Posts Tagged“mattebella vineyards”

Mattebella Vineyards 2013 Steel Chardonnay

Lower- and no-oak chardonnay is getting a lot of attention in California these days — especially among the “New California” set — but this style of chardonnay has been popular for many years in Long Island wine country — and this is Mattebella Vineyards‘ first foray into the barrel-less chardonnay game. Mattebella Vineyards 2013 Steel Chardonnay ($20) smells like fresh pears and yellow apples with just a hint of sweet corn. Sometimes steel chardonnay can be a bit lean and tinny, but this one is fleshier than that with a gently creamy mid-palate. Fruit-forward and fairly direct, the palate is…

Continue Reading

Mattebella Vineyards 2009 Famiglia Chardonnay

Mattebella Vineyards 2009 Famiglia Chardonnay ($17) is a well-priced chardonnay that offers aromas of juicy pear, lemon-lime citrus and white flowers. Light-to-medium bodied, the palate delivers fruit flavors of pear and melon, with more citrus and a dusting of white pepper. Only a small percentage (under 20%) spent time in barrel, but that there is a touch of creaminess on the midpalate. Well-integrated, the acidity could be a bit more pronounced, but this wine is far from flabby. Producer: Mattebella Vineyards AVA: North Fork of Long Island ABV: 12.9% Price: $17*| Buy now from Empire State Cellars (3 out of 5, Very good/Recommended)

Continue Reading

Mattebella Vineyards NV Famiglia Red

Say what you will about Long Island wine prices, but I’ve recently tasted at least three reds for under $20 that I’d happily drink any day of the week, including this blend of merlot and cabernet franc — Mattebella Vineyards NV Famiglia Red ($17). Clean, ripe-but-not-over-ripe fruit — primarily black cherry and plum, is accented on the nose by a light sprinkling of spice and leaf tobacco. Lean and lively, the focused, medium-bodied palate shows similar fruit qualities as well as well-integrated lighter tannins, table-friendly acidity and a low oak footprint. There is a charming purity of fruit here that…

Continue Reading

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…

Continue Reading

Mattebella Vineyards NV Famiglia Red

By Lenn Thompson, Founder and Editor-in-Chief Yet another new producer has popped up on the North Fork — Mattebella Vineyards. Owned by Mark and Christine Tobin, and named for their children Matthew and Isabella, Mattebella Vineyards owns and operates a 15-acre vineyard that was planted in 1997 and 1998. Of the 15 acres, 6.5 acres are chardonnay, 6.5 are merlot and 2 are cabernet franc. Mark makes the wines with help from the experts at Premium Wine Group, and Christine makes the decisions in the vineyard. Prior to his four new releases, Mark sold fruit to other local producers. Now…

Continue Reading