Posts Tagged“2007”

Paumanok Vineyards 2007 Merlot

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor Paumanok Vineyards' "regular" merlot bottling, informally known as the "white label merlot" is one of Long Island's most values — particularly from warmer, dryer years (think 2005 and 2007 recently). No, at $24, it won't satisfy those who lament the region's lack of $15 standouts, but know this: it over-delivers for that $24. The nose is ripe and complex, showing fruit aromas of black cherry, plum and cassis as well as notes of dried autumn leaves and dried thyme. Medium-bodied and at once ripe and lithe, the palate delivers fruit flavors that closely match the…

Shinn Estate Vineyards 2007 “Rebellion” Merlot

By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief As a category "natural" wines are hot in the wine world, but they aren't necessarily easily defined. Ask ten people what "natural" means and you'll get at least five answers. One common thread, however, is a reliance on naturally occurring, 'wild' yeasts for fermentation rather than inoculating the must with a strain of the winemaker's choosing. A handful of Long Island producers are experimenting with native yeast fermentations, including Raphael, Channing Daughters, Onabay Vineyards and the makers of this wine, Shinn Estate Vineyards. Shinn Estate Vineyards 2007 "Rebellion" Estate Merlot ($25) is 100% estate-grown merlot that…

Billsboro Winery 2007 Pinot Noir

By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief Don't let Vinny Aliperti, co-owner and winemaker at Billsboro Winery, fool you with his humble, laid back personality. He makes serious wines, both at Billsboro and at his 'day job' as winemaker at Atwater Estate Vineyards. Maybe its that laid-back personality that somehow keeps him and his wines just under the radar, but his are wines worth drinking and keeping an eye on. Of the half dozen 2007 Finger Lakes pinot noirs that I tasted recently, none showed a balance of fruit, oak, tannin and acid the that his Billsboro Winery 2007 Pinot Noir ($22) did.…

Heron Hill Winery 2007 Pinot Noir Reserve

By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief There is little doubt that riesling rules the Finger Lakes roost, but what grape will be the one on which the region's red grape reputation will be built? The jury is still out I think. Some say cabernet franc. Other content that Blaufrankisch is the grape. Many blend the two in what might be a signature red blend. Maybe it'll even be a hybrid, though the potential is probably limited there. Then you have a small, dedicated group of growers and winemakers who think that pinot noir shows the most potential — but only in the…

Osprey’s Dominion Vineyards 2007 Pinot Noir

By Lenn Thompson, Editor and Publisher Of the 40 or so producers on Long Island, only a handful make pinot noir, and of that handful and even smaller group does it well. Osprey's Dominion Vineyards made one of the best in the 2005 vintage, one of the better vintages in the relatively brief history of Long Island wine. Winemaker Adam Suprenant didn't bother making it 2006 and with good reason, it wasn't a great year for reds. But Osprey's varietal pinot noir made a return with the warm, dry 2007 growing season. That ripeness certainly isn't hidden at all. This…

Pindar Vineyards 2007 Peacock Chardonnay

By Lenn Thompson, Editor and Publisher Because I have to taste several Kosher wines for WBW #56 tomorrow, today's review is going to be a quick one for a simple, but solid Pindar Vineyards 2007 Peacock Chardonnay ($11). This chardonnay was ermented in stainless steel and with an unknown amount of oak aging (the website doesn't say), this wine is very fruity on the nose with pineapple and pear aromas backed by hints vanilla and even some citrus blossom. As I said, simple, but solidly made, the palate is medium-bodied with more pear-pineapple flavors, a bit more vanilla and just…

Red, With Envy: Assessing 2007 Finger Lakes Reds

Evan Dawson, our intrepid Finger Lakes wine guy, working the bottling line at Fox Run Winery By Evan Dawson, Finger Lakes CorrespondentPhoto by Peter Bell Men — married men, especially — are all too familiar with the unforeseen blunder, the deleterious effects, of saying something like this: "Honey, you look really nice today!" What begins as a compliment is quickly met with, "And what do I look like most days?" This is essentially the problem facing Finger Lakes wineries regarding the 2007 reds. The palpable excitement is met with caution, especially from business owners and marketers. Many would love to…

Hosmer Winery 2007 Riesling

Is there anything better than driving through wine country, stopping off at a winery that you hadn't planned to visit, and discovering a gem? It's one of the wine world's great joys and it happened to me and Nena on our last day in the Finger Lakes a few weeks ago. As we drove up the western side of Cayuga Lake, we spotted a sign for Hosmer Winery. The winery we had planned to visit wasn't open yet, so we stopped in at Hosmer… and we're glad that we did. The wines impressed almost across the board. This was one…

Finger Lakes Harvest 2007: Excellent for Reds, Hopeful for Whites

By Finger Lakes Correspondent Jason Feulner  "The intense flavors just burst in your mouth," explains Phil Davis of Damiani Wine Cellars, describing the qualities of the red vinifera grapes he harvested and tasted in the fall of 2007. "The juice is dark and complex and shows a lot of potential." Davis is one of many Finger Lakes winemakers who are extolling the virtues of the 2007 harvest, which they claim may lead to one of the best Finger Lakes vintages in many years. The weather certainly was unique. A dry spring led to a very dry summer; the growing season…

The 2007 Vintage and Howard Goldberg, the Wine Curmudgeon

Over the weekend, you may have seen Howard Goldberg’s "Long Island Vines" column in the New York Times, which focuses on Long Island’s 2007 vintage and it’s potential quality. He starts the column with quotes from Charles Massoud of Paumanok Vineyards and Roman Roth of Wolffer Estate, two of Long Island’s most respected vintners. The quotes mirrored what I’ve heard from local grape growers and winemakers. John Levenberg, winemaker at Bedell Cellars told me that 2007 was a "a great growing season with plenty of heat and good sunshine, punctuated by bouts of rain that happened upon us when our…