Posts Tagged“red blend”

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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The Red Hook Winery 2009 Pier Forty-One

I’ve had a difficult time finding much information online (or anywhere else) about this Red Hook Winery 2009 Pier Forty-One ($25), but from the front label I know that it is made by Robert Foley, one of two partners/consulting winemakers for the winery. And based on what I smell and taste, I think it probably a syrah-based blend. Black plum, cassis, black pepper and seared beef aromas are ‘lifted’ just a bit on the nose, leading into more big, black fruit on the palate with similar spicy, meaty accents. Though forward and showy, these flavors are framed by well-integrated, medium-intensity…

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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…

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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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Whitecliff Vineyard NV Red Trail

People think that I hate hybrids — but that just isn’t true. There are hybrid grapes that I think are pretty awful generally — I’m looking at you seyval blanc and traminette. But at the end of the day, if a wine tastes good, I don’t care what grape it’s made from. This wine tastes good, even if it’s a four-grape blend that includes three hybrids that I haven’t enjoyed much in the past. Whitecliff Vineyard NV Red Trail ($14) is a blend of dechaunac, frontenac, noiret and merlot — and the result is a spicy, easy-drinking red. Fresh strawberry…

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Vote for Red: Brooklyn Winery Places Its First Red Wines on the Ballot

Last night marked a historic moment in the short history of Brooklyn Winery. Framed by a timely election-themed backdrop, the first red wine grapes that entered the facility — still a construction site in 2010 — made their public debut as finished wines. The new portfolio of wines were unveiled as part of an exclusive sneak peek for “friends of the winery” — investors, neighbors and the like. The wines, like politicians, weren’t shy. Winemaker Conor McCormack deemed them “big reds,” and they lived up to their billings. The “candidates” were each introduced by pre-recorded stump speeches — humorous videos that extolled the platforms and…

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Shinn Estate Vineyards 2009 Wild Boar Doe

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again — Long Island wine lovers shouldn’t overlook the 2009 vintage. Sure, 2010 has been declared “the” vintage by many, but 2009’s long, warm, dry autumn rewarded those willing and able to let their reds hang into October and beyond. Wines like this one — Shinn Estate Vineyards 2009 Wild Boar Doe ($30), a blend of 40% merlot, 23% cabernet sauvignon, 17% malbec, 15% petit verdot and 5% cabernet franc — are proof. I’ve tasted several vintages of WBD and this might be my favorite. Layered and somewhat brooding, the nose offers blackberry, cassis and…

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Benmarl Winery 2010 Slate Hill Red

Benmarl Winery 2010 Slate Hill Red ($19), a blend of merlot, cabernet franc, petite verdot and malbec source primarily from Long Island, shows aromas of plums, cherries, dried herbs and raw oak on a slightly underripe nose. Soft and approachable, the palate is low on tannins but has just enough acidity to provide some structure. It’s plummy with dried herbs and leaves on the finish. Simple and solid, but unremarkable. Producer: Benmarl Winery AVA: New York ABV: 13% Price: $19*   (2 out of 5, Average)

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Shinn Estate Vineyards NV Red

There are perilously few Long Island red wines under $20 that I find consistently palatable. Most often made from hard press fractions and leftovers, they can be incredibly inconsistent, bitter, under-ripe or just plain not very good. Shinn Estate Vineayrds NV Red ($17) isn’t always good — the blend, and even the grapes used in the blend — varies from version to version. And unless you’re buying it directly from the winery and can ask, it’s difficult to know which NV edition you’re buying. The current release, however, is a nice, carafe-style red well suited to casual meals. You can even…

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