Posts Tagged“2007”

Lenz Winery 2007 “Old Vines” Cabernet Sauvignon

Should a region that is a mere 40 years old have wines that are labeled “Old Vines”? That’s a discussion for another day, I suppose, but the vines that lead to Lenz Winery 2007 “Old Vines” Cabernet Sauvignon ($40) are among the oldest cabernet vines on the North Fork. So, maybe it’s all relative? What is not up for debate is winemaker Eric Fry’s skill for making traditionally styled wines — rather than modern, polished ones — even in hot, dry years like 2007. This wine shows ripe fruit on the nose — mostly in the form of black cherry…

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Pellegrini Vineyards 2007 Reserve

Pellegrini Vineyards 2007 Reserve ($70) offers aromas of toasty oak, plum, prune and black cherry with hints of earthy, woodsy spice and vanilla. Full bodied and showing a bit of alcohol, the palate is ripe and concentrated, showing plum, blackberry and cherry flavors that are somewhat dominated by nutty oak. On days two and three, a bit of earthiness and spice crept forward, perhaps pointing to improvement in the future. For now, this wine isn’t nearly as good as the 2005 edition and is ultimately not a great value. Producer: Pellegrini Vineyards AVA: North Fork of Long Island Grapes: 41% merlot, 35%…

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Leo Family Wines 2007 Red

When someone asked me recently if I’d ever tasted Leo Family Wines 2007 Red ($40), I scoured this site for my review… and couldn’t find one. Anywhere. The answer is yes — I’ve had this wine numerous times, the first being a BYOB dinner I organized for a group of industry friends years ago, well before the wine was released (or even labeled). But, I’m not always as organized as I’d like to think, and apparently I never actually published a review. Black and blue fruits dominate the nose with notes of violets, graphite, cured meat and savory herbs. Ripe…

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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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Mattebella Vineyards 2007 Old World Blend

Mattebella Vineyards is a winery unknown to many — even North Fork wine fans — and that’s too bad. The wines are good, sometimes great, and it’s easy to respect and appreciate the lower-impact viticulture they are practicing. Though the vineyard was planted in 1997, owners Mark and Christine Tobin sold their crop for several years — choosing to work with wineries like Shinn Estate Vineyards, Paumanok Vineyards, and more recently, Anthony Nappa Wines. The Tobins didn’t release their first wine until 2008 and didn’t open their tasting cottage until the summer of 2011. As with many small wineries, Mattebella…

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Five Years After the Finger Lakes’ Worst Riesling Vintage in a Decade, Some Happy Surprises

What’s the worst riesling vintage of the past decade in the Finger Lakes? It’s an awkward question, given that winemakers in the Finger Lakes love to say that riesling performs beautifully in the regoin no matter the weather. That’s largely true, but it’s also a copout. I’m willing to say that 2007 is the worst riesling vintage of the decade. It was a year of heat and drought, and the result was a region dotted by stressed vines. For red wines, it was generally a success. But for riesling, the balance between ripe fruit and crackling acidity was much more…

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Macari Vineyards 2007 Reserve Merlot

Few expect a “jammy” component in Long Island wines, but the hot, dry 2007 vintage has led to a handful of wines with a decidedly jammy mid-palate. This wine, Macari Vineyards 2007 Reserve Merlot ($36) actually leans a bit in a different direction — away from sweet fruit and into the savory. With a nose that shows plum, cherry and raspberry qualities, an umami edge that is almost meaty is a welcome addition along with notes of dried herbs, clove, cinnamon and earth. Medium bodied and even restrained compared to many ‘reserve’ wines from the vintage, a bit of vanilla…

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Clovis Point 2007 Vintner’s Selection Merlot

Clovis Point is a North Fork producer that is quickly pushing itself onto the region’s short list of premium producers. The white wine portfolio is limited, but if you’re talking merlot and other red wines, Clovis Point is already on my must-visit list when people email me asking where they should taste. This wine, their Clovis Point 2007 Vinter’s Selection Merlot ($35) is a blend of 86% merlot, 6.5% cabernet sauvignon, 4% cabernet franc, 2.5% syrah and 1% petit verdot, is one that should put the winery on the map in a more substantial way. Complex and still young, the…

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Lenz Winery 2007 Estate Selection Merlot

If you’re looking for innovative, modern winemaking or flashy branding, The Lenz Winery probably isn’t for you. Lenz isn’t in the Long Island Wine Council and isn’t particularly active on channels like Facebook and Twitter. Instead, Lenz has relied on winemaker Eric Fry and his traditional, Old World-styled wines and the periodic, well-publicized blind tasting against top Boredeaux, to build its reputation. And it’s worked. Lenz has a devoted following and Eric’s reds are often among the most complex in the region. Carrying on a tradition of well-priced, age-worthy merlot, Lenz Winery 2007 Estate Selection Merlot ($24) offers aromas of…

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Roanoke Vineyards 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor Merlot dominates the Long Island wine landscape. It is the most-planted grape and the one that many wineries have built their red wine programs around — and with good reason. It ripens dependably and leads to some of the North Fork's best wines. Roanoke Vineyards makes merlot too of course — often very good merlot — but over time they've built a reputation for the consistent dependability and quality of their cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc, as well as blends based on those two grapes. There aren't many local cabernet sauvignon bottlings that I can…

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