N. Kendall Wines 2013 Pinot Noir — Here’s that label that you probably don’t know — and what a well-designed label it is. Nathan Kendall, who is also the winemaker at Villa Bellangelo, launched his eponymous label in 2011 and as with so many of the next generation of Finger Lakes winemakers, the focus is riesling and pinot noir. 35% whole cluster fermentation and 11 months in 3-4 year old barrels here result in a fresh, expressive wine that makes this a label to watch. Only 46 cases were produced.
Hermann J. Wiemer 2014 Chardonnay — You know Wiemer. Anyone who knows and drinks New York wine does. What you may not have known before this wine, however, is how winemaker Fred Merwarth’s deft touch in the cellar works with chardonnay. Quite simply one of the best values in New York wine, it’s fresh, clean and doesn’t have any of that pesky raw oak character. Instead, it’s fruit forward and floral with both concentrated fruit and crisp acidity. It’s the kind of wine that makes you wonder why more New York chardonnay can’t be this good.
I hope you enjoy these picks. If you haven’t yet, sign up today…