New York Cork Report

Lenz Winery 2007 Estate Selection Merlot

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

If you're looking for innovative, modern winemaking or flashy branding, The Lenz Winery probably isn't for you. Lenz isn't in the Long Island Wine Council and isn't particularly active on channels like Facebook and Twitter.

Instead, Lenz has relied on winemaker Eric Fry and his traditional, Old World-styled wines and the periodic, well-publicized blind tasting against top Boredeaux, to build its reputation. And it's worked. Lenz has a devoted following and Eric's reds are often among the most complex in the region.

Carrying on a tradition of well-priced, age-worthy merlot, Lenz Winery 2007 Estate Selection Merlot ($24) offers aromas of sweet cherry, violets and plums, with just a little note of oak in the background.

Plump and juicy with fresh acidity and soft, supple tannins, the palate brings a bit of blueberry to the red and black fruit party. With some time in the glass, an earthy note emerges, adding a layer of complexity to the superior mouthfeel and long finish.

As this wine often is, this is approachable now, but will reward time in your cellar. I have a few bottles of the 2001 left in my cellar and the last one I opened was still alive and developing.

Producer: The Lenz Winery
AVA: North Fork of Long Island
ABV: 13%  
Price: $24*

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

(Ratings Guide)

Damiani Wine Cellars 2010 Semi-Dry Riesling

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

I first tasted this wine as a part of Riesling Hour and it was one of the more popular wines amongst the Long Island wine industry folks who joined me for the tasting. This review is based on a subsequent tasting in my home.

Light hints of apricot and lime bring nuance to a nose driven by sweet pear and green apple.

Juicy, ripe and off-dry, the palate shows more sweet pear character along with flavors of peach and white grape -- with snappy acidity that brings focus and verve. There is an interesting floral, green tea note on the medium-length finish.

Producer: Damiani Wine Cellars
AVA: Finger Lakes
ABV: 11.9%  
RS: 2.0%
Production: 420 cases
Price: $16*

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

(Ratings Guide)

Flying Bison Brewing Brindle Porter

By Julia Burke, Beer Editor

A good porter feels like your favorite pair of jeans. It just fits — your tastes, the meal, the moment. I’m constantly in search of the perfect porter. It’s one of my favorite styles not least because brewing it correctly requires skillful composition and, I would argue, a sense of honor for the style’s history of comforting and sustaining the Industrial Revolution workforce.

Flying Bison Brewing has produced such a beer.

Brindle Porter, a limited release inspired by the classic English porter, pours a deep brown color with a one-finger head and wide, faint lacing. Hints of coffee, chocolate, and toffee come forth on the nose.

I was struck by the amazing balance of the mouthfeel. Overroasting is something I always notice and never appreciate, and this beer strikes just the right note, with subtle roasted English chocolate malt and a mellow, seriously smooth flavor profile that lingers. A kiss of Kent Goldings hops gives it just enough zip on the finish. The weight is excellent, just what a porter should be — hefty enough to stick to the ribs but crisp and comfortable enough to drink all night. I sucked down two in the time it took me to take these notes.

This is my new favorite Flying Bison product, hands down, and one of my favorite porters. I truly hope it becomes a regular part of the brewery’s lineup.

Producer: Flying Bison Brewing Company
Style: English porter
ABV: 5.6%
Stemware: pint glass
Price: $4/draught pint

 

 

(3 out of 5, Very good/Recommended)

(Ratings Guide)

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)

Altamont Vineyard & Winery 2008 Leon Millot Reserve

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

Because of my interest in New York and other northeast wines, I've tasted a great many red hybrids over the years, but never Leon Millot.

In fact, I had never even heard of Leon Millot learning that Keuka Lake Vineyards on Keuka Lake in the Finger Lakes has a bit of a cult following for its rendition. I have yet to taste that wine, but was able to get my hands on a bottle from Altamont Vineyards & Winery in Altamont, NY -- which happens to just be 15 miles or so from my where my wife's family lives. I hope to visit in the spring sometime.

Not knowing much about the grape, I did a little online research and found this on Wikipedia:

"Léon Millot is a red variety of hybrid grape used for wine.^[1] It was created in 1911 in the Oberlin Institute in Colmar, Alsace, by the French viticulturist Eugène Kuhlmann (1858–1932) by crossing the hybrid grape Millardet et Grasset 101-14 O.P. (which is Vitis riparia × Vitis rupestris^[2]) with Goldriesling, which is Vitis vinifera. The variety was named after the winemaker and tree nusery owner Léon Millot.

Léon Millot ripens early, and has high resistance against fungal diseases. It is therefore suited for cultivation in colder climates. It gives powerful wine with some foxy aromas."

If you're a fan of of Leon Millot and are expecting "powerful" and "foxy" you may be let down by Altamont Vineyard & Winery 2008 Leon Millot Reserve ($17). I didn't find it to be either.

The nose isn't particularly effusive, but features black cherry and currant fruit with hints of woodsy spice, camphor, and coffee.

Fresh, bouncy acidity provides structure on a low-tanning palate that delivers a serious dose of oak -- coming through mostly as chocolate and chicory coffee -- over top of black cherry flavors. The mid-palate is a little dilute and the finish is a bit short with a mothball quality that I didn't love.

Producer: Altamont Vineyard &Winery
AVA: New York
ABV: 11.5%  
Price: $17

 

 

(2 out of 5 | Average)

(Ratings Guide)

 

 

Billsboro Winery 2010 Dry Riesling

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

My Finger Lakes-focused colleague Evan Dawson and I sometimes lament what sometimes happens to Finger Lakes riesling when it's fermented dry. Depending on the fruit and the winemaker, the wines can become shrill, hollow and overly austere. Casually, we refer to them as "lemon water riesling."

That's not a compliment.

It seems though that dry rieslings from longer and/or warmer growing seasons -- like the long 2010 one -- tend to avoid this problem more often.  

Billsboro Winery 2010 Dry Riesling ($16) is an fine example of that. Made from fruit grown at Sawmill Creek Vineyards, it has expressive, pretty aromas of river rock, lime and citrus blossom.

Driven by minerally, rocky flavors, the lithe body also delivers lime, kumquat and grapefruit citrus character with a bit of green apple. Staying just this side of austere, its dry (.3% rs) with a focusing beam of acidity and a medium-long, mouth-watering finish that shows hints of flint.

Producer: Billsboro Winery
AVA: Finger Lakes
ABV: 11.5%  
RS: .3%
Production: 175 cases
Price: $16*

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

(Ratings Guide)

 

 

Heart & Hands Wine Company 2009 Pinot Noir

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

Over a relatively short period of time, Heart & Hands Wine Company has almost become synonymous with New York pinot noir. There are other wineries making good versions of course, but on a consistent basis, there isn't a producer I can recommend more for pinot.

Co-owner and winemaker Tom Higgins carefully sources fruit from dependable growers and his passion for the grape manifests itself in meticulous cellar work.

Heart & Hands Wine Company 2009 Pinot Noir ($20) -- which is closed under Vino-Seal by the way -- offers aromas of red cherries and cranberries sprinkled with brown spice, star anise and a bit of black pepper.

Light bodied -- there isn't any syrah in this pinot -- the palate is juicy with red fruit flavors and layers of toasty oak, spice and tea leaf. Fresh acidity and well-incorporate, soft tannins bring structure and lengthen the finish.

Producer: Heart & Hands Wine Company
AVA: Finger Lakes
ABV: 12.6%  
Price: $20

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

(Ratings Guide)

Atwater Estate Vineyards 2010 Riesling Bubble

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

Sparkling riesling isn't new in the Finger Lakes. A handful of wineries have been making it for years and a couple years ago, one even won the Governor's Cup.

Last fall, Atwater Estate Vineyards became the latest winery to make sparkling riesling, adding Riesling Bubble to its portfolio. Off-dry and force-carbonated, it also features modern packaging that definitely stands out on a store shelf (my picture doesn't do it justice) and is closed  with a crown cap rather than a cork.

A fruity nose shows ripe peach, candied green apple and hints of mint syrup. Soft carbonation and crisp acidity make this fun, fruity sparkler seem almost dry. Short on the finish.

Producer: Atwater Estate Vineyards
AVA: Finger Lakes
ABV: 11%
Harvest Brix: 19.6
Residual Sugar: 2%
TA: 8.5 g/L
pH: 2.94
Price: $16*

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

(*Ratings Guide)

Tousey Winery 2010 Cabernet Franc

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

When Ben and Kimberly Peacock took over the wine portion of Tousey Winery's business in 2009 -- Kimberly is founder Ray Tousey's daughter -- the portfolio was focused on hybrid grapes. "To be frank, that didn't suit our tastes," Ben told me, adding "So, we switched our focus to vinifera."

To help make that switch, they've been working with Fox Run Vineyards winemaker Peter Bell in the winery and long-time Long Island grape grower Steve Mudd in their vineyards.

I've already written about the pinot noir, and after tasting the Tousey Winery 2010 Cabernet Franc ($22) -- made from grapes grown by John Bruno at Oak Summit Vineyard -- it's hard not to consider Tousey Winery a major player in the resurgence of quality wine in Hudson Valley.

Plummy, with crushed blackberries, tobacco leaf, subtle herbs, the nose also shows hints of brown sugar, milk chocolate and spice.

The medium-bodied palate is earthy and chocolatey with ripe dark fruit, some oak, and spice flavors. The tannins are soft, but provide just enough structure. The finish brings dried autumn leaves and lingers just a bit.

Producer: Tousey Winery
AVA: New York
ABV: 13% 
Price: $22*
 

(3 out of 5, Very good/Recommended)

(*Ratings Guide)

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)

 

 

Robibero Family Vineyards 2010 Dry Riesling

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

Robibero Family Vineyards, which took over the old Rivendell Winery building in New Paltz, NY in 2007, is a Hudson Valley winery to keep an eye on. The Robibero family has planted an estate vineyard and is working hard to breathe new life into the winery and tasting room and has hired Kristop Brown, formerly of Benmarl Winery, to help make the wines.

For now the wines are made with fruit and juice purchased in other areas of the state -- a common scenario in the Hudson River Valley.

This Robibero Family Vineyards 2010 Dry Riesling ($17) is made with fruit sourced in Finger Lakes and it shows it.

Fresh aromas of green apple, lime and juicy pear are accented by a subtle, but distinct, floral note.

Fruity and somewhat simple on the palate, this wine is dominated by lime and green apple flavors with subtle honey character. All that fruit is balanced quite well with crisp, juicy acidity -- with a medium-length finish that shows lime and pear flavors.

You'll find more complex dry rieslings in the Finger Lakes, but this wine successfully dodges the "lemony acid water" style that underwhelms.

Producer: Robibero Family Vineyards
AVA: New York State (Finger Lakes)
ABV: 12.5%  
Price: $17*
  

(3 out of 5, Very good/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)

Inspire Moore Winery 2010 "Change" Blaufrankisch

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

Here is yet another delicious Blaufrankisch from the Finger Lakes, with ripe, juicy aromas of blackberry and black raspberry with hints of cassis and a black pepper edge.

Showing off the warmth of the 2010 growing season, the medium-to-full bodied palate displays intense red and fruit flavors that remain bright and crunchy because of the fresh acidity. Add a sprinkling of black pepper and you have a wine well suited to the dinner table or your picnic table next to burgers and barbeque.

The finish is long shows a certain floral-herbal quality that brings complexity.

Producer: Inspire Moore Winery
AVA: Finger Lakes
ABV: 12.5%  
Price: $22*
  

(3 out of 5, Very good/Recommended)

(Ratings Guide)

http://www.lenndevours.com/2011/12/nycr-2011-holiday-gift-guide.html

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

Southampton Publick House Double White

By Julia Burke, Beer Editor

Long Island brewery Southampton Publick House has arrived in western New York and I can't think of a nicer way to ring in the holidays than with this consistently impressive brewery's lineup of interesting and varied styles.

Double White pours a glowing sunrise-haze gold color and shows a brief one-finger head and beautiful bubbles. A clean, crisp nose with only a subtle whiff of cardamom and lemon and just a little bit of clementine give way as it opens to bready wheat character and citrusy Belgian yeast esters.

The mouthfeel is excellent --smooth, bready, just a touch sweet, and perfectly carbonated. Balance all around, especially in the alcohol department (as a "double" it's 6.6%, spot on for the level of complexity and perfectly integrated) makes this a great food match. 

I've been on a crazy Chinese cooking kick lately and the pairing with pork fried rice or homemade steamed dumplings is fantastic. It's also, like many Southampton beers, a dynamite cheese pairing. This incredibly refreshing white is like a frigid-but sunny winter day: brisk and bracing and just the right thing to beat the blues of dwindling daylight hours. 

Producer: Southampton Publick House
Style: Belgian witbier
ABV: 6.6%
Sample size: 12 oz. bottle
Stemware: V-pint glass
Price: $10/six pack

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

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)

Lamoreaux Landing 2010 Dry Riesling

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

As I patrol the Internet, seeking out information about New York wine and read what to others are saying about it, I see some pretty amazing and curious things. One of the most mind-boggling is the contention by some that Finger Lakes rieslings are over-priced.

That's just silly and barely merits discussion, so I will just assume those folks must be very happy drinking a lot of Pacific Rim and Covey Run rielsings from the West Coast and move on.

This wine, the Lamoreaux Landing 2010 Dry Riesling, is $13 at the winery and I've seen it of less in wine shops. And in just about every vintage, this is a wine that over-delivers.

When I was a kid, we had a gravel driveway. This wine smells like that driveway did after it rained, with added aromas of lime, citrus blossom and green tea.

Lively, dry and focused, the palate shows intense lime flavors with grapefruit at the edges and more of that wet gravel minerality. The acidity is juicy and citrusy and the finish is medium-long.

Finger Lakes rieslings over-priced? Here's exhibit A against that case.

Producer: Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars
AVA: Finger Lakes
ABV: 12.1%  
TA: 8.03 g/L
pH: 2.96
Production: 1,750 cases
Price: $13*
 

 

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

(*Ratings Guide)

Heart & Hands Wine Company 2009 Reserve Riesling

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

Tom and Susan Higgins, owners of Heart & Hands Wine Company on the eastern shore of Cayuga Lake, have worked tirelessly to build a reputation for making what may be New York's best pinot noirs. It's clear that pinot is their passion and it shows in the bottle and throughout their entire operation.

But, with wines like Heart & Hands Winery 2009 Reserve Riesling ($29) Tom, who makes the wines, proves that he's not a one-trick pinot pony. This is the Finger Lakes after all, where riesling rules and it seems silly not to make riesling when such high quality raw materials are available.

The nose is expressive and concentrated, filled with lime, pear, starfruit, fig and citrus blossom aromas.

Intense and concentrated fruit flavors -- apple, graprefruit and lime -- are delivered on a nimble, almost feathery palate with bright, well-integrated acidity that drives it forward and into a long, citrusy dry finish.

2009 was a tremendous year for riesling in the Finger Lakes, and this is one of the best I've tasted from the vintage.

Producer: Heart & Hands Wine Company
AVA: Finger Lakes
ABV: 12%  
RS: 1.5% 
TA: 9.6 g/L
pH: 2.9
Price: $29
  

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

 

(*Ratings Guide)

 

Heron Hill Winery 2008 Blaufrankisch

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

Though on the oakier -- and pricier -- end of the Finger Lakes Blaufrankisch spectrum, the Heron Hill Winery 2008 Blaufrankisch ($35) is worthy of a taste when you visit their tasting room with stunning views of Keuka Lake.

Not content making a juicy, fruity, peppery wine, the folks at Heron Hill always push the envelope with this grape.

At first, the nose seems like it will be dominated by chocolate and smoky oak, but those aromas don't completely obscure those of red cherry, cranberry, black pepper, clove, tarragon and mint.

Hefty on the palate, and a bit more overtly oaky, the smoke, vanilla and chocolate character pushes the red fruit to the background just a bit. Good acidity keeps it lively and there is just enough fruit to retain varietal correctnes through the oak.

The long finish shows layers of spice, vanilla and just a bit of sweet cedar.

This is a wine that makes me wonder what it could be like with just a bit less time in barrel.

Producer: Heron Hill Winery
AVA: Finger Lakes
ABV: 13%  
Price: $35*
 

(3 out of 5, Very good/Recommended)

(*Ratings Guide)

 

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)