New York Cork Report

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.

 

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!

Times Union New York Wine Club: July 2011 Selections

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

July's Times Union New York Wine Club selections are on their way to members, so it's time once again time to announce the selections and share a bit about them.

For our Basic-Level Members this month, we've put together another two-pack of value whites that over-deliver.

First is the Channing Daughters Winery 2009 Scuttlehole Chardonnay, a wine that proves stainless steel chardonnay needn't be one-dimensional and somewhat neutral.

The nose is surprisingly expressive and bright, showing layers of green apple, lemon-lime soda, Bosc pear and subtle notes of earthy white pepper. Medium bodied, the palate is lively and very citrusy, bringing more lemon-lime character with fresh-cut apple and pear skin flavors in the background -- all with a great acidic backbone.

Our second Basic Level this month is a non-vintage nearly dry blend of hybrids and vinifera: Red Newt Cellars Salamander White. It has a fruity nose with lemon zest, Gala apple and just a hint of melon. There is a tartness to the citrusy and pear flavors. Short finish but fresh with beach-and-pool acidity.

After doing the single-vineyard comparison last month, we're doing two completely different wines this month.

First up is the Hermann J. Wiemer 2009 Riesling Reserve Dry, a stunner of a dry riesling from a strong Finger Lakes vintage. The nose bursts with citrus blossom, herbal tea, pear and Gala apple aromas, leading into a perfectly balanced (yes, I said perfect) palate with ripe pear, apple and lime flavors -- all accented by subtle floral flavors. The laser beam of acidity is beautiful and cuts through the subtle richness and ripeness here.

Our second wine comes from a new label from Adam Suprenant of Osprey's Dominion Winery -- Coffee Pot Cellars. The Coffee Pot Cellars 2008 Meritage, a merlot-heavy blend made with portions of cabernet sauvignon, petit verdot and cabernet franc. The nose oozes blueberry, currant and plum fruit as well as gentle aromas of fennel seed, white pepper and dried herbs. The palate is medium-bodied but the tannins are far more intense here, providing grip and plenty of structure to frame the ripe-but-restrained fruit intensity. Spicy and peppery on the finish, this is a wine that will improve with short-term aging.

Learn more about the club and by all means, sign up. You can just do a month or three if you want to try it out. And as always, if you have any questions, please just ask me!

Times Union New York Wine Club: June 2011 Selections

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

JUne's Times Union New York Wine Club selections are on their way to members today and tomorrow, so it's once again time to announce the selections and share a bit about them.

For our Basic-Level Members this month, we have two whites that represent tremendous value -- and hot weather deliciousness.

Hermann J. Vineyard 2009 Frost Cuvee is a unique, off-dry blend of riesling, gewurztrainer, chardonnay, pinot noir and sauvignon blanc. 

Though off-dry with 1.5% residual sugar, there is a citrus drenched bold of electric acidity that runs through this flora, citrusy wine. It teaches an important lesson -- in good years (like 2009 for whites like riesling in the Finger Lakes) even an estate's entry-level wine can be impressive.

Our second wine for the Basic Level this month comes from the 2009 vintage in the Finger Lakes as well -- Fox Run Vineyards 2009 Dry Riesling.

There are certainly times when I find dry rieslings from the Finger Lakes a bit one-dimensional and lacking in depth and concentration. I tend to refer to those wines as acid water. That is anything but the case here. Winemaker Peter Bell is well-regarded in the region and beyond and his rielsing are often the stars of his portfolio. Very floral and minerally, I also found bright lime, grapefruit and white tea character here -- all wrapped up in a lively, mouth-watering package.

With our Premium-Level wines this month, I decided to do something for the first time -- pick two wines that I hope you'll drink side-by-side.

Two sauvignon blancs made by the same winery from the same vintage using the same techniques -- but from two different vineyards owned by the same grower.

Channing Daughters Winery 2010 Mudd Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc comes from the older, more eastern vineyard owned by Steve Mudd while the Channing Daughters Winery 2010 Mudd Vineyard West Sauvignon comes from his newer vineyard a couple towns west.

I'm not going to tell you anything about these wines. I really hope you'll drink them side by side and I honestly don't' want to have any pre-conceived notions going in. Just know that they are both fresh, balance and come without any oak flavors to get in the way.

Learn more about the club and by all means, sign up. You can just do a month or three if you want to try it out. And as always, if you have any questions, please just ask me!

Times Union New York Wine Club: May 2011 Selections

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

May's Times Union New York Wine Club selections are on their way to members and that means it's time to tell you a bit about them.

For our Basic-Level Members this month, we have a great duo that you can take to or serve at your next bbq.

Peconic Bay Winery 2009 Lot #2 is a blend of merlot, cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon that delivers good value. Complex for the price point, the nose offers sweet red cherry and red raspberry fruit with layers of earthy spice and sweet herbs over top. The palate shows similar berry and herb qualities along with some woodsy/stemmy character and a distinct red apple skin note.

Our second wine for the Basic Level this month is Sheldrake Point 2009 Dry Riesling. With classic lime and citrus blossom aromas with a little green apple, the nose screams "Finger Lakes" while the palate brings a snappy, citrusy combination of lime and ruby red grapefruit with a herbal-fennel edge. Mouthwatering and medium-long, the finish shows just a bit of slate minerality too.

With our Premium-Level wines this month, we present two very different Finger Lakes rieslings for summer.

Bloomer Creek Auten Vineyard First Harvest Riesling is a unique expression of Finger Lakes riesling. It's plump but with plenty of acidity to cut through ripe apple and nutty, leesy character that is vaguely reminiscent of Champagne or maybe an old white Rioja. This may not be what you expect from Finger Lakes rielsing, but that's one reason we're including it -- it's delicious and distinctive. Only 173 cases were made.

For a bit more classic of a presentation, try our second wine, Red New Cellars 2009 Sawmill Creek Vineyard Riesling. With all of its lime, white tea and green almond and apple character -- with a laser beam of acidity running through it -- it's a fine example of riesling from America's top riesling region.

Learn more about the club and by all means, sign up. You can just do a month or three if you want to try it out. And as always, if you have any questions, please just ask me!

Times Union New York Wine Club: April 2011 Selections

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

We're getting ready to ship out this month's Times Union New York Wine Club selections and that means it's time to tell you a bit about them

We've got some producers that we're including for the first time, which is always fun.

For our Basic-Level Members this month, we have a Finger Lakes riesling and a Finger Lakes Cayuga White -- yes, a Cayuga White.

 Lucas Vineyards 2009 Cayuga White may very well be the finest example of the hybrid variety I've tasted. And it's a great value in a spring or summer sipper.

Apple-pear aromas dominate with layers of white flowers and candy coating/confection. It is straight forward on the palate with forward, slightly candied apple-pear flavors. It could be quite sweet at 2.75% RS, but it's balanced very well with brisk acid.

Our second wine for the Basic Level this month is Hunt Country Vineyards 2009 Semi-Dry Riesling. It starts out with juicy, just-ripe pear and white tea aromas with just a little lime and honeysuckle.

Well balanced and mouth-watering on the palate, this off-dry riesling brings a bit more lime on the palate to go along with the floral and pear flavors.

We keep with the over-delivering them with our Premium-Level wines this month as well.

Sherwood House Vineyards 2005 Merlot is medium-to-full bodied and offers both fresh and dried cherry flavors with underlying tobacco and dried herb character. There is a dose of toasty oak here too that spices the wine rather than overwhelming it. The tannins are of medium intensity and are well integrated. Acidity brings a certain freshness.

Earthy and dried cherry notes re-emerge on the medium-long finish.

Our second wine, Swedish Hill Winery 2007 Optimus is 42% cabernet sauvignon, 33% merlot and 25% cabernet franc -- all grown in the Finger Lakes -- and we've just been waiting for the winery to release it so we could include it.

On the nose, there are black plums and blueberries with accents of tobacco, dark chocolate and baking spice. Ripe, well-integrated tannins frame similar flavors -- plums, blueberries, tobacco and chocolate -- with the addition of spices reminiscent of cola and just a little vanilla -- while subtle acidity enlivens the medium-bodied palate.

Learn more about the club and by all means, sign up. You can just do a month or three if you want to try it out. And as always, if you have any questions, please just ask me!

Times Union New York Wine Club: March 2011 Selections

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

I'm always proud of the wines that I pick for the Times Union New York Wine Club because, well, if I weren't, I wouldn't pick them.

That said, I'm extra excited about our March 2011 selections.

For our Basic-Level Members this month, we have an perennial favorite and a charity-minded newcomer.

First, we have Shinn Estate Vineyards 2010 Coalescence, a wine that straddles the line between a white and a rose. Sounds interesting, doesn't it?

It's steel-fermented blend of chardonnay, merlot blanc, sauvignon blanc and pinot noir blanc. Fresh and fruity-but-balanced it mostly looks like a white wine, but from certain angles in certain light, you can definitely tell there are some red varieties in there. The 2009 was my summer wine last year... and this one is in the running for this year.

Our other Basic-Level wine for March is the debut of Red Tail Ridge Winery's 2010 Good Karma. Medium-bodied and just off-dry, it overflows with honeyed apples, pears, ripe peach -- with a squirt of citrusy acidity that balances a slightly creamy, mouth-filling. Best of all, a portion of every bottle sold goes to a local charity.

Readers of this site will recognize our two Premium-Level wines this month -- they both won their categories in our 2010 Wines of the Year tasting -- and both required a little extra work to get our hands on.

Leonard Oakes Estate Winery 2009 Chardonnay was our Niagara White Wine of the Year and stood out for it's ripe, extremely tropical fruit flavors and beautiful balance. Made without a splinter of oak, this is a brisk wine ready for spring.

Roanoke Vineyards on the North Fork of Long Island only sells its wines in its tasting room and via its wine club, but, we were able to convince them to sell us enough Roanoke Vineyards 2007 Blend One for the club. A blend of 60% cabernet sauvignon, 28% merlot and 12% cabernet franc, this winner of the Long Island Non-Merlot Red Wine of the Year shows the ripeness of the 2007 vintages as well as restrained oak and impeccable balance.

If you want to open it now, I recommend decanting it for at least an hour. Or, you can hide this one from yourself in the corner of your cellar and be rewarded many years down the road.

Learn more about the club and by all means, sign up. You can just do a month or three if you want to try it out. And as always, if you have any questions, please just ask me!

 

 

Announcing the Times Union New York Wine Club

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

As of today, the New York Cork Club is no longer... and yet I'm happy and excited. Why?

Because the New York Cork Report and Bacchus Wine and Spirits have added a third partner in the program, the Albany Times Union, to form Times Union New York Wine Club.

It's more than just a name change, however. It's really a revamp of the club and expansion of it -- for a good cause.

The current club has one option, but the new club will feature two distinct levels -- a "Basic" membership that includes two bottles for a set price of $30 plus shipping and the "New York Cork Report Premium" membership that operates much like the current club, maxing out at $60 per month plus shipping.

I'm still the club's curator, meaning that I pick each of the four wines every month, which is doubly fun for me really.

Best of all proceeds from the club will benefit the Times Union’s Classroom Enrichment Program. Through this program, nearly 500 teachers from 274 Capital Region schools receive newspapers and other learning tools at no charge.

Note that all existing members will be automatically enrolled at the Premium membership level.

This is going to be big for the club, I think, and will likely result in a huge upswing in membership -- which means getting more great New York wines into the hands of people who may not get them otherwise.

Learn more about the club and by all means, sign up. You can just do a month or three if you want to try it out. And as always, if you have any questions, please just ask me!

 

The New York Cork Club's October 2010 Selections

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

It's been chilly here on Long Island this week, with frosts a couple mornings. Luckily, all the grapes are in and 2010 wines are going to bring some serious intensity when they are released.

In the meantime, let's talk about Channing Daughters Winery 2009 Scuttlehole Chardonnay and Lamoreaux Landing 2007 76 West, October's New York Cork Club selections.

If you haven't herad of the New York Cork Club (NYCC), it's pretty simple. We've partnered with BacchusWineOnline.com to create a wine club that features only wines made in New York -- making them more accessible to people around the country. We can't ship to every state, shipping laws being what they are today, but we can ship to a lot of them.

For more information and to sign up, visit the Bacchus website.

Now, a bit about the two wines for this month.

When I created this club a couple years ago, I never imagined that I'd be including a Bordeaux-style blend from the Finger Lakes, but Lamoreaux Landing 2007 76 West earned its place in this month's shipment with a  combination of bright red cherry and plum fruit flavors, subtle spicy oak and gentle earthiness. It's dominated by cabernet franc, but includes merlot and cabernet sauvignon, and isn't a big, burly red, but it's ripe and tremendous with food. And a good value to boot.

For our second wine, I went with a wine that exemplifies the style of chardonnay I think Long Island does best with, Channing Daughters Winery 2009 Scuttlehold Chardonnay. Made without a splinter of oak, it's fresh, juicy and refreshing with green apple and lemony citrus flavors. Stainless steel chardonnay can be a bit boring and neutral, but winemaker Chris Tracy always makes one of my favorites every year.

Interesting in signing up for the club? You can do so on the Bacchus website.

The New York Cork Club's September 2010 Selections

In what will likely be our last two-white wine shipment, I'm happy to announce this month's New York Cork Club selections: Paumanok Vineyards 2009 Sauvignon Blanc and Atwater Estate Vineyards 2009 Dry Riesling.

If you haven't herad of the New York Cork Club (NYCC), it's pretty simple. We've partnered with BacchusWineOnline.com to create a wine club that features only wines made in New York -- making them more accessible to people around the country. We can't ship to every state, shipping laws being what they are today, but we can ship to a lot of them.

For more information and to sign up, visit the Bacchus website.

Now, a bit about the two wines for this month.

Paumanok Vineyards 2009 Sauvignon Blanc ($24) is extremely tropical on the nose -- typical of the sauvignon blanc musque clone -- with aromas of papaya, passion fruit, peach and mandarin orange with just a subtle grassy note beneath that fruit cocktail. Ripe and similarly tropical, the mouth-filling, almost opulently fruit-driven palate shows crisp acidity that creates tension on the mid-palate and cuts through all that fruit. The long, balanced finish brings a distinct mango note with a bit of grapefruit zest. 

Atwater Estate Vineyards 2009 Dry Riesling ($16) is a wine of classic Finger Lakes flavors, balance and value. The nose is herby with fennel and lavender aromas with lime and subtle peach beneath. Showing great acidity and verve, the palate is driven by intense lime flavors with peach and a little pear too -- all with a sprinkling of herbs. Soft and fruity at first, it gains focus through the mid-palate and shows good length on the finish. You may remember that my colleague Evan Dawson wrote about this wine in a recent post as well.

Interesting in signing up for the club? You can do so on the Bacchus website.

The New York Cork Club's August 2010 Selections

It's still summer and this month's New York Cork Club selections reflect my still-strong preference for white wines this time year. They are Lieb Family Cellars 2008 Pinot Blanc and Red Tail Ridge Winery 2008 Dry Riesling.

If you haven't herad of the New York Cork Club (NYCC), it's pretty simple. We've partnered with BacchusWineOnline.com to create a wine club that features only wines made in New York -- making them more accessible to people around the country.

We can't ship to every state, shipping laws being what they are today, but we can ship to a lot of them.

For more information and to sign up, visit the Bacchus website.

So a bit about each of the wines...

Lieb's pinot blanc has long been a local favorite. Pinot blanc can sometimes be a bit boring, but not so here where fresh pear and apple aromas reach up out of the glass and get your attention with a little melon, wild flower and subtle nutty character. Fresh, snappy acidity lifts Gala apple and more pear flavors on a medium-bodied palate, with nuances of honey and nuts lurking in the background. The finish lingers nicely with a saline note and a squirt of citrus -- making it both thirst quenching and appetite whetting. This is a wine that local seafood longs for.

2008 rieslings from the Finger Lakes have been wowing me all summer during my weekly tastings, and this one stood out amongst an impressive group of dry versions. It features a citrusy nose of lime and sweet grapefruit with obvious flinty slate character, and subtle floral and sweet herb notes.

Extremely focused and zesty on the palate, green apple, lime and lemon peel flavors are framed and energized by electric acidity. The finish is long with trailing slate flavors that linger along with more citrus and sweet herb.

Interesting in signing up? You can do so on the Bacchus website.

The New York Cork Club's July 2010 Selections

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

This month's New York Cork Club selections are Sheldrake Point Vineyards 2008 Gewurztraminer and Herman J. Wiemer 2008 Dry Riesling, who great summer sippers that will pair with the hot temperatures we've been "enjoying" of late and also with the great local produce that is available this time of year.

Before I say a bit about the two wines, first let me point you at more information about the New York Cork Club (NYCC) itself. The quick and dirty of it is that we've partnered with BacchusWineOnline.com to build a wine club that features only wines made in New York -- making more accessible to people around the country. We can't ship to every state, shipping laws being what they are today, but we can ship to a lot of them.

For more information and to sign up, visit the Bacchus website.

Okay, enough of that. You want information about the wines, right?

Sheldrake Point Vineyard 2008 Gewurztraminer ($18) is a classy, classically styled gewurztraminer that delivers the character I love about gewurztraminer without any of the overly perfumey stuff that I don't. Candied lemon peel bursts from the glass with floral aromas that aren't at all rose-like or perfumy, classic lychee notes and a little sprinkling of brown spice.

Medium bodied and showing good balance between residual sugar and acidity, this gewurz tastes dry despite sweet lemon-citrus flavors with some ripe peach in the mix. The acidity isn't electric, but helps the wine finish crisply with lingering citrus blossom and Lemon Head candy flavors.

Interesting in signing up for the club? You can do so on the Bacchus website.

After including the 2008 Late Harvest a few months ago, I picked Herman J. Wiemer 2008 Dry Riesling this month, their 'regular' dry bottling. Don't be fooled -- it's anything but ordinary. The nose erupts with classic Finger Lakes character -- bright lime, Kaffir lime leaf, lemon zest and grapefruit aromas with an undercurrent of wet slate minerality. 

In a mouth-watering, trocken Kabinett style, the palate is dry (.8% RS) with electric acidity that is both balanced and integrated. Lime flavors drive the palate with white grapefruit and slightly less minerality than the nose might indicate. This wine shows great length and has a bright-but-smooth finish, begging for another sip -- as well as a place on the lunch or dinner table.

The New York Cork Club's June 2010 Selections

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor
Ravines photo courtesy of Mark Moskal

This month's New York Cork Club selections can be considered a brief exploration of dry rose in New York State.

Before I say a bit about the two wines, first let me point you at more information about the New York Cork Club (NYCC). The quick and dirty of it is that we've partnered with BacchusWineOnline.com to build a wine club that features only wines made in New York -- making more accessible to people around the country. We can't ship to every state, shipping laws being what they are today, but we can ship to a lot of them.

In selecting Ravines Wine Cellars 2008 Pinot Rose and Wolffer Estate 2009 Rose, we have two wines -- both dry -- from two different regions made in two very different ways.

The Ravines is 100% pinot noir and offers nice floral character to go with orange-grapefruit, watermelon and cherry fruit flavors. Showing a subtle silkiness to go with fresh acidity, it stays true to pinot noir. It only has .3% residual suggar and Ravines winemaker Morten Hallgren was one of the first (if not the first) to make dry rose in the Finger Lakes.

The Wolffer, on the other hand, is a blend of red and white grapes -- 46% merlot, 33% chardonnay, 12% cabernet sauvignon and 9% cabernet franc -- and is made in winemaker Roman Roth's preferred crisp, snappy style.

Strawberries, peach and a grapefruit mingle on a fruity, fresh nose and the medium-bodied palate brings the same fruitiness with intense strawberry flavors with more subdued peach, citrus and kiwi character. Bright, thirst-quenching acidity plays nicely off of the slightly creamy mid-palate.

Interesting in signing up? You can do so on the Bacchus website.

The New York Cork Club's May 2010 Selections

By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief

Today I'm happy to announce our New York Cork Club selections for May: Shinn Estate Vineyards 2009 Coalescence and Standing Stone Vineyards 2008 Riesling Ice.

Before I say a bit about the two wines, you can read about the NYCC if you'd like, but the quick and dirty of it is that we've partnered with BacchusWineOnline.com to build a wine club that features only wines made in New York -- making more accessible to people around the country.

The Shinn Coalescence is one of the state's great white wine values. It's a steel-fermented blend of chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, riesling and merlot blanc that is intensely citrusy on the nose with subtle minerally seawater character and herbaceous notes. Lithe on the palate, lime and grapefruit flavors lead the way and are accented by lemongrass and well-integrated, juicy acidity. More of that saline minerality comes back again on the tangy, quinine finish. 

There are some outstanding dessert/ice/late harvest wines being made in the Finger Lakes, but I'm not sure any of them delivers the bang for the buck that this Standing Stone does. Though not a traditionally made ice wine (the grapes are harvested late and then frozen commercially) it For $25 (at the winery) it delivers great honeyed citrus and peach flavors with great mouthfeel and acidity. 

I'm proud of what we're building with the NYCC and I encourage you to give it a shot. You can sign up for a month or for a year and cancel at any time. And while the price varies from month-to-month depending on the wines selected, we always keep it under $60 and often far less. I don't make a dime from the project -- it's all about my passion of New York wines and getting them in the hands of more people.

Interesting in signing up? You can do so on the Bacchus website.

The New York Cork Club's April 2010 Selections

This month's selections: Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard 2008 Dry Riesling and Pellegrini Vineyards 2005 Merlot

By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief

Despite my lack of a good picture of one, today I'm happy to announce our New York Cork Club selections for April: Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard 2008 Dry Riesling and Pellegrini Vineyards 2005 Merlot.

If you read this site, you've probably already our review of the Wiemer so I won't go into the notes again. The Pellegrini review will be published next week, but needless to say, I like it quite a bit to include it in the club.

Not familiar with the New York Cork Club?

You can read about it, but the quick and dirty of it is that we've partnered with BacchusWineOnline.com to build a wine club that features only wines made in New York -- making more accessible to people around the country.

Over the years, we've chosen wines from each of the state's four major wine regions and continue to seek out the most interesting, most unique and smallest-lot wines -- many of which you can't get your hands on outside of a winery's tasting room.

You can sign up for a month or for a year and cancel at any time. And while the price varies from month-to-month depending on the wines selected, we always keep it under $60 and often far less.

Interesting in signing up? You can do so on the Bacchus website.

The New York Cork Club's March 2010 Selections

This month's selections: Red Newt Cellars 2007 Sawmill Creek Cabernet Franc and Lucas Vineyards 2008 Dry Riesling

 By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief

Today I'm happy to announce our New York Cork Club selections for March: Red Newt Cellars 2007 Sawmill Creek Cabernet Franc and Lucas Vineyards 2008 Dry Riesling.

If you read this site, you've probably already seen the reviews (here and here) so I won't go into the notes again, but I will say that I'm proud to have each in the club.

Not familiar with the New York Cork Club? You can read about it, but the quick and dirty of it is that we've partnered with BacchusWineOnline.com to build a wine club that features only wines made in New York -- making more accessible to people around the country.

Over the years, we've chosen wines from each of the state's four major wine regions and continue to seek out the most interesting, most unique and smallest-lot wines -- many of which you can't get your hands on outside of a winery's tasting room.

You can sign up for a month or for a year and cancel at any time. And while the price varies from month-to-month depending on the wines selected, we always keep it under $60 and often far less.

Interesting in signing up? You can do so on the Bacchus website.

The New York Cork Club Partners with BacchusWineOnline.com

By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief

  I'm excited to announce today that, starting with our January selections, I'll be partnering with BacchusWineOnline.com for The New York Cork Club, the one-of-a-kind wine club featuring wines that I hand-pick every month.

Before telling you a bit about the new partnership, I'd like to thank Greene Grape, a great little wine shop in Brooklyn for all of their help and support to this point with the NYCC. But, as a smaller wine shop not necessarily focused on New York wines, Greene Grape was no longer the perfect fit for the club.

Bacchus however, is the absolute 'perfect storm' of a wine shop for the New York Cork Club. They have an extensive and always-growing selection of New York wines already. It's a clear focus for the shop going forward too, which is easy for me to get excited about. They are also a larger shop, which means more room to stock wines and stronger buying power in the market.

Those alone would be attributes in a partnership like this, but add the fact that Bacchus is active in social media, including Twitter and TasteLive, and it truly is the perfect wine shop for me to partner with on the club. 

If you'd like some background on the club, I'd encourage you to visit the NYCC page. You can also see many of our previous selections listed here.

And, if you'd like to sign up -- it does make a perfect holiday gift -- visit our new sign-up page.

New York Cork Club (New York Wine Club): October 2009 Selections

By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief

What is the New York Cork Club? It's a New York wine club that I run with Greene Grape Wine in Brooklyn that puts the best, most interesting and often hardest-to-get New York wines in the hands of New York wine lovers. You can learn more here, but the basics are simple.

I taste a lot of New York wines every week. The ones that stand out often find their way into the monthly shipments of two wines. Monthly costs vary depending on the wines I pick, but it's never more than $60 (plus shipping) for the two wines.

This month's selections are two wines that haven't appeared here on the New York Cork Report yet, but I tasted them during winery visits over the past few months and I really like them. They are in the tasting queue for the next week or so, so keep an eye out for the full reviews.

First up is the newest release from the outside-the-merlot-box mind of Channing Daughters Winery winemaker Chris Tracy. Chris has been making "orange" wines for a few years now, but both Envelope and Meditazione -- white wines made with extended skin contact as if they were reds -- cost $40. Those are actually values for this style of wine, but not easy for people new to the style.

This newest wine is Channing Daughters 2008 Ramato, which means "copper" in Italian and with good reason. It pours copper-orange in the glass and features some of the best wine packaging around. And get this... it's only $20. Check this wine out if you can.

My affection for cabernet franc is nothing new to readers of this site -- or members of the New York Cork Club. The second selection for this month is Hermann J. Wiemer's 2007 Reserve Cabernet Franc. Like much of the state, the Finger Lakes benefited from a hot, dry growing season in 2007, resulting in red wines that show more intensity and longevity potential than perhaps any other vintage. This is an intensely flavorful wine now that will age well for 5-10 years.

I'm perhaps a little biased (though I don't make a penny off of this club), but I think the New York Cork, the only New York wine club of its kind, is a great holiday present for the local-drinking person on your holiday shopping list.

Check it out and sign up today.

Atwater Estate White and Greene Grape Wine on WPIX

My friend, and partner in the New York Cork Club, Amy Bennett from Greene Grape Wine appeared on WPIX-11 yesterday morning to discuss budget-friendly wines. I was GOING to embed the video here, but the WPIX site won't let me do it without including advertisements that they have sold and are making money on.

You can check it out here if you'd like though.

I'm proud to say that one of the wines she took with her, Atwater Estate's NV Estate White was a New York Cork Club selection long ago and has been in the shop ever since. Amy has long been an ardent supporter of New York wines (she wouldn't work on the club with me if she weren't!) and I really enjoy seeing her re-order wines that I've chosen for the club.

New York Cork Club: April Selections

By Lenn Thompson, Editor and Publisher

Obviously I'm a bit behind with this post, given that we're well into May now, but I wanted to write a quick post about the wines I chose for April's shipment of the New York Cork Club. Both were a little difficult to get our hands on, so I'm extra proud of the choices.

First is Keuka Lake Vineyards 2007 Reserve Vignoles ($19), just the kind of wine that you're not going to get in any other wine club. First, Vignoles is hybrid grape. Unfortunately, most wine 'experts' ignore hybrids. Second, it's a (almost) dry rendition (most of the Vignoles with any sort of pedigree is used in dessert and ice-style wines).

It pours a pale yellow and the nose is rich and fruity with intense ripe (almost over-ripe) pear aromas mingling with those of musk melon and peach skin. A faint, distant note of gravelly minerals never really stepped forward, but really added to the complexity.

Medium-to-full bodied, the palate is similarly ripe and intense. The musk melon flavors come first, with the pear flavors emerging more on the mid-palate. The naturally bright acidity of Vignoles is there every step of the way, from the attack all the way through to a long, peachy finish that ends with a flavor that reminds me of the way my parents old gravel driveway smelled after a summer rain storm.

This is a wine that I'd love to pour for anybody who scoffs at the ability of crosses and hybrids to make delicious, balanced wines. And this was the LAST CASE available at the winery. It was hand delivered to the Brooklyn store a couple weeks ago by the winery's owner.

Our second wine is one that we actually received before it was even released, Raphael 2008 Naturale ($20), a blend of 60% chardonnay, 30% sauvignon blanc and 10% semillon. It's named Naturale because it's winemaker Rich Olsen-Harbich's forray into natural winemaking. It was made with wild yeasts, without fining or filtering, and only a touch of SO2 at bottling. It even has a bit of residual C02 in it that tickles the nose and tingles the tongue. That slight frizzante is a remnant of fermenation and Rich think it will disipate within a couple months. 

The nose, especially once the froth subsides and the wine warms to cellar temperature, is complex and intricate with aromas of ripe Gala apples, apple blossom, roasted nuts, sweet herbs, lemon zest and toasty yeast.

Medium bodied, it's much more citrusy on the palate, with the apple taking a step back, and basil-like herbs, nuts and a subtle minerally note. This wine is impeccably balanced -- creamy on the mid-palate yet featuring lively acidity. The oak (20% was fermented in new oak, the rest in stainless) accents rather than dominates. And, the finish is long with a little yeasty-leesy spiciness.

New York Cork Club: March Selections

The wines for the New York Cork Club's March 2009 shipment left Greene Grape today, so I wanted to tell you a bit about them.

I always have a lot of fun when I pick the wines that we send out to our members, but this month's selections are two that I'm particularly happy that we were able to get for the club. I wouldn't call them hard to find per se, but you have to go to the winery to get them when we did.

First is a wine from Anthony Road Wine Company, their 2007 Martini-Rienhardt Selection Riesling ($22), a wine that I tasted during my visit last month. The M-RS wines are only made from certain estate vineyard blocks in years when the fruit shows something truly special and unique. This isn't some bs alternative to "reserve" labeling. Trust me.

This riesling is just beautiful. It has floral, lime and pear aromas and flavors, amazing balance and has such great acidity that it tastes less sweet than the 2.1% residual sugar might indicate. Why was it kind of hard to get? Well, they don't make much of it and it isn't sold wholesale anywhere. To get it, we had to convince John Martini to bring a case down with him when he visited New York City last weekend.

I was lucky to taste our second wine, Bedell Cellars 2007 Merlot ($25) a couple weeks ago during a visit to the tasting room (post coming soon). It had actually just been shipped to their wine club as a pre-release. As you probably know if you read this blog very often, 2007 was a warm, dry and long growing season on Long Island and this wine shows amazing intensity in its mouth-filling dark fruit flavors, firm-but-ripe tannins, and long finish. If you want to drink it now, decant it for at least an hour. Or, hold it for up to 10 years I'd guess.

>> Learn about the New York Cork Club
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New York Cork Club: October's Selections

Wines like those in our October shipment are why I enjoy picking the wines for the New York Cork Club. The only independent wine club for New York wines.

A lot of people complain about the prices of New York wines (particularly those from Long Island) but both of these wines represent terrific values. If you like balanced, nuanced wines that is.

First up is a wine from a tiny producer that doesn't event have a tasting room yet (though they are working on it): Scarola Vineyards 2005 Masseria Merlot ($16), a great value in Long Island merlot from a great vintage. Owner Frank Scarola makes his wines at Wolffer Estate under the watchful eye of Roman Roth. This wine shows off the ripeness of the vintage with ripe cherry and blackberry flavors accented by hints of vanilla, oak and spice. At this price, I don't think there are many wines that should age like this one can too. I'm not talking 15 years, but I think 5-7 years is possible.

Next is a merlot-heavy blend from Raphael on the North Fork of Long Island, Raphael's 2005 La Fontana ($25). A blend of 80% merlot, 15% cabernet franc, 3% malbec and 2% petit verdot, this medium-dark garnet is very old world on the nose. Dark fruit aromas of blackberry, black cherry and black plum intermingle with those of earthy tobacco, thyme, mint and subtle spice. Right out of the bottle, the secondary non-fruit flavors like tobacco, black pepper and herbs are more prominent. But with just a few moments in the glass, black and red fruit flavors emerge, unfurling to fill the mouth from start to finish. The tannins are ripe but still grippy, pointing to a fine future ahead. Overall, it's on the fuller side of medium bodied and the finish lingers with a delicious minty notes.

If you love New York wines or just want to learn more about the state's best, I encourage you to check out the New York Cork Club. 

New York Cork Club: September Selections

This month's New York Cork Club shipment is one of my favorites. Two rieslings from two producers in two different New York regions. Both from the same vintage.

First, we have Fox Run Vineyards 2006 Reserve Riesling ($30), a tremendous example of American riesling. 2006 was a terrific riesling year in the Finger Lakes and this one captures that quality extremely well.

The nose offers stone fruit (think peaches and apricots), hints of tropical fruit and citrus. On the palate, its gentle sweetness is balanced beautifully by lively acidity, with pineapple and peach flavors accented by a squirt of lime juice and an interesting ginger-spice note. This wine is one reason that Fox Run will be named one of the world's Top 100 Wineries by Wine & Spirits Magazine in their November issue.

Secondly, we've chosen Peconic Bay Winery 2006 Riesling ($17) which hails from from Long Island. Floral aromas lead on the nose here along with those of ripe pears and lemons. Secondary aromas of pineapple and even a little petrol add complexity and personality.

On the palate, it's a bit bigger than the Fox Run with loads of ripe, juicy pear and citrus flavors balanced by tongue-tingling, minerally acidity. The clean, lingering finish is highlighted by a citrusy-floral note at the very end that invites sip after sip.

The New York Cork Club really is a one-of-a-kind wine club. Each month, I pick two wines that I'm really enjoying and my partner in the venture, Greene Grape Wine Company, tracks them down and ships them to our members. Sometimes I pick wines because they are just plain delicious, but it goes beyond that. I'm lucky to have access to wines that most wine clubs do not (because of my relationships with New York producers). You won't find these wines in any other wine club.

And, you know that I'm picking wines because I enjoy them... because I don't make a penny on this project.

Check it out today and if you'd like to see our past selections, you can see those as well.

New York Cork Club: July's Selections

I try not to spam my own readers here on LENNDEVOURS with talk about the New York Cork Club, the wine club that I run with Greene Grape Wine in Brooklyn. I could (and probably should) tell you much more often about how I pick the wines independently, without the wine shop telling me to pick wines that they can make a ton of money on. I could tell you how I'm able to get wines that aren't available to any other clubs or retailers. But I don't nearly often enough probably.

But this month, we have two wines that I've enjoyed quite a bit recently and neither are easy to get your hands on.

First up is Bouke Wine's 2007 White Table Wine ($18), which I wrote about last week. It is the first release from one of the North Fork's newest producers. It's 40% chardonnay, 32% pinot gris, 18% sauvignon blanc, and 10% Gewurztraminer and has a surprisingly complex (at this price) nose showing predominant apple and citrus aromas accented by those of white flowers, pineapple and spice. The fresh, satisfying palate is medium-light in body and offers green apple, peach and lemon zest flavors with more spice. There is just the right acidity here to keep it lively. Make sure that you don't over-chill this wine. You'll miss out on some of the depth and complexity. It's only available at The Tasting Room, a co-op tasting room for tiny producers that don't have their own tasting rooms. We were able to get some for the club though, so you won't have to drive out to Peconic.

 

The second wine, Ravines Wine Cellars' 2007 Argetsinger Vineyard Dry Riesling ($24), is even harder to get your hands on. You might remember that sent winemaker Morten Hallgren's regular 2006 Dry Riesling to members last year, but this wine is even better... and it's his first-ever single-vineyard wine, with 100% of the fruit coming from the Argetsinger Vineyard on Seneca Lake, one of the region's oldest. A pale yellowish green in the glass, this riesling from the hot 2007 vintage offers lightly floral aromas along with those of dried apricots and fresh lime with a great minerally quality. The palate is lighter bodied and lithe, but still fills the mouth with intense minerality, bursting citrusy-lime flavors and an undercurrent of apricots. Several 2007 riesling I've tasted were flat and lifeless, but this one is anything but. The acidity is almost electric in its liveliness and the finish is lengthy, lingering with lime and slate notes. Morten only made 150 cases of this wine, so it's only available at the winery. But, I was able to convince them to sell us enough for our club.

To learn more about the New York Cork Club, you can either visit the website or just email me. I'm more than happy to tell you about it. I don't make a penny from it, so it's clearly something that I'm passionate about.

New York Cork Club: June Selections

I'm proud of every wine that I choose for the New York Cork Club, but this month's selections are wines that I'm particularly excited about. One is hard to get (we couldn't get any last year) and one is one of the best sauvignon blancs to come out of New York.

First up is the wine that can be difficult to get if you're not a member of Paumanok Vineyards' wine club -- their 2007 Chenin Blanc ($27). it's a delicious and unique-to-the-state white that has been praised by writers like Eric Asimov of the New York Times. And, it's one of the first Long Island wines bottled under a Stelvin (screwcap) closure. Chenin blanc is rare on the North Fork — no one else grows it actually. They don't make much and it has a rabid following. I think we got lucky to get enough for the club this year.

The nose is complex and expressive, showing a fruit salad mélange of grapefruit, mango, pear, melon and orange blossom. A medium-bodied palate starts off fresh and clean with melon, grapefruit and mineral
flavors, but as the wine crosses over into the mid-palate, the flavors change a bit, becoming richer with pineapple and honey overtones. That honeyed fruit character carries through to the finish, which is long and delicious.

The texture of this wine is faintly oily but it remains lively and clean because there's plenty of balancing acidity.

Our second wine, Macari Vineyards' 2007 Katherine's Field Sauvignon Blanc ($22) is one of the best sauvignons to come out of this region. It pours an extremely pale greenish-yellow in the glass and offers intense aromas of grapefruit, lemon and lime zest with understated hints of just-cut grass and crushed Thai basil leaves.

The palate is mouthwateringly crisp and similarly citrusy, with fresh grapefruit and sweet lime flavors accented by a seawater minerality and more of that grassy-herbal character... but not too much.

The balance between flavor, texture and lively acidity is impressive and the finish lingers nicely. If you want to discuss this wine in terms of global style, I'd say that it lives somewhere between Sancerre and New Zealand. Or, you could do what I do and just call it Long Island style.

The New York Cork Club is a collaboration between yours truly and Greene Grape Wine in Brooklyn, NY. Each month, I independently select two New York-made wines that I'm excited about and Greene Grape ships them directly to our members. Unlike many non-winery wine clubs, where you get wines that no one else wants, we send you wines that are interesting, unique... and the same wines that I'm drinking.

If you have any questions about it, let me know. If not, go sign up today.