New York Cork Report

Sparkling Pointe and Pork Belly Benedict Take Over at Wading River's La Plage

By Dave Seel, Long Island Food Correspondent

It seems every time I decide to eat at La Plage, I can’t remember how to get there. It’s somewhere near Wading River by the beach, hence the name “La Plage,” but the exact route I take always seems to allude me. Eventually though, I do happen upon Sound Road that winds me to the small restaurant.

For years now, Chef Wayne Wadington has been making waves across the North Shore with his eclectic, French-inspired cuisine. Clean, straightforward and always delicious, Wadington's food is based upon fresh, seasonal ingredients. Recently, my wife and I visited for their Valentine’s Champagne Brunch with Sparkling Pointe, Long Island’s sparkling wine-only winery.

While I have yet to visit Sparkling Pointe’s North Fork tasting room, I’ve become a fan of their sparkling wines from various tasting events around the region.

We started the brunch off with their 2007 Brut. A pale sparkling wine, it has a wonderful, balanced texture with notes of apple and pear. This was paired with gougeres as an amuse bouche. Unfortunately, the small puff alone did little to “amuse” our palate. The flavor was a bit milder than I like in gougeres. However, this mild cheese taste did help to highlight the wine, and thus served its purpose. 

We both chose the homemade lobster ravioli as our next course. I always jump at the chance to try a chef’s homemade pasta and Chef Wadington’s did not disappoint. Homemade pasta has a wonderful soft, delicate texture when made well. The ravioli melted in our mouths, giving way to delicious buttery lobster. The tomato-based sauce, created with a homemade seafood stock, had a nice creamy, briny taste that complemented the lobster perfectly.

The course was accompanied with Sparkling Pointe’s 2006 Blanc De Blancs. A beautiful golden color, this wine surprisingly held up to the brininess of the sauce and its almond, pear, and buttery notes paired perfectly with the lobster.

The best moment of the meal arrived with my main course: Berkshire pork belly eggs benedict. I still have dreams of this dish. Seriously. I do.

Crisp, smoked, maple-syrup glazed pork belly topped with perfectly poached eggs and a rich hollandaise sauce. It was eggs benedict-meets eggs with bacon, taken to a whole new level. Again, the dish was simple, but the flavor was astounding.

 

My wife’s main course was a bit more befuddling. She ordered the char-grilled yellow fin tuna salad Nicoise style. Hoping to receive a beautiful Nicoise salad topped with a piece of lightly grilled tuna, she was disappointed to see the tuna had been “mayonnaised”. Coming from a mid-western family who puts mayo on everything, she was less than thrilled. So I shared my glorious pork belly with her, which turned out to be enough for both of us.

 

I ate the rest of the salad, which was actually quite good. The grilled flavor of the tuna made it through the mayo and it was a fresh addition to the richness of the pork belly.

The main course was paired with one of Sparkling Pointe’s top wines, their 2002 Brut Seduction. Again, I was impressed when this sparkling wine stood up to the richness of my pork dish. With notes of ginger and apple, the velvety mouth feel gave a light, but flavorful complement to the savory and sweet pork belly.

We finished off the meal with a passion fruit ice cream sundae and a final tasting of Sparkling Pointe’s NV Cuvee Carnivale. The cuvee is a slighty sweeter-style sparkling wine, which generally I’m don’t prefer, but was a nice touch with our dessert. The citrus and floral notes paired well with the sweet vanilla and fruit flavors of the sundae.

Finishing with an espresso, we chatted with Sparkling Pointe winemaker, Gilles Martin. We learned Martin is now working on a 100% pinot sparkling wine to be released in the coming months. He is also hosting many tasting dinners across the region as well as at the Sparkling Pointe tasting room. It’s indicative of their commitment to making sparkling wine accessible to many palates.

After the meal, we took a short walk on the beach to take in the whole experience. The reminiscence of sparkling wine combined perfectly with the salty air of the Long Island Sound. One of the wonderful aspects of La Plage is the reflection of its place along the water in its cuisine. Alongside the beach, it merges the sea and land on a plate bringing the flavors of French cuisine and Long Island ingredients to life. Whether visiting for brunch or dinner, it’s a wonderful spot for an adventure…if you can find it, that is.

Is Wine Tasting a Family-Friendly Endeavor?

By Tracy Weiss, New York City/Long Island Correspondent
Photo by Erika Bocknek

A wine tasting experience is a sum of its parts. As I sip and swirl and slurp, the wine can only be enhanced or diminished by the elements around me. The silent quaint town of Bouzy on Easter Sunday brought the liquid gold of Paul Clouet’s Grand Cru to legendary status. A simple table wine in Barcelona was elevated when paired with tapas in a rustic café and shared with the restaurant’s owner.

I’m the oenophile who remembers more than the notes or structure or acidity after sampling. My memory is made cementing details of where I was when I tried the wine and whom I was with.

Therefore, it’s a shame the wines I liked from my first trip to Raphael -- the sauvignon blanc, La Fontana and cabernet franc -- will be marred by the attitudes I encountered from other patrons. I wasn’t speaking too loud of drinking too quickly. For the first time in my long drinking career, my group visited a winery with a new kind of companions: toddlers.

For the record, I am childless. My husband and I enjoy the freedom of going where we want, when we want. So when two of my girlfriends, their husbands and combined three children visited the East End for the first time last weekend, I painstakingly planned the day. Between Nap #1 and Nap #2, but before kiddie dinner, we’d try our luck at just a single winery.

We chose Raphael in Peconic having had their cabernet franc before and because it was nearby. If one of the kids had some sort of break down, we’d whisk them away as to not harass others enjoying their Saturday. We planned man-to-man defense and how we’d taste while distracting tiny hands from shiny wine goblets. From the website, we noted the venue was large and open. I decided wide enclosed spaces were probably safer than allowing munchkins the run of the deck at Corey Creek or somewhere similar.

Armed with some sort of organic goldfish crackers and sippy cups, we were off.

The chandeliers and ‘castle’ atmosphere of Raphael were a big hit with the almost two-year-old twins. I may have spun some sort of lie about Cinderella living there. The wrought iron tasting tables and chairs were a good fit for our group. Plentiful and not very breakable. We penned the 10-month old inside our circle of chairs and allowed him to crawl on the cold stone floor. He loved crossing the empty space from one parent to the other.

I fought my way to the bar and waited patiently. It took a while, as there were only two people to help hordes, but we managed to snag most of the tasting list. As we took our first sips of sauvignon blanc, one of the kids felt left out without a glass of her own. Water was secured and we all clinked glasses, plastic or not.

Glancing around me, I noticed a four top slightly behind us get up and move tables. Then, we started receiving death glares from a couple across the room. I couldn’t understand what prompted this….and I’m usually on their side! As a non-parent and someone who rankles at badly behaved kids in adult-type places, I sincerely couldn’t figure it out. We went out of our way to ensure the toddlers weren’t wreaking havoc on the tasting room. There was no pulling down of wine bottles or throwing of corks. They barely made a peep. Diapers remained clean. Did they disapprove pre-emptively before any nuisances could begin? Or this a deeper-seeded issue?

I am in awe of my friends turned parents. I appreciated how they kept the brood in check without yelling or calling attention. When they couldn’t contain their energy any longer, we took the walking ones outside to run circles around the winter-bare vines. Rambunctious children hanging out in places other than the playground can sometimes cause disaster, but on this day, the little people were better behaved than some of the drunken bus tasters I’ve seen on the North Fork.

If kids are shown how to act when they’re kids, perhaps they’re more likely to understand social graces as adults.

My beef has very little do to with the winery. I was simply surprised by the whispers and obvious annoyance from the crowd. And sadly, when I look back on my tasting experience THAT is what I remember. Not the blackberry blend of La Fontana or the slight rosemary tint of their cab franc.

Do you think wineries are a place for families? Or do you think kids should be banned?

The 2011 New York Cork Report Wines of the Year

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

I think I can speak for my fellow editors and contributors when I say that our 2011 Wines of the Year tasting was a fun, challenging and inspiring day of 16 wine tasting flights.

I always come away with myriad story ideas swirling in my head after this tasting. This year is no different. Look for pieces from the team over the next few weeks. 

But today, we announce the winners -- including our first-ever New York Wine of the Year, Peconic Bay Winery 2007 Lowerre Family Estate.

Our 2011 Regional Wines of the Year are:

White Wines

Hudson Valley White Wine: Oak Summit Vineyard 2010 Chardonnay
Finger Lakes White Wine: Hermann J. Wiemer 2010 Riesling Dry Reserve
Long Island White Wine: Paumanok Vineyards 2010 Sauvignon Blanc
Niagara White: Eveningside Vineyards 2010 Reserve Chardonnay

Sparkling Wines

Finger Lakes Sparkling: Chateau Frank 2006 Blanc de Noir
Long Island Sparkling: Lenz Winery 2005 Cuvee

Red Wines

Hudson Valley Red: Tousey Winery 2010 Cabernet Franc
Niagara Red: Arrowhead Spring Vineyards 2010 Pinot Noir
Finger Lakes Red: Billsboro Winery 2010 Syrah
Long Island Merlot: Paumanok Vineyards 2007 Merlot
Long Island Other Red: Peconic Bay Winery 2007 Lowerre Family Estate

Dessert Wines

Finger Lakes Dessert Wine: Atwater Estate Vineyards 2010 Celsius
Long Island Dessert Wine: Wolffer Estate 2009 Laica

After we tasted each of these flights, the style winners were re-poured and tasted together to choose state-wide winners -- but only if the voting wine editors were unanimous. That happened twice this year:

New York Sparkling Wine of the Year: Chateau Frank 2006 Blanc de Noir
New York Red Wine of the Year: Peconic Bay Winery 2007 Lowerre Family Estate

Then, after a lengthy discussion, we decided unanimously that the Peconic Bay Winery 2007 Lowerre Family Estate was deserving of being named the 2011 New York Cork Report Wine of the Year. We'll have a post later this week about the discussion and why we chose this year and this wine.

Congratulations to all of the winners -- and keep an eye on the site for most post-tasting coverage.

 

T'Jara Vineyards Joins Long Island Merlot Alliance

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

Yesterday, the Long Island Merlot Alliance (LIMA) announced that T’Jara Vineyards label has joined the merlot promotion group.

That means that two barrels of 2010 T’Jara merlot will be included in the 2010 Merliance, LIMA’s cooperative merlot blend.

T’Jara is a brand created by winemaker Russell Hearn and business partner Jed Beitler, who together own T’Jara Vineyards -- an established vineyard in in Mattituck, NY. T'Jara  released two 2007 vintage wines, a Merlot and Merlot-based blend, in late 2011.

According to the press release, “T’Jara is the phonetic spelling of an aboriginal word that, roughly translated, means ‘where I’m from.’ We wanted our wines to convey a definite sense of place—Long Island’s East End.”

It's no surprise that T'Jara has joined LIMA -- Russell is also the winemaker at Pellegrini Vineyards, one of LIMA's founding members.

Beyond the blending and making of Merliance every year, LIMA has largely been an event-focused organization, organizing tasting events that pit member merlots against merlots from other regions.

 

With the addition of T’Jara Vineyards, the Long Island Merlot Alliance has six members, including Clovis Point, McCall Wines, Raphael, Sherwood House Vineyards and Wölffer Estate Vineyard.

Peconic Bay Winery 2009 "La Barrique" Chardonnay

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

Yes, another North Fork chardonnay. A barrel-fermented one at that -- thus the name "La Barrique." But wait. It's not what you think. This is the rare barrel-affected chardonnay that I willingly went back to after my tasting was finished. I had two glasses, in fact.

It almost makes me hate winemaker Greg Gove for proving my boredom over local chardonnay wrong.

Aromas of pineapple, Golden Delicious apple, vanilla, and lemon verbena are accented by just a hint of butter. Overly toasty or raw oak just isn't part of the equation.

Mouth-filling but very well balanced, the palate shows similar character to the nose, but with a creamy mid-palate replacing any obvious butter and a bit of sweet oak mingling with light vanilla and cooked sugar flavors. The finish is long with an acidic edge and hints of citrus zest.

Though still not a style or wine I'd reach for regularly, this is a very well-made wine.

Producer: Peconic Bay Winery
AVA: North Fork of Long Island
ABV: 12.9%   
Price: $24*
  

(4 out of 5 | Outstanding and Delicious, Highly Recommended)

(*Ratings Guide)

7 Questions with....Regan Meador, Assistant Winemaker, Osprey's Dominion Winery

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

I have yet to meet Regan Meador, assistant winemaker at Osprey's Dominion Winery -- in person at least.

As is so common these days, he and I got acquainted via Twitter before he left his white collar job in Manhattan for good and moved to the North Fork to make wine. We keep saying that we're going to meet up for a glass or a pint or five, but it hasn't happened yet.

In the interim, I've asked him our standard set of seven questions...

What event/bottle/etc made you decide that you wanted to be in the wine industry?
It’s a collective of experiences that led me here. But the seminal moment came after days and years in finance, the music business and then advertising and marketing, one day I found myself monitoring a focus group for a client, a major beer brand, and I couldn’t help but notice how disinterested our group was with what we and everyone else in the business was selling. My own disinterest made this even worse. I was tired of selling people crappy beer. I was tired of selling people on something I had no hand in actually making. I was tired of just selling people. I wanted to get my hands dirty. That night I enrolled in courses at U.C. Davis, months later I quit my job and now here I am.

What (and where) was the first bottle of wine you remember drinking?
It was an unknown bottle of California Merlot in 1990 (which puts me at around 10 years old); a bottle that was stolen from my parents (sorry, Mom and Dad) along with a few cans of Miller Light (you’re welcome, Mom and Dad). My accomplice ended up drinking the beer and I couldn’t get enough of the wine. I still remember sitting in the middle of that field, the taste of that wine.

Which of your current wines is your favorite and why?
I’m digging through our few Carmeneres. It’s such a bastard varietal: a dream one year, only to turn around and give you the business the next, but one of my favorites.

What has surprised you most about being a member of the New York wine community?
First let me caveat that I’m new here, but for me it’s the dichotomy. On the one hand it’s incredibly gracious and collaborative, yet at the same time it can be quite competitive and cagey. I find this to be a beautiful thing… it can push a region forward, it makes things interesting, it’s healthy.

Other than your own wines, what wine/beer/liquor most often fills your glass?
I have a consistency problem when it comes to alcohol. I’ve been drinking/thinking/dreaming about Languedoc lately. I like its incongruity, the rough edges. Just had a bottle of Roanoke’s 07 Blend 2 that greatly saddened me once it was finished. As for not wine, a rare pleasure is Compass Box’s Peat Monster on cold nights.

Is there a 'classic' wine or wine and food pairing that you just can't make yourself enjoy?
Chardonnay... with anything.

Wine enjoyment is about more than just the wine itself. Describe the combination of wine, locations, food, company, etc. that would make (or has made) for the ultimate wine-drinking experience.
It’s that rare special crescendo during a dinner party, at a bar with a perfect stranger or just on the couch with a friend or loved one, that occurs right around the middle of the third glass. Where the conversation hits that perfect pitch, that moment of clarity, where world problems are solved, famine is cured, love is discovered. Where everything makes sense…. until we oblige that fourth glass and forget it all…

The New York Cork Report 2011 Wines of the Year Finalists

The winners from our 2010 Wines of the Year tasting (Photo by Morgan Dawson Photography) 

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

This is the third year of our New York Cork Report "Wines of the Year" program and over the past several weeks, my colleagues Bryan Calandrelli and Evan Dawson, and I have been tasting, re-tasting and re-re-tasting dozens of wines to , narrow and hone our lists of finalists 2011 Wines of the Year.

We don't pretend that we've tasted every single wine released during the 2011 calendar year, but we feel that we've tasted a more-than-representative sampling from each region. Each of these finalists was hand-picked by the regional editor for each region -- Evan Dawson (Finger Lakes), Bryan Calandrelli (Niagara) and myself (Long Island and Hudson River Region) -- and will be blind tasted by most of the  NYCR team in mid-February to determine the winners. While the team will attend and take part in the tasting, only wine editors will vote.

You will notice some variations in terms of categories and wines per category. Those decisions are left up to the regional editors.

Finger Lakes Region

Red Wines
Billsboro Winery 2010 Syrah
McGregor Vineyard 2007 30-Month Barrel Black Russian Red
Ravines Wine Cellars 2009 Pinot Noir
Red Tail Ridge Winery 2009 Teroldego
Rooster Hill Vineyards 2008 Lemberger Reserve

Riesling Wines
Anthony Road Wine Company 2009 Art Series Riesling
Bloomer Creek Vineyard 2010 uten Vineyard First Harves Dry Riesling
Hermann J. Wiemer 2010 Dry Riesling Reserve
Keuka Lake Vineyards 2010 Semi-Dry Riesling
Tierce 2009 Riesling
Standing Stone Vineyards 2010 Riesling

Sparkling Wines
Chateau Frank 2006 Blanc de Noir
Hermann J. Wiemer 2006 Blanc de Noir
 

Dessert Wines
Atwater Estate Vineyards 2010 Celsius
Ravines Wine Cellars 2007 Appasionata
Standing Stone 2010 Riesling Ice

Hudson River Valley Region

Red Wines
Hudson-Chatham Winery 2010 Casscles Vineyard Reserve Baco Noir
Oak Summit Vineyard 2010 Pinot Noir
Tousey Winery 2010 Cabernet Franc

White Wines
Hudson-Chatham Winery 2010 Estate Seyval Blanc
Millbrook Vineyards 2010 Tocai Friulano
Oak Summit 2010 Chardonnay

Long Island Region

Merlot Wines
Clovis Point 2007 Vintner's Reserve Merlot
Grapes of Roth 2005 Merlot
Lenz Winery 2007 Estate Merlot
Paumanok Vineyards 2007 Merlot
Wolffer Estate Vineyards 2007 Christian's Cuvee Merlot

Non-Merlot Red Wines
Jamesport Vineyards 2007 Sidor Reserve Syrah
Leo Family 2007 Red
Peconic Bay Winery 2007 Lowerre Family Estate
Roanoke Vineyards 2007 Blend 2
Roanoke Vineyards 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon

White Wines
Bedell Cellars 2010 Viognier
Channing Daughters Winery 2010 Mudd Vineyard West Sauvignon Blanc
Grapes of Roth 2009 Riesling
Palmer Vineyards 2010 Sauvignon Blanc
Paumanok Vineyards 2010 Sauvignon Blanc

Sparkling Wines
Bedell Cellars 2007 Blanc de Blancs
Lenz Winery 1999 Cuvee RD
Lenz Winery 2005 Cuvee
Sparkling Pointe 2001 Brut Seduction
Sparkling Pointe 2007 Brut

Dessert Wines
Jamesport Vineyards 2010 Late Harvest Riesling
Grapes of Roth 2009 Noble Roth Late Harvest Riesling
Paumanok Vineyards 2010 Late Harvest Riesling
Shinn Estate Vineyards 2009 Veil
Wolffer Estate Vineyards 2009 Laica

Niagara Region

Reds Wines
Arrowhead Spring Vineyards 2010 Pinot Noir
Arrowhead Spring 2010 Estate Syrah
Eveningside Vineyards 2009 Cabernet Franc
Freedom Run Winery 2010 Reserve Pinot Noir
Long Cliff Winery 2010 Pinot Noir

White Wines
Arrowhead Spring 2009 Reserve Chardonnay
Eveningside Vineyards 2010 Reserve Chardonnay
Freedom Run Winery 2010 Estate Chardonnay
Leonard Oakes 2010 Reserve Riesling
Schulze Vineyards 2010 Vidal Blanc 

 

Congratulations to all of the finalists. Keep an eye on this site for more information and results in a few weeks.

Empire State Cellars Wine Club: January 2012 Selections

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

It's been a few months coming, but today I'm ready to announce the first shipment of the new Empire State Cellars Wine Club. If you're not familiar with the club, read more about it here.

We've added a fourth club type -- Excelsior -- which can be purchased as a standalone club or added to another club. Those wines will be up to $60 each and the focus for me will be picking wines worthy of your cellar.

Here are the wines for this first shipment. Each is more than welcome in my glass and I hope you'll enjoy them as well.

"Hello New York" Wines

Red Newt Cellars 2009 Davis Farms Vineyard Riesling: Winemaker David Whiting makes a wonderful range of riesling styles, including a handful of single-vineyard wines from various growers. This riesling stood out when I tasted it for it's lime and slate flavors with pretty citrus blossom notes sprinkled in, and for a beautiful crackle of acidity that lengthens the finish.

Anthony Nappa Wines 2010 "Bordo" Cabernet Franc: If you've been a member of this club for very long, you know how much I enjoy the cabernet franc grape. Well, here is a unique expression that shows a ton of personality for the price. Made using ambient yeast and without a splinter of new oak, it shows complexity and freshness... with a bit of rustic character. Look for snappy red fruit, sweet herbs, sundried tomato and wild fennel aromas and flavors.

"Getting to Know New York" Wines

Ravines Wine Cellars 2009 Argetsinger Vineyard Riesling: If there were such a thing as a grand cru vineyard in the Finger Lakes, Sam Argetsinger's vineyard on the eastern slope of Seneca Lake would surely be one. Take Sam's vineyard and add winemaker Morten Hallgren's skills in expressing its beauty, and you get this wine -- one of the Finger Lakes' top rieslings year in and year out.

McCall Wines 2009 Pinot Noir: Pinot noir from Long Island? It's chased by several, but I'm not sure anyone does it better than Russ McCall on his vineyard in Cutchogue. 2009 was a challenging year on the North Fork and one that enabled the best-tended vineyards to shine. Bright red fruits are accented here by subtle oak and and almost floral spicy quality. I always want my pinot noir to be food friendly, and this one fits that bill nicely.

"New York Wine Trail" Wines

Bedell Cellars 2010 Viognier: If you don't see much pinot noir on Long Island, you see even less viognier, but this was one of my favorite wines of last summer. Replete with sweet melon and stone fruit flavors, there are distinct but understated floral and plum flesh -- not the skin -- notes as well. Fresh and focused, the acidity carries peach and melon flavors with it as the finish lingers.

Osprey's Dominion Vineyards 2007 Reserve Merlot: Winemaker Adam Suprenant doesn't make reserve merlot very often, but when he does it really means something. It's no secret that 2007 was a hot, dry year on the North Fork, so combine that with Adam's cellar skills and you get a complete, balanced merlot that is approachable now but will also improve with time in your cellar.

"Excelsior" Wines

Hermann J. Wiemer 2010 Magdalena Vineyard Riesling: One doesn't often think about "warm" anything in the Finger Lakes, but Magdalena Vineyard is one of the warmest vineyard sites in the Finger Lakes -- it's all relative remember. Its mesoclimate, along with varied soils, consistently deliver ripe, balanced fruit to the cellar where winemaker Fred Merwarth works his magic, bottled here as a single-vineyard wine.

Paumanok Vineyards 2007 Tuthills Lane Vineyard Merlot: The NYCR's 2010 Red Wine of the Year from Long Island, this is a benchmark wine for me -- a wine that I compare many merlots to when I'm tasting them. Yes, the flavors are ripe and layered, but what really makes this wine a standout is its structure. The tannins are substantial and chewy, but also incredibly ripe, providing some serious grip without being hard or harsh. Drink it now if you must (make sure you decant it for an hour or two) but tuck it away in your cellar for several years and you'll be rewarded.

If you haven't signed up for the club yet, fear not. You can still get in on this first shipment. Email Katherine Jaeger, Manager of Wine Clubs, at wineclub@empirestatecellars.com and she will take good care of you. And remember, you can customize your club to include just red or whites wines too if you'd like.

 

Admitting What We Don't Know: Aging Potential for New York Wines

By Evan Dawson, Managing Editor

The other day I read a truly outstanding piece of wine writing by one of the most underrated writers in the field today. He's underrated probably because he's not actually in the wine writing field; Keith Levenberg is an enthusiast who makes his living elsewhere, but every six weeks or so, he rewards readers with his insights. His blog is not unlike your favorite greasy spoon tucked into high-end restaurant row: You always see the same dozen people there, and they realize that the place is going to be packed if anyone ever finds out how good the fare is.

It was Keith's piece on how wines mature that had me thinking of New York wines. Specifically, I'm thinking about Finger Lakes rieslings and Long Island reds, which, categorically speaking, are the state's wines that have the best potential for long-term improvement in the bottle.

It's time that we admit what we don't know. And it's time we recognize how thrilling that is.

In older wine regions, we get a good look at what might happen a decade or three down the line. Sure, vinification techniques change. But there is a reason to believe that we know what the special bottlings of, say, Cote-Rotie might do with time.

But as Keith makes clear, there's way too much posturing and affectation when critics try to slap a "drink window" on structured wines:

In its simplest form, the thought process goes something like this: Tannins help a wine age, and this wine is tannic; therefore it needs time. There are endless variations on the theme: As wines age they lose their baby fat, and this wine has a lot of baby fat; therefore it will be a long time before it fades. Or: Wines integrate with age, and this wine seems very disjointed; therefore it just needs some time to come together. Or: Wine ages on its balance, and this wine is perfectly balanced; therefore it will age effortlessly. You can pluck any one you want to justify any arbitrary prognostication. For example, one person tastes a heavily tannic, backwards wine and concludes it’s structured for long aging. Another person tastes the same wine, decries its lack of balance, and quotes the late Henri Jayer: “If it tastes too tannic, then it is too tannic.” Which one is right? Answer: It depends. Some wines have a track record for starting out punishingly tannic and eventually becoming exquisitely finessed, while other wines that might seem structurally indistinguishable from the starting gate never manage to shed the harshness–or, just as disappointingly, they do shed the tannin but don’t reveal anything interesting in the material that remains.

He's right, of course, and if I spent five minutes I could probably find an instance or two in which I over-pronounce or, perhaps, speculate carelessly. It's tempting to do, but most of the time we're really just bullshitting. And it's a great way to get into trouble; few things provoke the kind of public opprobrium that comes when a critic urges his readers to lay down an expensive bottle that quickly goes downhill.

But we should feel no frustration with the lack of precision with which we can anticipate New York wines' aging curves. Instead, we should enjoy this opportunity to witness an evolution, of wine regions from nascency to actualization. How good will the best Long Island merlot be in twenty-five years? I can guess, and Lenn can guess with better authority than most. But the ledger is so thin that we're still simply guessing, and to Keith's point, we'll always be simply guessing.

Do not take this to say that we don't have any clue at all what New York wines will do with some amount of bottle age. We've seen enough example of, for example, Bedell's or Paumanok's merlots to understand their potential over a decade or so. Same with the rieslings -- and particularly the late harvest rieslings -- of Hermann J. Wiemer. There are other examples. But we need not obsess over nailing down the projected pinnacle of each of New York's finest wines. We can track the progress as it happens, sometimes rewarded, sometimes disappointed. Just remind yourself that a wine that is, to use a common phrase, "past peak" is simply communicating different things. It is very often a highly enjoyable story if you're willing to listen to it.

There will be some changes coming to NYCR in 2012. Among other projects, Lenn and I are planning to create a rough vintage guide. Not a typical vintage chart, but a helpful report on recent vintages. But no matter what the vintage evaluation, there will be surprises, and if we ever tell you we know exactly when a wine will peak, well...

The New York Cork Report Tasting Table -- January 4, 2012

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

This is the last "Tasting Table" that we'll publish here on the NYCR. Going forward, wines like these will each be reviewed as standalone posts. This is a long edition, but I wanted to get caught up a bit in the tasting notebook and start anew before we get too far into 2012.

Atwater Vineyards 2008 Vidal Blanc ($14*): Crisp Granny Smith apple and green melon aromas. Juicy, fresh palate with loads of green apple and pear flavors. Acidity provides good cut and balances the RS well. Simple but snappy and delicious.

Bloomer Creek Vineyards 2009 Auten Vineyard 2nd Harvest Riesling ($22*): Aromas of apple blossom, pears, yellow apples, lavender and a bit of Champagne-like yeastiness. Super-ripe fruit flavors -- apple, pineapple, golden raisins and guava -- with grapefruit-y acidity that frames that fruitiness, but doesn't quite focus it.

Bloomer Creek Vineyards 2009 Morehouse Vineyard 1st Harvest Riesling ($18*): Unique nose of fig, almond, pear, membrillo and sea shore leads into a complex and ripe palate. Big fig flavors with red apple skin and nutty-salty notes. Some residual sugar, but is balanced by well-incorporated acidity. Unique expression of Finger Lakes riesling.

Comtesse Therese 2006 Aquebogue Estate Cabernet Sauvignon ($25*): The nose delivers woodsy, spicy aromas with blueberry, licorice and cherry compote. Cherry cola, blueberry and plum on the palate with quite a bit of cedar and a distinct caramelized sugar note. Decent fruit, but too much oak.

Damiani Wine Cellars 2010 Dry Riesling Davis Vineyard ($22): Lemon-lime and river rock lead the way on a pretty, classy nose, with citrus blossom and faint honey notes behind. Grapefruit and lime on the attack with peach and lemon-lime joining the party on the crisp mid-palate. Crisp, dry and a bit bony. Citrusy, slate-y finish. Enough fruit to avoid over-austerity.

Dr. Konstantin Frank 2010 Muscat Ottonel ($20*): Classic muscat nose -- floral, candied lemons and Fruity Pebbles. Very floral on the palate with lemon drop candy and pear Jelly Belly. Medium-sweet but not syrupy. Just enough acidity. Probably best on its own or maybe fresh fruit dessert?

Dr. Konstantin Frank 2010 Sauvignon Blanc ($20): Varietally correct nose of grapefruit, lemon and fresh-cut grass. Hay and citrus on the palate with light grassiness and sweet grapefruit flavors. A bit dilute on the mid-palate through the medium-length finish.

Duck Walk Vineyards 2010 Pinot Grigio ($15): The nose shows aromas of canned peaches in syrup, pineapple and papaya with a lightly floral highlight. Palate shows big acid that is a bit disjointed. Candied peach and tropical fruit flavors dominate with some zesty grapefruit character. A bit citrus pithy on the finish.

Duck Walk Vineyards 2010 Rose ($15): Aromas are straightforward with strawberry and cranberry fruit. A bit watery on the attack leading into fruity red berry flavors. Mostly dry with a crisp finish. Fresh, but very one-note.

Fox Run Vineyards 2009 Riesling ($14*): Mostly pear on the nose with a little peach and citrus. Friendly style with some residual sugar and good-but-not-electric acidity. Pear and peach fruit flavors and a surprising walnut nuttiness on the medium finish.

Hermann J. Wiemer 2009 Riesling Dry Reserve ($25*): Floral on the nose with notes of herbal tea, pear and gala apple. Beautiful laser beam of acidity focuses pear and sweet lime flavors accented by pretty floral flavors. Subtle richness on the mid-palate but that acidity balances the wine very well. Finish is long with lemon and grapefruit citrus flavors.

Heron Hill Winery 2009 Dry Riesling ($14*): Delicate nose of hay and flowers. Palate is very floral, almost perfume-y with hints of peach and mango. Great acidity and a faint slate note. Solid value.

Lenz Winery 2004 Estate Selection Merlot (*23): Rich nose that displays black cherry, blackberry and plummy fruit with hints of leather, black pepper and earthy spice. Medium bodied, with nice acidity that boosts the medium-soft tannins. Mature mouthfeel. Plummy with blackberry accents and an earthy edge. Medium-long finish with a distinct blueberry note. On day two open, a minty herbal note emerges. Great value.

Red Newt Cellars 2008 Curry Creek Vineyard Gewurztraminer ($38*): Lighter floral aromas accent pear, apple and candied ginger aromas with jasime and lychee on a layered nose. Wears it's 14.7% abv very well. Ripe, lush fruit up front with pear and citrus notes. Spice, flowers and lychee support and bring nuance. Mouth-watering finish shows a bit of melon as well.

Red Newt Cellars 2009 Lahoma Vineyards Riesling ($20*): Feathery aromas of lime, start fruit and faint flintiness. Definitely off-dry style, but great acidic edge that slices through fresh apple, star fruit and lime flavors. Long, apple-y finish. Well balanced, if just a bit one-dimensional.

Red Tail Ridge Winery 2010 Chardonnay "Sans Oak" ($12): Ripe, sweet-smelling yellow apples and starfruit on the nose. Light to medium bodied and very juicy. Apple-starfruit combo on the palate as well, with citrusy acidity and a clean, mouth-watering finish. Simple, but tasty and very well priced.

Red Tail Ridge Winery 2009 Dry Riesling ($19*): Juicy pear on the nose with a squirt of lime and a sprinkle of candied ginger. Dry, but not austere, on the palate with good but not quite crackling acidity. More juicy lime on the palate with apple, pear and lime candy. Long finish. Well done.

Robibero Family Vineyards 2008 Pinot Noir ($17*): Red cherries, cola, black tea and spicy oak on the nose. Soft and silky palate with low tannins and just enough acidity. Straightforward red berry fruit is a bit hidden by oak, but only barely. Good for the price.

Robibero Family Vineyards 2010 "87 North" ($13*): Blend of 50% Cayuga and 50% Vidal. Big honeydew melon aromas on the nose with a little citrus and pear. Pears and melons dominate the palate too, which shows bright, citrusy acidity. Not long, but finishes cleanly with pears and apples. Simple, but fresh.

Robibero Family Vineyards 2010 Riesling ($16*): Very peachy nose with subtle floral and lemon-lime aromas. Peach dominates the palate as well with sweet citrus and fennel notes. Off-dry but not clunky or cloying. Good acidity that doesn't quite scrub the palate clean. Medium-short finish that is all peaches.  

Tousey Winery 2010 Chardonnay ($16*): Taut on the nose with yellow apple and pear, with a bit of butterscotch and caramel apple. Bit dilute on the palate with good acidity. wood is subtle and comes across as caramelized sugar/vanilla. Lacks fruit somewhat. Fresh finish.  

Ventosa Vineyards 2007 Saggio ($26): Blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc, syrah and sangiovese. Nose is surprisingly un-fruity for the vintage with tobacco, dark earth, and oak overwhelming some dark fruit aromas. Lacks fruit on the palate as well. Chewy, tight tannins. Some cherry cola flavor but a lot of oak and earth. Very dry. More fruit emerged on the second day, but by third day the wine had faded overall. 

Zugibe Vineyards 2009 Pinot Gris ($15): White flowers, pears and apples mingle on the fresh, clean nose. Nice pear and white flower flavors on the palate with a little honey. Sizzling acidity -- almost too much -- and slightly off-dry on the mid-palate. Somewhat short finish but pear skin and orange peel notes.

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 reliably recommend, but those grown by owner Rich Piscano in his seven-acre Riverhead vineyard and made by winemaker Roman Roth make the short list.

Roth and Pisacano also work together at Wolffer Estate, where Pisacano is the long-time vineyard manager.

A blend of 94% cabernet sauvignon and 6% merlot, the Roanoke Vineyards 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon ($40) offers aromas typical of warmer-region cabernet -- particularly cassis and blueberry -- while retaining it's Long Island-ness with subtle woodsy spice and earthy overtones.

The palate is full bodied and while it shows gobs of black and blue fruit -- including a surprising slightly jammy quality on the mid-palate -- the earthiness is more prominent. That earthy spiciness, along with toasty, nutty oak, frame all that fruit rather than dominating it. Generous -- but ripe and well-incorporated -- tannins mean that this wine will likely improve with several years in your cellar.

Producer: Roanoke Vineayrds
AVA: North Fork of Long Island
ABV: 13%   
Price: $40
  

(4 out of 5 | Outstanding and Delicious, Highly Recommended)

(Ratings Guide)

Anthony Nappa Wines 2010 "Spezia" Gewurztraminer

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

We get back to regular programming post-holidays with one of the wines I enjoyed most during our brief hiatus -- Anthony Nappa Wines 2010 Spezia ($18) a gewurztraminer for gewurztraminer lovers.

Spezia is Italian for "spice" -- and this is a wine that delivers a heaping pile of varietal character.

Bursting with complex aromas of tropical fruit, peach, gingery spice, and rose petal the nose also features a grapefruit-spice-herb note that is reminiscent of some heavily-hopped India Pale Ales I've enjoyed.

Though hefty at 14.6% abv, the dry, mouth-filling palate wears that alcohol well, offering a melange of tropical fruits -- pineapple, mango and papaya -- with notes of fig, spicy candied ginger, and more of that floral-herbal quality. Ripe, but focused, there is great balance here with subtle varietal bitterness and beautifully incorporated acidity.

I enjoyed a couple glasses of this the day after Christmas at my sister in-law's house along side a maple-glazed ham. It was one of the best pairings of my holiday season.

Producer: Anthony Nappa Wines
AVA: North Fork of Long Island
ABV: 14.6%   
Price: $18
  

(4 out of 5 | Outstanding and Delicious, Highly Recommended)

(*Ratings Guide)

 

 

Comtesse Therese 2010 Sauvignon Blanc

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

For years, Comtesse Therese and its owner-winemaker Theresa Dilworth produced mostly red wines, with a chardonnay made in Russian oak the lone white. In 2009 that changed when Dilworth added sauvignon blanc to the portfolio.

That first wine was a bit underwhelming, but the Comtesse Therese 2010 Sauvignon Blanc ($28) is a completely different story and wine. Two-thirds of the fruit that went into this wine was grown at Palmer Vineyards, with the remaining third coming from Dilworth's own vineyard. Only 95 cases were made.

Melon rind and citrus -- white grapefruit and lemon -- are joined on the aromatic but not overly showy nose by extremely light herbal notes.

Lean and grapefruit-y, the palate is juicy and offers a sprinkling of lemon zest and lemon balm. Extremely juicy with balanced and bright acidity, and a slightly saline finish, this is the kind of mouth-watering white you want on the table with shellfish or even simply prepared vegetables.

Producer: Comtesse Therese
AVA: North Fork of Long Island
ABV: 12.5%  
Price: $28* 

(3.5 out of 5 | Very Good, Recommended to Outstanding and Delicious, Highly Recommended)

(Ratings Guide)

Corey Creek Vineyards 2010 Gewurztraminer

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

Though once near-sister wineries, the Corey Creek Vineyards label has been almost entirely absorbed by the mother Bedell Cellars label over the past several years. The chardonnays, cabernet francs and roses all wear the Bedell label now, but one holdout -- at least for now -- is the Corey Creek Vineyards 2010 Gewurztraminer ($35), a wine that is often one of my favorite Long Island gewurztraminers.

Pretty honeysuckle and rose petal aromas are backed by lemon-grapefruit citrus, gingery spice and a hint of classic lychee nut.

The lychee and spice qualities are a bit more intense on the balanced, forward palate, adding layers of complexity to sweet-fruit flavors of lemon and tangerine.

Floral notes re-emerge towards the end of the mid-palate and lead into a medium-length finish that shows pleasant bitterness.

Producer: Bedell Cellars
AVA: North Fork of Long Island
ABV: 12% 
Price: $35*
 

 

 

(3.5 out of 5 | Very Good, Recommended to Outstanding and Delicious, Highly Recommended)

(*Ratings Guide)

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 Daughters Winery
AVA: The Hamptons, Long Island
ABV: 12.5%  
Price: $24
 

(2.5 out of 5, Average-to-Very good/Recommended)

(Ratings Guide)

Pindar Vineyards 2010 Sauvignon Blanc

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor
Photo from Pindar.net

Edward Lovaas got lucky when he joined Pindar Vineyards in August of 2010. Possibly without even realizing, he walked into what many consider the greatest grape growing season ever on Long Island.

I've tasted a few of Edward's first Long Island wines now, and I can say without hesitation that he's not the only one who got lucky. The Damianos family, which owns Pindar and Duck Walk Vineyards, got lucky too.

It's too early to make any wide-ranging pronouncements -- Edward's reds are at least a year or two away from release and it remains to be seen how what he's done and will do with the non-classic 2011 vintage. But, basely solely on what I've tasted so far, Pindar Vineyards is on the rise.

I'm not talking about the big-bottle blends like "Winter White" and "Spring Splendor." Those wines have their place and have helped Pindar get perhaps the widest distribution of any Long Island brand. But they hold little interest for me. I'm talking about the varietal wines like this Pindar Vineyards 2010 Sauvignon Blanc ($13) an impressive wine and value.

The nose is ripe and fruit-sweet with ruby red grapefruit, Meyer lemon, gooseberry, fresh-cut hay and just a bit of lemon verbena herbaceousness.

Big in the citrus department, the medium-bodied palate shows a bit more mid-palate richness and intensity than many Long Island sauvignons. Fruity flavors of lemon and grapefruit are joined by hints of Golden Delicious apples and apricots on the long, snappy finish. Fresh, near-crackling acidity balances all that ripe fruit nicely.

Edward comes to Long Island by way of California, and it shows in this wine. I'd be hard pressed to pick this out as Long Island wine in a blind lineup. Terroir isn't the diving force behind this wine. Edward's preferred style and winemaking talents are. He's unapologetic about that, too.

For $13, you won't find a better white wine made on Long Island.

Producer: Pindar Vineyards
AVA: North Fork of Long Island
ABV: 12.5%  
Price: $13
 

(3 out of 5, Very good/Recommended)

(Ratings Guide)

herbaceousness

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 nose -- ranging from bright, almost crunch red berry to tobacco leaf to black currant. The tannins are gripe and well-integrated, bringing nice grip and structure without angularity or astringency.

A minty eucalyptus note at the end of along finish makes you go back for another sip, just to taste it again.

It probably has enough stuffing to improve for three to five years, but it's tasting beautifully today.

Producer: Paumanok Vineyards
AVA: North Fork of Long Island
ABV: 13% 
Price: $24
  

(4 out of 5 | Outstanding and Delicious, Highly Recommended)

 

(*Ratings Guide)

What We Drank (November 22, 2011)

Here's a sampling of what our editors and contributors have been drinking...

David Flaherty: Eve's Cidery Rustica
We're currently pouring a cocktail at Hearth that features Eve's apple cider and it's flying off the shelf like a freshly baked apple pie left unattended on the windowsill to cool.  

I first became smitten with Eve's Cidery a few months ago when I met two of the core members (yes, I totally wrote 'core' unintentionally -- but now upon realizing it, I'm enamored by my unprovoked cleverness, so I'll leave it) Ezra Sherman and Autumn Stoscheck at an industry tasting that preceded NY Cider Week. Working with sixth-generation orchardist, James Cummins, they call the Finger Lakes home.  

Our initial conversation was memorable and swung from sugar addition during fermentation to the practice of gas drilling in the area using the controversial technique of "fracking." They're cool folk; passionate, intelligent and grounded. Plus, they make some damn fine juice.

So, tonight, I'm giving their Rustica a try. On the still side with just a touch of natural carbonation, it's earthy on the nose with notes of dried leaves, pear skin and honey. On the palate, it's definitely on the sweeter side but there's a zip of tannic acid that grounds it and leaves my palate wanting another hit.

It's a lip smacker, for sure.  Full-bodied and viscous on the tongue, it feels like an effervescent, liquid, apple honey and finishes lifted and clean.  

Lenn Thompson: Schneider Vineyards 2006 Brut Rose
Most of my favorite wine writers often write about context -- about how the people you're with and where you are can add to, or detract from, how one experiences a wine.

This Schneider 100% syrah bubbly had heaps of "context" going for it. My colleague Mark Grimaldi brought it with recently him when his family met mine for brunch at a great little diner that was new to me. The food (get the egg sliders and a side of duck fat fries), the friends and the conversation could have lifted most any bubbly to "just about perfect" status. But guess what? This wine would have been good anywhere.

Schneider Vineyards will be familiar to many who have followed Long Island wines -- Bruce Schneider made many of my favorite cabernet francs for years, but hasn't made anything under the label since 2007. Now, he focuses on his work with Onabay Vineyards and Gotham Project. This sparkler will be the first release under his label in years.

2006 wasn't a great year for reds on the North Fork and Bruce tells me that his sryah grapes "were stuck at ripeness level only to make rose and one with screaming high acid, even for me as an acid lover" so he decided to make rose in her favorite style -- with bubbles. "It was the only wine I could think of making with the grapes with a chance for making something I would enjoy drinking," he told me.

He only made 70 cases, but if you see it somewhere, check it out.

Evan Dawson: Giuseppe Cortese 2010 Dolcetto d'Alba
You have probably found yourself thirsting for a particular wine after reading about it. Writers tend to experience the same cravings when we're composing a story. So while I put together a piece about Dolcetto for Palate Press, I felt compelled to crack this bottle.

And it begs the same question I raise in my piece: Doesn't the world need simple, lunch wines? Should some grapes remain happily limited in the wines they produce?

In Piedmont, most producers view Dolcetto as a workhorse, a functional lunch wine, nothing complex or exceptional. But a small group of producers views it much differently; they believe that, given the same consideration often accorded to Nebbiolo, Dolcetto can develop into something substantial. 

This particular Dolcetto has no such identity crisis. Simple, solid, straightforward. It's what most people want out of this variety. I'm open-minded to something far more complex, however, and the research continues...

Rochelle Bilow: Wagner Vineyards 2008 Dry Riesling
We started (okay, and finished) a bottle of Wagner 2008 Dry Riesling on Monday night to go with a
hodge-podge dinner.

I love this wine. It’s bright and lively, with a subdued sort of elegance not always found in rieslings. The nose is full of citrus flower -- lime, orange blossom -- and that follows through on
the palate.

I find this riesling to be much more herbaceous and perfume-forward than the oft-found luscious tropical fruit that can sometimes feel sticky or overly juicy. I sometimes fall into the “Rieslings are for summer” mindset, but this is one that feels right all year round.

Mark Grimaldi: Cigar City Brewing "Jai Alai" IPA
I was first introduced to this beer a couple years ago by a good friend and beer geek who is a lover of all things IPA. He brought it over to the house this summer and reminded me again just how stinkin' good this beer is. I had never seen it around until last week, so I grabbed a six-pack at my local distributor. Totally pumped. 

Cigar City Brewing is out of Tampa, FL. I never equate Florida with beer, let alone "craft" beer. I never even equate Florida with anything good other than maybe some fresh seafood, oranges, some surfable waves here and there, shark attacks, Disney World, old people in Cadillacs, some really nice water temps. It's where my family has lived for over a decade now, and it's a struggle when we visit them to find a good go-to wine shop, restaurant with great wine list, and local produce. It just seems like people don't care as much for that kind of thing as we do up here in the northeast.

I basically drink rum drinks the whole time while trying to avoid speakers everywhere blaring Jimmy Buffett. 

They've changed my outlook with this single beer. It's great to see something of this quality coming from the sunshine state. The "Jai Alai" IPA is a deep amber/copper color. On the nose it smells like honey, with a grassy (both the legal and illegal kind) note from the hops.

In the mouth it's rich and fruity but no where near cloying, round, broad mid-palate with just the right amount of hoppy bitter notes on the finish. There is also a really pretty floral note, almost like a dandelion flower that I can taste, and the finish is backed up by a citrus-driven kick of acid. 

I dislike IPAs that are brutally bitter. This is not one of them. It actually reminds me a lot of the 2XIPA from Southern Tier, one of my favorite beers ever. This is a really nice, well balanced IPA that packs a punch of complex flavors without being annoying.I enjoy from front to back thoroughly.

Tracy Weiss: McCall Wines 2007 Ben's Blend
Each autumn, I hold out as long as I can before putting away my sundresses and sauv blancs. I kept to my summer wine routine for most of October refusing to believe it is time. But, with the snowstorm a few weeks ago, I could no longer deny what Game of Thrones and my flip-flop cased feet were telling me. Winter is coming.

I greeted November kicking and screaming with McCall Vineyards 2007 Ben’s Bordeaux Blend. Cabernet Franc has been a favorite way to welcome snow season without blowing out my buds California cab sauv-style. This meritage was selected with that in mind. Ben’s is a blend of McCall merlot with cab franc, petit verdot and cabernet sauvignon. And it hit the spot.

In a clichéd word -- it was smooth. I loved the mouth feel and knew I’d be happy with the taste as soon as the red stained my lips. I picked up red fruit with a hint of my grandfather’s long retired pipe. The slightly spicy tobacco infusion paired well with both the ragu bolognese and my memory of the scent on Pop’s orange cashmere sweater. Like some of my St. Emilion favorites, a touch of oak created a well-rounded balance unlike some other blends that runs rampant.

Made by McCall’s in their first year, I say it’s a perfect gateway wine to winter. And to a second bottle.

The New York Cork Report Tasting Table -- November 10, 2011

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

These are tasting notes for some wines that have been tasted at the NYCR tasting table but won't be reviewed in standalone posts. Starting next week, we'll be back with daily standalone reviews.

Comtesse Therese 2010 Rose ($16): Made with cabernet sauvignon. Watermelon aromas with vague red berry character. Bit awkward on the palate. Watermelon and wild strawberry with hints of peach. Good acidity that is a bit disjointed. Subtle RS but dry-ish finish. Pretty ordinary.

Comtesse Therese 2008 Russian Oak Chardonnay ($21): Nose offers dried apricot, fresh pear, vanilla, sugar roasted nuts and beeswax aromas. Medium bodied palate with peach and pear fruit, vanilla cream and cotton candy flavors. Good balance and acidity without any rawness to the oak footprint. Somewhat nutty as it warms. Subtle but distinct grapefruit note at the end of the medium finish.

One Woman Wines 2008 Chardonnay ($20): Apples and pineapples on the palate with light vanilla, butter and lemony aromas. Richer on the palate that the nose indicates. Extremely buttery -- distractingly so. Good acidity. Not woody, but the butter and vanilla flavors overwhelm the fruit a bit too much.

One Woman Wines 2008 Estate Reserve Chardonnay ($38): Warming notes of toasty oak and woodsy spice accent rather than overwhelm apple and citrus fruit aromas. Light floral scents emerges at room temperature. Medium-full body with ripe pear and apple flavors, lemon zest, sweet vanilla and butterscotch. A bit pricey maybe but well done.

One Woman Wines 2010 Gewruztraminer ($23): Peachy nose with jasmine-green tea, citrus blossom, honey and lychee notes. Fruity -- mainly peachy -- palate that shows fresh, citrusy, juicy acidity. Pushes the boundary of too bitter, even for gewurzt.

One Woman Wines 2010 Sauvignon Blanc ($28): Lemony grapefruit citrus aromas with hints of green melon, tropical fruit and white flowers. Somewhat simple palate -- very citrusy -- with nice saline minerality. Medium body with good-not-great acidity.

Raphael 2010 Riesling ($28): Nose is a bit light, with citrus blossom, lemon-lime, honey and a little yellow apple. Light, citrus-driven palate shows subtle saline minerality and a bit of honey. Light on flavor, but good acidity and focus. Lime zest on short finish.

 

(Ratings Guide)

 

One Woman Wines 2008 Merlot

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

Because of the diminutive size of its tasting room and location at the far eastern end of the unofficial Route 48 wine trail, One Woman Wines is still under the radar for many visitors to North Fork wine country.

The one woman behind One Woman Wines is Claudia Purita, who grew up on her family's farm in Calabria, Italy, where she learned farming and viticulture.

After moving to Long Island as an adult and working in the restaurant industry, she decided it was time to "return to her roots" in 2004 planting much of the 16-acre vineyard by hand and doing most of the vineyard work herself.

I recently tasted through One Woman's portfolio and the lone red, this One Woman Wines 2008 Merlot ($28) was the standout.

It spent 16 months in new French oak, so the smoky, spicy aromas -- including a serious, almost syrah-esque dose of black pepper -- aren't surprising. They don't overwhelm the plum, black cherry and subtle blueberry aromas, however.

Medium bodied and bit rustic, the palate is even more syrah-like with peppery, smoky flavors over top of dark fruit flavors. The tannins are light, but there's good acidity here. It turns a just a bit woody on the medium-length finish.

Producer: One Woman Wines
AVA: North Fork of Long Island
ABV: 12.7%  
Price: $28*
 

(3 out of 5, Very good/Recommended)

(*Ratings Guide)

New York Cork Club Reborn as Empire State Cellars Wine Club

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

It has been quiet the wine club front here on NYCR for the last few months. Trust me when I tell you that there's been a great deal going on in the background. 

We've found a new home and a new name.

Today I am excited to announce that our wine club, formerly known as the New York Cork Club, will be reborn on January 1, 2012 as the Empire State Cellars Wine Club, fulfilled by Empire State Cellars in Riverhead.

The ESC Wine Club will offer a variety of club options, options that offer flexibility and a variety of price point. But, as always I will still be picking all of the wines -- independently -- which is just one reason that ESC is a good fit for the club.

There are three tiers  to the club, each shipping every other month (rather than monthly). They are:

• Hello New York: Includes one white wine and one red wine in the $20-and-under per bottle price range.
• Getting to Know New York: Includes the "Hello New York" selections plus another red and white wine in the $30-and-under per bottle range for a total of four wines every other month. These wines will include a bit more off-beat or harder-to-get selections.
• New York Wine Trail: This tier and entitles the you to receive both the "Hello New York" and "Getting to Know New York" club selections, plus two selections in the $40-and-under range per bottle. This level will showcase some of the best wines made in the state, as well as rare and library wines.
• Excelsior: This tier gets you just the "New York Wine Trail" $40-and-under wines and can be purchased separately, or together with the "Hello New York" option.

If that weren't enough options, you can also request "All Reds" or "All Whites" in your membership.

Empire State Cellars will ship six (6) times per year beginning in January 2012, and the club will renew automatically. 

If you'd like to join the club, please call Katherine Jaeger, Manager of Wine Clubs, at wineclub@empirestatecellars.com. 

The folks at ESC have also let me know that if you call before December 15 to join, they will send you two additional bottles of acclaimed New York wine with their compliments as part of your first shipment! 

This is going to be a lot of fun for me -- and for you too. I'm working on the January shipment wine picks now and there are some outstanding wines included!

Bedell Cellars 2010 Viognier

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

I have fond memories of Bedell Cellars' viognier. Back when my wife and I were dating and exploring North Fork wine country nearly every weekend, it was a favorite in all of its melon and honeysuckle glory. 

Then it was gone, removed from the portfolio... because the winery introduced and began to focus on white wine blends like Taste White and Gallery. That's where all of the viognier went. 

It remains an important component in those blends, but starting with this wine it's back as a varietal wine -- permanently. According to winemaker Rich Olsen-Harbich "We all just felt it’s such a distinctive varietal on the North Fork that it deserves its own label."

Bedell Cellars 2010 Viognier ($35) shows ripe but restrained aromas of honeydew melon, honeysuckle, peach and apricots -- without a sliver of oak to be found. This is my kind of viognier.

The medium-weight, nearly bone dry (.3% RS) palate begins with sweet melon and stone fruit flavors before distinct but understated floral and plum flesh (not the skin) notes join the well-balanced fray.

Fresh and focused, the acidity really stretches the finish out, carrying the peach and melon flavors with it.

It's hard to consider this wine in context because there isn't much of a viognier benchmark here. This one makes a strong case, however. Sadly, they it's sold out already, but Olsen-Harbich is already looking forward to releasing the 2011 in the spring.

Producer: Bedell Cellars
AVA: North Fork of Long Island
ABV: 13%  
TA: 9 g/L
pH: 3.2
Production: 200 cases
Price: $35* (sold out)
 

 

 (3.5 out of 5 | Very Good, Recommended to Outstanding and Delicious, Highly Recommended)

(*Ratings Guide)

Empire State Cellars to Open Tomorrow

Empire State Cellars will open tomorrow, November 4, morning at the Tanger Outlet Center in Riverhead, New York

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

The wait is over. Empire State Cellars, a new wine shop and tasting room dedicated solely to New York State-made wine and spirits, will open tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. at the Tanger Outlet Center in Riverhead.

"It has been pretty labor intensive to say the least, and mentally draining, but the end result is worth all of the late nights and long hours. This is good for everyone," said Jim Silver, General Manager of Peconic Bay Winery, who is opening Empire State Cellars as second of it s five permissible tasting rooms under its Farm Winery license.

Upon opening tomorrow, the store will have 400 different wines and spirits in stock, with the goal of expanding that to 600 in the very near future. "There are still dozens of wineries we want in the store but that haven't gotten back to us yet. Some have been too busy with their harvest to sell us their wines. Some are sold out of certain things we really wan to carry. But that said, we've got an absolutely astonishing selection from all over the state," said Silver.

Empire State Cellars will be open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week, and will offer tastings of several wines every day.

I've joined Jim and the Empire State team -- specifically manager Polly Brown and assistant manager Evan Ducz -- as they taste several wines they were considering for the store, and I can tell you that their enthusiasm for finding delicious wines from every corner of the state is obvious, even inspiring. Representing every region and as many wineries as possible is a priority.

"We really see this as a way to bring all of the state's wine regions together, to showcase their wines and, of course, sell them. The response has been amazing. Just about every winery we got in touch with is working with us."

When I asked Silver what wines he was most excited about stocking, his answer was so long that I almost had to cut him off: "There are some items that just blew me away with their quality and three of them were from Arrowhead Spring Vineyards in Niagara. I'm also happy to have gotten the Bloomer Creek Vineyards wines, some items from Mazza Vineyards in Lake Erie, neat sparkling wines from Swedish Hill Winery, new vintages from Waters Crest Winery and Palmer Vineyards, and single-vineyard wines from Keuka Lake Vineyards, Red Newt Cellars and Lamoreaux Landing. There are way too many wines to list that are very cool."

Personally, I'm nearly as excited about the selection of New York spirits, which includes items from Tuthilltown Spirits, Finger Lakes Distilling and Breukelen Distilling.

A grand opening celebration is in the works, but has not been scheduled.

I'm also excited to report that my wine club, formerly known as the New York Cork Club, will be re-born on January 1 as the Empire State Cellars Wine Club. With the shop's devotion to New York wines, and willingness to allow me to continue picking the wines independently, it was an easy decision to make. I'll tell you more about the new club tomorrow!

What We Drank (November 2, 2011)

Here's a sampling of what we've been drinking this week...

Dave Seel: Pellegrini Vineyards 2007 Chardonnay
I'm a big fan of finding good wine at decent prices. I'll literally spend almost an hour in a wine shop, scouring the regions and vintages trying to find that perfect balance of cost vs. quality. Of course, my definition of "a decent price" may be different from some. Of course, it's changed over the years. There was a time when finding an awesome wine for dinner at $16 was considered a good deal in my book. Don't get me wrong, I love a good $15-$20 dollar bottle, but as life has taken over, diapers and dog food have worn away at the old nightly wine budget. Now, I'm psyched if I can find something worth drinking for under or around $10 bucks. It's not an easy task and I've had to stomach some pretty unimpressive wines, but every once in a while I find a steal and the search is totally worth it.

Last week, I was on the search in a small neighborhood wine shop known for its quality of selection. Initially I was intrigued by a row of Portuguese wines, good for both their European flavors and price point. But then my eyes drew me elsewhere, just beyond a row of Merlot, was a perfect value gem. The 2007 Pellegrini Chardonnay on clearance...for only $6.99. I'd recently tried this Long Island chardonnay at the Winebar at The Portly Grape and new both the wife and I dug it.

It's a great wine to pair with seafood, chicken, or even a pork dish. We were having chicken soup that particular night and the chardonnay's tart apple, slight vanilla and nutty flavors paired nicely with my herb-tastic version of the soup. Even if you can't find it on clearance, it's a great example of a good Long Island white and is perfect on it's own or with food. I'm not giving away my secret stash, but if you scout out Long Island's North Shore wine shops, you may just find this gem, waiting patiently for you to take it home and prove to you that cheap doesn't always mean bad.

Mark Grimaldi: Billsboro Winery 2010 Syrah
I was off popping into some Seneca Lake wineries last weekend while we were up visiting family.  One of my stops was Billsboro.  Having been really impressed with their Riesling in the past I was excited to taste the current release.  What I wasn't prepared for was to taste their Syrah. 

MIND BLOWN. 

It wasn't blown because the wine was good, because I know Vinny Aliperti can make good wine, it was blown because I guess I was not expecting to taste that much fruit, with that much varietal correctness from a Finger Lakes Syrah. It's just never been a region I've associated with this variety. But if there was a year to ripen Syrah, I guess it was 2010.

It's color was deep, but bright, and screamed of freshness, and when I looked at it all I could think was that this feeling would follow through onto the palate as well.  On the nose, red berries jump at you, with just a slight hint of that white pepper I usually pick up in the Northern Rhone. It smelled great.

The palate was lively, and fun, almost bouncy with a real savory quality to it. The fruit and tannins came together elegantly, and perfectly ripe for my tastes. Nicely balanced acid and a finish that made me want another sip before it even ended.  It's not complex, and you don't have to try hard to understand it.  It was just a really juicy, delicious, balanced red that I would have no problem having in heavy rotation on the table. 

The only problem is that they only make something like 150 cases.  I believe the fruit comes from "Sawmill Creek Vineyard", which the more and more I taste from this vineyard, has me thinking that if the Finger Lakes could have a grand or 1er Cru vineyard site one day, this would be one of them.

Evan Dawson: Chateau Lascombes 2002
Nice to be reminded that even wine with a pedigree -- second-growth Bordeaux! -- can be fat, boring, utterly lacking distinction or a sense of place. Not a legendary vintage, but my quarrel has nothing to do with the vintage.

This wine was almost silly. Extracted and black, it felt like a wine that was trying too hard from the get-go.

Often we hear vignerons claim, "The fruit can stand up to the oak." In this case, no, it can not. The oak overwhelms the nose, with brown sugar and Starbucks caramel macchiato offering the clearest sense of aromatics, followed by vaguely dark fruits.

The structure is fine; nothing to complain about, and the fine-grained tannins work nicely at this stage. But even after several hours open, the wine had not improved beyond a rather one-dimensional, awkward effort.

Hard to say I'd have gone with Bordeaux had I tasted it blind.

Lenn Thompson: Aarrowhead Spring Vineyards 2009 Pinot Noir
Lots of people talk about a lack of quality pinot noir in the under-$20 category. Well, here's one $18 pinot from the Niagara Escarpment that is more than, "decent for the money."

It's downright good and might be my favorite New York pinot that I put in my mouth this year.

Fresh, bouncy and all about crunchy cherry-cranberry flavors up front, the finish turns soft and silky with light spice and beautiful dried fall leaves earthiness on the finish.

It remains to be seen whether Niagara USA will become pinot country or cabernet franc country -- but this wine sure makes the case for pinot.

You won't see any "perfect Thanksgiving wine" commentary on this website, but I could see this on my table in a few weeks.

Best of all, I will soon have ready access to this wine on Long Island -- more on that tomorrow though.

The New York Cork Report Tasting Table -- October 28, 2011

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

These are tasting notes for some wines that have been tasted at the NYCR tasting table but won't be reviewed in standalone posts. Starting next week, we'll be back with daily standalone reviews.

Eleven Lakes Winery 2008 Boat Landing Cayuga ($14): Browning/bruised apple aromas with some peach and a chlorine-y chemical note. Not overly interesting on the palate. Pear and white grape that are less oxidized than the nose. Residual sugar is very well balanced, just not much in the way of flavor. 

Eleven Lakes Winery 2008 Chosen Spot Dry Riesling ($18): Extremely citrusy on the nose with lemon-lime and just a little flinty quality. Borders on citrus-water style of Finger Lakes dry riesling. Mainly lemon-lime with a little boney, flinty character. Good acidity. Simple, but clean and fresh. Lacks character though.

Eleven Lakes Winery 2008 Stoney Place Semi-Dry Riesling ($17): Classic regional combination of peach, lime and river rock on the nose. Good acidity and balance on the palate with flavors that match the nose precisely. Shows nicely focus and length, but has a weird medicinal note on the finish. Otherwise, very classic and well done.

Inspire Moore 2009 "Lust" Pinot Noir ($28): Sweet strawberries and raspberries on the nose with subtle earthiness. Medium-light body with restrained red fruit backed by supporting earthiness in the form of muchrooms and stemmy qualities. Soft, but not flabby with just enough acidity and silky, low-grip tannins. Long finish. Nice effort from a not-great year for pinot.

Inspire Moore 2010 "Love" Semi-Dry Riesling ($17): 2.5% RS. Peachy nose with grapefruit and hints of honey and lychee. Mouth-filling with some noticeable sweetness but just enough acidity for balance. Ripe vintage shows with fruit intensity -- peach and grapefruit. Finish is abrupt. Pleasant and very Finger Lakes in style.

Lamoreaux Landing 2010 Semi-Dry Riesling ($13): Apple-driven nose with a juicy squirt of lime. On the friendly, forward palate, a bit of grapefruit joints the apple-lime party. Shows its residual sugar, but not in a sloppy way. Medium-short finish. Simple, but fresh and well-balanced.

Lieb Family Cellars 2010 9/11 Memorial Chardonnay ($19.11): Very light nose with subtle apple, papaya, orange peel and pineapple aromas. Great acidity, but not huge on flavor. Tropical with pineapple and papaya with a bit of nutty vanilla.

Macari Vineyards 2010 Rose ($15): Blend of merlot, cabernet franc, cabernet sauviginon and malbec. Juicy watermelon, strawberry and big cherry aromas with light sweet herb notes. On the fuller-bodied side with gobs of ripe, drip-down-your-arm watermelon and a burst of crunch red berry flavor, including slightly candied cherries. Shows vintage ripeness with maybe a bit of heat, but has great acidity. Bold but balanced and well suited to your season's last barbeque. One of my favorite 2010 Long Island roses.

Raphael 2010 Chardeaux ($22): 66% chardonnay, 34% sauvignon blanc. Fruity, almost fruit-cocktail nose shows ripe pear, ruby grapefruit, melon with subtle tropical fruit too. Medium-light body, with lots of melon and pear flavor and a bit of citrus zest. Could use a bit more acidity but has a saline edge that I like.

Ventosa Vineyards 2009 Chardonnay ($18): Toasty oak (rather than raw) dominates, hiding much of the tropical fruit aroma. Lots of sweet, toasty oak on the palate as well, but also good acidity. Fruit is somewhat candied, with bubblegum vanilla sweetness on the finish as well. Not enough fruit to stand up to the wood.

Zugibe Vineyards 2008 Pinot Noir ($18): Red cherry aromas are accented by hints of star anise and toasty oak. Fresh on the palate with red cherry and raspberry fruit and light caramel/vanilla  flavors. Not complex or exceptionally long, but clean and fresh and well-priced.