Posts Tagged“white blend”

Barry Family Cellars 2014 “Pastiche” White Blend

When veteran Finger Lakes winemaker Ian Barry started Barry Family Cellars with his family back in 2011, he planned to focus on a core portfolio of riesling, chardonnay, pinot noir and cabernet franc, while also affording himself the ability tinker and experiment here and there with other grapes and techniques along the way. If any of the wines that resulted from those trials stood out, maybe he’d add to that core group of wines. If my last name were Barry, I’d be pushing for Barry Family Cellars 2014 Pastiche ($22) to join the permanent lineup. It’s one of the best non-riesling Finger Lakes white wines…

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Lieb Cellars 2013 Bridge Lane White Blend

A few weeks ago, Lieb Cellars announced and started rolling out a portfolio-wide rebranding. Perhaps the most visible change is to the winery’s second-label “Bridge Lane” brand. The brand’s new look and logo offer a not-at-all-subtle hint as to the biggest news — several of the wines will now be available in bottle, in 3L bag-in-box and also in disposable kegs. Look for a post on the rebranding soon, today let’s focus on Lieb Cellars 2013 Bridge Lane White Blend, which is $20 per bottle but $48 for a box (the equivalent of four bottles). It’s a blend of 26% pinot blanc,…

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Shinn Estate Vineyards 2012 Haven

After tasting Shinn Estate Vineyards‘ sauvignon blanc-based wines for several vintages now, it is clear that vineyard manager and co-owner Barbara Shinn has a way with the grape and that her piece of land is well suited to the variety. First Fruit, the winery’s steel-fermented sauvignon blanc is a perennial favorite — crunchy with acidity, citrusy, herb-y and faintly saline. Their Haven bottling is a completely different wine, and not just because it has some semillon blended in. The juice that becomes Haven spends extended time on the skins before being fermented by ambient yeasts in French oak. The result is…

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Robibero Family Vineyards 2012 “87 North”

This blend of 50% vidal and 50% cayuga (grown on the east side of Seneca Lake) is a great example of what is possible with white hybrid blends. Robibero Family Vineyards 2012 “87 North” ($16) is citrusy on the nose — mainly grapefruit and lemon — with a bit of canary melon and citrus blossom. Fruity and medium-light bodied, the palate is super-fresh with straight forward sweet melon and citrus flavors and spritzy acidity. The finish is a bit abrupt and shows a bit of pithy bitterness, this is a fun summer wine. If it were $13 like it was in…

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Channing Daughters Winery 2010 Mosaico

  Winemaker Christopher Tracy makes some of Long Island’s most unique wines. Being unique isn’t enough — a wine has to be delicious to earn my attention. Channing Daughers Winery 2010 Mosaico ($29) is a field blend — from part of the winery’s Sylvanus Vineyard in Bridgehampton — that was fermented with ambient yeast. Made up of 32% pinot grigio, 29% chardonnay, 14% sauvignon blanc, 10% muscat ottonel, 7% tocai friulano and 8% gewurztraminer that was fermented mostly in stainless steel (86%) with 14% fermented in new French oak. The muscat and gewurztraminer were fermented on their skins and blended…

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Palaia Vineyards 2011 “Hello my name is Irene” (White Blend)

As you may remember, 2011 was a tough growing season in the Hudson River Region — mostly because of Hurricane Irene. Winemakers — like all people, really — deal with disasters differently. Jan Palaggi, owner/winemaker at Palaia Vineyards took what lemons she could find and made a bit of lemonade. When nearby Woodbury Creek flooded most of her vineyards, she most of her grape crop “Any grapes that were on the vine, rotted, or had to be cut off because the trellis either fell over or washed away,” she told me in a recent email. “People kept asking me if…

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Benmarl Winery 2009 Slate Hill White

You don’t see many blends of chardonnay, riesling and traminette, but that’s what Benmarl Winery puts together to create it’s Benmarl Winery 2009 Slate Hill White ($17). The riesling (30%) and traminette (5%) aren’t overt, but no-doubt contribute subtle complexity and acidity. Pear, apple and pineapple fruit aromas dominate the note with subtle lemon and lemon zest notes. That pineapple character steps forward on the medium-bodied, well-balance palate, with pear and sweet lemon notes in the background. Simple and overtly fruity, it has a round mid-palate that is kept fresh with acidity, leading into a medium-length finish. At $17, I want a…

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Palmer Vineyards 2011 Aromatico

Miguel Martin, Spanish-born winemaker at Palmer Vineyards, flies under the radar. Instead of grabbing headlines or a lot of attention,  he simply works hard in the vineyard and cellar to not only produce impressives wines from the grapes you’d expect on the North Fork — grapes like cabernet franc, sauvignon blanc and pinot blanc — but also from those you might not expect, like New York’s first Albarino, which he introduced last spring. With Palmer Vineyards 2011 Aromatico ($25 per 500-ml bottle), Miguel adds to the unexpected end of roster. A blend of 72% muscat canelli and 28% malvasia, you…

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Silver Thread Vineyard 2011 Good Earth White

When Paul and Shannon Brock purchased Silver Thread Vineyard last summer, I immediately wondered about their first vintage and wines. 2011 was a challenge for even the most experienced growers — growers who had been taking care of their vines for the entire growing season. The Brocks came in in what amounts to the fourth quarter of the game. Having tasted a few of Paul’s first wines (he’s the winemaker), those worries seem to be unwarranted. The Silver Thread 2011s deliver the same bright, clean flavors as many of those he made at Lamoreaux Landing a few years ago. Silver Thread…

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Channing Daughters Winery 2010 Sylvanus

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor This field blend of 60% muscat ottonel, 30% pinot grigio and 10% pinot bianco shows the sweet-fruity and floral aromas you'd expect from so much muscat — apple blossoms, candied lemons and orange peel, and lemon verbena. The palate is medium-bodied and juicy in its lemon-and-orange fruitiness, with some slightly bitter grapefruit pith and a melange of flowers. As it warms a bit, notes of persimmon and brown spice peek from beneath the citrus. The finish shows nice length but a bit more acid would bring focus and clean it up a bit. Producer: Channing…

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