Palmer Vineyards 2011 Aromatico
Miguel Martin, Spanish-born winemaker at Palmer Vineyards, flies under the radar. Instead of grabbing headlines or a lot of attention, he simply works hard in the vineyard and cellar to not only produce impressives wines from the grapes you’d expect on the North Fork — grapes like cabernet franc, sauvignon blanc and pinot blanc — but also from those you might not expect, like New York’s first Albarino, which he introduced last spring.
With Palmer Vineyards 2011 Aromatico ($25 per 500-ml bottle), Miguel adds to the unexpected end of roster.
A blend of 72% muscat canelli and 28% malvasia, you might expect it to be somewhat one dimensional — all perfume and flowers — but it’s not. Yes, there is a strong floral component but there are also aromas of tangerine, pear and honeydew melon.
Fresh with plenty of juicy, citrusy acidity, the medium-bodied palate is well balanced and shows some weight on the mid-palate before finishing lithe and clean. Green apple, pear and melon flavors blend nicely with floral flavors and a subtle exotic quality. Showing nice length, the finish stretches out with apple skin and citrus blossom flavors.
Palmer goes one acre of the muscat and just under and acre of the malvasia, so there’s not much available — fewer than 60 cases of 500-ml bottles.
Producer: Palmer Vineyards
AVA: North Fork of Long Island
ABV: 12.5%
Price: $25*
(3 out of 5, Very good/Recommended)
Great job Miguel!